Articles / Julia Blanton » Exercises

Push-ups: for all ages and abilities

Julia — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 19:05:05 +0000

The push-up is a fundamental exercise that I routinely use with most of my clients. It works the whole body and can be easily modified for either the 75 year-old woman or the 25 year-old athlete. Push-ups engage numerous muscles including the core (a group of muscles which support and protect the back), chest, shoulders, and triceps (the area on the back of the arm that can get loose and wobbly, causing the “double goodbye” effect when waving).

As with any exercise, proper form is the most important factor. The spine should remain neutral, not swayed, so that your body forms a straight line from head to hips to heels. Place your hands directly in line with and slightly wider than your shoulders and lower your body by bending the elbows and leading with the chest, as opposed to sinking the hips or leading with the head. Ideal range of motion, how low one should go, will depend on strength, mobility, and past injuries to the shoulder or elbow. Work within a range that is both challenging and safe. If you experience strain or discomfort in the low back, chances are your core muscles are not strong enough to support you, in which case you should regress your push-up to an easier version and build core strength by holding the plank position. The moment your form begins to get sloppy, stop immediately.

Kitchen counter push-up (beginner)

Place your hands on the edge of the kitchen counter, align your mid (not upper) chest with the edge of the countertop, and proceed with standard push-up form (as described above). Only go as low as you feel comfortable. Once you can do 20 good repetitions at the kitchen counter, move to the back of the couch. With dedication and consistency, you will eventually graduate to the side of the bathtub! Always use a stable surface that will not budge under the weight of your body.

Ball push-up (beginner, intermediate, advanced)

The exercise ball challenges the core muscles by introducing an unstable surface under the legs/feet. With your hands on the floor in standard push-up position, use the following guidelines to determine where to position the ball. Beginners should start with their hips or thighs on the ball. As you get stronger, move the ball closer to your shins. More advanced individuals should try placing their feet on the top of the ball. Still too easy? Try lifting one leg about four inches in the air. Pro Tip: Use a 55-65cm inflatable exercise ball.

Push-up with dumbbell row (advanced)

Start in standard push up form holding a dumbbell in each hand and legs slightly apart. Go down as you would with a standard push-up. Do not go lower than the depth of your hands. Push up and pull one dumbbell off the floor in a row motion bringing the weight toward your armpit, and retracting the shoulder blade toward the spine. Be attentive to keeping your hips level, resisting the temptation to twist them. Place the weight back on the floor and repeat on the other side. Dumbbells can range from 5lbs to 35lbs or more. Pro Tip: Use dumbbells with a flat surface as they are less likely to roll.

Push-ups should be part of a balanced training program, which incorporates some back strengthening exercises. Respect the limitations of your own body and those established by your doctor.

Drenched with happiness

Julia — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 23:59:20 +0000

“Drenched with happiness after running intervals in the rain with Julia”. This was my husband’s Facebook status last Saturday after an exhilarating run in the woods. Thoroughly soaked and physically worked, we giddily welcomed the first storm of the season. I was perfectly content savoring the experience between the two of us, however, and had trouble understanding why he felt the need to share it on Facebook. He argued that while most people are bundled up in their homes during the stormy weather, we went out and had an incredible adventure. He believed that sharing this with others would inspire them to get out there too.

Running through the forest in the rain is about so much more than just exercise. It is a time when you see the forest come alive. Parched from the dryness throughout the summer months, the towering redwoods, meandering rivers, and delicate ferns welcome each fallen drop. Surrounded by such wonderment, I feel happy and grounded. These moments, without the distractions of phones, emails, or anybody asking anything of me, are truly divine. With my heart pounding, muscles contracting, and everything working in perfect synchronicity to move me forward, I am filled with gratitude. When I crest the top of a steep climb, I find that suddenly my perspective shifts and life’s challenges seem to shrink to manageable proportions. I always return home after a good trail run feeling alive and cleansed.

Some of my favorite state parks to explore include Big Basin, Castle Rock, Henry Cowell, and Nisene Marks. As you might have guessed, I will be voting YES on California Proposition 21.

Whether you are a runner, hiker, or walker, don’t let the winter weather prevent you from getting outdoors and staying active. Sure, you will probably get wet, but you also may find yourself drenched with happiness.

Mommy Workout

Julia — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 23:42:22 +0000

As a mom, I know how challenging it is to fit everything into a single 16 hour day and squeezing in a workout can sometimes seem as likely as conquering Mount Everest. We’ve learned to be quite creative when it comes to taking care of our family and keeping our house in order, but we seldom work ourselves into the equation. While pondering this dilemma one day, I experienced a multi-tasking epiphany. It dawned on me that I could, in fact, get in a workout and spend quality time with my girls all at once. We had so much fun making this video. And let me tell you, I was sore for 3 days!

Humbling Tales Of An Athlete

Julia — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 07:25:16 +0000

In my twenties, my body would do just about anything I commanded. If I could will myself to go for a 100 mile bike ride or a 3 hour run, my body would follow without question. When extreme fatigue set in during the last 5 miles of a 50K trail race, I kept my feet moving toward the finish by setting incremental psychological goals to get to the next rock or tree. The physical challenge always seemed secondary to the mental obstacles.

At 27, I became pregnant with my first child and suddenly my body could no longer keep up with what my mind was more than willing to do. I wanted to keep running and cycling, but I got winded easily and felt exhausted after the workouts. Don’t get me wrong, I pushed it as far as I possibly could; I was still doing 10 mile runs in my 5th month and 50 mile bike rides in my 7th month. Inevitably, though I eventually had to concede. I finished my last trimester with plenty of swimming and I took up a new sport, knitting (it kept me busy, productive, and stationary).

After a couple years of solid training I regained my fitness, was feeling stronger than ever, and Presto! I was served a second helping of humble pie. Just two months after finishing third overall in the Golden Gate Headlands Half Marathon, I was diagnosed with plantar fascitis and a stress fracture in my heel. I found myself, once more, unable to physically fulfill my metal ambitions. Physical therapy didn’t work and ultimately I had to wear the boot immobilizer. Again, I channeled my energy into swimming, only this time I had the capacity to really train. After about 6 months of swimming four days per week (including a 90 min Masters workout on the weekend), I was swimming faster than I ever thought I could (the silver lining!). And just as I was breaking through to the 1:30 lane… I became pregnant with my second child. Yes, it was planned and I was truly ecstatic, but I have to admit a small part of me was sad in knowing that I would lose a good portion of the speed I had worked so hard to achieve.

These experiences have been both humbling and educational. I’ve learned what it is like to carry extra weight, support a growing baby, and work around an injury. I understand what it means to have physical limitations that cannot be overruled by even the strongest willpower. I’ve also learned to embrace such challenges the best I can, move forward with grace, and no matter what, never accept defeat.

4 Ways to Boost Calorie Burn While Weight Training

Julia — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 03:33:09 +0000

Many of us are dealing with multiple time constraints when it comes to fitting in an exercise plan. This is why our workouts must be as effective and efficient as possible. Before you try to squeeze in another workout, make sure you are getting the most out of the ones you’re already doing. Put these 4 training principles into action the next time you are at the gym to supercharge your workout and reap higher calorie burn, greater cardiovascular fitness, and improved stamina.

Warm up with 15 min of cardio.

Choose any mode of cardio you like (bike, run, elliptical, stair climber, etc) to elevate your heart rate and jump start your metabolism. Start with 5 minutes easy, followed by 5 minutes moderate intensity, and finish with 5 minutes challenging. This 15 minute cardio segment will speed up the metabolism and improve circulation to the muscles, thereby priming them to lift heavier weights, execute more complex exercises, and reduce the risk for injury.

Choose exercises that involve multiple muscle groups.

Now that you’ve elevated your heart rate, keep it up by choosing exercises that use multiple muscle groups. The more muscles you use at once, the higher demand you put on the cardiovascular system and the more calories you will burn. Some of my favorite exercises that fit this criteria include squats, single leg squats, lunges, push ups, dips, shoulder press, pull ups, and the row. If you want to incorporate isolation exercises into your workout make sure to pair them with a leg component. For example: instead of a seated biceps curl, do walking lunges or a wall sit while you tone your guns.

Make sets of 3 exercises.

Put together sets of 3 complementary exercises to maintain higher energy output throughout your workout. Select 3 exercises that work different muscle groups, like squat/push up/row or lunge/shoulder press/pull up, and do 2-3 sets without stopping for rest. While you work one muscle group the other one recovers, so your “rest” becomes active. By decreasing down time, you will keep the heart pumping and improve stamina.

More advanced athletes can piggyback overlapping muscle groups for two of the three exercises. For example: squat/Romanian deadlift/pull up.

Rest less.

As I mentioned you will get “active rest” throughout the workout, but there will be very little non-moving rest. After you complete 2-3 sets of 3 exercises you should allow about 1 min passive rest to recover for the next cycle. This is a great time to get some water or do a couple stretches, but keep it short because you don’t want your heart rate to come down too low.

Sample Workout

Warm up 15 min on the treadmill (5 min @ 5.5 mph, 5 min @ 6.5 mph, 5 min @ 6.5 mph with 4 % grade)

squat/push up/standing cable row with knees bent
pull up/walking lunges with biceps curl/triceps dips
side lunge/shoulder press with wall sit/body weight row
plank with alternating leg lift/bicycle abs/reverse wood chop