KettleBell Olympia

Benefits of the Kettlebell Swing

First off, what in the world is a kettlebell?  The kettlebell is a piece of exercise equipment that looks like a bowling ball with a handle. By using it in a particular way you will get your cardio and strength all in one.

The foundation for all kettlebell movements is the swing. The swing is a superior exercise move for the following reasons:

1. It strengthens the gluteals/buns – research shows that people with lower back dysfunction and pain have “gluteal amnesia”. Basically the rear end muscles have forgotten how to work.

2. It stretches the hip flexors – for those of you who sit all day, I guarantee your hip flexors/groin muscles are extremely tight. These muscles attach to the front of the spine and the front of the hip. Tightness in these muscles can also cause lower back pain.

3. The kettlebell develops back endurance – it isn’t back strength that is important it is back endurance. Endurance is how long can your back work under a load/weight and stay in good posture.

4. It reduces the odds of arthritis –there are studies that show when joints are subjected to a heavy impact they are relatively free of osteoarthritis in old age. The cartilage subjected to heavy loading are stiffer and better able to adapt to force.

5. It strengthens the multifidus – research shows that multifidus atrophy is a bigger cause of lower back pain than disc herniations and arthritis.

6. The kettlebell causes fat loss – Tracy Reifkind is a certified kettlebell instructor in California that lost over 100 pounds doing the kettlebell swing. You can read her blog at www.giryastrength.com.

In early 2000 I had a back injury that I couldn’t rehab. It was almost career ending. Within four months of doing kettlebell swings I was pain free. A year later I was no longer stiff and sore and was able to do my job without pain. I just completed an intense kettlebell training certification where I was exercising 4-5 hours per day for three days straight. I am stronger at 44 than I was at 20 and it just started with a couple of swings.

At KettleBell Olympia aka Abundant Fitness Center, Inc., we are now offering a kettlebell swing class Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays at 5:30 pm. The class lasts 30 minutes. Call us at 360-705-4412 for more details.  We are located at 2968 Limited Lane N.W., Suite B, Olympia, WA 98502.

Yours In Health!

Dr. Wendy Schauer, D.C., R.K.C.

Slouched Posture

I have a quick test for you. Sit in a chair in a slumped/slouched posture. Reach under the sides of the chair with both hands and pull up. Feel where there is pressure on the spine (hint: you will feel it in the lower back). Now sit upright (sit on your sit bones), reach hands under the chair and pull up. Now where do you feel the pressure? You should only feel it in your sits bones but shouldn’t feel pain.

When you sit all day in a slumped posture, research shows your back muscles become quickly deconditioned. The multifidii (primary stabilizers of the spine) turn off and begin to atrophy. This slouched posture causes your pelvis to rotate backwards and your shoulders and upper back to rotate forward.

This posture causes:

1. Sustained stretch on the back muscles and ligaments, causing microtears and scar tissue.

2. A loss of motion in the spinal joints, which leads to degeneration, arthritis and pain.

3. Inflammation in the muscles and joints.

How do you tolerate sitting all day? You must make little changes to protect the health of your spine.

1. Wiggle – every hour wiggle (roll shoulders back and forth) for 20 seconds.

2. Get up every 45 minutes-every hour. Walk to a co-workers cubicle, go to the bathroom, walk up and
down the halls.

3. Sit upright – use your sits bones to keep you upright. When you are starting to slouch it means
it is time to get up and move.

4. Exercise regularly to keep your muscles strong.

5. Get intermittent chiropractic adjustments to keep the function in your spine.

Yours In Health!

Dr. Wendy Schauer, D.C., R.K.C.

WEIGHT LOSS

What is the easiest thing to do to lose weight?

Drink water!!!

Majority of people who are overweight are drinking 750 calories or more per day in liquid. That is on top of the calories they take in from food.

8 fluid ounces of orange juice has 110 calories (8 oz is nothing. When I would drink juice I would get at least double that.) and 27 grams of carbohydrate = 6 teaspoons of sugar.

8 fluid ounces of Coca-Cola has 97 calories and 27 grams of carbohydrate also = 6 teaspoons of sugar. Most cans are two servings.

Don’t even think you can get away with drinking diet soda. Diet soda screws up your appetite center in your brain so you never know when you are full. Many of my diet soda drinkers drink 3-6 cans per day.

Yours In Health!

Dr. Wendy Schauer, D.C., R.K.C.

Be sure to check back often as we will have lots of things happening here!