"It's okay to be different"

We live in a world where many battle with two thoughts and images of self- 1. it's okay to be different and 2. the idealistic images that certainly are not reality for everyone. These two concepts seem to pull on a invisible tug of war rope back and forth each and every day in many peoples minds. Each and every day we are told "you are beautiful the way you are", "it's okay to be different" yet we look at how people are portrayed to us through the media, movies, magazines, etc. So how do we settle this ongoing debate? Self confidence!!!! Make your own choices, learn from your mistakes, work hard to be the person you want to be, don't judge others- you are not in their shoes, and be the best person you can be each and every day. If you live each day as a good person who works hard to better themself and others - you are living well as the person you are. And remember, "It's okay to be different". It would be an awful world to live in if we weren't all "different".

The facts about tanning

To put it simply- Skin cancer kills! As college students, you may not be worried about it but in reality, what you do today effects you in the future. So the trip to the tanning booth or outside with no skin protection on yesterday in reality can cause you long term health problems and even death. Read on for some facts from the American Cancer Society

MYTH: I'll go to the tanning booths because its safer than sitting and tanning in the sun"?

FACT: Lights used in tanning beds and sun lamps give off mainly ultraviolet-A (UVA) radiation, according to the study. UVA was classified as a probable human cancer-causing agent by the International Agency for Cancer Research (IARC) in 1992, according to the Swedish study.

MYTH: A base tan helps prevent skin cancer

FACT: The lights just act as a radiation multiplier, further increasing their skin cancer risk

MYTH: Using a tanning bed doesn't increase my chances of cancer

FACT: People 35 or younger who used the beds regularly had a melanoma risk eight-fold higher than people who never used tanning beds.

MYTH: Skin cancer doesn't kill

FACT: 8,110 deaths per year from skin cancer

What are the signs and symptoms of skin cancer? Skin cancer can be found early, and both doctors and patients play important roles in finding skin cancer. If you have any of the following symptoms, tell your doctor.

* any change on the skin, especially in the size or color of a mole or other darkly pigmented growth or spot, or a new growth
* scaliness, oozing, bleeding, or change in the appearance of a bump or nodule
* the spread of pigmentation beyond its border such as dark coloring that spreads past the edge of a mole or mark
* a change in sensation, itchiness, tenderness, or pain

RESOURCES TO CHECK OUT:

American Cancer Society http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PED/content/ped_7_1_What_You_Need_To_Know_About_Skin_Cancer.asp?sitearea=&level=

Skin Cancer Foundation
http://www.skincancer.org/

MayoClinic
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/skin-cancer/DS00190

Push-up Variations

The push up is one of the most useful yet under utilized exercises there is. Not only is it a great upper body strength exercise, but it also is a great for shoulder and scapular stabilizing and core stabilization exercise. The push up is a body weight exercise that you can do anywhere at anytime with an endless amount of options to vary the difficulty and purpose of the exercise. As I say this, I cringe at the thought of some of the push ups I have seen in practices- if you do not have a good push up- work on your straight push up before moving on to the variations. What is a bad push up? Well, if you have back pain- that is often due to a bad push up without enough core stabilization. If your butt is in the air- you are not maintaining the proper form.

SIGNS OF A BAD PUSH UP

* poor spinal alignment

* if you are sagging in the middle

* butt is sticking up in the air

If you are having problems- start with either a push up from your knees as we originally showed in the push up blog or you can have good form in your push up position but only go 1/4 down and then back up and work your way to to 1/2 way down and up and then to a full push up. This will help build up your upper body strength as well as core stability which is vital to a correct push up. If you still are struggling with the position, work on a wall push up. To make this more difficult, bring your feet further out from the wall each time.



PHYSIOBALL PUSH UP- This push up variation adds an unstable surface to incorporate core and upperbody/lowerbody priorioceptive stability.

PUSH UP WITH FEET ON PHYSIOBALL- Variation of an unstable surface during the push up motion

STATIC PUSH UP

DIAMOND PUSH UP- This push up puts more emphasis on the triceps than the shoulders and chest

EXPLOSIVE PUSH UP: This push up helps develop explosive power in your chest

WIDE GRIP PUSH UP: This puts an increased emphasis on the chest

PUSH UP WITH ROTATION: Great exercise to not only work on push up but also thoracic mobility and core

The Deadlift

The deadlift is probably arguably the most important exercise of the 5 we have given you. This exercise works the "back side" - back, glutes, and hamstrings. The back, glutes, and hamstrings are often neglected muscles that are surely addressed with the deadlift. The key to not injuring yourself is to not arch or hunch your back. Your back must stay flat. How do you do that? Activate the core muscles! Start simple with the two legged romanian deadlift with dumbbells in each hand. Work on your deadlift posture. Once you are comfortable there, progress to the single leg romanian dead lift. Same thing there-work on your correct posture. Then move on to the deadlift with the bar. Again, if you feel any pain in your back, STOP! Refer to a staff member for help.



Key points:

* Keep your back flat- do not round or arch your back

* Progress slowly to ensure correct form as well as building the strength in order to progress

* At any time, if you feel pain- stop! Seek help from a staff member



ROMANIAN DEADLIFT-We introduced this in the previous post "5 key exercises" but it is worth putting here again as this is the starting point. In this video we have just a dowel- add dumbbells to each of your hands for increased difficulty.

SINGLE LEG DEADLIFT WITH DUMBBELL: Sports require movement predominantly on one leg? So we should train on one leg- makes sense right? Well the single leg deadlift is a fantastic exercise that both incorporates single leg training as well as working the "back side" muscles. You can put the dumbbell in the opposite hand of your foot that is on the ground to start but to make it more challenging- switch the dumbbell to the same side your foot is down.

DEADLIFT WITH BAR: Now that you have worked the Romanian deadlift and the single leg deadlift- you have the form down perfectly! You have a nice flat back, core is activated, breathing!, and your strength is getting better. Now lets move onto the deadlift with the bar/plates. There are two grips- one with your hands over the bar (knuckles out) and the other is opposite grips, one over the bar and the other hand is with palm out. Do what feels comfortable for you. I have posted the alternate grip one to show you but if you like the traditional grip- go for it!

SUMO DEADLIFT: This lift changes your leg positioning to a wider "sumo" position. This targets the adductors (groin muscles) Again, keep your back flat with this lift. Choose the grip that is most comfortable for you. Refer to a staff member if you have pain or difficulty with this exercise.

Quick Update on Comments Section of Blog

I have gotten some good feedback from athletes and staff that they like the new BSC Sports Medicine blog. One comment I was receiving was they could not post comments/feedback on the blog entry. I have finally gotten it squared away and have fixed this technical glitch. You should now be able to now post a comment on the blog entry. So with that said........ I look forward to your comments and feedback on the blog itself. Keep checking back- I have posted the squat and lunge variations and the deadlift, push up and pull up are coming in the next week to two weeks.

Enjoy!!

Lunge Variations

On to our second "key exercise"- THE LUNGE. The lunge is an exercise that is important in helping to train for acceleration, quick changes of direction, and deceleration. It is a challenging movement as both the upper body and lower body have to work together yet independently in achieving the movement in a balanced manner. Hip tightness and poor core stability can cause great difficulty with the lunge exercise. As with all exercises, correct form is imperative. If your form is off due to the difficulty of an exercise- scale back to an easier version or come see a sports medicine staff member so we can evaluate the problem.



Important tips for a safe lunge exercise-



* DO NOT LET YOU KNEE GO OVER YOUR TOES

* DO NOT LET YOU KNEE COLLAPSE INWARDS

* KEEP YOUR BODY UP- DON'T FALL FORWARD

* KEEP GLUTES, LEG AND CORE TIGHT THROUGHOUT THE EXERCISE



WALKING LUNGE-This is the basic lunge with a continuum of motion. Works on power and strength of the glutes, hamstrings, and quads as well as works on core

ALTERNATING LUNGE WITH MEDICINE BALL-Great core exercise as well as lower body and shoulder exercise. There are two variations to this- the first is to hold the med ball out in front of you with arms straight out at chest level and the second version is more difficult and activates more core is to have med ball over head with arms straight. Both exercises you must make sure you are not arching your lower back and you are keeping a nice tight straight core.

BACKWARD LUNGE WITH TWIST- This exercise can be used as a movement prep exercise- an exercise you do to warm up and stretch out. It is also an exercise that can challenge your balance. The reason I put this in here is because what it primarily stretches out is your hip flexors, quads and front of the core- areas that are typically very tight. You will feel this through your entire back leg all the way up to your hips, abs and up to your lats. If you want to make this a bit more challenging for your core and balance- put a med ball in your hands and keep your arms above your head and perform the exercise.

ALTERNATING LUNGE WITH ONE DUMBBELL: This is an exercise that is meant to challenge your core. In sports you constantly have outside variables that throw your center of gravity off and you have to balance these out to remain effective. The use of one dumbbell in your hand will challenge your core in a similar way. Make sure you have a heavy enough weight to really challenge your core. The goal is to remain in an upright position despite the weight pulling you to one side.

SPLIT JUMPS: This exercise is one that will challenge your core as well as improve your power and explosion in your hips and legs. The key is to keep your balance and torso upright and stable when you land. To start off with this exercise, land in the same position as you took off from. To progress to a more difficult version, look at the second video here to a cycled split jump where you switch legs in the air and land in the opposite lunge position than when you took off.








SLIDING BACKWARD LUNGE: This exercise is a good single leg exercise that incorporates stretching, strength, and challenges you balance. To perform this exercise you need a surface you can slide on- a slide board (available in AT room), a sliding foot disc (also available in the AT room), or you can use a towel on a smooth surface such as the gym floor. To make this even more challenging you can put your front foot on a step for greater range of motion in the dip.

STATIC LUNGE WITH MEDICINE BALL THROW: This exercise is performed with a partner or against a wall. It is a great exercise that works on both strength and core as well as the trunk rotational core that sports require. Have your partner stand on a plyo box or bench. Find the spot where you can bounce the ball off the ground to your partner and mark this spot. Your goal with this exercise is to maintain the lunge position with your back knee off the ground and keep your hips facing forward so only your shoulders rotate to pass the ball to your partner. Start this exercise with 10-15 repetitions and work up to 30-40 repetitions each side consecutively.

LUNGE ON HALF FOAM ROLLER: Saved the toughest for last.!!This is a challenging exercise that if you are not ready to do- DO NOT!!! You need a foam roller or two dyna discs- both available in the AT room. Position yourself next to an object you can use to help with you balance to get on the roller and as you need during the exercise as you will see Steve does in the video with another foam roller.

Squat Variations

Well, we have introduced 5 key exercises that we think are vital to your fitness program. We gave you the basic exercise and you should begin to master that, getting your form perfect. If you are not doing the exercise correctly, you may be hurting yourself rather than improving yourself. So now we are going to introduce some variations that make the exercise a bit more challenging. Again, if you find yourself not doing the exercise correctly, take a step back and do a less challenging variation or come to us for some help. In this blog we will take the squat and give you several variations- all challenging in their own ways. I have arranged them from the easiest to the most difficult- be smart and progress through them at your own pace and safely.




SPLIT SQUAT- The split squat is an exercise that incorporates both strength as well as balance. As you get better, you can raise your leg up on a box or bench behind you. Key is not to let your back knee touch the ground and to drive your weight up when you reach the bottom. Also, do not let your front knee go over your toes as this puts tremendous pressure on your ligaments.

SQUAT PRESS- This exercise is a total body exercise that works not only your legs and upper body but is a great core exercise. When you press overhead an unstable object (the dumbbells or med ball), your core muscles in your abs and back kick in to stabilize you. The most important thing to make sure is you stay back on your heels and not let the weight throw you forward. This is a fluid motion, not two exercises. Your momentum from driving up with your legs helps you press overhead.

SQUAT JUMPS- An excellent body weight exercise that builds explosive power in your hips and legs. Start this exercise with one jump, land and set again. Progress to repetitive jumps for a duration of 30 seconds to 1 minute. Careful attention to landing and squatting to produce the explosive energy. You must also make sure your squat form is perfect to prevent any damage.

LATERAL SQUAT- This exercise is both a strengthening and stretching exercise. You will feel one side working in your quads, hamstring and glutes but on the other leg you will feel a good stretch. As with all the exercises, careful attention must be paid to your form. You must make sure your knee on your squat side does not go over your toes. Make sure you are sitting back into your glutes. Your stretching leg must stay straight and keep your head and chest up.

MESSY SQUAT- Okay, so not sure where the name came from but this is a great exercise for anyone that is in a squat or down position- catchers, field positions, lineman. This exercise has you squat and shift your weight making this a proprioceptive (balance) exercise as well as a strengthening exercise. This exercise will really get your glutes working! You will feel it in your butt for sure!!You know the drill, make sure form is perfect!!!

SQUAT WITH MEDICINE BALL CHASE- This exercise is a great explosive exercise to work on your acceleration- base running, defense on the field, fast breaks, off the line, you name it- this is a great exercise that helps all sports! The med ball does not have to be super heavy so don't kill yourself with too much weight- its more the explosive power that is the importance of this exercise. Starting position is with ball at chest level, split squat position. Squat down and back and excel up and at the same time press the ball forward at the 45 degree angle. Use this momentum to accelerate to the chase part of the exercise. Key is to throw the ball at a 45 degree angle. You are not looking to catch the ball before it lands- you are just looking to catch up to the ball.

PERPENDICULAR ROTATION SQUAT- Okay, so its a mouthful but it may be my new favorite exercise. The purpose of this exercise is not only core strength, lower body strength but also incorporates upper body mobility and strength!! Okay, so maybe you don't think its something to be excited about but I am!! Think about your sport- they all have rotation involved, and many rely on your rotational mobility. Take a baseball player at bat. The rotation that occurs to assist in producing the power to make contact to the ball must be optimal to produce the greatest amount of force capable. If you don't have the mobility, you can't produce the power. Simple concept but hard to achieve. But this exercise can help with that! Hence my excitement!!

BULGARIAN SPLIT SQUAT (SQUAT WITH BACK LEG RAISED UP)- This exercise is incorporating some core stability and balance into your traditional split squat. Begin this exercise with no weights and then you can add dumbbells at your side and then progress to upper body exercises along with squat such as curl to press, overhead press, one dumbbell in one hand to challenge balance even more. Progress as you feel comfortable. Key to this is to make sure your front leg is far enough out in front to ensure your not going over your toes with your knee placing too much stress on your ACL. Please pay careful attention to Steven's form in the video.

SINGLE LEG SQUAT- Single leg exercises are a vital component to any athletic strength program yet is often overlooked and not done. This exercise is the foundation to beginning to become efficient at a single leg squat- an extremely important exercise. Find a bench or box and put pads, books, etc. as needed. Your form for this squat is no different than your regular squat in that your knee must not go over your toe, you keep a straight spine and keep it erect- do not flex at your hips. One common mistake to performing this is to rock yourself up- this is incorrect and you need more height in the platform. The power is coming through your legs through the floor to push you up- no upper body movement is performed to assist.