August 2015 VEF Classes

Meeting Energy Needs

from ACSM's Resources for the Personal Trainer 3rd Edition

Meeting Energy Needs for Optimal Weight and Body Composition

The relationship between weight and caloric intake is relatively simple:  If you eat more calories than you burn (expend), you will store the excess calories, and body weight will increase.  If you eat fewer calories than you burn, you will use some of your existing body tissues for needed energy, and body weight will drop.  Consistently consuming too little energy will burn enough of your lean mass (muscles) that the rate at which you burn calories (called the "metabolic rate") will decrease.  The end result of a lower metabolic rate is usually higher body weight (from more body fat) because you lose your ability to burn the calories you eat.  Therefore, staying in an energy-balanced state or deviating from it only slightly is an important strategy for both body weight and body composition maintenance. 

However, what happens during the day to achieve a state of energy balance makes a difference.  If you spend most of the day in an energy-deficit state (i.e., you burned far more calories than you consumed) but then eat a huge meal at the end of the day to satisfy your energy needs, you might still be in energy balance at the end of the day.  However, it appears that people who do this have different outcomes than those who maintain an energy-balanced state throughout the day.  Eating small but frequent meals has the following benefits:

• Maintenance of metabolic rate
• Lower body fat and lower weight on higher caloric intakes
• Better glucose tolerance and lower insulin response (making it less likely that fats will be produced from the foods you eat)
• Lower stress hormone production
• Better maintenance of muscle mass
• Improved physical performance

Surveys have suggested that people (particularly athletes) tend to delay eating until the end of the day, and many experience severe energy deficits earlier in the day (particularly on days when they train hard and need the energy the most!).  Problems with energy deficits include:

• Difficulty maintaining carbohydrate stores (this would impede endurance in high-intensity activities)
• Problems maintaining lean (muscle) mass
• Lower metabolic rate
• Difficulty meeting nutrient needs (foods carry both energy and other nutrients)
• Increased risk of injury (undernourished athletes may develop mental and muscular fatigue that, in some sports, would predispose them to injury)
• Missed opportunities to aid muscle recovery

Maintaining energy balance throughout the day by consuming small but frequent meals during the day is an excellent strategy for reducing these problems.

Yet Another Article on Metabolic Truth

from Women's Health May 2013 issue:

Here's something that may be hard to believe:  Just because the scale is dipping doesn't mean your fitness routine is working.  

If you're logging hours and hours on the treadmill, you've likely seen the numbers on the scale decrease, but you may not be losing body fat.  In fact, a 2011 review in the Journal of Obesityfound that the effect of regular aerobic exercise on body fat is negligible.  Instead, shorter, high-intensity workouts--some that don't even include traditional cardio--have been shown to be more effective at reducing fat than any other type of exercise.  These workouts have also been shown to significantly increase your fitness level, lower insulin resistance, and improve glucose tolerance.

Case in point:  When comparing the effects on women of high-intensity exercise versus steady-state exercise, one study found that only the high-intensity group had a significant improvement in fat loss after 15 weeks.  What's more, there was a significant reduction in fat from their legs (usually a stubborn spot for women) compared with their arms.

That's not to say traditional cardio like running is off-limits--it just shouldn't be your focus if you're trying to shrink your hips and slim your waistline.  

Sound familiar?  Metabolic Training is the best way to a healthier, slimmer your!  Be sure to check out all the metabolic training info and links on these Pages:  How Effective? Very! How Do I Know? / Workout Tidbits / Measuring Results

20 Minute Free Workout For Anywhere

50x10 Circuit Workout: 4 Rounds = 20 Min
(50 seconds of work for each move, 10 seconds transition)

*180 Jump Squats (or Jump Squats or Squats)                
*One Hand Elevated Push Ups (or Diamond Push Ups)
*Ball Plank Hold                                                                                        
*Jumping Lunges (or Split Squats)                                                      
*SB Step Offs to Jacknives                                  

Yoga Styles

According to Yoga Journal there are as many as 280 different styles of yoga.  Finding the right style to fit both your body and personality takes just a bit of time to examine an explanation as to each style and some experimentation with the few of your choosing.  Know too that just as anything in life, there are good teachers and bad teachers...so, if you are really interested in a style but didn't care for an experience you had, maybe try a different teacher and/or studio.  Below you will find a brief explanation from Yoga Journal as to a few of the more popular styles.  If you are interested in taking a short quiz which will help you learn what style might best fit your individual self, go to: http://www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/quizzes_and_tools/stylequiz Namaste!  

Below is from http://www.yogajournal.com/basics/165:

To get started on your individual yoga quest, it's helpful to begin with a list that clearly prioritizes what needs you want to fulfill: Are you looking to sweat your way into a lean form, or does a gentler, more meditative approach sound more appealing?

"Not all practices fit into nice little cubby holes," warns Bender Birch. "There's a great deal of crossover among the various yoga schools, and there's even a diversity in teaching approaches within each discipline."

Try attending a few different types of classes, and you'll quickly discover the right match to suit your needs. Below you'll find brief descriptions of some of the hatha yoga disciplines that are being practiced in the United States.

Vigorous Vinyasas

Vinyasa-style yoga combines a series of flowing postures with rhythmic breathing for an intense body-mind workout. Here are a few different types:

Ashtanga

The practice of Ashtanga that's getting mainstream attention today is a fast-paced series of sequential postures practiced by yoga master K. Pattabhi Jois, who lives in Mysore, India. Today, yogis continue to spread Jois's teachings worldwide, making it one of the most popular schools of yoga around.

The system is based on six series of asanas which increase in difficulty, allowing students to work at their own pace. In class, you'll be led nonstop through one or more of the series. There's no time for adjustments—you'll be encouraged to breathe as you move from pose to pose. Be prepared to sweat. For more information, visit Ashtanga teacher Richard Freeman's website, yogaworkshop.com.

Power Yoga

In 1995, Bender Birch set out to challenge Americans' understanding of what it really means to be fit with her book Power Yoga. Bender Birch's intention was to give a Western spin to the practice of Ashtanga Yoga, a challenging and disciplined series of poses designed to create heat and energy flow.

"Most people wouldn't take a class called Ashtanga Yoga, because they had no idea what it meant. Power Yoga, on the other hand, was something Americans could relate to and know that they'd get a good workout," says Bender Birch.

Power Yoga's popularity has spread to health clubs across the country and has taken on a broad range of applications. The common thread is a rigorous workout that develops strength and flexibility while keeping students on the move. For specifics, consult individual instructors before signing up for a class. For more information visit Thom Birch and Beryl Bender Birch's website, power-yoga.com or Bryan Kest's website poweryoga.com.

Jivamukti

Looking for a highly meditative but physically challenging form of yoga? Try Jivamukti. You won't be alone.

Each week, more than 2,000 people visit the Jivamukti Yoga Center in New York City. Its popularity lies in the teaching approach of cofounders David Life and Sharon Gannon, who opened their first studio in 1986, combining an Ashtanga background with a variety of ancient and modern spiritual teachings. In addition to vinyasa-style asanas, classes include chanting,meditation, readings, music, and affirmations. This spiritual resource center also offers specialized courses in Sanskrit and the sacred yoga texts.

"Over the course of time, students will get a broad yoga education," Life promises. "One week, a class may focus on a particular asana, while the next week's theme may discuss more metaphysical issues."

Beginner classes start by emphasizing standing poses, followed by instruction on forward bends, backbends, and inversions. These classes also introduce chants. For more information on class schedules or to find a certified instructor in your area, visit jivamuktiyoga.com.

Kali Ray TriYoga

A series of flowing, dancelike movements intuitively came to Kali Ray (Kaliji) while leading a group meditation in 1980. In 1986, after developing these movements into seven distinct levels, Kaliji established the TriYoga Center in Santa Cruz, California, offering a system of yoga that is taught in a meditative environment.

The first level is a slow, relaxing, and rejuvenating practice. The class, often accompanied by music, focuses on natural alignment and breath within the flow, and ends with meditation. A union of asana (postures), pranayama (breathwork), and mudra (seals), this practice is deeply meditative, promoting relaxation and inner peace. For more information visitkaliraytriyoga.com.

White Lotus

White Lotus Yoga is the collaborative effort of Ganga White and Tracey Rich, who meld two eclectic backgrounds and years of experience into a nondogmatic teaching approach dedicated to helping students develop a well-balanced personal practice. At their 40-acre retreat in the Santa Ynez Mountains of Santa Barbara, California, this husband and wife team offers a complete yoga-immersion experience with programs ranging from weekend and weeklong getaways to 16-day teacher training programs.  White Lotus Yoga is a flowing vinyasa practice which ranges from gentle to vigorous depending on your ability or comfort level. In addition, class formats incorporate alignment, breath, and the theoretical understanding of yoga. For more information, visit whitelotus.org.

Attention to Detail

Iyengar

From his home in Pune, India, B.K.S. Iyengar reigns as one of the most influential yogis of his time. At 80 years old, he continues to teach thousands of students from all over the world, encouraging them to penetrate deeper into the experience of each pose. This is the trademark of Iyengar Yoga—an intense focus on the subtleties of each posture.

In an Iyengar class, poses (especially standing postures) are typically held much longer than in other schools of yoga, so that practitioners can pay close attention to the precise muscular and skeletal alignment this system demands. Also specific to Iyengar, which is probably the most popular type of yoga practiced in the United States, is the use of props, including belts, chairs, blocks, and blankets, to help accommodate any special needs such as injuries or structural imbalances.

"In forward bends, for example, if someone's hamstrings aren't flexible, he or she can use a prop to help extend the spine. The wall is often used for support in a variety of poses," explains Janet MacLeod, who teaches at the Iyengar Yoga Institute in San Francisco. "Using props gives the student support, allowing them more freedom to breathe deeply into the pose." For more information, visit iyisf.org.

Healing

Integrative Yoga Therapy

In 1993, Joseph Le Page, M.A., founded Integrative Yoga Therapy (IYT) in San Francisco. Le Page developed a yoga teacher-training program designed specifically for medical and mainstream wellness settings, including hospitals and rehabilitation centers.

Two-week IYT intensives are offered worldwide, training health-care professionals, yoga teachers, and bodyworkers to adapt gentle postures, guided imagery, and breathing techniques for treating specific health issues such as heart disease, psychiatric disorders, and AIDS.

"Healing happens through connection with the deepest part of who we are," says Le Page. "The program emphasizes the healing process in detail by addressing all levels of the patient—physical, emotional, and spiritual. An example of this therapeutic application is to teach patients with heart disease to become more aware of themselves and their condition at all levels, using yogic lifestyle changes, breathing techniques, asanas suitable for their condition, guided imagery for the circulatory system, and meditation with a focus on healing the heart." For more information, visit iytyogatherapy.com.

Viniyoga

As we travel through life, it's no mystery that we are constantly evolving on all levels—physically, emotionally, and intellectually. So why not tailor a yoga routine that will help address and integrate these transitions? Viniyoga, in fact, is an empowering and transformative practice designed to do just that.

In this gentle practice, created by T.K.V. Desikachar, poses are synchronized with the breath in sequences determined by the needs of the practitioner. According to Gary Kraftsow, owner and teacher at The American Viniyoga Institute on the Hawaiian island Maui, Viniyoga is a methodology for developing an integrated practice for each person's needs as they grow and change.
"As children, our practice should support balanced growth and development of the body and mind. As adults, it should protect our health and promote our ability to be productive in the world. And as seniors, it should help us maintain health and inspire a deeper quest for self-realization," says Kraftsow. For more information, visit viniyoga.com.

Svaroopa

This style of yoga teaches different ways of doing familiar poses, emphasizing the opening of the spine by beginning at the tailbone and progressing through each spinal area. Every pose integrates the foundational principles of asana, anatomy, and yoga philosophy, and emphasizes the development of transcendent inner experience, which is called svaroopa byPatanjali in the Yoga Sutra. This is a consciousness-oriented yoga that also promotes healing and transformation.
Svaroopa Yoga was developed by Rama Berch, who founded and directs the Master Yoga Academy and created the yoga program for Dr. Deepak Chopra's Center for Well Being, both located in La Jolla, California. Berch says teaching asanas became increasingly frustrating, because the students seemed to be trying to "impose the pose upon their body rather than unfolding it from within." She began looking for ways to guide her students to the deeper effects of each asana, speaking of them as "angles that provide opening, rather than poses to be learned." New students find this a very approachable style, often beginning in chair poses that are comfortable and have a deep healing effect in the spine. For more information or to find out if there is a teacher in your area, visit masteryoga.org.

Bikram

When you take a Bikram yoga class, expect to sweat. Each studio is designed to replicate yoga's birthplace climate, with temperatures pushing 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
Why the sauna-like effect? "Because sweat helps move the toxins out of your body," explains Radha Garcia, owner of Bikram's Yoga College of India in Boulder, Colorado. "Your body is like a sponge. To cleanse it, you need to wring it out to allow fresh blood and oxygen to circulate and keep your immune system running smoothly."

This method of staying healthy from the inside out was designed by Bikram Choudhury, who sequenced a series of 26 traditional hatha postures to address the proper functioning of every bodily system. 

Choudhury first visited the United States from India in 1971 on a trip sponsored by the American Medical Association to demonstrate his work using yoga to treat chronically ill patients. Today Choudhury continues teaching students of all ages and abilities from his studio in Los Angeles where he also conducts a certified teacher's training program. For more information, visit bikramyoga.com.

Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy

Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy is a combination of classical yoga and elements of contemporary client-centered and body-mind psychology. It can facilitate a powerful release of physical tensions and emotional blocks. Through assisted yoga postures, guided breathing, and nondirective dialogue, you can experience the connection of your physical and emotional selves, encouraging release, personal growth, and the healing of body, mind, and spirit. For more information, visit pryt.com.

Ease Into Enlightenment

Sivananda

At its core, Sivananda Yoga is geared toward helping students answer the age-old question "Who am I?" This yoga practice is based on the philosophy of Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh, India, who taught disciples to "serve, love, give, purify, meditate, realize." In order to achieve this goal, Sivananda advocated a path that would recognize and synthesize each level of the human experience including the intellect, heart, body, and mind. In 1957, his disciple Swami Vishnu-devananda introduced these teachings to an American audience. A few years later, Vishnu-devananda founded the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centers, summarizing Sivananda's system into five main principles: proper exercise (asanas); proper breathing (pranayama); proper relaxation (Savasana); proper diet (vegetarian); and positive thinking (Vedanta) and meditation (dhyana).

There are more than 80 centers worldwide, as well as ashrams and teacher-training programs, all of which follow a hatha yoga practice emphasizing 12 basic postures to increase strength and flexibility of the spine. Chanting, pranayama, and meditation are also included, helping students to release stress and blocked energy. For more information, visit sivananda.org.

Integral

In 1966, the Reverend Sri Swami Satchidananda introduced an entire generation of young people to his yogic philosophy: "an easeful body, a peaceful mind, and a useful life." His goal was to help people integrate yoga's teachings into their everyday work and relationships, which he hoped would promote greater peace and tolerance worldwide.
"Integral Yoga uses classical hatha postures, which are meant to be performed as a meditation, balancing physical effort and relaxation," says Swami Ramananda, president of the New York Integral Yoga Institute in Manhattan. In addition to a gentle asana practice, classes also incorporate guided relaxation, breathing practices, sound vibration (repetition of mantra or chant), and silent meditation. For more information, visit integralyogaofnewyork.org.

Ananda

For those who aspire to loftier goals than simply building a hard body, Ananda Yoga provides a tool for spiritual growth while releasing unwanted tensions. During the 1960s, Swami Kriyananda developed Ananda as a particular style of yoga after returning to California following a period of intense yoga training under Guru Paramhansa Yogananda (author of Autobiography of a Yogi). "The most unique part of this system is the use of silent affirmations while holding a pose," says Rich McCord, director of Ananda Yoga's teacher-training program at The Expanding Light retreat center in Nevada City, California. McCord explains that the affirmations are intended to help deepen and enhance the subtle benefits of each asana, providing a technique for aligning body, energy, and mind.
In a typical class, instructors guide their students through a series of gentle hatha postures designed to move energy upward to the brain, preparing the body for meditation. Classes also focus on proper alignment, easeful posture transitions, and controlled breathing exercises (pranayama) to facilitate an exploration into the inner dimensions of yoga and self-awareness. For more information, visit expandinglight.org.

Kundalini

Kundalini Yoga, stemming from the tantra yoga path, at one time remained a closely guarded secret practiced only by a select few. In 1969, however, Yogi Bhajan decided to change this tradition by bringing Kundalini to the West. Yogi Bhajan's reasoning was based on the philosophy that it's everybody's birthright to be "healthy, happy and holy," and he believed Kundalini would help spiritual seekers from all religious paths tap into their greater potential.
The practice of Kundalini Yoga incorporates postures, dynamic breathing techniques, and chanting and meditating on mantras such as "Sat Nam" (meaning "I am truth"). Practitioners concentrate on awakening the energy at the base of the spine and drawing it upward through each of the seven chakras. For more information, visit 3HO.org.

ISHTA

ISHTA, an acronym for the Integrated Science of Hatha, Tantra, and Ayurveda, is the yoga brainchild of South African native Alan Finger, who currently runs workshops at his yoga studio in Irvington, New York. Finger blends 37 years of teaching experience with his eclectic studies under Sivananda and the tantric hermit Barati, helping students of all ages and abilities to get in touch with life's boundless energy.
"The sequence of postures is designed to help students integrate their individual sensations with a life energy force that's beyond sensing and perceiving," says Los Angeles-based ISHTA instructor Rod Stryker. "It's a tool for visualization and a way to become more fully oneself."
A typical ISHTA class mixes flowing Ashtanga-style asanas with the precise method of Iyengar, while including pranayama and meditation exercises as well. Instructors begin classes with warm-up poses, then gradually build to a more challenging practice. For more information, visit beyoga.com.

Kripalu

Located in the Berkshire region of Western Massachusetts, the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health has helped guide thousands of people along their path of self-discovery by teaching a system of yoga developed over a 20-year period by yogi Amrit Desai and the Kripalu staff.
During the 1970s, while studying under Indian guru Kripaluvananda, Amrit felt his body begin to move in a spontaneous flow of postures without the direction of his mind. This deep release of prana (life's energy force) brought about a profound transformation in Amrit, so he developed these movements into three stages of practice which he could then teach to others.
The three stages of Kripalu yoga include: willful practice (a focus on alignment, breath, and the presence of consciousness); willful surrender (a conscious holding of the postures to the level of tolerance and beyond, deepening concentration and focus of internal thoughts and emotions); and meditation in motion (the body's complete release of internal tensions and a complete trust in the body's wisdom to perform the postures and movements needed to release physical and mental tensions and enter deep meditation). For more information, visitkripalu.org. 

Anusara

Anusara means "to step into the current of divine will." Anusara Yoga is an integrated approach to hatha yoga in which the human spirit blends with the precise science of biomechanics. It is a new system of hatha yoga that can be both spiritually inspiring and yet grounded in a deep knowledge of outer and inner body alignment. It can be therapeutically effective and physically transformative. The central philosophy of this yoga is that each person is equally divine in every part—body, mind, and spirit. Each student's various abilities and limitations are respected and honored. Anusara Yoga differentiates itself from other hatha yoga systems with three key areas of practice:

Attitude: The practitioner balances an opening to grace with an aspiration for awakening to his or her true nature.
Alignment: Each pose is performed with an integrated awareness of all the different parts of the body.
Action: Each pose is performed as an artistic expression of the heart in which muscular stability is balanced with an expansive inner freedom. For more information, visitanusara.com.

Tibetan

Tibetan Yoga is a term used among Buddhists to describe a range of tantric meditation and pranayama practices. Though little is known in the West about the physical practices of Tibetan Yoga, in 1939, Peter Kelder published Ancient Secret of the Fountain of Youth, describing a sequence of postures of Tibetan origin called "The Five Rites of Rejuvenation." In 1994, yoga teacher Christopher Kilham published a modern version of these exercises calledThe Five Tibetans: Five Dynamic Exercises for Health, Energy, and Personal Power (Inner Traditions). Composed of five flowing movements, this active workout keeps students on the move. Beginners start with 10 or 12 repetitions and progressively work their way up to the 21 repetitions of the full routine. Classes may be difficult to find.

Tibetan Buddhist monk Tarthang Tulku adapted another ancient movement practice for the modern West called Kum Nye. More contemplative in nature than the vigorous Five Tibetans, Kum Nye strives to integrate body and mind and means "interaction with the subtle body." For more information, see Tulku's Kum Nye Relaxation or visit nyingma.org.

Hatha

If you are browsing through a yoga studio's brochure of classes and the yoga offered is simply described as "hatha," chances are the teacher is offering an eclectic blend of two or more of the styles described above. It's a good idea to ask the teacher or director of the studio where he or she was trained and if the poses are held for a length of time or if you will be expected to move quickly from one pose to the next, and if meditation or chanting is included. This will give you a better idea if the class is vigorous or more meditative.

10,000 Steps

Wow, just wow that's a large number ;-) Roughly 5 miles (10,000) steps is what you should be doing daily in addition to any exercise. If you have a desk job, this becomes a daunting task when you realize that you are lucky to even get in 1,000 steps a day when you are locked behind a desk for at least 8 hours. Daunting, only if you do not get creative and motivated! Get up and move throughout your day is all I can say....Your body aches and pains will diminish if you do! Here's a little extra benefit: Your mind will be more at ease too!!!

Why Bible & Healthy Mental/Relationship Info/Links on a Fitness Site?

True that this may not seem fitness related; however, I can without hesitation say it is my daily foundation and without it I would not have had the fitness success I have had. I try to not put much of my spiritual beliefs on this site because whatever anyone's spiritual walk and belief is ... is their own. I am a Christian, but one who looks into everything (Buddhism, etc.) to find the core truths and corresponding parallels. One form of belief does not nullify the basic matching teachings in another (don't throw the baby out with the bath water process of thinking). Daily Bible Study & Mental Self Examination & Growth might sound unrelated, but think about it this way....I start my days thinking about something outside of myself, outside of my problems and my little world. It puts my entire day and existence in perspective and provides me with the Grace and Direction I need to not stray too far from my journey (which as you can probably discern is more than just fitness).  Check out my other Blogs: http://veryeffectiveliving.blogspot.com/  &  http://veryeffectivescripture.blogspot.com/  or other Inspirational Information & Pins for your Fitness Journey on my Inspiration & Encouragement Page right here on this Blog ;-)

The Perceptions of Your Children

From http://veryeffectiveliving.blogspot.com/ & applies to how we teach our children how to take care of their bodies through our example:

Your children not only hear everything you say (whether they act like they do or not), but they watch everything you do. Every little or big behavior you do, they see and absorb. Especially at young ages when you think it doesn't matter, it does, and they are already soaking in all of the ways you behave as the ways they will behave and who they will become. We can talk and preach and scold all we want, but until we change our very behaviors that we do not want them to mimic, they will keep on absorbing them.

Some examples:

If one parent routinely disregards and doesn't listen to the other parent, this sets the children up to disregard and not honor either parent. They are being taught through action what is acceptable and okay regardless of what is told to them to do. Do not misunderstand me, I'm not suggesting that any of this is "acceptable (ok) behavior". Acceptable behavior in relationships is what is allowed. If bad behavior is allowed, for whatever reason, then it becomes accepted by all in the relationship dynamic.

If a parent routinely reacts poorly to failure, even if it's just the toast burning, and the child sees either the self infliction of how inept they feel about themselves, or the anger and handling the feelings of anger badly, then the child will adapt this as their coping mechanism as well. Their self talk becomes what we teach them our self talk is...and their lack of anger management becomes what we show them ours is.

If a parent talks bad about themselves, feels bad themselves, then the child will also adapt these behaviors. And the lists go on and on.....

We need to honor ourselves for us, but also for our children! They desperately need to develop with a good sense of ownership of their thoughts, emotions, boundaries and how to express those healthily!! Love and care for you, so your children will love and care for themselves!!!

VEF Classes

So here's the deal: July is do or die for certain classes remaining on the schedule....All month long, if a class doesn't have an average of 3-4 folks, it's going to be taken off the schedule in August forward! If you like a class/time and want to keep it, then attend it ;-) Take advantage of the July Challenge and get fit while keeping your class opened for next month!!! veryeffectivefitness.com

Fitness Challenge for July: To enter the Fitness Challenge and be eligible for Prizes (to include: Free Classes, $25 Starbucks gift card, $25 Spa & Wellness gift card, $15 Amazon MP3 gift card) you must purchase an Unlimited Classes for July and attend as many Classes as you can in July....further details will be given at Class....See you all there! veryeffectivefitness.com

Muscle/Joint Pain?

Trigger Points are a problem for your body in more than just one way....they impact the way you move, your joints, your range of motion, and hurt like the devil.....Read on, including links to understand why and how to get relief:

Excerpts from The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook by Clair Davies, NCTMB

"Trigger points are known to cause headaches, neck and jaw pain, low back pain, the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome, and many kinds of joint pain mistakenly ascribed to arthritis, tendinitis, bursitis, or ligament injury.  Trigger points cause problems as diverse as earaches, dizziness, nausea, heartburn, false heart pain, heart arrhythmia, tennis elbow, and genital pain.  Trigger points can also cause colic in babies and bed-wetting in older children, and may be a contributing cause of scoliosis.  They are a cause of sinus pain and congestion.  They may play a part in chronic fatigue and lowered resistance to infection.  And because trigger points can be responsible for long-term pain and disability that seem to have no means of relief, they can cause depression."

Trigger Point Series:

Trigger Points

Referred Pain,Trigger Point & Symptoms

Shoulder Trigger Points

Back Trigger Points

Hip & Knee Trigger Points

Final Word On Trigger Points

Stress Hormone Response

from Oxygen February 2013 issue:

60 percent of muscle strength regained by study participants with the lowest stress levels, one hour following a leg workout using heavy weights.  By contrast, those with the highest stress levels only regained 38 percent of their strength in the same amount of time.  Researchers speculate this is most likely because stress hormones impair the body's response to post-exercise inflammation.

Essential Oils

The below is from http://www.healthy-holistic-living.com/the-real-truth-about-essential-oils-that-nobody-talks-about.html

What Are Essential Oils?

Essential oils carry the physical properties of flowers and plants in a highly concentrated form. Through the different processes of distillation, the volatile constituents of the plant’s oil are extracted from its flowers, leaves, branches, or roots. Essential oils carry biologically active volatile compounds in a very concentrated form that exhibit therapeutic benefits in very small amounts.
The most common groups of chemical components found in essential oils are terpenes, alcohols, esters, ketones, aldehydes, and phenols. Most essential oils are antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. The antioxidant value in some essential oils alone is absolutely amazing,  just an ounce of Clove Oil has the antioxidant capacity of 450 lbs of carrots, 120 quarts of blueberries, or 48 gallons of beet juice.

There are three types of terpenes containes in essential oils: Phenylpropanoids (also called Hemiterpenes), Monoterpenes, and Sesquiterpenes.

Phenylpropanoids: Create conditions unfriendly to bacteria, viruses, and fungi. They are found in Clove (90%), Cassia (80%), Basil (75%), Cinnamon (73%), Oregano (60%), Anise (50%), Peppermint (25%). Most importantly,  phenylpropanoids clean the receptor sites on the cells. Without clean receptor sites, cells cannot communicate, and the body malfunctions, resulting in diseases.
Monoterpenes:  They are found in most essential oils. While offering a variety of healing properties, the most important ability of the monoterpenes is that they can reprogram miswritten information in the cellular memory. With improper coding in the DNA, cells malfunction and diseases result, such as cancer.
Sesquiterpenes: Found in Cedarwood (98%), Vetiver (97%), Spikenard (93%), Sandalwood (Aloes) 90%, Black Pepper (74%), Patchouli (71%), Myrrh (62%), and Ginger (59%), Frankincense (8%), these molecules deliver oxygen to your tissues. Viruses, bacteria, and cancer have a difficult time surviving in an oxygenated environment.  Sesquiterpenes can also erase or deprogram miswritten codes in the DNA.

The Real Truth About Essential Oils that Nobody Talks About

Essential oils will not encourage “superbugs” 

Bacteria have proven that they can mutate to form different kinds of resistant strains of “superbugs” to adapt to the toxic antibiotic drugs. Essential oils have never created a superbug.  There have been hundreds of studies clinically proving their effectiveness against pretty much all bacteria, including MRSA and other superbugs.

Essential oils have been shown to have antiseptic properties against drug-resistant bacteria. According to research presented at the Society for General Microbiology’s spring meeting in Edinburgh, the essential oils of thyme and cinnamon were found to be particularly efficient antibacterial agents against a range of drug resistant Staphylococcus species which are extremely difficult to treat.

According to Science Daily, a Georgetown University research study found that the germ-killing properties of oregano oil were found as effective as most antibiotics — including vancomycin — for treatment of antibiotic-resistant superbugs such as E. coli, Salmonella, MRSA and flesh-eating bacteria.

Essential Oils address the causes of disease at a cellular level.  Essential oils can penetrate the cellular wall and dispel viruses, whereas antibiotics can only kill bacteria outside of the cellular wall. One drop of essential oils contains enough molecules to cover every cell in our bodies. Just one molecule can open a receptor site in our bodies and communicate with the  DNA to alter cellular function.

Essential oils can enter the body by many avenues.
There are approximately 40 million trillion molecules in one drop of essential oil (that’s approximately 40,000 molecules for each cell in the average human body). They are so small, that they enter your body through the skin and go everywhere in your body.  Essential oils have an incredible ability to enter the body through the lungs and disperse throughout the body in a way that most other medicines are unable to achieve.

Essential oils can be diffused,  applied topically, added to your food, added to your bath. Unlike conventional drugs, essential oils  can work on all these interfaces at once. Essential oils can also be used topically to treat all sorts of conditions ranging from acne and allergies, to headaches and indigestion. Just a few drops of essential oil applied to the hands, wrists, feet, abdomen, or lower back can provide relief for a number of ailments.

 Essential oils can erase misinformation in our cells.

Essential oils have the ability to clean receptor sites on the surface of cells which allows for the proper communication between cells. Essential oils have the ability to erase incorrect DNA and then to correct it.

Essential Oils can change your nervous system biochemistry.

A Japanese study found that inhaling essential oils can modulate your sympathetic nervous system activity. Certain oils were found to be stimulating, while others were found to be calming. For example, according to Dr. Mercola:

• Black pepper, fennel, and grapefruit oil caused a 1.5-to 2.5-fold increase in sympathetic nervous system activity (as measured by an increase in systolic blood pressure)
• Rose and patchouli oil resulted in a 40 percent decrease in sympathetic nervous system activity
• Pepper oil induced a 1.7-fold increase in plasma adrenaline concentration, while rose oil caused adrenaline to drop by 30 percent
• Other oils have been shown to measurably decrease stress hormones—inhaling lavender and rosemary were shown to reduce cortisol levels.

When purchasing essential oils, keep in mind that they are not the same as synthetic fragrance oils, which in most cases are not safe to use on the skin. Pure essential oils are always natural.
Many oils also need to be diluted with a “carrier oil”  such as coconut oil which serves as a base to add a few drops of essential oils to.
Always use a carrier oil when using essential oils on babies and children since their skin is much more sensitive to the effects.

Keep in mind that many essential oils on the market are not 100% pure and therapeutic; they may have potentially toxic extenders. I recommend using doTERRA essential oils. You can read more about doTERRA essential oils here.

July 4th Workout

Start and end your July 4th with a BANG! Do the below 50x10 Circuit for 2-4 Rounds and kick start your body before your cookout....

50x10 Plyometrics Circuit for 4 Rounds

50 seconds of work/10 seconds of rest each move:

Jumping Squats 10 Reps
Push Up Super Burpees 10 Reps
Jumping Lunges 10 Reps
Mt Jumpers to Side (Plank Moguls) 10 Reps
Rock Star Jumps 10 Reps

July Challenge

Fitness Challenge for July starts this Thursday as does the new Class Schedule! To enter the Fitness Challenge and be eligible for Prizes (to include: Free Classes, $25 Starbucks gift card, $25 Spa & Wellness gift card, $15 Amazon MP3 gift card) you must purchase an Unlimited Classes for July and attend as many Classes as you can in July....further details will be given at Class....See you all there! veryeffectivefitness.com

Be sure to like the VEF Facebook Page to stay current on all specials, events, and class changes ... https://www.facebook.com/pages/Very-Effective-Fitness/501193266624220