TAKE TWO DUMBBELLS AND CALL ME IN THE MORNING

Curious readers are probably asking, "Why does today's post include a picture of Captain Kirk and Dr. McCoy from Star Trek?" That's a great question, and here's my great answer: I included the picture (which was cleverly edited by yours truly) because it sets the tone for today's post. Besides, "Star Trek" is a popular search term, so I'm hoping a few web-surfing Trekkies will stumble on this site and hire me as their personal trainer. (I'm sure they need me because they spend way too much time on the couch, eating junk food and watching Star Trek reruns.) If you're a Trekkie who found this page while searching the Internet, here's a special message from Mr. Spock:




Thanks for the shameless plug, Spock! I'm always amused when clients or random gym members ask me to diagnose a mystery ailment or nagging injury. Maybe they just don't want to spend money on a visit to the doctor. Or perhaps they assume that a trainer knows enough about the human body to provide a reliable diagnosis. Whatever the reason, it doesn't make much sense. After all, you wouldn't ask your doctor to demonstrate a deadlift or explain the difference between pull-ups and chin-ups, so why in the world would you ask a personal trainer to diagnose that baffling case of earlobe pain that occurs whenever you eat goat cheese? (Okay, I made up that one, but some of the real questions are almost that ridiculous.)

Sometimes a client has already seen his doctor, but doesn't like his instructions to temporarily avoid certain activities or exercises, so he asks a trainer for a second opinion. That's a bad idea. If your doctor wants you to avoid lunges or pulldowns or back extensions for a few weeks, he probably has a good reason, and it's not a trainer's job to contradict his advice. Your doctor knows how much recovery time you need after that minor hernia surgery. He knows how long you should take it easy on that severely sprained ankle. Listen to him. I bet he's pretty smart.

I realize that doctors aren't perfect, and they occasionally make mistakes. If you're truly convinced that your doctor's advice is wrong, by all means, get a second opinion, but get it from another doctor, not a personal trainer. A trainer has no business diagnosing a medical condition. It's way beyond his Scope of Practice.

A good personal trainer can help you get the most from the time you spend at the gym. He can teach you, coach you, motivate you, and encourage you. Ask him how to get bigger arms, a flatter stomach, stronger legs or a firmer butt. But whatever you do, don't ask your trainer to diagnose those occasional chest pains, and jaw numbness. Trainers are not doctors.

If they were, they wouldn't spend their days in the gym, telling their clients to "push through your heels" and "keep your back flat." Instead, they'd be wearing white coats and stethoscopes, telling their patients to "turn your head and cough," and "bend over, please."

I consider myself an experienced trainer who's qualified to help motivated clients achieve their fitness goals. I'm very confident in my abilities as a trainer, but I seriously doubt that I could correctly diagnose those painful earlobes. If you're looking for a good trainer (who's NOT a doctor), call me at (559) 871-1658.

ANOTHER OBESITY DRUG BITES THE DUST

Well, I have some bad news for folks who were eagerly awaiting F.D.A. approval of the latest prescription weight-loss drug: an advisory panel has voted against recommending approval for Lorcaserin. By a 9-to-5 vote, the advisers decided that the potential benefits of the drug from Arena Pharmaceuticals, did not outweigh risks. Unfortunately for Arena, the F.D.A. usually listens to its advisors. The same FDA panel recently voted against recommending approval for another weight-loss drug, Vivus Inc.'s Qnexa, due to safety concerns. The F.D.A. hasn't approved a new prescription weight loss drug in more than a decade. Here's a link to the entire story from the New York Times: http://nyti.ms/btD7rv But take heart, my disappointed overweight friend, because I have some wonderful news for you. There's already a proven, sure-fire way to lose weight, look great, and feel better. And you don't need to wait for F.D.A. approval! It's called "exercise," and when it's combined with another revolutionary concept called a "sensible diet," the results can be astounding. So stop waiting around for those grouchy old buzzkills from the F.D.A. to approve the latest weight-loss miracle drug. Find a good certified personal trainer (like yours truly), and slowly back away from the double bacon cheeseburger.

FITNESS ON THE CHEAP: PART 3

The first two parts of "Fitness on the Cheap" offered some ideas for getting in shape without spending lots of money. Today's third and final installment features FREE online resources that can help you achieve your fitness goals. The Internet is a veritable treasure trove of useful exercise information. Here are a few outstanding free websites for anybody who wants to get in better shape. ExRx.net (Exercise Prescription on the Net) describes itself as "a free resource for the exercise professional, coach, or fitness enthusiast, featuring comprehensive exercise libraries, fitness assessment calculators, and reference articles." This site has an enormous amount of useful exercise information. If you want to know which exercises affect which muscles, check out the expansive "Exercise & Muscle Directory." If you want to learn how muscles work, spend some time in the "Kinesiology" section. (You'll soon be able to impress your friends with fancy personal-trainer words like articulations, flexion, adduction and sternoclavicular.) And if you just need some good advice on how to develop an effective workout based on your specific goals, be sure to visit the "Weight Training" pages, where you'll find articles on everything from powerlifting programs and Olympic weightlifting to periodization training. ExRx.net is definitely a site to bookmark. For unique, challenging and brutally effective workouts, check out crossfit.com. Developed by former high-school gymnast Greg Glassman, Crossfit has grown from humble beginnings in Santa Cruz, Ca, to become a worldwide fitness phenomena. Crossfit is now the principal strength and conditioning program for many police academies, tactical operations teams and military special operations units. Each day (except on "Rest Days"), Crossfit posts a WOD (Workout Of The Day). Some of these workouts are called "The Girls," and have names like Angie, Barbara, Fran and Grace. But don't let these innocent-sounding names fool you. These girls can kick your butt. If you've been considering spending your hard-earned money on P90-X or Insanity, try Crossfit first. At first glance, Crossfit workouts might seem a little strange. For example, the aforementioned "Fran" consists of two exercises, thrusters and pull-ups, alternately performed in descending sets of 21 reps, 15 reps, and 9 reps. "Barbara" is 5 rounds of 20 pull-ups, 30 push-ups, 40 sit-ups and 50 squats. The goal of both workouts is to complete them as quickly as possible, always striving to beat your previous best time. Crossfit workouts aren't for everybody. If you're not willing to work hard, go somewhere else. But if you're competitive and enjoy pushing yourself, you will get results. (Before you attempt a Crossfit workout, learn to perform the exercises correctly and safely. The website has plenty of helpful instructions, videos and pictures. There's also a very detailed FAQ's page that will answer almost any Crossfit-related question you have.) If you'd rather exercise without barbells, dumbbells, machines, etc., check out bodyweightculture.com As the name implies, this site is all about bodyweight exercises. You've never seen so many variations of pushups, pull-ups and burpees. And there are plenty of instructional videos to help you perfect your technique. To use this site, you're required to sign-up for an account, which is completely free. When you begin working out regularly and improving your diet, you'll need a place to record your phenomenal progress. That's where FitDay.com comes in. This free site allows you to open a free account where you can track your foods, calorie intake and exercise. This site has millions of satisfied users, so you know it's legit. I hope these "Fitness on the Cheap" posts have provided a good starting point for anybody who's interested in a healthier lifestyle. If you've decided that the do-it-yourself approach to fitness isn't your thing, consider working with a certified personal trainer. If you live in the Fresno or Madera area, call me at (559) 871-1658 or come visit me at Centerpoint Athletic Club.

FUN WITH RUBBER

Another informational, inspirational, and slightly offensive video from Central Valley Fitness: