1. A strong core helps with all our fitness demands. No matter what kind of fitness we do, a strong core improves our ability to do it!
2. Core exercises improve balance and stability. They train the muscles in our pelvis, lower back, hips and abdomen to work together. This leads to better balance and stability, whether on a run, in a fitness class, or in daily activities. In fact, most sports and other physical activities depend on stable core muscles. [Read more…]
Ok, lets get real. Urinary incontinence is very common in female runners (and those doing other forms of exercise). Researchers have found that as many as 30 percent of female runners have experienced incontinence while running. I happen to believe the number is a lot higher, it’s just not something most of us like to talk about. In fact, for women in general (not just those who exercise), it has been said that 1/3 have issues of incontinence as they age, and some sources say as much as 60% of women deal with the issue of incontinence. With statistics like this, why aren’t we talking about it? We should be. [Read more…]
We have all heard about the core, but recently I have been learning about core stabilizing muscles. These are basically the muscles that are the foundation of our movements…the ones that not only keep us balanced, but also keep us moving. Core stability means using the muscles of the trunk to support the spine and body during activity. The trunk muscles include those in the abdomen and back, around the neck and shoulder blades, and around the pelvis, hips, groin, and buttocks. Strengthening your trunk gives greater stability and power to the whole body for it’s activities. Core stabilization helps improve posture, balance, strength, and coordinated movement, and helps protect the body from injury. One of the exciting things for me to think about in terms of fitness is how connected all the parts of our bodies are, and how crucial this is to all of our movements. [Read more…]
I have written about the pelvic floor on this website before. As I research and talk to professionals about this topic, I am amazed at the importance of this complex group of muscles, especially for women. Most of us know about Kegel exercises, and are hopefully already doing them regularly. I know I need to be even more consistent about doing them! However, there are many other exercises that can be done before or even during other core exercises that target the pelvic area as well. The following are some that strengthen the pelvic floor and the core, and can be done in just a few minutes while you are working out, or even right before bed: Core/pelvic floor exercises.
The following is a guest post from physical therapist, Barbara G. Green, P.T., M.S. I have mentioned the Kegel exercise a few times on 9 Kid Fitness, and one of the things that I have discovered after working with Barbara is how much of a difference these exercises can make in strengthening the pelvic floor muscles. A sad fact is that stress incontinence (leaking urine) is one of the main reasons for admittance into nursing homes. [Read more…]
My favorite exercise is the push-up. It is great for upper body and core strength, and you don’t have to have any equipment to do it. I remember my good friend Karrie, who is a personal trainer, telling me that when she is pressed for time with her clients, she likes to do push-ups because they are such an efficient strength exercise. Since I don’t do sit-ups because of the pelvic floor muscles, the push-up is one of the main abdominal exercises I do. [Read more…]
Quote of the Week: He that is good for making excuses, is rarely good for anything else. Benjamin Franklin
Those darn Kegels! Am I the only one who hates doing them? As a runner and a mother of nine, I realize that the Kegel exercise is crucial if I want to continue to exercise as I get older. Then why do I have such a hard time getting them done?
I have decided it is a little like changing the oil in your car. The results are not visible, and so it is hard to stay motivated to do them. If you have not changed the oil in your car, it still might run just fine for a while. However, if you neglect it for too long, it can cause problems for your engine. The same can be said for the muscles of the pelvic floor. [Read more…]
You Can Laugh Without Leaking was the name of a talk that I recently attended. Lead by a gynecologist and a physical therapist, the subject of the talk was stress incontinence, something lots of people would rather avoid talking about. I was one of only a few women there under the age of 60. However, according to both speakers, stress incontinence is not an issue reserved for older people. Plenty of women in their 30’s and 40’s have some symptoms of stress incontinence. And frankly, I think it is a shame that more women my age are not hearing this valuable information. Maybe it’s the dirty little secret of the mommy world. However, I believe knowledge is powerful, and in this case, the sooner we gain this essential knowledge about the pelvic floor muscles, the sooner we can do something about it!
There was such an abundance of important tips given at the talk, that one blog post can not do it justice. But I will be writing a lot more about this subject in posts to come.
9 Kid Fitness was featured on WBT Radio’s “Health Headlines” show on Sunday, March 13, 2011! Listen to the 8-10 minute segment to hear Whitney (that’s me) interviewed by the “Bod Squad” (Stacy Simms, Alan Tyson, and Dr. Russ Greenfield).
The weekly Sunday radio show with the Bod Squad features important health issues and trends that affect families.
During the interview we discuss the 9 Kid Fitness website, pelvic floor issues, and ways that busy moms can stay fit. Click on the link below and go to the 3/13 radio show. The segment begins at the 10:00 mark. Thanks for listening, and let me know what you think!
9 Kid Fitness on WBT Radio
Okay, this really isn’t just an excuse for me to get out of doing a sit-up (although I know a good excuse when I see one). Sit-ups and crunches (a sit-up with smaller range of motion) are still the old standby exercise for abdominal muscles. However, I think there are good reasons for some women to be cautious about doing them. [Read more…]
