I hope this holiday season brings my “Weber Way to Wellness” readers hip n’ hop and healthy! I appreciate all your comments and interest in my blog and wanted to say “thank you” for swinging by regularly!! I wish you all a wonderful holiday and fabulous new year!! Below I have my 3-minute holiday comedy show with my clan called “Christmas with Alicia and Clan & an Unordinary Santa”
Thanksgiving 2010, LAS VEGAS, NV—I eat, sleep, and talk Track and Field! So my ideal Thanksgiving would be having the opportunity to run with a pack of Turkeys. Running is always in the picture with me-Track Coach, Johnny Deltoid. However, I am out in the desert in Las Vegas and there are no turkeys in sight!
I decided to celebrate Thanksgiving by hosting an event called “Turkey Trot and Hop†to satisfy my running desires. Participants first run 200m all out on a grass course that ends on a hill. Then, they take a 200m recovery jog. Immediately after that they hop 200m on the same course. They do the first 100m hop on their Left Leg and then the 2nd 100m on their Right Leg. They then can compare times from their one-leg hopping abilities to two-leg sprint abilities. It is an exciting evaluation in fast-twitch muscle fibers, biomechanics, and muscle stabilizers (since they will be used on the uneven grass surface, unlike on a track). PLUS it is an “attracktive†way to spend Thanksgiving.
Due to recent requests by my fans, I made a 10-minute non-stop sit-up video (shown above) where the sit-ups get increasingly more difficult as time goes by. Sit-up endurance is definitely a measure of many muscles not just the Abs. For one, a strong back is needed to sustain endurance and proper form in sit-ups. Proper form is defined as legs bent and held down, arms bent and immovable with fingers placed above the ears. Chin is away from the chest with a forward head placement.
For a rep to count – medial elbow on both arms must cross the lateral knee on both legs (back is perpendicular to ground at apex of situp) and then the lower back must flatten and touch floor. This is how to perform proper form situps for fitness tests.
A weak, sore, and fatigued back will be the first to give out during sit-ups. The bending of the knees make the abdominal muscles work more as the upward pull of the torso from lying position to the bent knees involves the following abdominal muscles and other muscle groups:
1.)    The first 30-45 degrees (lifting the shoulder blades off the ground with full compression of the rectus abdominis m. ) involves external and internal obliques muscles acting like a corset as they tighten and flex around the rib cage. The rectus abdominis m. is compressed.
2.)   Then moving from 45 degrees to full sit (where medial elbows touch lateral knees) are where the hip flexors become involved in the pull to sit and there is a high compressive load placed on the lumbar spine (where back extensor muscle strength is important or else one could risk injury). In the initial pull phase, the hip flexors can lift the trunk from a lying posture toward the front of the leg in a sit-up. These hip flexors include the iliacus m. and psoas major m. (flexes and laterally rotates thigh), tensor fascia lata m. (an abductor), and the pectineus m. (an adductor). Then, the rectus femoris m. and sartorius m. join in as they are the only muscles in the quadriceps muscle group involved as hip flexors. They originate at the pelvis and are involved with leg flexion as the hip crosses the pelvic femoral joint.
3.)   Going from full sit to about 45 degrees down the hip flexors are once again involved as well as the abdominal stabilizing muscles. The tensor fascia lata m. assists with abduction, internal rotation, and flexion of the hip, as well as trunk stabilization. *Controlling the back and maintaining proper posture are key especially in this phase (you don’t want to just fall back!!). The back extensor muscles (mainly the erector spinae and multifidus muscles) are the main source for posterior stability for the spine and they oppose the force of gravity as they maintain erect posture and control forward flexion during a sit-up.
4.)   Finally from 45 degrees down to flattening of the back on the ground, the rectus abdominis m. goes from flexion to full length extension. The rectus abdominis m. is a long abdominal muscle that begins at the pubis with the muscle fibers extending vertically and attaching to the cartilages of the fifth, sixth, and seventh ribs (on the front part of the trunk).
Are Sit-ups really a good exercise and why do them? Sit-ups are not a good exercise for everybody. As stated in the 3rd paragraph, sit-ups are a No-No for anyone with any kind of back problem or back weakness. Sit-ups are excellent exercise for a regular exerciser that does regular abdominal exercise and back strengthening exercises. Endurance sit-ups are a good challenge for hip flexors, back, and abdominal muscle groups. Although the emphasis should be abdominals with minimal hip flexor muscles working as in proper form sit-ups shown here. Sit-ups can cover the full length of the rectus abdominis muscle in a way that can’t be achieved in a crunch or ab curl, or other (low back held down) ab exercise.   Your rectus abdominis m. and back should feel really stretched out, relaxed, and strengthened after sit-ups if you are conditioned and doing them properly.
By:Â Alicia Weber Pictures contained in the article are copyrighted to AliciaWeber.com
I take my years of experience in my many sports and I have devised a sport specific training program for athletes in their respective sports. My sports specific training program has helped athletes prevent injuries, win championships, win college sport scholarships, and get athletes to their goals and beyond as some testify on Clermont, Florida, Winning Way to Wellness. To date, the sports I have helped athletes excel at include football, track and field, swimming, marathon running, cycling, triathlon, open water swimming, short-course pool swimming, hockey, soccer, and others.
Christian Monsanto, Elite Triathlete and Runner
One athlete has taken my expertise a step further. He sought me out for sport specific training and diet advice for the best antioxidants and nutrients as I am also a certified Sport Nutrition Consultant.
Christian says this about my guidance in sport specific training and sport nutrition consulting, “Alicia has elevated my level of health and race results by her expertise in sports training and nutrition.â€
Do you want to prevent injuries and elevate your success in sports?
Attention Athletes ages 4 -100 living in Orlando, Fl, or Lake County Florida, you can enter Alicia’s Sport Specific Training program and get nutrition guidance that can give you an edge in any sport and improve overall health. Rates are reasonable and locations vary. Call today for a free consultation at 352-874-4363 or email Alicia at Awinningway@gmail.com
Alicia Weber’s 2009-2010 Sports Highlights
In addition to the sports highlights below, I am a strength and endurance world record holder with a variety of physical fitness world records.
January 31, 2010 Southern Sprints Indoor Rowing World Championships
In my newest sport, I competed in my first major indoor rowing competition and captured the silver medal in the 500m sprint. The Southern Sprints Indoor Rowing Championships serves as a World Qualifier for the C.R.A.S.H. B Sprints Indoor Rowing World Championship held every year in Boston.
December 6, 2009 Xterra World Half-Marathon Championships Kualoa Ranch, Oahu, HI
During a week in Oahu, HI, which included an invitation to train with the U.S. Marines, I competed in what is to be considered the “World’s Toughest Half-Marathonâ€. There are many factors, which make the event so tough including 1. Elevation – 2,900ft mountain climb 2. Competitors aren’t allowed to see or practice on the course till the morning of the event! 3. Temperature and Terrain Changes – The temperature at the start of the race was 65 degrees, but by the first mile on the black lava rock it escalated to nearly 90 degrees. By mile 11, runners held onto a rope to run down a slippery, muddy, narrow path. I can surely say with my many years of running on the elite circuit that this truly was the world’s toughest half-marathon! I became very dehydrated, but still finished as 40th Woman in the World. A total of 393 runners were in this world championship run.
Alicia as her popular Strength Character “Aussie Amanda” training with the U.S. Marines in Oahu, HI
November 8, 2009 First Annual SUP Poker Run Siesta Key Beach, Florida
Alicia Weber - 1st time on Stand Up Paddle Board
In an event that is about winning a game of poker as SUP paddlers chased to each boat grabbing a card, I was the 2nd fastest female finisher. However, I didn’t win the poker game. It was my first time on a stand up paddle board and my first SUP race. SUP is the fastest growing sport in Florida!
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June 13 -14, 2009Â Sprint Kayak and Open Swimming Championships
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Alicia Weber - Gold Medalist 500m, 2009 Florida State Games
If you are a person that believes walking briskly 30-minutes a day will take care of everything and there is no need for anymore exercise – THINK AGAIN!!
The primary muscles used in walking are the lower extremities including the hamstrings, quadriceps, adductors, gastrocnemius, and soleus muscles. There are other muscle groups involved that act as stabilizers such as the gluteals. Walking alone fails to strengthen back muscles properly and chronic low back problems are a growing trend in America.
A walking-only program is really only targeting one area of fitness of the 5 fitness areas – aerobic capacity wellness.
One common trend I find among exercisers that limit their exercises to walking are weak back muscles. On the same hand, if these walkers start adding back and abdominal-specific exercises into their routines they can get immediate gains in fitness and feel even better!
According to the National Health Interview Survey there was an increase from 3.2 percent of the population in 1997 to 8.3 percent of the population in 2006 that experiences chronic low back pain.
There are several possibilities as to why there is an increase in low back pain including
1.) increase in obesity
2.) increase in stress levels that trigger low back pain
3.) increase in depression that is linked to low back pain
4.) sedentary lifestyle with prolonged sitting
5.) improper ways to pick up objects, poor posture, or overall lack of care for the back
6.) failure to strengthen back muscles (in particular the Multifidus M.)
If you have back pain, what do you think is your cause? Finding the cause is one step closer to working on a solution. Overall, back pain is a choice. If you fail to strengthen your back, then you will fall back in overall health! The bottom line is to keep your back strong by doing back strengthening and stretching exercises (see below) to prevent back pain.
The multifidus muscle is a thin muscle found deep in the spine. It needs to be strong, sturdy, and stable to keep each vertebra working effectively. The multifidus muscle is the key muscle in the back that needs to not only contract to produce strengthening effects, but it must be elongated. The multifidus is the strongest muscle in the back and the key stabilizer in the back.
It is possible that traditional back surgery could disrupt the alignment of the multifidus muscle causing the spine to have trouble maintaining an upright position as well as create pain and discomfort. Minimally invasive spine surgeries can result in less disruption of the multifidus muscle and in turn cause less trauma than traditional back surgery. If one is seeking back help via physical therapy, chiropractics, or other methods of back relief and severe back pain continues, then it would be best to get an x-ray. Consistent pain is a sign of seriousness.
Back strengthening and stretching can never go out of style. In fact, I am a firm believer that a back exercise should be performed everyday at least once. It is important in the selection of the back exercise and performance of the back exercise in achieving results.
 For instance, if you want to use the back machine in the gym – work on doing greater reps and lighter weight (i.e. a 115 lbs person may just use 50lbs and do 15 – 20 reps even if they could easily use a lot heavier weight.). So back exercises ARE about endurance training and NOT about power training (heavy weight and high intensity). Over doing the back with intense exercise and heavy weights can strain the low the back and cause harm.
Whether you are new or a veteran of back exercises, there is one stretch that can really open up the back and all you need is a chair.
The Moving Warrior Pose is a great way to stretch and strengthen the back! Do this exercise for a minimum of 30seconds and a maximum of 2 minutes. Always start with just 1 set and over time build to doing several sets. The reaching out and stretching up and then reaching out and coming back in works gluteal stabilization, leg endurance, posture alignment, and stretches and contracts the Multifidus M. Once again, because the multifidus is such a small muscle in the back, we want to keep the intensity low and keep the exercise slow. Combine deep tortoise breathing with this moving warrior pose to get additional benefits. Try to do 2 – 4 breathing cycles/min or less. Read here if you want to learn more about tortoise breathing.
Always consult your doctor before starting a new exercise program even if it is for the back. When one is just starting back exercises the goal will be to work on more stretching. Once stretching is down, the person can add more strengthening. Focusing on the single multifidus muscle ( such as in the picture above in the gym back machine) is advanced and can be implemented into a back program overtime. Learn more by reading BACK FAQS
 , and others.
