Introduction
Hello everyone...my name is Sara Smith and I am currently working on my Master's in Secondary Education with the intention of teaching Health Science and Physical Education. Health and fitness have been passions of mine since I was in Middle School. I would read everything I could on nutrition and loved learning about all of the various training techniques. Ironically, I never really cared for Physical Education because I was not terribly good at any sport in particular and therefore, I was generally one of the last students chosen for groups and teams. (I hope to change that for my future students!) Exercising was a whole different story, though. I have always loved helping people reach their fitness goals and so I decided to become a certified personal trainer and group instructor while I attended CSUF to help supplement my income as a Physical Therapy assistant. After moving to Las Vegas, Nevada and getting my BS in Kinesiology, life just kind of happened and I had my two amazing kids. Once they were both in school , I went back to Personal Training. Unfortunately, having a trainer is not considered a necessity, so income was not as consistent as I would have hoped and the schedule had me away from my kids early in the morning and late in the evening. So, I began working in an urgent care calling patients back with their blood work results and came to the very sad realization that people really just do not know or understand too much about their own health, or lack thereof as the case may be. This helped me decide that it was time to go back to school myself so that I could become a teacher and educate future generations about fitness, nutrition, and overall health.
How did your personality affect your choice of content area? How does or will your personality affect your relationships with your students?
So, I opted to take both personality questionnaires and I got two completely different results. The only personality train that came back the same on both was sensing. I think having somewhat of a balance of all the traits will help my relationship with my students because I will be able relate to many different personality types. The Teamtechnology Questionnaire said that my personality is very "unique"....I'm sure that was meant as a compliment and not just them being politically correct. ;)
I am not entirely sure how my personality affected my content area choice, but I do know that I am extremely passionate about health and fitness and I love helping people learn about various philosophies and techniques, their scientific reasoning, athletes/people that each may be suited for, so that they can make educated decisions on what works for them personally.
How will your teaching and learning style affect your teaching and your students' abilities to be successful?
My learning style came back as moderate in all categories with the exception of a low score in competitiveness. I have never felt the need to compete with others in regards to grades (unlike the gym!). That is simply me versus me. I hope to instill a similar mindset in my students. If you always do your best work, honestly give it your all, there is no need to be concerned with what grades other students received. If there is genuine concern for a poor grade and a student approaches me about it, if they are willing to try and improve their work, I would absolutely give them that opportunity. In my opinion, knowing what is expected of me is so important so I plan to give my students information so that they may be successful if they truly apply themselves. I believe taking personal responsibility for your actions and trying to improve those things if done incorrectly speaks volumes about a person's character and desire to do well. Giving students the chance to rewrite assignments can actually increase understanding and retention of the information and give them the opportunity to perform self-assessment which is a useful tool throughout life. Personally, I thrive on factual information, but once I know the facts, I love to discuss the various philosophies and allow students to draw their own conclusions. Similar to my personality, my learning styles all fall somewhere in the middle, meaning that certain information I learn more effectively by myself, while with other things, a collaborative environment is more effective. I hope to include teaching styles that appeal to all learning styles and leave an open line of communication at all times to ensure success and understanding for as many of my students as possible.
Friday, January 8, 2016
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Nutrition - The Basics
Hi everyone! I thought that it would be a good time to address some nutritional issues. "What should I be eating?" is a question that I get asked several times a day. There is so much information out there...some good, some not so good. :)
Personally, I don't think that there is one plan that works for everyone. It is imperative to do research and always try to educate yourself because information is constantly changing! There are certain things, however, that NEVER change! We should ALWAYS try to eat the "cleanest" food possible. What do I mean by that? The less processed, the better! Keep food close to the way that nature intended. For example, eat an apple instead of apple sauce or apple juice.
Try to balance the macronutrients when you eat your meals or snacks. What are macronutrients? Protein, Carbohydrates and Fat...yes, I said FAT! I often hear people say, "I had a bag of pretzels. That is okay, right?" Ummm...no, not really. Yes, they are low in fat and there are definitely worse choices you could make, but adding a little protein and fat will help you feel satisfied longer and your body will have a more positive reaction with no spike in your insulin. Also, by incorporating all of the three macronutrients, you will not have strong carbohydrate cravings later. When all that you eat is carbohydrates, your body continues to crave more because it is not getting the nutrients to function properly. So, it is okay to have a handful of pretzels, but add some almonds and maybe a Greek yogurt.
I am also a firm believer in supplementation. I don't think that you should rely on supplements solely, though! Eat REAL unprocessed food as much as possible, but it is very difficult to meet the requirements necessary for our bodies to perform at their peak. It CAN be done, but with the fast pace of society and all of us having such busy lives, it is tough! I absolutely LOVE Shakeology and I couldn't imagine my day without it! I am also a huge fan of Core Health Products. Good vitamins are a must and Core Health Products makes the BEST!
Lastly, be prepared! I pack my whole day's food first thing in the morning. A little extra planning can make all the difference in the world! If you have your meals with you, there is no excuse to cheat or go through that drive-through. I would strongly recommend something like a Six Pack Bag. Mine is a total life saver! I have the smaller one and I am able to pack 3-4 meals in there. So, on the days that I leave the house at 8 a.m. and don't get home until 8 or 9 at night, I am covered.
Keep in mind that everyone's goals are different. What I eat may not work for you. Like I mentioned before, educate yourself and find what works for YOU! DO NOT think of your nutritional plan as a diet!!! You are fueling your body...the most important machine that we own! Take care of your temple and it will take care of you. Be prepared! You will look and feel so much better and you can be proud of the healthy choices you are making. You absolutely CAN do this and I am always here to help if you need it! :)
Personally, I don't think that there is one plan that works for everyone. It is imperative to do research and always try to educate yourself because information is constantly changing! There are certain things, however, that NEVER change! We should ALWAYS try to eat the "cleanest" food possible. What do I mean by that? The less processed, the better! Keep food close to the way that nature intended. For example, eat an apple instead of apple sauce or apple juice.
Try to balance the macronutrients when you eat your meals or snacks. What are macronutrients? Protein, Carbohydrates and Fat...yes, I said FAT! I often hear people say, "I had a bag of pretzels. That is okay, right?" Ummm...no, not really. Yes, they are low in fat and there are definitely worse choices you could make, but adding a little protein and fat will help you feel satisfied longer and your body will have a more positive reaction with no spike in your insulin. Also, by incorporating all of the three macronutrients, you will not have strong carbohydrate cravings later. When all that you eat is carbohydrates, your body continues to crave more because it is not getting the nutrients to function properly. So, it is okay to have a handful of pretzels, but add some almonds and maybe a Greek yogurt.
I am also a firm believer in supplementation. I don't think that you should rely on supplements solely, though! Eat REAL unprocessed food as much as possible, but it is very difficult to meet the requirements necessary for our bodies to perform at their peak. It CAN be done, but with the fast pace of society and all of us having such busy lives, it is tough! I absolutely LOVE Shakeology and I couldn't imagine my day without it! I am also a huge fan of Core Health Products. Good vitamins are a must and Core Health Products makes the BEST!
Lastly, be prepared! I pack my whole day's food first thing in the morning. A little extra planning can make all the difference in the world! If you have your meals with you, there is no excuse to cheat or go through that drive-through. I would strongly recommend something like a Six Pack Bag. Mine is a total life saver! I have the smaller one and I am able to pack 3-4 meals in there. So, on the days that I leave the house at 8 a.m. and don't get home until 8 or 9 at night, I am covered.
Keep in mind that everyone's goals are different. What I eat may not work for you. Like I mentioned before, educate yourself and find what works for YOU! DO NOT think of your nutritional plan as a diet!!! You are fueling your body...the most important machine that we own! Take care of your temple and it will take care of you. Be prepared! You will look and feel so much better and you can be proud of the healthy choices you are making. You absolutely CAN do this and I am always here to help if you need it! :)
Friday, October 1, 2010
Muscle Hypertrophy
Hi everyone! I apologize for how long it has been since I updated my blog. No excuses...life has just been extremely busy. I recently got re-certified as a personal trainer and hopefully will be starting at Gold’s Gym next week. I am really looking forward to it! It is so rewarding to help people fulfill their fitness goals and now I will have two ways to do that - personal training and Beachbody! Love it!
So, today I wanted to discuss muscle hypertrophy (growth), but I also wanted to go over the three types of fibers that our muscles are comprised of and what type of training can improve each of them.
Muscles are made up of three different fiber types: Fast-twitch (FT), Intermediate, and Slow-twitch (ST). Fast twitch fibers (Type IIx) are specialized for anaerobic metabolism. They are recruited by the nervous system predominantly for rapid, powerful movements such as jumping, throwing and sprinting.
Type IIa fibers, also Fast Twitch, are called Intermediate fibers. These fibers possess speed, fatigue, and force production capabilities somewhere between ST and Type IIx fibers. They are also used for strength and power activities, but can sustain an effort for longer than the Type IIx fibers - up to 3 minutes in highly trained athletes. Type IIa fibers are unique in that they are highly adaptable. That is with endurance training, they can increase their oxidative capacity to levels similar to those observed in ST fibers.
Slow-twitch muscle fibers, on the other hand, are exceptionally well equipped for oxygen delivery and have a large quantity of aerobic, or oxidative enzymes. ST fibers are designed well for aerobic glycolysis and fatty acid oxidation. They are recruited primarily for low intensity, longer duration activities such as walking, jogging and swimming.
Muscle fiber distribution is determined to a large extent by genetic makeup. All three types of muscle fiber are highly trainable, however. They are capable of adapting to the specific metabolic demands placed on them. A person who regularly does low intensity endurance activities improves his/her aerobic capacity. All three types of of fibers will show improvement in aerobic ability, but the ST fibers will be the most responsive and show the most improvement. If, on the other hand, short duration, high intensity exercise such as interval training is performed regularly, the capabilities of the FT fibers to perform anaerobically will be enhanced. ST fibers are less responsive to this type of training.
Muscle growth, or chronic hypertrophy, is responsible for the strength gains experienced after a prolonged period of resistance training. Hypertrophy is associated with structural changes in the size of existing individual muscle fibers (fiber hypertrophy), and to a lesser extent, in the number of muscle fibers which is called fiber hyperplasia.
Here are some recommendations for developing muscle hypertrophy:
1.) Perform high-volume workouts that include several sets of many exercises for each major muscle group. Split routines are typically employed because it gives the muscles the 72 hours of recovery time needed to repair/remodel.
2.) The recommended training intensity for muscle hypertrophy is about 70 - 80% of your 1 RM. I’m sure that there are several calculators out there to figure out your 1 RM, but at www.cathe.com, she has an excellent calculator and she lists several different exercises.
3.) Most people can perform about 8 repetitions with 80% of maximum resistance and about 12 reps with 70% of 1 RM so it is recommended to use a rep range of 8-12 for muscle hypertrophy. Keep in mind that this does not just mean counting to 12. You should be completely fatigued by that last rep. Also,
successive sets with short rests further enhance the “pumped-up” effect, which appears to facilitate muscle growth.
4.) Each muscle group may be trained for 12-16 sets of 8-12 reps with approximately 75% of maximum resistance. For most exercises, it is recommended that you only rest for 30-60 seconds between successive sets.
5.) Use a combination of free weights, machines, and cables to target all the muscle groups with an emphasis on isolation exercises. Supersetting, or doing two exercises back to back with no rest is a great technique. You can do opposing muscle groups or the same muscle group. Breakdown training, or drop sets are another great way to completely fatigue the muscle. And assisted training is an excellent tool for muscle hypertrophy. With this technique, train to muscle fatigue, then receive manual assistance from a trainer/partner on the lifting phase (concentric muscle contraction) for 3-5 more reps. This is so effective because you have to control the negative portion of the exercise (eccentric contraction), where the majority of growth occurs.
I would love to hear your feedback on whether or not this was helpful! Please let me know if you have any questions. Please remember that in order to change the shape of your body, it is imperative that weight training be incorporated into your workout schedule. Aerobics and cardio are equally as important for training the most important muscle in your body, your heart, but it won’t change your shape - it will just make you a smaller version of your current self. It is also important to note that including HIIT (high intensity interval training) like sprinting or plyometrics WILL change the shape of your body, especially the lower half! It will help to convert muscle fibers to FT ones that will build and reshape your body. So, keep training hard and don’t give up on your goals! Next time I will try to go over the importance of nutrition. If there is anything in particular that you would like addressed, please let me know! Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!
So, today I wanted to discuss muscle hypertrophy (growth), but I also wanted to go over the three types of fibers that our muscles are comprised of and what type of training can improve each of them.
Muscles are made up of three different fiber types: Fast-twitch (FT), Intermediate, and Slow-twitch (ST). Fast twitch fibers (Type IIx) are specialized for anaerobic metabolism. They are recruited by the nervous system predominantly for rapid, powerful movements such as jumping, throwing and sprinting.
Type IIa fibers, also Fast Twitch, are called Intermediate fibers. These fibers possess speed, fatigue, and force production capabilities somewhere between ST and Type IIx fibers. They are also used for strength and power activities, but can sustain an effort for longer than the Type IIx fibers - up to 3 minutes in highly trained athletes. Type IIa fibers are unique in that they are highly adaptable. That is with endurance training, they can increase their oxidative capacity to levels similar to those observed in ST fibers.
Slow-twitch muscle fibers, on the other hand, are exceptionally well equipped for oxygen delivery and have a large quantity of aerobic, or oxidative enzymes. ST fibers are designed well for aerobic glycolysis and fatty acid oxidation. They are recruited primarily for low intensity, longer duration activities such as walking, jogging and swimming.
Muscle fiber distribution is determined to a large extent by genetic makeup. All three types of muscle fiber are highly trainable, however. They are capable of adapting to the specific metabolic demands placed on them. A person who regularly does low intensity endurance activities improves his/her aerobic capacity. All three types of of fibers will show improvement in aerobic ability, but the ST fibers will be the most responsive and show the most improvement. If, on the other hand, short duration, high intensity exercise such as interval training is performed regularly, the capabilities of the FT fibers to perform anaerobically will be enhanced. ST fibers are less responsive to this type of training.
Muscle growth, or chronic hypertrophy, is responsible for the strength gains experienced after a prolonged period of resistance training. Hypertrophy is associated with structural changes in the size of existing individual muscle fibers (fiber hypertrophy), and to a lesser extent, in the number of muscle fibers which is called fiber hyperplasia.
Here are some recommendations for developing muscle hypertrophy:
1.) Perform high-volume workouts that include several sets of many exercises for each major muscle group. Split routines are typically employed because it gives the muscles the 72 hours of recovery time needed to repair/remodel.
2.) The recommended training intensity for muscle hypertrophy is about 70 - 80% of your 1 RM. I’m sure that there are several calculators out there to figure out your 1 RM, but at www.cathe.com, she has an excellent calculator and she lists several different exercises.
3.) Most people can perform about 8 repetitions with 80% of maximum resistance and about 12 reps with 70% of 1 RM so it is recommended to use a rep range of 8-12 for muscle hypertrophy. Keep in mind that this does not just mean counting to 12. You should be completely fatigued by that last rep. Also,
successive sets with short rests further enhance the “pumped-up” effect, which appears to facilitate muscle growth.
4.) Each muscle group may be trained for 12-16 sets of 8-12 reps with approximately 75% of maximum resistance. For most exercises, it is recommended that you only rest for 30-60 seconds between successive sets.
5.) Use a combination of free weights, machines, and cables to target all the muscle groups with an emphasis on isolation exercises. Supersetting, or doing two exercises back to back with no rest is a great technique. You can do opposing muscle groups or the same muscle group. Breakdown training, or drop sets are another great way to completely fatigue the muscle. And assisted training is an excellent tool for muscle hypertrophy. With this technique, train to muscle fatigue, then receive manual assistance from a trainer/partner on the lifting phase (concentric muscle contraction) for 3-5 more reps. This is so effective because you have to control the negative portion of the exercise (eccentric contraction), where the majority of growth occurs.
I would love to hear your feedback on whether or not this was helpful! Please let me know if you have any questions. Please remember that in order to change the shape of your body, it is imperative that weight training be incorporated into your workout schedule. Aerobics and cardio are equally as important for training the most important muscle in your body, your heart, but it won’t change your shape - it will just make you a smaller version of your current self. It is also important to note that including HIIT (high intensity interval training) like sprinting or plyometrics WILL change the shape of your body, especially the lower half! It will help to convert muscle fibers to FT ones that will build and reshape your body. So, keep training hard and don’t give up on your goals! Next time I will try to go over the importance of nutrition. If there is anything in particular that you would like addressed, please let me know! Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Leg Workout
Sorry that it has been so long since I posted! =)
So today I did an amazing leg workout that I just wanted to share. I love mixing plyometrics with heavy weight training - great for actually re-shaping the legs and making them feel like jello! =) It is pretty similar to a Cathe leg workout that I have - I just switched up a couple of things because I like a little more hamstring work. Make sure you max out on the weights and only rest 30 seconds in between sets. Here it is if anyone is interested:
*DB Squats 70% 1 RM for 12 reps
*Box Jumps 30 seconds
*DB Front Lunge (same leg) 70% 1 RM for 12 reps each side
*Forward and Back jumps 30 seconds
*DB Side Lunge w/ knee lift (finish one side before doing the other 70% of 1 RM for 12 reps each side
*Lateral speed skaters 30 seconds (you can make this more challenging by putting a band around your ankles) =)
*Leg Press 70% of 1 RM for 12 reps each leg
*Split jumps for 15 seconds on each leg
*DB Reverse Lunge w/ knee lift (same leg) 70% of 1 RM for 12 reps
*Lateral jumps for 30 seconds
*45 degree same leg lunges 70% of 1 RM for 12 reps
*Slow Plie jumps ( I like to hold a DB) for 30 seconds
*Wide Stance Deadlifts 70% of 1 RM for 12 reps
*Squat jumps (again, I hold a DB) for 30 seconds
*Static Lunges 70% of 1 RM for 12 reps each leg
*Half turn jumps to the right holding DB for 30 seconds
*One legged deadlifts 70% of 1 RM for 12 reps each leg
*Plyo jacks for 30 seconds
*Plie Squats 70% of 1 RM for 24 reps
*Tuck Jumps for 30 seconds
*One leg elevated lunge (rear leg elevated) 70% of 1 RM for 12 reps each leg
*Half turn jumps to the left holding DB for 30 seconds
*Single leg squats or one legged deadlifts again 70% of 1 RM for 12 reps each leg
*Power scissors alternating for 30 seconds
*Front Lunge kick combo (when you return to standing position from lunge kick that leg forward and stay on the same leg for all reps then switch) 70% of 1 RM for 12 reps each side
*Air Jacks for 30 seconds
Have fun if you try it! It should only take about 45 minutes but it WORKS!! =)
So today I did an amazing leg workout that I just wanted to share. I love mixing plyometrics with heavy weight training - great for actually re-shaping the legs and making them feel like jello! =) It is pretty similar to a Cathe leg workout that I have - I just switched up a couple of things because I like a little more hamstring work. Make sure you max out on the weights and only rest 30 seconds in between sets. Here it is if anyone is interested:
*DB Squats 70% 1 RM for 12 reps
*Box Jumps 30 seconds
*DB Front Lunge (same leg) 70% 1 RM for 12 reps each side
*Forward and Back jumps 30 seconds
*DB Side Lunge w/ knee lift (finish one side before doing the other 70% of 1 RM for 12 reps each side
*Lateral speed skaters 30 seconds (you can make this more challenging by putting a band around your ankles) =)
*Leg Press 70% of 1 RM for 12 reps each leg
*Split jumps for 15 seconds on each leg
*DB Reverse Lunge w/ knee lift (same leg) 70% of 1 RM for 12 reps
*Lateral jumps for 30 seconds
*45 degree same leg lunges 70% of 1 RM for 12 reps
*Slow Plie jumps ( I like to hold a DB) for 30 seconds
*Wide Stance Deadlifts 70% of 1 RM for 12 reps
*Squat jumps (again, I hold a DB) for 30 seconds
*Static Lunges 70% of 1 RM for 12 reps each leg
*Half turn jumps to the right holding DB for 30 seconds
*One legged deadlifts 70% of 1 RM for 12 reps each leg
*Plyo jacks for 30 seconds
*Plie Squats 70% of 1 RM for 24 reps
*Tuck Jumps for 30 seconds
*One leg elevated lunge (rear leg elevated) 70% of 1 RM for 12 reps each leg
*Half turn jumps to the left holding DB for 30 seconds
*Single leg squats or one legged deadlifts again 70% of 1 RM for 12 reps each leg
*Power scissors alternating for 30 seconds
*Front Lunge kick combo (when you return to standing position from lunge kick that leg forward and stay on the same leg for all reps then switch) 70% of 1 RM for 12 reps each side
*Air Jacks for 30 seconds
Have fun if you try it! It should only take about 45 minutes but it WORKS!! =)
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Hi everyone - I hope that you are all enjoying your weekend! I wanted to post one of my favorite circuits. It only takes about 20 minutes but it is extremely effective and FUN! You do three rounds of the following exercises in a circuit fashion (so go through all 8 exercises and repeat 3 times):
1.) 100 jumps with a jump rope
2.) 10 Hanging leg raises
3.) 100 jumps with jump rope
4.) 10 feet elevated push ups
5.) 100 jumps with a jump rope
6.) 5 pull ups
7.) 100 jumps with a jump rope
8.) 20 jump squats (squat low and touch the ground each time)
If you aren't currently jumping rope, you might want to consider it. 10 minutes of jumping rope is equivalent to 30 minutes of running! Who doesn't want to achieve great results in less time?? ;)
Also, for those of you that are stronger than me, it is obviously very easy to modify by adding more reps for each of the exercises. Just time yourself and try to beat your PR each time.
If any of you try it out, I would love to hear how you liked it! Have a great day!
Sara
1.) 100 jumps with a jump rope
2.) 10 Hanging leg raises
3.) 100 jumps with jump rope
4.) 10 feet elevated push ups
5.) 100 jumps with a jump rope
6.) 5 pull ups
7.) 100 jumps with a jump rope
8.) 20 jump squats (squat low and touch the ground each time)
If you aren't currently jumping rope, you might want to consider it. 10 minutes of jumping rope is equivalent to 30 minutes of running! Who doesn't want to achieve great results in less time?? ;)
Also, for those of you that are stronger than me, it is obviously very easy to modify by adding more reps for each of the exercises. Just time yourself and try to beat your PR each time.
If any of you try it out, I would love to hear how you liked it! Have a great day!
Sara
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Here is a super fun ab workout to try!
Ab Wheel roll outs 3 x 10 reps
Weighted rotations (rotate DB or KB around head) 3 x 10 reps @ 15#KB
Decline sit ups 50, 30, 20 reps
Side bends 3 x 12 reps @ 20#DB
Overhead KB sit ups 3 x 10 reps @ 25#KB
Dragon flags 3 x 10 reps (you can google these if you aren't sure what they are - there are some good videos on youtube)
I hope you enjoy the workout.
Have a great day!
Sara
Ab Wheel roll outs 3 x 10 reps
Weighted rotations (rotate DB or KB around head) 3 x 10 reps @ 15#KB
Decline sit ups 50, 30, 20 reps
Side bends 3 x 12 reps @ 20#DB
Overhead KB sit ups 3 x 10 reps @ 25#KB
Dragon flags 3 x 10 reps (you can google these if you aren't sure what they are - there are some good videos on youtube)
I hope you enjoy the workout.
Have a great day!
Sara
Hi everyone - My name is Sara Smith and I am a Beachbody coach. I decided to start a blog because I thought that it would be fun to share some of my fitness journey with you. I have been doing P90X for over 5 years and more recently I added in Insanity. I have tried just about every other Beachbody program, but P90X and Insanity are by far my favorites!
I am also a huge fan of Cathe Freidrich's workouts! She is an amazing athlete (or Cathlete as she says).
I will try to post some fun workouts and some great nutrition information. If you have any specific questions, please let me know! Make it a great day! :)
I am also a huge fan of Cathe Freidrich's workouts! She is an amazing athlete (or Cathlete as she says).
I will try to post some fun workouts and some great nutrition information. If you have any specific questions, please let me know! Make it a great day! :)
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