I Want to Ride My Bicycle

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Season is about to get warmer. Many people will hop on their bikes and ride in the sunny summer that we get here in good ‘ol NC.

Before you do, take a moment to think about how your bike fits you. There are a few key rules but basically all those rules boil down to two things: Comfort and Power. If you’re bike isn’t fit well, you may be suffering from a lack of both. For instance, if you ride to far back on the saddle, your shoulders are going to take the brunt of the support will you ride, you’ll find they get very stiff and sore and you’ll wonder how your shoulders hurt when you were using your legs to bike. If you’re too far forward on the saddle men will find this vastly uncomfortable and everyone will experience climbing hills to be a lot harder than they need to be. This is because you can’t get a full pull of the pedal stroke and your hamstrings can’t engage.

Whatever the reason a good bike fit is worth its weight in gold. So expect to pay for what you get. If it’s the free fit at the local cycling shop when you by your bike it may be okay for the short term but if you ride longer rides (90+ minutes) you’ll find that you won’t want to go much further as that comfort level just won’t dial in right. Seek out someone who is certified in fittings. There are a few in the area and yes, you’ll pay a good price for it, but as already mentioned, it’s well worth it.

There’s a great article here about bike fits. It’s a good read, a bit technical, but nonetheless important info that any serious rider should know about.

If you don’t want to take my word for it, ask our resident cyclist Patty – she’s a pro.

Mike Babbitt, M.F.A, M.A., CSCS, ACSM-HFI

USA Triathlon Level 1 Coach, Master Trainer

Mike is a Master Level trainer at Empower Personal Training. He has a unique approach to fitness that combines his scientific foundation of research and applied exercise physiology with his artistic experience as a professional stage actor. For more information about Empower Personal Training please call (919) 401-8024

Infomercials for exercise products: Do they work?

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ìOh, youíre a personal trainer? What do you think about (insert product here)? Does it work?î

A lot of times when I meet someone for the first time and they find out what I do for a living they ask me what I think about a certain product they saw on television. Some of the products look downright silly while others look like theyíll put you on the floor because youíre working so hard. All of these infomercials, however, seem to have a common format:

Cue the up-beat music with a funky twang and imagine an enthusiastic, tan, buff trainer talking at a louder-than-appropriate voice.

ìHave you tried everything to lose weight and get in shape? Tired of having those aching muscles and joints from doing hundreds of crunches without seeing any results? Are you ready for our revolutionary new program, backed by research from a university, which will make you lose weight and get in the best shape of your life while allowing you to eat whatever you want?î Sound familiar?

The Neck Slimmer - the last fitness product you'll ever need!

If youíre thinking about purchasing one of these programs I would caution you to think about a few things beforehand. First of all, take a critical look at the product. Are the workouts targeting more than one muscle group? There are many pieces of exercise equipment for sale that would have you believe you can ìtoneî certain areas of your body. This is simply not true; you cannot remove stomach fat by doing abdominal exercises alone and you cannot get rid of that funny jiggle in your arms by only doing bicep curls and triceps extensions.

Next, consider the ìactual testimonials from real people.î Many times these are actual fitness models that get their pictures taken for the after photos then get paid to gain 10 to 15 pounds of fat for the before shots. Also notice in these ìafterî pictures the people are tan, cleanly shaven, and have their hair done professionally.

My final word of advice would be to understand that you wonít get results from any program if you donít use it. As ridiculous as the Giselle may look I guarantee you someone doing it two hours a day will have better results than someone who buys P-90X and lets the DVDs sit in their case.

If youíre thinking of purchasing an exercise product from an infomercial find one that looks challenging that works many different muscles. Ask your friends, family, or co-workers if theyíve tried it and get their opinions on it. Surf the internet to see if there are any reviews. Finally when you have a program make sure you actually use it!

Thanks for reading- Iím off to go get a spray tan!

Paul Piracci, CSCS Professional Trainer

Paul brings a background of athletics and education to the Empower team. He believes that wellness should be viewed as a blended lifestyle that balances nutrition, a healthy mind, and fitness which incorporates fun recreational activities. For more information about Empower Personal Training please call (919) 401-8024.