Julia Chan

Crunch vs Plank…who wins?

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When you hear the word core, you automatically think of the belly area. However the core makes up so much more than just your midsection. The major core muscles are the pelvic floor muscles, transversus abdominis, multifidus, internal and external obliques, rectus abdominis, and erector spinae. The minor core muscles include the latissimus dorsi (lats), gluteus maximus, and trapezius. Functional movements are highly dependent on the core as its main function is to support and majority of your power come from this area. Lack of core development can lead to misalignment of your spine and other extremities eventually causing injuries. There are so many core exercises out there but crunches and planks are two of the most popular.

These two exercises are infamous for being performed in poor form. Just today on the gym floor I spotted someone trying to perform a crunch but all I see is their head bobbing up and down.  Ironically right next to them is someone attempting a plank with their butt up in the air. What is the point of these exercises if not done right or if you’re injuring yourself doing them? And which of the two is more effective in strengthening your core?

THE CRUNCH
A six pack is synonymous with doing hundreds of crunches a day.  However the kind of crunch that you see in the gym or maybe even do yourself, is a curl of your torso where you round your spine so much so to lift your shoulders off the floor and repeat several times to feel the burn in the abdominal area. Crunches work the rectus abdominis (the long, flat muscle that extends vertically from the pubis to the 5th, 6th, and 7th rib and is responsible for flexion of the lumbar spine). That “flex” movement places unhealthy pressure on your back at its weakest point – the back of the spine which has the most nerves (with the highest risk of nerve damage) and the part that bends and strains during a crunch. The shape of your back in a crunch (the letter C) is exactly the opposite of what your spine is supposed to be – straight.  So those hundred of crunches you do are merely reversing proper form of your spine.  In addition, your vertebrae and disks are compressed leading to potential nerve pinching and damage, changing the mechanism of your spine and the muscles that support its structure. The spine is meant to be in a neutral position, not flexed, so why torque your body into that C shape? If you do perform a crunch, use a stability ball for support (and intensity) and lift your torso up with a straight spine.

THE PLANK
Looks deceptively simple but once the second hand hits 20, gravity takes over and your body will quiver with effort to keep itself up in this isometric core exercise. An isometric exercise is a type of strength training in which the angle of the joint and the muscle length does not change during contraction. The primary muscles worked in planks are the rectus abdominis, transversus abdominis and erector spinae. Secondary muscles worked are deltoids, upper back muscles (trapezius, rhomboids), and lower body muscles (glutes, quadriceps).  Sounds (and feels) like a full body exercise to me! The main action in holding plank is the drawing in of your abdomen toward your spine.  This action strengthens the deeper muscles of the abdomen (transversus abdominis) that support the spine and help to keep it erect.  These muscles are also the source for power movements performed in sports and dynamic/ballistic exercises.

WHO WINS?
PLANK! Train your abdominal muscles to do the job they are designed to do – keeping your spine straight and secure, and providing power and stability for every day functioning. Think of your abs as a brace – it’s there for support. Replace those sit ups and crunches with planks instead.  Perfect your plank form to strengthen your core and you will find that not only will you feel stronger in every day moves but your posture will be straighter.There are so many variations of planks (front planks, side planks, moving planks)…all working every inch of your core.

TRY THIS! Front plank (hold for 10 seconds) to moving plank (5 forward and back) to side plank (hold for 10 seconds).  Repeat each side 3x for 3 sets.

Key Points of the exercise:
– Make sure to line up your shoulders directly above your elbow when holding plank.
– Keep your hips at the same height of your shoulders. Engage your glutes and quadriceps.
– When moving in plank, make sure to focus on rolling forward and back on your toes, bringing your shoulders in front and behind the the elbow line.
– In side plank, be sure to place your feet one in front of the other (instead of stacking them) and engage through the same leg side (right arm side plank- engage the right leg) and lift the hips up to work the external obliques.

Give this exercise a shot and let me know how you do! Have fun!

Posted in Exercises + Tips, Try This!

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What What What…a Stress Fracture?

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I’ve been living with a hip injury for the past 8+ years, dating all the way back to my San Francisco days.  I recall finishing up my workout at Crunch in the stretch area, sitting in a wide angle stretch (legs are wide open with your chest leaning forward) when all of a sudden I hear a pop in my groin.  Didn’t think anything of it until the next day when I was super sore and limping for about 3 days. Then I was back to norm doing my usual workouts – thinking nothing of it.

I was a trainer then but was only 2 years into the profession so wasn’t experienced enough to know the repercussions of this pop, what my body was going through to heal it and not understanding pain and how the body changes when it experiences an injury.

The body is an amazing machine. It will adapt to anything that it’s exposed to for a certain length of time. Adaption can occur even in just 5 days. Repetitive motion triggers your nervous system sending it messages that the action must be done so your musculoskeletal system responds by stabilizing, strengthening, and compensating.  That one repetitive action becomes part of your physical being changing your body in ways that can’t be reversed unless you take the steps to do so. We all experience this every day in our lives.

This is exactly what happened to my hip. The injury has evolved and has now created weakness in my adductors (inner thighs) and instability in the hip causing the surrounding muscles (glute medius and maximus, psoas, tensor fascia latae, IT band(not a muscle)) to pull and compensate, overloading weaker muscles (rotators and abductors) and joints (hip socket and sacroilliac). All these years, I’ve visited chiropractors, massage therapists, acupuncturists, Gyrotonic instructors, physical therapists galore – all had their hypothesis but all unsure of where the injury lay and how my body was responding to it.  But the pain was second nature to me so I tried to fix it myself. Focus on strengthening weaker muscles, aligning and watching my gait when running and always being aware of my form when doing any exercises. Lots of analysis and investigating on the source of where the pain was coming from led me to believe that I had once torn a ligament or the attachment to my hamstring and my body changed due to it. That was my final answer and I was sticking to it.

Up until last week, when I finally visited an orthopedic surgeon. My visit was for other reasons but I figured I’d maximize my time there and have my whole body looked at.  X-rays came back great however he recommended I get an MRI for my hip as he suspected a labral tear.

Your hip is a ball and socket joint. The labrum is a type of cartilage that surrounds the ball and socket and forms a ring around the bony structure and provides stability to the joint.

labrum

Repetitive use/activity or an acute injury such as a fall or accident can create a rip or tear to this cartilage leading to a labral tear. The MRI I had this morning actually showed the contrary. Doc informed me that instead I may have a stress fracture in the femoral neck of my hip.

hip-stress-fracture

Stress fractures are tiny cracks in a bone and are caused by the repetitive application of force, often by overuse such as repeatedly jumping up and down or running long distances. Both of these injuries are susceptible in athletes and those that are active in their lifestyle (runners, dancers, martial art-ists? ;)) and it all boils down to pin pointing the problem and taking those steps to recovery.  My symptoms can lead to either the labral tear or the stress fracture. Doc said that because I was trying to heal it and worked on strengthening that prevented the injury from getting any worse. Great news is neither of these injuries result to surgery and both can be managed with rest.

Chronic pains are no fun but once established, take a break and rest from the activity that causes this pain.  Allow your body to heal. Try another activity that allows your body to move differently. Take the time to stretch and recover. This will prevent you from more serious and permanent damage that can eventually take you off your feet for longer than you’d like. This Tuesday, I’ll have a better gauge of what the injury really is when the doctor reviews the MRI with me. My next steps of recovery await.

Tell me about some chronic pains you’ve been feeling and what you’ve been doing to relieve them.

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TRX Mountain Climbers

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A great cardio and core exercise rolled into one. TRX suspension training will give you a total body workout . Developed by a marine in the US Army, parachute straps make up this simple piece of equipment that will transform your workouts.

Take these important steps to set up in proper form:
1. Adjust the TRX straps so the foot cradles are approximately 12 inches from the floor.
2. Line up the straps so they hang directly under the anchor point
3. Stand on your knees and slowly insert one foot at a time into each foot cradle.
4. Place your hands directly under your shoulders with your elbows slightly bent.
5. Lift your knees up into a plank position. Pull your belly into your back and press the floor away with your hands.

Now you’re ready to start the exercise:
1. Draw the right leg in towards your belly.  Extend the right leg back and bring in the left leg.
2. Repeat this 5x on each leg being sure that your belly is tight, your hips are even, and your arms are actively pressing into the floor.
3. Start in plank pose and draw the left leg slightly to the left towards your left arm aiming for the tricep.  Lightly tap the arm and extend the leg back.  Repeat 5x and switch to the right leg.
4. Finish up with mountain climbing with alternate legs (Steps 1+2).
5. Slowly lower your knees down after each set and rest for 30 seconds. Repeat for 3 sets.

Main Focus: Cardio Exercise and Core Strengthener
Primary muscles: Lower body muscles (glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings)
Secondary muscles: Upper body muscles (chest, shoulders, triceps)
Stabilizing muscles: Abdominal muscles (tranverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, and lateral obliques)

TRY THIS! Insert this exercise into your weight training routine to get your heart rate up and strengthen your core. 

Posted in Exercises + Tips, Try This!

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What doesn’t Dr. Gabrielle Francis do?

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It has taken me almost 8 years to find one…and now I have found her!  Holistic physician, chiropractor, massage therapist, acupuncturist, and naturopath, Dr. Gabrielle Francis is a “one and only”. Currently I see her monthly for massage, acupuncture and chiropractic adjustments.  She is truly talented and extremely effective in her sessions.

Chiropractic practice is known for its controversy.  Through its history, it’s been named quakery, mystical and known for fraud in the healthcare profession. Health care industry say that chiropractic adjustments and spinal manipulations may cause disability, death, or major complications to the spine.  There are several chiropractors that hold water to these accusations. Some snap and crack your joints in less than 5 minutes without any preparation.  Some lay 7-10 patients on beds lined up in a small room and hardly touch you but say that their energy is adjusting your spine from within.  I’ve experience both and will say that these doctors commit a crime.  Charging over $200 per session for 15 minutes of your time while possibly causing misalignment and more pain in your body.

It’s a pretty scary line to walk on – entrusting your body in someone’s hands, knowing that they have the opportunity to change it for the the good or bad.  It’s just like working with a fitness trainer or body work specialist.  You have hopes that you will be safe and they’re not going to injure you or put your body in a state of pain or disability. At least with a trainer or massage therapist, you will feel discomfort and make a choice to not continue.  But with a chiropractor, your body lies in their hands (literally) before they twist and pop you.

When you exercise, you want your body to move in full range of motion.  When it’s limited, your muscles will grab on your bones and joints, begin to pull in other areas and compensation occurs.  So before you begin any exercise, you want to make sure your body is warm and your muscles are stretched and released. Dr. Francis begins her sessions by checking my alignment, she then props my hips up on wedges and waits until they set in proper alignment (my pelvis is a bit torqued from an old injury) .  She then works on tight muscles in my glutes, back, trapezius with massage to warm and prep my body for her adjustments.

Adjustments, when done properly, can reset your body’s alignment. Let’s use an example we all do daily: sitting at the computer in poor posture.  Most desks are not set up ergonomically so the most common posture would be a protracted head (image below).

forward-head-posture-man

In this posture, known as cervical kyphosis,  your cervical spine is overloaded forcing your upper back and neck muscles to work so much harder than they should.  Your spine begins to mold itself into this position. The forward weight of your head compresses the nerves in the base of your skull into your upper spine causing headaches, respiratory issues and possibly leading to psychological and mental disorders.  Who would have thought sitting at a desk can create these health issues?

In correcting this, setting up your desk is the first step to avoid having to poke your head forward to look at the screen.  The next step is awareness and trying to retract your head (give yourself a double chin) which relaxes the neck muscles and straightens out your spine. Consistent stretching of your neck and upper back muscles help to release tension and bring your head back to alignment. Chiropractic adjustments will help to fast forward the reversal of this posture.

I’ve been spending more time in front of my computer so I was beginning to develop slight cervical kyphosis. Dr. Francis would massage all the tight muscles in my traps, up my neck and all the way to the base of my skull to prep for a neck adjustment. This particular adjustment unnerves me and she knows this. One wrong move can misalign your spine and create all sorts of issues from disability to possible death.  She relaxes me with breathing queues and assures me with full explanation of how she is setting my body up so that her adjustment will release only needs to and with minimal force.  Once it’s done, it is the most relaxing feeling.  I automatically breathe better and feel this openness in my neck. A symphony of cracks (nitrogen released in the joints) occur and we can all agree that that sound is release alone. She proceeds through my body and when I finally stand up, it’s a whole new me.

She informs me that I’m now moving in a different posture. So taking time in this new posture is important and not doing anything that will disrupt it’s adaptation to new placement is key. She sends me on my way with a neck traction block so I can do my homework until my next visit with her.

Dr. Francis’ holistic approach in medicine runs parallel with my beliefs and I can’t wait to explore all the ways she will teach me about the healing power of nature and how to work in harmony with my body. Her 17 years of medical education has taken her worldwide and back to NYC offering a unique approach to medicine and healing.

* I’m proud to have Dr. Gabrielle Francis a part of my Community.
Please visit her site at The Herban Alchemist.

 

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One way to start the new year!

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Four of my students and I recently completed Dr. Frank Lipman’s Cleanse, a 2 week detox program that resets and recharges your system. It’s my 4th time completing Cleanse and I just can’t say enough. I absolutely stand behind this product and love it!

Cleanse

I’ve tried several other cleanses (Master Cleanse, BluePrint Cleanse, Cooler Cleanse) and I’m just not up for starving, suffering, and dreaming about when I can put a solid piece of food in my mouth. For someone who is physically active and relies on being alert and energetic, juice cleanses just don’t cut it. Most juice cleanses can deprive your body of essential vitamins and nutrients.  Yes, your body will get more than enough of your daily fruit and vegetable intake but what about your fat and protein? Without protein, your body can’t build or rebuild muscle. A lack of fat doesn’t allow your body to function properly or absorb the necessary fat soluble vitamins that help to keep your skin and hair healthy. Plus juice cleanses will leave you lethargic, sluggish, and pretty much useless for the duration.  It’s just not healthy especially for New Yorkers that require focus and strength to make it through the day.

This is the main reason I love Cleanse. A strict but very realistic diet is built around a 3 shake a day program. The diet consists of foods that are gluten, dairy, processed sugar, alcohol and caffeine FREE.  There are some foods that are acidic (tomatoes, oranges, pineapples) and high in sugar (grapes, strawberries) that are to avoid as these foods would disrupt the cleansing process your gut goes through.  But overall you can eat delicious meals using the cleanest foods and still flush and detox your system.  Digestive enzymes are taken after lunch and dinner which help to break down those solids. Snacks are allowed through out the day and glutamine pills are there should you crash sugar withdrawal. What is better than that?

The first week is tough since your body is going through withdrawals and pretty much adapting to a new eating routine.  But second week is the break through.  Your energy level kicks in first thing in the am and lasts all day, your skin glows, you feel lighter (more than likely you’ve lost a few pounds), and the overwhelming feeling of accomplishment is what rides you out till the end.  Of course, there will be times when you want to cheat but it really boils down to your will power and how determined you are to stick through it.  Besides it is only 2 weeks of your life.

Most of my clients have done the Cleanse before and love it.  Most have lost anywhere from 5-8lbs and a few have lost 10-15lbs.  But it’s not about the weight loss.  It’s about learning a new way to eat.  Through the Cleanse diet, your awareness to food and what really makes up the food we put in our mouths is invaluable. Your grocery shopping experience is never the same. The more you understand the Cleanse and what it does for your system, the more you will want to do it, eventually you will only want to put the cleanest foods in your body. It’s a chain reaction that is simply good for you.

I plan on doing it again before my brother’s wedding and again for my wedding (YAY!).  I may not have that much to cleanse since my diet is pretty clean (90% of the time) but it’s still a great way for me to reset.  So ask yourself…

Are you dragging through your day? Do you look in the mirror and feel drab? Is your belly always bloated or achey after meals? Have you gotten sick more than 3x this season or have chronic allergies or aches in your body? Do you want to shed those last few pounds that you just can’t work off? If you answer yes to most, then this Cleanse is exactly what you need. If it makes you feel and look good…then why not?

*I’m proud to have Dr. Lipman a part of my Community.  

Check out his site at Be Well by Dr. Frank Lipman. 

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Welcome to JSC Fitness!

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My main goal is to continually educate my students with fitness and nutrition tips, exercises that supplement their workouts with me, and to guide them to live every day in a healthy, strong, and fit body.

The fitness industry is constantly changing. New information is introduced daily on the latest how to’s, new discoveries of biomechanics, the fastest way to achieve results, and the latest trends in diets.  One can never quite know what is real vs what is just another marketing gimmick.  I hope to weed all that out for my clients and provide the true form of fitness.

My perfectionism in fitness goes beyond perfect form in exercise but more so in the proper alignment of movement. This blog will mirror my style in training and only provide you with the true elements in fitness.

So to my students, keep checking back in for your homework and to keep up to date.  I invite you to share with your friends. Pass on and share the information so we can all feel learn how to feel GREAT in our bodies.

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