Stew Smith Fitness News — stew smith

  This week an email prompted me to write about one of my favorite and most frequently done exercises in my workouts – the CRUNCH! The question asked was concerning when in your workouts do I like to do abs – in the beginning, after cardio, or in the middle? I have found that I do two types of abs that work very well for me as well as many of the people I train - - I REST WITH CRUNCHES and WARMUP WITH CRUNCHES! Many will say that crunches are in no way a resting exercise, but I disagree....

An email from a physical therapist in the Navy asked me about training people to have better balance.           He states: “One of the biggest culprits to injury as we age is falling or losing your balance. Do you have any plans for folks to gain balance or better stability?” Great question! When training athletes, one of the most important elements of training used is balance which will assist greatly with agility and prevention of injury in sports. But yes, we all can stand some balance in our life. As we age, our body can lose...

When to eat and what to eat are constant questions that affect your fitness and health goals as well as your weight loss desires.   I was recently asked a question by email that asked, “What should I eat/drink before, during, and after my workout?  I am 40 years old and my goal is to look better and be healthier. I need to lose weight in other words.” The answer will vary depending on your goal, but understanding After, Before, During (ABD’s) of Workout Nutrition will better help all groups (performance athletes, weight losers, general health clients) reach their personal goals.  I saw the” ABD’s of  Nutrition”...

The other day, I was emailed the following question: I only have about 20-30 minutes a day to exercise. What can I do in that amount of time? Not wanting to limit the answer to - just a few pushups and situps - I set out to prove how much you could do in such a little amount of time. My goal is to prove that you do not need several hours to maintain a fitness program - just minutes a day. Though the transition time may add to the total time invested in your workout, here is a list...

Stew - I have only about 15 minutes in the Am to workout and I want to start mixing in more things into my workout - weights, PT, cardio.  Any tips? Here are some ideas for those of you who only have a few minutes a day to exercise.  Often I tell people if they do not have time to workout - they are doing too much - and that applies to a good majority of people.  However, for those who are burning the candle at both ends it may not be that beneficial to wake up 15-20 minutes earlier...