You Don't Know Squat!

   I’ve asked many personal trainers the following question: If you could choose only ONE exercise to do today, which one would it be? Without fail, the answer is always SQUATS!

   The squat is an essential, primal movement which is necessary to complete many daily tasks in individuals of all ages. Unfortunately, the squat is rarely performed properly, even by the most elite of athletes. If you watch your children play, you will see great squat form! As we age, we become increasingly stiff at the knee and hip joints and round our backs while attempting a squat. Building strong muscles in our legs, as well as maintaining flexibility in the joints of our lower limbs, is vital for healthy and comfortable aging.

The Benefits:

   Reason #1: Squats Build Muscles throughout Your ENTIRE body!

       Squats build muscle throughout your whole body faster than any other exercise! They are a compound, multi-joint and multi-muscle exercise that acts to stress your entire body as a complete unit. Many people skip on squats because they believe it is an exercise just for your legs – nothing could be further from the truth! When performing a squat, you require the strength of over 200 muscles! Squats also help you with many other exercises, too. You will find that the more squats you do, the easier the rest of your workout will become - even your bench press will improve! More importantly for most, the tasks you do every day (cleaning, showering, going to the bathroom, etc.) that are vital for independent living will become more effortless with squat training.

   Reason #2: Squats Build Strength in Your Hips and Core:

       The majority of your body’s force originates in your hips and core. Working on these joints, and the muscles that surround them, will build overall strength and power. The squat is, hands-down, the BEST exercise for building strength in your hip and core musculature.

   Reason #3: Squats Improve Athleticism:

        If you desire to become a better athlete, no other exercise will improve your overall ability like a squat. Squatting helps your body build explosive strength and power that is essential to thrive in any competitive sport.

   Reason #4: Squats Reduce Injuries:

        Contrary to popular belief, squats do not cause injury, as long as they are performed correctly.  Squatting improves and helps to maintain hip, knee and ankle flexibility. Knee strength is also improved when performing proper squats.

   So, we are agreed, the squat is an important exercise that each and every one of us should be performing on a regular basis. The problem is that well over 90% of us that ARE doing squats are performing them incorrectly. This can be dangerous, as improper technique can put undue stress on your lower back and knees which can quickly lead to serious injury.

Backpack Basics

            It gets stuffed with books, squished at the bottom of a locker, thrown in the corner of a room, and buried under dirty laundry. Your backpack gets abused – but does it abuse you?

           

            It’s that time of year again…the kids are back to school (!!). When preparing your child for back to school, all parents make sure their kids have enough pens, pencils and notebooks - but how many of you carefully choose how they carry them? Improperly worn and poorly designed backpacks can be a source of back pain, discomfort and injury in our children and teenagers. Several studies indicate that backpacks are often loaded with up to 22% of a child’s bodyweight! When worn up to 60 minutes per day, it can be understood why the relationship between heavy backpacks and back pain in children is a growing concern. It is estimated that 40% of children report back pain, and these kids most commonly relate this pain to backpack use. A study conducted at Queen’s University in 2002 found that choosing the right backpack and taking the time to distribute the weight properly can make a significant difference in avoiding injury and living pain-free.

WAAAAHHHHHy Won’t My Baby Stop Crying?

What is Colic?

Colic is described as an unexplained, extreme fussiness, not related to eating, that occurs within the first 3 months of life. Typically, it begins at about 2-3 weeks of age and gradually declines by the third month. Episodes are more common in the late afternoon and evening hours. Colic is known to occur in 20-30% of infants and can be quite distressing for new parents.

Common characteristics:

   -sudden onset of intense crying for no particular reason

   -stomach bloating and flatulence

   -irritability

   -drawing of the legs upward toward the chest

   -infant has no trouble eating or gaining weight

There is no known cause for colic, but it has been speculated to be associated with immaturity of the central nervous system, gastrointestinal intolerance to milk, and/or family distress. Formula-fed infants have not been found to be more prone to colic than breast-fed infants. The birthing process can be quite traumatic on your baby’s spine, bones and joints, especially if your delivery included a prolonged pushing stage, forceps or vacuum extraction, or other forms of assisted delivery. The resulting spinal misalignment can compromise the functioning of major systems in the body, which can lead to colic.