Recently, there has been a plethora of articles in the media, such as "Train This, Not That: Leg Edition", published on the ACE Fitnovator Blog,  in the category of #health and fitness, that claim that a person is wasting their time or, worse yet, risking injury, by doing #isolation exercises when they would get much better results, and reduce potential for injury, by instead doing compound movements. One of the “bad” exercises that is always referred to in the articles is the Leg Extension machine (pictured above). You know, the one where you sit and have a padded lever that rests against your shins and you extend your legs from the knees. This exercise isolates the quads and is often prescribed for people to help them rehabilitate from knee injury. The argument used in these articles is that this machine can put a lot of stress on the patella tendon, and that isn’t as “effective” as other leg exercises like squats and lunges, which use more muscles. The Abductor and Adductor machines also get the thumbs down vote, as probably would most other machines that isolate muscle groups. But the truth is that isolation exercises are often safer than compound, “closed-chain” movements and the arguments made in the articles don’t responsibly explain that different exercises have different purposes. Depending on why you are doing the exercise, isolation exercises could actually be more effective for a person and provide a safer alternative to more complex exercises. 

Take for example the much-maligned Leg Extension machine. For anyone who has leg joint issues (ankle, knee, or hip), this “open-chain” exercise machine is an excellent alternative to the standing leg exercises like squats and lunges, which can put pressure down on the joints and lead to pain. As with any exercise machine, you need to be careful to set the seat and lever appropriately for your size, and you should keep the weight moderate and range of motion limited to start. Sure, a person could do this exercise wrong, but they could just as easily do a standing leg exercise with bad alignment and risk even greater injury because it isn’t just the knee that can get hurt, the other joints as well are at potential risk, as is the lower back.

Apart from injury prevention, muscular imbalances and weaknesses can only be corrected through isolation exercises. If one is weaker on one side, it can be addressed by doing isolation exercises on the floor or with machines, whereas with compound movements, one will never correct the imbalance. Sometimes, before progressing to more complex movements, it is suggested that certain muscles like the gluteals or the transverse abdominals, be targeted with isolation exercises that get the muscles to fire properly. This helps exercise efficiency and effectiveness.

Another argument that some have made is that standing exercises necessarily develop greater proprioception and awareness and are thus more functional. By nature, doing standing work requires a certain amount of balance skill that is not inherent for sitting or floor based movements, although just standing doesn’t necessarily improve overall body awareness and control. In Pilates, whole body awareness is always taught even when doing what would technically seem to be an isolation exercise. For example, when performing the Side Kicks in the matwork series, one is trying to only move the leg while the rest of the body must stay still. The act of creating stability and balance in the rest of the body while sweeping a fully extended leg forward and back, requires utmost attention to engaging all the core muscles on the front and back of the body, and from the toes to the head must remain in control at all times. It may look like it is isolating, but Side Kicks develops whole body awareness as much if not more than any traditional standing leg exercises.

It would be very easy for me to go on and pick out several standing leg exercises that I believe put undue risk to the participant, and for me to offer alternatives that I believe are better, but I think it is irresponsible for fitness experts to label some exercises as bad and others as good. It all depends on how you do them and for what purpose. If all you care about is working as many muscles as you can with each exercise, than compound movements will be your ticket. If you want to target weaknesses or imbalances in your body, or you need to work on stabilization, than isolation movements are a wiser choice. It really depends on your individual needs and on the particular focus you are bringing to your workout. Be well, be safe, be smart, and have fun!!

 “open-chain” exercises, vs “closed-chain”. For those who don’t understand the difference, “open-chain” is where the endpoint (usually the hands or feet) are free to move during the exercise. “Closed-chain” exercises are where the endpoint is fixed during the exercise, so standing exercises with the feet planted, or push-ups where the hands are on the floor, are prime examples.

I heard on TV the other day that more and more people are getting injured while doing exercise. As someone who has been injured from exercise, and who deals with clients who have suffered exercise induced injuries, I believe this is one of the most important issues in the health and wellness field. So what are the causes of these injuries? Basically, people get injured when doing exercise for three reasons: 1) They perform the exercise with bad form. 2) They attempt to do something they are not sufficiently prepared for either in terms of coordination or intensity. 3) The have an accident due to a dangerous environment or faulty equipment.

Leaving aside the third reason, let’s analyze the first two reasons, which are by far the most common causes.

1. BAD FORM. What constitutes bad form? As a Yogilates instructor, I constantly stress proper alignment, control of momentum, limited range of motion, and performing the exercises with a minimum of unnecessary tension. Any deviation in these qualitative factors can lead to bad form and thus to injury. Above all, a participant must learn alignment principles when they are lying down, sitting, and standing. The neutral, parallel positioning of the feet, knees, hips, ribcage, spine, shoulders, neck, and head have to be shown and practiced in static positions and then gradually introduced into movement. This is why modern Pilates training which includes “functional awareness exercises” is so vital and important. It would be difficult, if not impossible, for someone to know how to hold themselves in proper alignment while performing an exercise if they had not first practiced simple articulations of the body parts to see how the movement affects their alignment. Cues such as “pull your ribs in”, “draw your shoulder blades down”, “keep your pelvis in neutral”, are common in Pilates training, but would be difficult for a non-Pilates exerciser to grasp while in the middle of doing a conventional exercise against resistance. A certain amount of body awareness training is essential to insure that a person first knows what proper alignment is and then how to maintain it. Emphasis on this when training should be paramount if someone wants to avoid injury. 

Other factors that constitute bad form include giving into momentum where it throws the body off its center. One cannot move without generating momentum, but it can be controlled through stabilization and by initiating the movement from the center. Again, this is part of Pilates training, but as a concept it can be practiced in any exercise or movement. Suffice it to say that if you are jerking or swinging wildly in your movement, your risk of injury skyrockets.

Other key factors I mentioned earlier that relate to injury prevention is to limit one’s range of motion(ROM). Recently, I have seen a lot of people doing an exercise that some call “Bulgarian Lunges”, which is a lunge with the back leg and foot up on a bench or step. This creates an excessive ROM for the hip flexor of the back leg and very often can lead to injury in that hip. There is a better way to accomplish the same ends without risking the strain on the back leg hip flexor. Focus on keeping your hips level and inline with your back, and simply ease up the muscles in the back leg to place more focus on using the front leg. This is what we do in the Pilates studio when we do Step Ups on the Wunda Chair. By not letting the client tilt forward at the waist, we keep the weight centered over the front leg and get more work for those muscles.

Lastly, holding unnecessary tension anywhere in the body while exercising can lead to a strain. Always take a “sigh” exhale before beginning an exercise and try to let go of any unnecessary tension in the body. Try to get to know your tension spots, the places you usually grip, like the neck or shoulders, or buttocks or feet. If you can relax before and breathe with your movements, you will more likely be working with your body, rather than against it.

2) NOT SUFFICIENTLY PREPARED. It sounds so common sense, but you would be surprised how often this is the reason why people get injured. It is the classic weekend warrior syndrome – doesn’t exercise all week, then goes out and plays hard on the weekend and gets injured. To be truly effective, and to reduce the risk of injury, training needs to be consistent, progressive, and balanced. Someone who hasn’t run in months (or years) can’t suddenly go out and run like they used too just because they decide they are going to do it. Just like it would be silly to try to lift something too heavy for you, the same is true with trying to do an aerobic activity at an intensity level (speed) or duration that you are not used to. Same thing applies with flexibility exercises. Someone who hasn’t done any stretching for years and then goes into a power yoga class is setting themselves up for a strained, even a pulled muscle. For most people who are deconditioned and want to start exercising it is recommended to start with simple, functional strength, balance, and flexibility exercises. Simple exercises that are fully doable are better than complex movements even if your eventual goal is to play a sport that involves plyometric and/or coordinated movements. To better prepare for sports, one would be best served by doing body-weight exercises that teach not only strength, but work on stability and engaging of supportive core muscles, such as push-ups, free squats, supported lunges, and general calisthenics. Most people as they get older get better at pacing themselves and can perform well at moderate aerobic activity for extended durations. Unfortunately, our joints and tendons can become stiffer as we age, and support muscles can become weaker so while we may not feel pain during the workout, we often experience pain afterwards that gradually increases with each consecutive workout. The best ways to prevent this is 1) Always do a thorough warm-up before exercising which should include some gentle dynamic movements like leg and arm swings, brisk walking, short/light repetitions of planned exercises, etc. 2) Set a reasonable goal for each workout. You have to start from where you are. Anything that is new, or you haven’t done in a long while, needs to be approached carefully and performed at moderate intensity and duration so that the body can gradually get used to it. 

So, let’s all take some time to be sensible in our workouts. Never sacrifice good form for more intensity. Be gradual in your planning and be consistent in your schedule. Here’s hoping that the exercising you choose, and the way you do it, makes you healthier and injury free for the long term.

As I look toward my upcoming birthday, I am more personally aware of just how aging affects the body. Every morning when I get up, right away I feel the stiffness in my joints. It takes a full ten minutes in the hot shower to get my body feeling normal again. As I dry off, I use the time to stretch a little, and then again before I put my shoes on, I do more stretches before I feel ready to face the day. Even though I teach Pilates and yoga just about everyday, I still need to stretch and practice mobility exercises as a part of my daily living. Most people my age, even those who exercise regularly, have problems with stiffness and restrictions in range of motion. In addition to stiffness, mature people often exhibit physical and mental sluggishness due to poor blood circulation. After years of working with clients my age and older, I have come to realize that we really need focus on staying mobile or the quality of life can suffer.

You Got to Move It!
For mature people no matter what your occupation, there are some simple mobility exercises that I have found greatly help relieve stiffness and aid in getting the blood circulating and bringing alertness back. These 8 exercises only take 10-20 seconds each and can be done anywhere, anytime, especially to get the day started or as a mid-day pick-up.
1. Arm Breaths:
Stand in a neutral parallel stance and inhale as you lift your arms up from your sides. Exhale as you bring them back down. Repeat 4 times. Focus on inhaling and exhaling fully and feeling your arms long and loose.
2. Overhead Reaches:
Start standing with arms up, then reach one arm higher than the other for one second, then switch. Alternate these reaches 16 times. Focus on reaching through your whole side body as well as your arm, and spread your fingers as you reach to help stretch your hands.
3. Head Turns, Tilts and Half-Circles:
Standing with arms by your sides, turn your head from side to side in an easy, smooth rhythm. Repeat 10 times. Then tilt your head slightly to one side for one second, then repeat to other side. Repeat 3 times to each side using gentle force. Then tilt to one side and hold for 3 seconds, deepening into the stretch by exhaling and relaxing the jaw completely. Repeat 3 times to each side. Lastly, slowly circle your head from one side to the other, doing a half-circle in front, and repeat the other way. Avoid circling or dropping the head to the back. Repeat 2 times each way.
4. Shoulder Circles:
From standing or sitting, circle your shoulders 4 times to the back, and 4 times to the front. Leave your arms straight and loose and breathe normally.
5. Side Bends with Reaches:
Open your legs to a wide parallel stance with your knees bent. Reach up and over with your left arm to the right side, curving your torso over, and placing your right hand on your right thigh for support. Repeat reach up and over to the left. Alternate 4 reaches to each side.
6. Torso Twists:
Stand with feet a little wider than hip-width distance apart, knees bent. Holding arms in an easy bent position, twist torso from side to side while keeping hips and lower body absolutely still. Use an easy, smooth rhythm without using too much force. Repeat 5 times to each side.
7. Front Leg Swings:
Stand with your left side next to a wall (or a ballet bar). Lightly place your left hand on the wall or bar for support and swing your right leg up in front keeping the leg long, but not locked straight. Bring the leg back down and tap the toes in back. Repeat the leg swings 10 times, being mindful not to swing too hard or so high that you have to bend the standing leg or sense a collapse in the lower back because the hip is moving with the leg. Turn around and repeat the swings with the left leg.
8. Arm Circle Swings:

Stand in neutral parallel stance. Swing right arm up and around in as full a range of motion as feels comfortable. Let the arm feel pulled around by centrifugal force to really loosen up the shoulder socket. Repeat 8-10 times with one arm, then repeat with the other. Next, reverse the arms circle swings with each arm.

 In my never ending quest to deconstruct the latest rhetorical trends in fitness, one of the newest trends is the use of the word “corrective” in front of an exercise. In the past, therapists and fitness professionals would call an exercise a “postural exercise” when it was designed to stretch shortened muscles so that a person could achieve better alignment of the spine, pelvis, shoulders, or other area of the body. Another postural exercise would be one that strengthened over-stretched or weak postural muscles to give support to the spine. Nowadays, the lingo is “corrective exercise”. Whatever, I personally don’t like to think that people need correction, except in parochial schools. I think postural exercise sounds better in that it doesn’t have any negative connotation to it, and really it is about good posture that needs attention to always, rather than just fixing a mistake. For most people, bad posture is an ingrained habit. It comes from lack of awareness and poor mechanics. You can’t correct ingrained habits just from doing a particular exercise. Many therapeutic modalities have been created, such as Alexander, Feldenkreis, Hanna Somatics, etc., to help deal with the subconscious roots of poor posture and improper mechanics of how we move and hold ourselves. As in my Yogilates method, it begins with awareness and relaxing of unnecessary tensions. I can’t fully describe the methods that these different techniques utilize, but my point is that they all include the deepening of the mind/body connection and are much more than just exercises. I believe that they are also more integrative than “corrective” in that one is encouraged to listen to their body and is informed by how their own body responds. True integrative fitness is one that empowers the client to own their body and the condition it is in, and encourages them to visualize for themselves how to achieve release from bad habits and maintain good form, and to see themselves in a more positive and healthier light.

The images at the top are for the following three postural exercises that I have found most of us can truly benefit from on a daily basis

You may have seen the person walking around with huge calve muscles or with large trapezius muscles on the shoulders. Or how about the middle age person on the bus with the extra huge hip muscles. You might assume (wrongly) that they overdeveloped the area by lifting heavy things at some time in their life. The reality is that even with huge muscles, they may not be any stronger than someone with normal size muscles. The weird thing about hypertrophy (the process of muscle cells getting bigger) is that it can happen just from overuse and not necessarily from resistance training. In fact, it is actually really hard to significantly increase muscle size just from lifting weights once in a while. A recent article in the New York Times Science section this week pretty much validates what I have been telling women for years, which is, that lifting heavier weights will help them to tone their muscles and trim their bodies, not build them.
After we reach adulthood, the size of our muscles is largely determined by our everyday activity. Generally, people become less active as they get older and muscles will atrophy (get smaller) from this disuse. If you remain active, then muscle size and strength will remain as you age. If you stress the muscles regularly through exercise, then they will increase in density as they become stronger. However, only if you stress them intensely, and eat lots of protein, will your muscles grow in size. This is what bodybuilders try to do. It is very hard to actually gain weight from just lifting weights however, because as your muscle fitness improves, your metabolism increases. This means you will burn more calories even at rest. So, someone who lifts weights as part of their exercise routine will burn more fat than someone who doesn’t and will get leaner. That is why the women in the study who used heavier weights actually lost weight compared to the women who did lighter weights for more repetitions. Which is not to say that lifting light weights doesn’t have any benefit. Everyone should start with light weights to establish good form first before progressing to heavier weights. In addition, certain benefits and purposes are only achieved when the weight is light enough to allow the deeper intrinsic muscles to work properly. This is especially true for many Pilates exercises and also in general for circular and rotational movements. Most, if not all, people who only lift heavy weights for strength exercise are lacking in functional strength because of the neglect of the intrinsic muscles.

Getting back to the mystery of people who have large muscles, but not from lifting weights; the root cause is poor posture and inefficient movement. Let’s look at large trapezius muscles, which are the muscles on top of the shoulders going up the base of the neck from the back. These get overdeveloped when someone habitually lifts objects by first pulling up the shoulder. This habit becomes unconscious and even when lifting a pencil, the muscle firing sequence begins with the trapezius so that even when the weight is minimal, the muscle still gets contracted. Over time, the subject may even try to lift their body weight with the trapezius, e.g. when moving from sitting to standing, or when straightening up from a forward bend. The muscular imbalance is perpetuated by inefficient movement, excessive tension in the area, and is often combined with forward head posture and rounded shoulders. Learning to isolate and articulate the shoulders, and learning to release unnecessary tension through breathwork and stretching, are key to training the subject to bring more balance to this area of the body.

Another common area of overdevelopment of muscles is in the hip, primarily the medial gluteals, which are higher than the gluteus maximus and more toward the sides of the hips. The primary cause of this problem is a forward leaning posture usually stemming from an anterior tilted pelvis, and sometimes coupled with weak quadriceps. Leaning forward even a few degrees will shift weight bearing from the legs to the gluteals. Every time the subject stands or walks, they are holding the weight of their upper torso with the gluteals. This repetitive stress on the muscles will build them up, though without adding more strength. In fact, the strength of muscles held in constant tension is usually less than a normal muscle. For this person, corrective postural exercises for the pelvis, along with stretching and core work will hopefully bring down the hypertrophied area and lead to more efficient movement.

I hope this article was helpful and made you think a little. Please post your comments or thoughts.