Lynbrook | New Hyde Park | NY

Exercise

Muscle Madness: Quadriceps

The Exercise Physiologists at Peak Performance know all the muscles in the body, but which ones are our favorite?! Every week we will feature a different muscle- so you guys get an anatomy lesson and learn how to work that muscle!

David, what’s your favorite muscle?

The Quadriceps are actually a group of 4 muscles (vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, vastus intermedius, and rectus femoris) also known as the “quads.” The quads are my favorite because they play a huge role in athletic performance.

Where are these muscles located?

The quadriceps are located on the front of your upper leg. They begin near your hips down and run down to just below your knee.

What does this muscle do?

The quads main function is to extend (straighten) the lower leg. For example, when kicking a soccer ball, standing up from a squat, or jumping.

What’s a good exercise to strengthen the quadriceps?

Single leg exercises for the quads are straight leg raises, lunges, and split squats. Squats, leg press, and vertical jumps are great double leg exercises for the quads.

Muscle Madness: Rectus Abdominis

The Exercise Physiologists at Peak Performance know all the muscles in the body, but which ones are our favorite?! Every week we will feature a different muscle- so you guys get an anatomy lesson and learn how to work that muscle!

Brandon, what’s your favorite muscle?

The Rectus Abdominis, better known to most as “the abs.” However, this is only one of many abdominal muscles. 

Where is it located?

This muscle runs along the front of the abdomen starting  down at the pubic symphysis and connecting up to the breastbone and cartilage of the ribs.

What does this muscle do?

The rectus abdominis is responsible for flexion of the lumbar spine. It also tilts the pelvis forward improving the mechanical positioning of the postural muscles to help take the daily stress off the lower back.  If the abdominal muscles are weak, it can create high stress on the postural and other lower back muscles. This may cause difficulties or inefficiencies with squats, deadlifts and standing shoulder presses.  It is important to train the abdominal wall for all athletes, as well as, the general population.

What’s a good exercise for the rectus abdominis?

My favorite corrective exercise is the Swiss ball crunch. Make sure that the ball is properly inflated in order to maintain its curvature under the lower back.  If the ball flattens during the crunch, the lumbar spine will flex to a point that the rectus abdominis loses its mechanical advantage. When the ball is firm enough, the lumbar spine remains curved in its neutral arc. Begin seated on the Swiss ball and engage your core. While maintaining a neutral spine, lift your torso up keeping the chest up to the ceiling. Slowly come back down one vertebrae at a time!

 

Recipe of the Week: Spinach & Zucchini Lasanga

Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 40 mins
Serves: 9

Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • half onion, finely chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 28oz. can crushed tomatoes with the juice or 1 ¾ pound of fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
  • 3 cups spinach
  • 15 oz part-skim ricotta
  • 1 large egg
  • ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 4 medium zucchini, sliced ?” thick
  • 16 oz part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • ½ tsp parsley, chopped

Directions:

  1. In a saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook 4-5 minutes until they are soft and golden. Add garlic and sauté, being careful not to burn. Add tomato paste and stir well. Add crushed tomatoes, including the juice in case you are using tomato cans. Add salt and pepper.
  2. Cover and bring to a low simmer for 25-30 minutes.
  3. Finally remove from the heat and add fresh basil, spinach and stir well.
  4. Adjust the seasoning if you think it is necessary.
  5. Preheat oven to 375°.
  6. In a medium bowl mix ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese and an egg. Stir well.
  7. In a 9×12 casserole spread some tomato sauce on the bottom. Layer 5 or 6 zucchini slices to cover. Place some of the ricotta cheese mixture and top with the mozzarella cheese.
  8. Repeat the layers until all your ingredients are all used up. Top with sauce and mozzarella.
  9. Bake 30 minutes covered and 10 minutes uncovered. Let stand about 10 minutes before serving.
  10. Garnish with parley and enjoy!

Find the original recipe here!

Off-Season Weight Training for Athletes

Resistance training is a major component for progression in athletic performance. Although the best way to improve performance would be to practice the skills specific to that sport, resistance training allows athletes to target certain muscles/muscles groups. Strength training off the playing field will help them become stronger for their sport.

Off-season resistance training is a great way to get ahead of the competition without interfering with in-season practice schedules. In addition, due to its length, the off-season allows for longer periods of training for progressing specific resistance exercises. A traditional offseason resistance training program for the majority of athletes should be split in to 3 phases; Hypertrophy, Strength, and Power.

Hypertrophy Phase
Hypertrophy means muscle growth (increases in size of muscle fibers). Increased muscle size translates to muscles that are more efficiently capable of becoming stronger muscles. This type of training is characterized by high volume workouts; high sets and repetitions, low to moderate weights, and smaller rest times.

Strength Phase
Strength is the ability to move the most possible weight. Utilizing the increased muscle size from the hypertrophy phase, athletes should be safely attempting heavy lifts in order to increase overall strength. The strength phase is characterized by lower repetitions, increased weights and rest times.

Power Phase
Power is defined as ones ability to perform an exercise over a specific unit of time. Power exercises are characterized as explosive, sport-specific movements that involve strength and speed (Olympic lifts, box jumps, sled push/pulls etc.) Utilizing strength gains from the previous phase, athletes should be able to move heavier weights more quickly and explosively. Workouts should be sport specific and focus on the speed and efficiency of heavy lifting. The power phase is characterized by lower repetitions, moderate to heavy weights, and moderate rest times.

Following the final phase of the off-season, athletes should decrease their time in the weight room in order to recover and make time for pre-season practice in their respective sports. A well planned training program can keep an athlete in shape during the long off-season and give them the boost they need to be a step ahead of the competition!

 

By David McCalla

Muscle Madness: Piriformis

The Exercise Physiologists at Peak Performance know all the muscles in the body, but which ones are our favorite?! Every week we will feature a different muscle- so you guys get an anatomy lesson and learn how to work that muscle!

Corynne, what’s your favorite muscle?

My favorite is the piriformis. I find that most people don’t know about this muscle and don’t realize how important it is to stretch this muscle, especially if they have sciatic issues.

Where is it located?

The piriformis is located in the hip area. It is deep- below the gluteus maximus. It starts at he base of the spine and connects to the femur.

What does this muscle do?

The Piriformis assists with lateral rotation (turning out) and abduction (lifting away from the body) of the thigh.

What’s a good exercise for the piriformis?

In many people, this muscle is very tight. It may be more beneficial to work on stretching it rather than focusing on strengthening. A good stretch for this muscle is called a figure four position. Lay on your back with your knees bent and feet flat. Take one leg and cross your ankle over the opposite thigh then reach behind that thigh and hug it in towards your chest- keep your neck relaxed!

Recipe of the Week: Crispy Carrot Chips

The entire batch of carrot chips contains only 79 calories and offers 4.1 grams of fiber; regular potato chips have 160 calories and only one gram of fiber. Don’t forget the Vitamin A benefits!

Yields:  1 serving
Cook Time: 1 hour
Calories per serving: 79

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 large carrots (or 3 medium)
  • 1/2 teaspoon olive oil (or melted coconut oil)
  • 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
  • Any other seasonings you like!

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Wash and peel the carrots. Using a mandolin slicer or a knife, tilt the carrot, and thinly slice diagonally to make oval-shaped pieces — if they’re too thick, they’ll be soft instead of crunchy.
  3. Place the carrot slices in a bowl, and toss with olive oil and salt.
  4. Lay the carrots in a single layer on a cookie sheet lined with a Silpat or parchment paper.
  5. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the carrots are dry and crisp. Watch them carefully toward the end, as they can burn quickly.

 

Find the original recipe here!

Warming Up for Recreational Sports

March Madness is here and spring is right around the corner! Baseball has started Spring Training and the weather is starting to get nicer as the days get longer. For all of the avid basketball fans and recreational players, it’s exciting to watch the college basketball season come to a close. Many of us don’t do as much physical activities in the winter as we do when the weather starts to get warmer. We all can reminisce on the “good old days” when we were able to just go for a run or play a sport without warming up. However, the more time you’ve spent away from an activity should mean more time that you spend on a quality warm up and cool down. This is important to help prevent injuries and ensure you’re feeling great for the next days.

Taking 5-10 minutes to go through some light stretching and dynamic movements is important for your well-being. Here’s an example of a simple warm up you can do before most physical activities:

1) Light Jogging ~3-5 minutes

2) Walking Quad stretch (kick your heels up to your butt while stepping forward)

3) Frankenstein’s (lightly kicking leg straight in front while walking forward)

4) Lunge with Reach (step forward with one leg then bend both knees to 90 degrees and lift arms to the sky)

5) Side Lunges (with toes facing forward, step sideways bending one leg while keeping the other straight then step to the other side)

There are many different warm ups and ways to make it more for your activity. Your Exercise Physiologist can develop a specific program for you. Remember the goal of a warm up is to get your body ready for the activities it will soon be doing. Increasing your heart rate and increasing blood flow to skeletal muscles will decrease your chance for injuries during sports. Most importantly, have fun out there and be safe!

 

Corynne Pereira

Muscle Madness: Trapezius

The Exercise Physiologists at Peak Performance know all the muscles in the body, but which ones are our favorite?! Every week we will feature a different muscle- so you guys get an anatomy lesson and learn how to work that muscle. It’s Muscle Madness!

Tyler, what’s your favorite muscle?

My favorite muscle is the Trapezius also known as your “Traps.” I love this muscle not only because they look awesome when developed but it is a muscle that you must earn. The ‘traps’ are a true sign of strength and you must diligently work hard to develop them.

Where is it located?

The trapezius is located on your upper back. This muscle extends from your neck out towards the shoulders and down your thoracic spine.

What does this muscle do?

The trapezius is one of the major muscles of the back and is responsible for moving, rotating, and stabilizing the scapula (shoulder blade) and also supporting/tilting/twisting the head, neck and arm.

What’s a good exercise to strengthen my trapezius?

Some great exercises to help develop them would be: Deadlifts, dumbbell shrugs and face pulls. Overhead presses are also a good way to help build your traps!