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The push-up: it’s said to be a great indicator of good health since it uses many major muscle groups. It’s also the do-anywhere exercise that requires nothing other than your own body weight. That said, push-ups should be the go-to exercise for the whole human race, right?

Yet for many people, they’re so darn hard to do.

According to a recent NYT article, the average 40-year-old woman should be able to perform 16 push-ups, and the average man of the same age should be able to do 27.

So we want to know…

How many push-ups can you do?

This photo is scary accurate in describing how I look whilst at my computer (only I’m blond and, uh, female). What about you? Are you a sloucher? Does your posture say “Hunchback of Notre Dame Body Double” rather than “Dancing With the Stars Champion”? If so, you may want to sit up and take note - because slouching can often times signify slacking.

How so, you ask? Colorado College researchers found that male students who had the best posture while seated scored markedly higher on a logic exam than those who slouched. In fact, a straight posture instantaneously makes people feel dominant and successful, allowing them to focus on problems more adeptly.

What’s more, by taking on a sloppy stature, you’re setting yourself up for a slew of problems that go far beyond being passed over for a promotion. You could look forward to:

• Jaw, head, shoulder, and neck pain, all caused by the head and shoulders coming forward during a slump session.
• Rib cage misalignment, which can damage the heart and lungs and also cause gastrointestinal issues.
• Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ) from the jaw-clenching often brought on when the head is thrust forward during slouching.

Sounds fun, hey? Nah, didn’t think so. So perhaps it might be worth our while to try these straighten-up tips:

• Begin (or step up) weight training workouts that focus on the neck, shoulders and back.
• Strengthen the core (center) of your body with exercises that target deep abdominal muscles and those closest to the spine. Many pilates moves and yoga poses pay special attention to core strength training, as does sex - Woo!). You may also try watching TV while sitting on a giant exercise ball, which engages the core muscles to keep you from toppling off.
• Equip your home office with an ergonomically-designed chair and beg for one at the office, too. Use your Bluetooth or other headset to avoid neck cramps while on the phone.
• Spend a little time each day sitting up straight with your back pressed against the wall. Doing so will introduce your body to what it feels like to be aligned perfectly straight. Alternate between this and the exercise ball while watching TV or listening to an audiobook.

Just as a side note, I caught myself slouching at least a half dozen times while writing this. But each time I’ve made the effort to straighten back up. And tomorrow I’ll start taking some of my own tips. So c’mon now…who’s with me???

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If even the thought of going to the gym makes you break out in hives, fear not. You can get just as good a workout by heading for the nearest shopping mall.

Before the workout going shopping

Always make sure you have something healthy to eat before you hit the gym mall. After all, you’ll need energy, stamina and mental concentration to complete the workout shopping. And don’t forget the water bottle. Shopping is thirsty work.

Eating before you shop also reduces the risk of eating at the mall, where, let’s face it, we usually end up consuming food high in calories and fat.

 Warm Up

Any good workout requires a warm up regime. So don’t park the car at the entrance to the mall. Look for a parking space at the edge of the car park and then walk briskly to the shops. In fact, why not jog into the mall. Everyone will just think you’re a keen shopper. And don’t forget to conduct a mental warm up as well - refresh the mind as to which shops are having the best sales and contemplate your tactics on manoeuvring around all the obstacles (human and otherwise) that might get in your way.

The Workout

Shopping Cart Sprints - before you start wandering aimlessly around the aisles of the department store or supermarket, do a series of shopping cart sprints. Aim to speed walk  up and down at least 10 aisles to get the full effect of this cardio workout.  Just try not to cause too much damage.

Machine Testing - hit the department store fitness center and try out the various exercise machines. Yes’ it looks like a gym but it’s not. So slip off the sandals and jump onto the treadmill and stick with it until the shop manager suggests you either buy it or get off.

Work those muscles - whenever you end up standing in one place, whether it’s at the checkout counter or while flipping through the latest magazine at the bookstore, work the muscles. Tighten the abs and gluts - a set of three of each is a good start.

Do some stretches and bends by reaching for items on the top and lower store shelves. Don’t worry about what you’re grabbing for, just do it and more than once. Okay, so it might look a little strange, but if anyone asks, just smile and say ‘I’m having trouble making up my mind.’

Weight Training - there are so many opportunities for weight training exercises while shopping. If you’re at the supermarket with your kids, get them to push the trolley (risky I know!) while you pick up a couple of cans of baked beans and wander up and down the aisles doing arm curls.

Do the same while standing in line at the checkout counter. Who knows, you might even start a trend.

You can do the same with shopping bags, holding each in one hand and arm curling as you wander on to the next shop on your list.

Cool Down 

Even shoppers need a cool down period. So sit down and take a break. Don’t forget to re-hydrate and feed the body. Just make sure you make a healthy choice.

Happy Shopping… 

Steroid use and abuse is back in the news again with the recent release of the Mitchell Report, the result of a 20 month investigation into performance-enhancing drug use amongst professional baseball players.  Disturbing but apparently not all that surprising news.

I guess, in a way, it’s kind of understandable why anabolic steroid use is so prevalent in the professional sports arena. And, let’s face it, they are all adults and in theory know what they are doing and what the risks are. But you have to wonder if they understand the full extent of what they are doing to their body and health.

Yes, performance-enhancing steroids can give you bigger biceps, triceps, and pecs. But in using them, you also get a whole lot more than you bargained for.

1. They cause serious health problems.  Continual steroid use can cause liver tumors, heart disease, and a weaken immune system leading to internal bleeding, heart attacks, strokes, and viral infections.

2. They cause hormone imbalance, especially in teens who already have enough hormone imbalance going on to last a lifetime. Anabolic steroids will simply confuse the issue. Boys can end up with shrunken testicles, reduced sperm count, and breasts. Girls can become more masculine, with deeper voices, reduced breasts, and excessive body hair, including beards. Plus, steroids can stunt the growth spurt, resulting in staying short for life.

Let’s face it, getting through High School is difficult enough without having gender mix-up issues as well.

3. They are addictive. Steroid use can result in having to maintain an expensive drug habit. And withdrawal will hurt as users have to deal with mood swings, fatigue, loss of appetite, insomnia, restlessness, and steroid cravings. Many will also suffer depression (often for years following withdrawal) to such a degree that they might even decide that suicide is the only option.

4. They mess with your head. Initially, steriods can cause irritability and depression. Continual use can result in delusions and mania. And in the end, they can turn an otherwise meek and mild mannered person into a raging homicidal maniac, otherwise known as ‘roid rage’.

5. They are illegal. This doesn’t seem to bother users much. But here’s the facts. Anabolic steroids are classified as a controlled substance and as such, are only legally allowed to be sold by a pharmacist via a doctor’s prescription. If you obtain steroids any other way, you risk a jail sentence of up to five years.

And if all that doesn’t discourage you, then how about this…

You’ll get CAUGHT (witness Marion Jones, the Baseball League, etc) or DIE (Chris Benoit, Rob Garibaldi)

By the way, if you’re concerned about someone possibily using Anabolic Steroids, here’s a few resources that might be worth checking out:  MedLine Plus, Anabolic Steroid Abuse, and NIDA for Teens

So I was reading Army Times again and they had a great article about the apparent lunacy that is the stomach crunch. Core strength and sexy abs are best developed not through sit-ups and crunches, but through a variety of integrated exercises that focus on overall butt-kickability.

Money quote:

“Abdominal strength is the result of proper training in movement patterns. The abs, as the supporting cast, will develop alongside the rest of the muscles. Isolation exercise leads to a collection of body parts, not the integrated fighting unit we need to succeed on the battlefield.”

In other words, it’s the difference between looking fit and being fit. To be all you can be, try these two exercises:

1. Standing Weighted Arm Raises

You’ll need two 5-15 pound dumbbells. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Flex your abs and glutes (tuck ‘em) like you’re about to take a punch. The key ingredient here is ultimate tension. Make your body as rock hard as possible during this entire exercise! Now, slowwwwly bring your arms up in front of you to shoulder-height (or higher, if you’re fit). Slowly lower. Repeat. Oh, and remember to hiss as you exhale. Are you hissing? Because that’s important.

Do this until you fall over. You will soon be bouncing Fight Club DVDs off your chiseled obliques.

2. The Hot Potato

You’re in the same position as #1, only now you’re holding a medicine ball. Basically the idea is juggling, but in the most tense, controlled way possible. No swaying - stay locked and loaded! Start slowly, but work up to a quicker pace as soon as you get comfortable. The spud is piping, but you must be harder than marble! Or the hills of Peleliu.

Do this until your form is falling apart. Bonus: this move improves balance.

Here’s a great medicine ball:

These crunch alternatives work equally well for boys and girls, and you don’t even have to enlist. I don’t know about you, but I get really bored with crunches and twists, so these moves come highly recommended.

In Wade’s grand tradition of the Morning News Run, a few times a week I’ll update you on the latest happenings in health. I hate running, so I’m calling it the Morning News Fix, which reminds me of caffeine, which I could not live without. I’ll offer my brief opinion if relevant, and I won’t cover any health news you don’t really care about (e.g. Elderly Danes Prefer Sublingual B12 to Capsule B12).

Are You Young? You Might Be an Alcoholic.

The image of a middle-aged guy tossing back a few fingers of scotch to make it through dinner with the in-laws is a stereotype: alcoholism is biggest among the younger crowd.

An Easier Way to Flatten Those Abs

I’ve done this in Pilates. It works, so say goodbye to crunches.

No Veggies’ Booties Were Harmed in the Making of This Snack

But yours might be! Veggie Booty snacks thought you might like salmonella. Oops. The FDA says beware, kids.

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