Archive for October, 2009

The stability ball is an awesome tool to improve the strength of the abs and lower back. Use of a stability ball improves functional strength, balance and flexibility of the body. Because you must constantly adjust to remain balanced, the dynamic movements utilized on a ball during exercise engage muscles that are not usually used in traditional exercise. This improves posture, efficiency of movement and helps prevent injury.

The stability ball targets “deep” core muscles such as the abdominals and the lower back musculature which are worked simultaneously and challenges muscles you didn’t even know you had. Every exercise you do on a traditional exercise machine or on a bench can be done on a stability ball… They are extremely versatile.

Using a stability ball is fun, it’s different and it’s challenging. I highly recommend giving it a try!

How might medications affect my exercise program, especially exercise intensity and heart rate response?

To be able to perform sustained activity, changes in heart rate, blood pressure and heart muscle contraction are required. Medications have the potential to alter exercise performance.

It’s imperative that you know what medications you are taking, why you are taking them and that you are able to provide a list of these medications to your fitness professional. We can determine, based on your medical history and your list of medications, what heart rate and blood pressure responses you can expect from exercise and design an appropriate exercise prescription for you.

We perform graded exercise tests at Fit for Life that give us vital information to correctly set your exercise intensity and keep you within an appropriate target heart rate zone. Always get permission from your physician before starting an exercise program, especially if you are taking prescribed medications.