vibes, Author at Vibes Fitness Melbourne

August 14, 2016 By vibes

11 exercises to stretch your hamstrings

11 exercises to stretch your hamstrings

Welcome to our Vibes fitness blog. My name is Margie and we are on a mission to facilitate and release all woman, from any negative body image. Our next blog will be mindful
and empowering women everywhere to love, nurture, and be kind to yourself. Today we are focusing on releasing lower back pain with our fabulous exercises below. These stretches will release lower back pain, improving tightness and flexibility.

Hamstring Strain signs and causes of posterior thigh pain: hamstring strain, referred sacroiliac joint pain, and “sciatica”, or peripheral nerve tension referral.

Range of motion loss in the hamstring (both straight-knee and bent-knee raise testing)
Palpable soreness somewhere along the length of the muscle-tendon
Pain with end-range stretching and/or resisted testing, i.e. it hurts to stretch it or strengthen it

The hamstring muscles run down the back of the thigh. There are three hamstring muscles:

Semitendinosus
Semimembranosus
Biceps femoris

They start at the bottom of the pelvis at a place called the ischial tuberosity. They cross the knee joint and end at the lower leg. Hamstring muscle fibres join with the tough, connective tissue of the hamstring tendons near the points where the tendons attach to bones. The hamstring muscle group helps you extend your leg straight back and bend your knee. Your hamstrings have three muscles that run along the back side of your thigh, connecting your pelvis to your knee. Sitting down too much or running lots is really bad for your hamstrings as they tighten up and often you will find that you have back pain or sciatic pain with are both often connected to tight hamstrings. Tight hamstrings lead to lower back pain. Stretching is amazing for your hamstrings. Improving your hamstring flexibility with stretching will lengthen your hamstrings and improve any back pain. Start slowly and do not force any stretches. Work at your own pace monitoring your own resistance. A hamstring strain is the last thing your want. You may even like to utilise a yoga block or towel. If you stretch you will see results.

We have created 11 poses for you. Please monitor your own resistance work at your own pace listening to your body. Only do the stretches below if you’re comfortable and do not over strain your hamstrings.

Standing bend your body forward placing your palms on the ground. If you cannot reach the floor place a yoga block under your hands hold gently 30 sec and breath
Downward dog and mix it up with a wide leg stance, legs apart – placing palms on floor
Seated forward bend using a yoga strap. Be gentle holds 30 sec
Lying on your back with 1 leg in the sky, the other leg bent using a yoga strap place it on your foot. If you don’t have yoga strap use your belt or towel. Hold gently 30 sec and breath
Sitting on the ground with legs apart as wide as you can and hold the stretch. Be sure not to hunch your back. Gently stretching forward holding the pose and breath
Forward lunge 1 leg at a time. Holding the stretch with palms either side of your foot
Side lunges holding gentle breathing. Only do this if you feel comfortable
Lying on your side, head on your arm – keep the side of your body very straight. Reach up and hold on to your toes. If you cannot reach use a yoga strap. Hold gently and breath
Standing 1 leg and arm straight down the other leg and arm stretched out in front of you and hold on to your big toe. Make sure you balance using your core. Hold gently and breath
Forward split 1 leg in front of the other. Body sitting upright hands by the side of your body. This is an advanced pose so go easy and only do the stretch if you are able to do advanced poses’.
Sitting on floor 1 leg bent close to pubic bone, the other extend in front of you reaching up to hold your big toe. Yours in health and fitness Margie xx – 0412526383(c) 2016 Margie @ Vibes Fitness www.vibesfitness.com.au

July 4, 2016 By vibes

Your internal body clock

Your internal Body clock

Do you wake up the same time of day? This is what it means –

We all have an internal clock system that helps bodily functions. Below is a list of times and organs associated with your internal body clock. If you have woken up the same time each night, some of your energy may be blocked or misdirected.

9-11pm – Endocrine system, hormones

Rebalances & enzymes are replenished. If you have problems or trouble falling asleep at this time you may be in flight or fight. I love and admire and respect chines medicine and get regular acupuncture treatments for the last 20 years. I especially love how Chinese medicine integrates emotions in the physical body and the direct correlation between specific negative emotions and their impact on specific organs. Fear creates a release of adrenaline which triggers flight or fight, response which has physiological effect. These responses include heightened mental alertness, higher blood pressure, muscle tensing, lack of appetite, suppressed digestion, along with rapid and shallow breathing. Along with the nervous system, the Endocrine System is involved in the control of practically all bodily functions other than muscle movement. The Hypothalamus controls Autonomic functions, the Pituitary Gland (and all it controls) and release of other hormones. It is involved with regulating body heat, fluid balance, sleep, appetite, and the emotions of fear and pleasure.

11am – 1am Liver

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Liver is the organ responsible for the smooth flow of emotions as well as Qi and blood. It is the organ that is most affected by excess stress or emotions. The Liver’s partner organ is the Gallbladder. The eyes are the sensory organ related to the Liver. If you have any eye issues, including blurry vision, red or dry eyes, itchy eyes, it may be a sign deep down that your Liver is not functioning smoothly. Anger and resentment the emotion associated with the Liver. If you are often irritable, get angry easily, have trouble unwinding from the day’s activities, have trouble reasoning or going with the flow and letting things go, you are experiencing a Liver function problem. Experiencing these emotions chronically or excessively can seriously unbalance the function of your Liver. So reinforce self-love, let go fo any anger and be appreciative and grateful for every day. Do your best to stay calm and conserve your energy.

1am- 3am Gall-bladder

Crucial time for body’s detoxification and renewal process so waking during this time is normally indicative frustration. In Chinese medicine, this organ works closely with the lymphatic system to clear out toxic by-products of the metabolism and the muscular system. Without it, we would be filled up with all kinds of toxins! Its energy provides us with muscular strength and vitality. In other words, the gallbladder essentially eliminates muscular fatigue and aches. It also directly affects both the quality and length of sleep. The gallbladder plays a large role in courage and initiative. People with a weak gallbladder are indecisive, timid, and easily discouraged.

3-5am Lungs

The lungs are under repair flooding body with oxygen so if you’re waking up at this time it may be related to grief and sadness. So time to let go and be free. In chines medicine, the Lung’s task is that of making a connection between the inner and the outer world. Vital materials can be taken in and waste materials excreted. The Lung, in Chinese medicine, is more than the respiratory system. The Lung has to do with boundary, breath, and renewal. At the physical level, boundary, breath, and renewal are expressed as the lungs, the skin, and the colon. The Lung refers to the whole respiratory system and includes the nose and sinuses. Across the boundary of the lungs, oxygen is taken in and carbon dioxide waste is excreted. Since most human energy is derived from air, the Lung is primarily responsible for physical vitality and is said to govern Qi in the body.

5am – 7am large intestine

Your large intestine is active at this time toxins being released and broken down earlier in the night and getting cleared out of the system. The large intestine is all about change, letting go, transformation, moving on and they are just as connected to that system as are our bowels and our digestive health.

The Large Intestine energy system is in charge of functions in the body such as receiving waste material from the Small Intestine system, absorbing fluid content, and excreting the waste. In Chinese medicine, they treat the Large Intestine system when patients present with symptoms like constipation, diarrhea, or lower abdominal cramping.

waking up -your heart

If you’re dizzy after sleep or waking your heart may be affected. Inadequate blood oxygen levels, low of high blood glucose levels, low blood pressure or circulatory disturbances or maybe inner ear disturbances. So be aware of how your body of how you feel in the morning.

The Heart, according to Chinese medicine, is the king of all organs. This means that all the other organs will sacrifice for the Heart and they will always give their energy to help the Heart maintain its balance. The Hearts partner is the Small Intestine. The Stomach is the “child” of the Heart. If the Stomach is functioning well then the mother, the Heart is happy or less impacted. So your Stomach energy must be in balance for Heart energy to be balanced. The Five Element chart also shows us that the Liver is the “mother” of the Heart. When a person is under continual stress, Liver energy becomes compromised because one of its energetic functions is to smooth and regulate emotions. So when chronic stress or excessive emotion is experienced, the Liver cannot offer proper support to the Heart. Because of these important relationships as described by Five Element Theory, if you want to really take care of your cardiovascular health, it’s crucial to take care of your digestive organs, the Liver, and the Stomach! I have acupuncture regularly and highly recommend you all do the same to assist you in your health and fitness journey. Mind body and soul 🙂

email , or visit website www.vibesfitness.com.au for more information.

June 10, 2016 By vibes

Understand Your Cravings

Understand your Cravings with Margie Vibes Fitness Melbourne – Over 30 years experience

If you are interested in healthier food choices then read on. We teach you how to understand your cravings. The key to understanding cravings is listening to your body. Is your body telling you it needs something or is your mind telling you it wants something?

Giving Your Body What it Needs –

Poor food choices, overeating, and processed foods are to blame. Most of us are undernourished.

All processed foods have been stripped of fiber and water – two substances that help you feel full. Junk foods – processed foods will not provide your body with the micronutrients and health-promoting antioxidants it needs and wants. Processed foods will equal “cravings.” Often what we need is veggies, fibre, water, protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals. Our chart below will help you understand your carvings. teaching you what you need and what to eat instead of processed foods or junk foods.

Your Craving	What you need	What to eat instead
Chocolate	Magnesium	Nuts, seeds, legumes, fruit
Sugary sweet foods	Chromium	Broccoli, grapes, cheese, chicken
	Carbon	Fresh Fruit
	Phosphorous	Chicken, beef, fish, eggs, dairy, nuts, legumes, grains
	Sulphur	Cranberries, horseradish, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage
	Tryptophan	Cheese, lamb, liver, raisins, sweet potato, spinach
Bread, toast, pasta, other carbs	Nitrogen	High protein foods: meat, fish, nuts, beans
Oily/fatty foods	Calcium	Milk, cheese, yoghurt, legumes, broccoli, green leafy vegetables
Salty food	Chloride	Fish, goats milk
	Silicon	Nuts seeds; avoid refined starches like white bread, pasta, rice
General overeating	Tryptophan	Cheese, lamb, liver, raisins, sweet potato, spinach
	Tyrosine	Orange, green or red fruits, and vegetables, vitamin C supplement

			We are committed to you achieving your goals by looking at the whole person – mind-body- spirit – unlike any other personal training studio or gym. You will love our unique environment the moment you step in the door. We will assist and support you in your training and meal plans to keep you on track. Our programs are for everyone from beginners to advanced and are fun, challenging and full of variety to keep you stimulated every step of the journey. Call us on 0412 526 383, or email to find out about our 8-week body transformations, Pilates, Restorative Yoga, Kids’ Fitness and so much more. (c) 2016 Margie @ Vibes Fitness www.vibesfitness.com.au

May 25, 2016 By vibes

Get your Gluteus fired up

(c) 2016 Margie @ Vibes Melbourne Melbourne

8 exercises to get your gluteus fired up with Margie @Vibes fitness Melbourne

Your but & gluteus are so important! Having them working and fired up is paramount for preventing injury. The below 8 exercise will help you prevent injury, feel better and move more efficiently. Some people cannot fire their glutes properly. We teach you how to activate them on both sides. Not just one side. Most of us spend heaps of time sitting down so they are not using their glutes. Even those that exercise regularly can forget and may be at risk. At Vibes Fitness Melbourne, we teach you how to get glute activation and wake up your glutes. We teach you how to make the connection from your brain to your muscle and get your but cheeks, muscle fired up and ready to work. We recommend that your Glute activation should be done prior to your workout to get the most out of your squats, lunges, and dead lifts.

How weak gluteus may ruin the runner

Running requires strength, stamina, strong muscles. Your glutes need to be switched on to support the hamstrings and calves. If your glutes and hammies are weak you will run the risk of injuries. To prevent injury and muscle weaknesses improve your Gluteus strength and improve your hamstring strength and flexibility. If you have Weak hamstrings and glutes, your gait cycle will be affected and the ability to stride while running will definitely be out of whack. You might suffer lower back pain, tightness in the hips and knee pain. Weak hamstrings can also lead to the misalignment of the pelvis, which leads to a stooped spine. Having weak hamstrings can cause the quadriceps located on the upper thigh in front of the leg to overcompensate and become bulky in appearance. Gluteus medius is an abductor of the thigh, and a weak gluteus medius can lead to injuries to the muscles in the thigh. Along with the hamstrings, the gluteus muscles work to stabilize the pelvis. If you have a weak gluteus medius, your pelvis will tilt more than usual when walking or running, causing you to waddle, or in extreme cases, to limp. Before running, warm up your muscles by stretching. If your hamstrings and glutes are weak, this increases your risk of injuries such as strains and tears. Do not stretch to the point of pain. Pain is an indicator that you may have torn your muscle fibres’. Stretch to a point that is physically comfortable for you. When you stretch, hold your position for 5 to 10 seconds before coming out of the stretch.

2 reasons why Glutes may be Inactive

Some people suffer from underactive glutes or “glute amnesia” this is due to lifestyle. Even when people that train hard, every day are at risk. If they spend most of the day sitting down, then they are simply not using their glutes.
Daily, I see glutes that aren’t working properly and this is often due to injury. Often an injury happens that changes the mechanics and motor programming of a person’s body. This can lead to some muscle groups becoming overactive while others become underactive. This will change the bodies performance and leads to injuries. Make an appointment today so we may to teach you how to do the below 8 exercises.

Bridging beg to advanced a.- feet on floor b.- DB between leg c.- 1 leg in air
Clam beg to advanced
Small Theraband walks
Squats with a twist
But squeezes
Dead lifts beg to advanced a. normal – b. Bb hip thrusts c. 1 leg dead lift
Squat wall with small pulses
Cable single leg dead lift and row

Flexibility is important: Increase your hamstring’s flexibility by stretching before you begin your run or workout. Stand with the leg that you area stretching directly in front of the opposite leg. Lean forward with your hands on your hips while bending your back knee. If needed, place your hands on your front thigh for balance. Hold this position for 30 seconds. Another stretch is to improve your gluteus muscles’ flexibility by lying flat on your back and bring one knee up toward your chest. Hold your knee to your chest for 15 seconds, and then slowly lower your knee. Repeat this four times before switching legs.

At vibes fitness, we design exercises and eating plans to support you creating a tight butt and firm shaped thighs and body. We will teach you interval training, fat burning techniques tiling all cardio machines. eg: spin bikes, treadmill, steppers, cross trainers, core stability, trainers. Then you will learn how to shape your body with power plates, weights, kettle bells, barbells, trx, core training, gravity beds, all the latest leg machines, core fit ball work, ropes, rings, trapeze, stairs, all latest machines gadgets and toys to keep you motivated and have the best but and arse possible. You will learn what to eat, how to eat and when to eat. We teach you exercises that will shape your butt and legs they way you have always wanted them to be.

May 11, 2016 By vibes

Drink WATER for ENERGY & Weight loss

MORE THAN HALF OUR BODY IS WATER -YOUR BODY IS MADE UP OF OVER 70% WATER. BLOOD IS OVER 85%. YOUR LIVER IS OVER 96%. YOUR BRAIN IS OVER 75% WATER. When we do not drink enough water our whole body suffers.

MUSCLE CONTAINS MORE WATER 72% THAN FAT 50% & is the basis upon which many body fat measuring machines operates (by measuring your water levels)

Water is the foundation of our body so it’s important that we drink enough to prevent dehydration and keep our body hydrated. Water aids in digestion, absorption of food, regulates body temperature, carries nutrients & oxygen to our cells & removes toxins & wastes from our body. Drinking at least 10 glasses minimum a day will enhance nutrition absorption & assist in weight loss. SIGNS of dehydration are fatigue, headaches, concentrated urine & getting tired in the afternoons. DRY mouth is an extreme sign of dehydration.

SORE BACK? Water within the body cushions joints & protects tissues & organs. Including the spinal cord, from shock or damage. Lack of water (dehydration) can/may is the cause for many ailments. 75% of the upper body weight is supported by water volume that’s it’s stored in the spinal disk core. 25% is supported by fibrous materials around our disks. Spinal joints are dependent on different hydraulic proprieties of water, which is sorted in the disk core. BACK PAIN IS frequently alleviated with HYDRATION>

Many foods contain water especially fruits and vegetables. Eating your 6+ fruit or veggies servings per day will help keep your body hydrated. In addition to this, you should drink at least 10 glasses of water a day. An increase of activity levels requires additional water. You should drink water 15 m before exercising as well as during and afterwards.

FLUID RETENTION> When our body is dehydrated it reacts by holding onto water – – fluid retention. This fluid retention results in swelling of the hands, feet & a bloated abdomen. The best way to sort out fluid retention is to give your body what it needs, so drink plenty of water. Remember thirst is not a good indicator of hydration.

Most people exist in a constant state of dehydration without feeling thirsty.

IF you are not used to drinking water it can be a challenge to change this behavior. Feeling constantly fatigued, experiencing headaches, dry skin, and fluid retention can indicate dehydration.

FAT LOSS. A well-hydrated body is vital for optimal fat loss.

The metabolic process of fat burning relies upon a chemical reaction, which involves adequate amounts of fluid. Your body cannot burn fat efficiently in a dehydrated state!!!!!!! Not drinking enough water can leave you bloated from fluid retention and obese from restricting your fat burning enzymes. However, do not go overboard and drink too much water at meal times. Naturopaths recommend to not drinking water during meals because this can result in the dilution of gastric juices, which can impede digestion. So do not drink water during meals, as this will stop the digestion process. Wait for half an hour then drink away. The goal is to drink water throughout the day at regular intervals. Article was written by Margie Cerato – www.vibesfitness.com.au 0412526383 –(c) 2016 Margie @ Vibes Fitness www.vibesfitness.com.au

11 exercises to stretch your hamstrings

Your internal body clock

Understand Your Cravings

Get your Gluteus fired up

8 exercises to get your gluteus fired up with Margie @Vibes fitness Melbourne

How weak gluteus may ruin the runner

2 reasons why Glutes may be Inactive

Drink WATER for ENERGY & Weight loss

Vibes Fitness funds and supports Celebrating Abilities Inc

Meet Margie

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