Are you missing the connection between dysfunction and occasional aches and pains? 

• Ever had one of those nights when you “slept funny”?
• Had a long day and your back is killing you? 
• Have a few knots in the upper shoulder area?

 Do these symptoms seem to happen a few times a month? All of these are signs of muscle dysfunction. Therapeutic massage can help relieve these aches and pains by using special massage strokes to help relax, spread and lengthen the muscle fibers.  What is muscle dysfunction?Muscle dysfunction does not mean you have a medical disease—it simply means your body is trying to tell you it is in distress. Unfortunately, many of us often ignore these signs and dismiss them as “sleeping funny” or simply “pulling a muscle.” While these things do happen, there is usually more to it than that.  Every day, people injure themselves doing things as simple as getting in and out of their cars. Even walking a large-breed dog can be enough to throw your back out.  Most times, however, muscle dysfunction is caused by an event that might have gone unnoticed or even forgotten, such as a fall, lifting a heavy object at the gym or lifting improperly.  How can massage therapy help?Massage therapy increases circulation to dysfunctional muscles, bringing fresh nutrients into the cells while flushing out toxins and promoting new cellular growth. This can also help increase your range of motion.  Increased range of motion will help the muscles become more flexible, and that leads to increased strength—which is the main objective in restoring proper function.  Muscles are designed to work with—and against—each otherEven though you are not aware of it, your muscles are continually working with and against each other. This is normal when the muscles are in balance. But when one muscle becomes weaker or stronger than its supporting or opposing muscle, an imbalance is created and dysfunction begins.  Dysfunction happens when one or more muscles are stretched for too long, causing fatigue and weakness. Meanwhile, the supporting and opposing muscles try to compensate, causing further weakness and throwing your body out of alignment.  Getting a massage regularly can help correct and even prevent these problems. A minimum of four therapeutic treatments can alleviate most minor issues and restore optimum health. Even more-serious problems can be corrected with proper medical attention and specific massage to the area. Call Chicago Training Core today  773-593-6846 today to schedule a therapeutic massage  

So many of my personal-training clients have been getting great results with kettlebell workouts that I’ve decided to offer a Kettlebell Bootcamp for men and women.  

You might have seen kettlebells in your gym. They’re traditional Russian cast-iron weights that look like a cannonball with a handle. Unlike barbells and weight machines, kettlebells don’t have weight evenly distributed on two ends.

But here’s the key: Kettlebell training is not weight lifting.

Kettlebells can quickly improve your strength, power and balance—but to use them safely, it’s very important to understand the proper technique. And that’s what you’ll learn in Kettlebell Bootcamp.

Using kettlebells promotes muscle confusion because kettlebells don’t have weight equally distributed on both ends. Kettlebell training combines cardio and resistance training for results that will amaze you.

 With kettlebell training, you can:

• Burn 600 calories or more in just an hour
• Lose inches off your waist and hips
• Tone your arms and legs
• Fit into your skinny jeans again

 Kettlebell Bootcamp also offers you:

• More-affordable sessions than private training
• A fat-burning cardio workout
• A muscle-building, fun way to burn calories

 Space is limited—Register for Kettlebell Bootcamp today!Call 773-593-6846 or 773-770-6015 

Kettlebell Bootcamp will be held in a brand-new facility in Chicago’s Roscoe Village. Personal Space Fitness is located at 2203 W. Roscoe, three blocks west of Damen Ave. near the corner of Roscoe and Leavitt. Street parking is available.

 March Spring Special: Only $15 per class  Class times are:

• Monday and Wednesday at 6:00 p.m.
• Saturday at 10:00 a.m.

  Interested in a 6:00 a.m. class? Let me know—if I get enough earlybirds, I’ll add 6:00 a.m. classes.

Jumpstart your training today! Call Chicago Training Core      

 As we all know the club was the very first weapon & tool ever fashioned by man. The very fact that it is an extension of the arm makes it the most ancient means of self-protection and self-empowerment.  heavyclubs are specifically designed weighted clubs that look like baseball bats & are coated in a rubbery jacket for protecting anything close to them as they are very dense. They are great tools to help build total body strength, mostly by performing circumduction (circular motion) exercises. By wielding the clubs in various awkward & unusual motions you cause your body to use more muscles than you do during any normal daily activity, such as work, or even conventional workouts. By performing these movements you also reduce the risks of repetitive use stress & injuries, which can impede muscle performance. The human body amazingly has 6 trillion muscle fibers of which we use only about 1/3 on a daily basis. If you are an intermediate (6 months or more consistently) or advanced workout person (1 year or more consistently) still performing bench press & lat pull-downs you are not targeting anything new & subsequently nothing new will happen. The human body works on the S.A.I.D. principle, specific adaptation-to implied demand it simply means your body has gotten used to your routine. When you think about it there’s no real need for practical application of the bench press in your daily life. In the time it takes to perform 3 sets of 10 isolated muscle bench presses you could challenge your entire body performing mills, which is, a better exercise for total body strength and a whole lot more fun! Not to mention cutting your workout time significantly!  As a personal trainer in Chicago I see a lot of shoulder problems, flexibility, range of motion, weakness, are some examples which can also lead to more serious problems such as chronic pain, nerve entrapment, or impingement. These problems almost always are the result of repetitive motion in linear planes.  heavyclubs are great for building shoulder strength & flexibility because you’re actually rotating the shoulder using more muscle fiber than conventional exercise. heavyclubs are also good for cardio workouts giving the user leverage because of the centrifugal force used in creating motion, combined with the weight of the club makes it a truly challenging exercise    heavyclubs are a fun way to enhance your workouts, as well as adding functional strength training to your routine to boost your stamina!Give club swinging a try! Call Chicago Training Core today at 773.593.6846Or visit us on the web. www.chicagotrainingcore.com

Chicago Training Core wants you to know; in recent weeks several long-term studies have been concluded concerning women’s health & heart disease. In recent years the research has gone back and forth on whether exercise or weight has a greater influence on heart disease risks. About two in five U.S. women at age 50 will eventually develop heart attacks or other cardiovascular problems. Excess weight can raise those odds in many ways, including by increasing blood pressure and risks for diabetes, and by worsening cholesterol. Exercise counteracts all three. The new study involving nearly 39,000 women with an average age of 54 were tracked for about 11 years. The women were considered active if they followed government-recommended guidelines and got at least 30 minutes of moderate activity most days of the week, {walking, cycling, swimming, etc.} Overall 948 women developed heart disease. The study did not include men.

Of course there are no guarantees in life, and the women’s diets were not reported on, however, just taking into account exercise alone helped 4 in 5 women counteract the effects of heart related complications is arguable in it’s self. For more information refer to the Harvard-affiliated researchers in Monday’s Archives of Internal Medicine.

Also in the month of April, research found that in addition to exercise, the 2,000-calorie a day DASH diet helps in the fight to prevent heart disease. The diet suggest that by increasing grains & grain products to 7-8 servings, vegetables 4-5 servings, fruits 4-5 servings, lowfat or fat free dairy products 2-3 servings, lean meats, poultry, & fish 2 or less 3oz a day, & nuts, seeds, & dry beans to 4-5 a week, significantly reduced heart disease/attack in women ages 50 & up. Again this study did not include men, however, we are all only human right? So men don’t despair, we have had our studies too. They concluded nearly the same results pertaining to exercise that is, & of course there is no reason to believe that improving our diet would not have the same effect on us as well.

In case the theme here is missed, exercise is the main component to overall long-term good health & quality of life! Don’t take chances with your health. Call a fitness professional today, Chicago Training Core can help. Call 773.593.6846

If you are considering hiring a private personal fitness trainer in the Chicago, Illinois area, contact us at 1.773.593.6846. Or visit us at http://www.chicagotrainingcore.com

Are you one of the millions of people living with chronic pain? Or maybe you have that achy knee when you run or climb stairs; if you’re with a friend you may find yourself saying, “My knees are going bad” sound familiar? The truth is, in most cases it’s an alignment problem of the pelvis, and or spine; and it can be corrected, usually without drugs or surgery. If you’ve had structural or muscle pain for 6 months or longer, it is considered to be chronic. It can be the result of a bad fall, you know the kind I’m referring to, when your feet go flying in the air and the next thing you know you’re lying on your keester, after clearing the cobwebs, and the initial embarrassment, you get up, pray that no one saw your clumsiness and go on about your day. You are now on your way to having achy knees, or that nagging lower back problem. Or maybe you’re one of the billions of people on the planet that do not know how to properly use the glutei muscles.

Muscle imbalances play a large part in alignment problems; as a result, one muscle or groups of muscles begin to compensate for the weakness of another, and before you know it, you’ve developed what is known as “kinetic chain issues” {the hipbone connected to the thighbone etc} Furthermore it may be the eternal quandary, which came first? You guessed it, improper muscle usage? Or the result of a trauma event? In any case, as with any system biological, mechanical, or ecological, the sooner it is addressed the more favorable the outcome.

A well-trained Chicago Personal Trainer can help you identify many of these potential problems, and assist you with making the right treatment decisions. As an experienced Personal Trainer in Chicago I recommend physical therapy as the first treatment option for chronic pain. Many of you may be thinking my Chiropractor is a miracle worker! You’re probably right! However, a session with a physical therapist helps you to not only re-align structurally, but also strengthen the immediate area. It is recommend following up your physical therapy with an experienced Personal Trainer.

If you think you have a chronic pain problem, discuss it with your doctor, and ask for a referral to a Physical Therapist, for the most part, insurance coverage is very good for most people for multiple physical therapy sessions, if you do not have medical insurance, look for a Physical Therapist that accepts self-pay. If you live in the Chicago metro area I recommend Hands-On Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine at 2828 N. Clark Street Chicago, IL 60657. 773.525.0190

Don’t take risk with your health for the sake of not having insurance! You will find that Physical Therapy is not as expensive as you may think; and the benefit will be well worth the cost.

If you are considering hiring a private personal fitness trainer in the Chicago, Illinois area, contact us at 1.773.593.6846. Or visit us at http://www.chicagotrainingcore.com

So, you’re ready to get in shape with the help of a Chicago, Illinois fitness trainer. Before you sign on with a Chicago personal training company, here are 8 tips to help you with choosing a personal fitness trainer in the Chicago area.

1. Your relationship with your personal trainer will be personal and one-on-one so you should feel comfortable with them. Take some time to interview and meet with your trainer before signing a long term contract.
2. Many trainers specialize in people who have a certain age, fitness level, or goals. You wouldn’t want to hire a trainer who specializes in training marathon runners when your goal is to build muscle. Talk to the fitness professional about other clients he or she has worked with.
3. Ask about the trainers experience. How many hours or approximate training hours do they have. Many areas in personal training can only be learned through working with many types of people.
4. What certifications does the personal fitness trainer have? Look for trainers with certifications such as the NPTI, ACSM, ACE, or other.
5. Look for a trainer that can work with your schedule and in locations that are easy for you. If you would like to train in the comfort and privacy of your own home, find an in-home personal trainer.
6. What is the fee structure of the personal fitness trainer? Get the specifics of how the trainer prices his or her service. Many trainers give a discount for signing on for multiple training sessions. Ask about any hidden fees or cancellation policies.
7. What equipment does the Chicago personal trainer have available? If you are trying to build muscle, a trainer may use different equipment than equipment used to help you lose fat. Find a trainer who has the proper equipment for your goals.
8. Ask your potential personal trainers in the Chicago, Il area about the results they have achieved with other clients who started with your same fitness level and goals. How long did it take to achieve those goals? Ask for specifics such as actual weight loss, fat loss, speed improvements, etc.

If you follow these eight tips, you will have a much higher likelyhood of getting the right Chicago personal fitness trainer for you.

If you are considering hiring a private personal fitness trainer in the Chicago, Illinois area, contact us at 1.773.593.6846.

The Skinny On Dieting

Dieting for weight loss may sound like a good idea, but when you consider the potential health risks you may want to reconsider your strategy. Many of today’s diets South Beach, Atkins, and the pop culture favorite “Lemonade diet” share the same problem, macronutrient & micronutrient deprivation. Macronutrients put simply are carbohydrates, fat, & protein. Micronutrients are minerals calcium, potassium, sodium; etc. Vitamins are not considered minerals, but rather organic compounds; therefore vitamin supplements do not correct micronutrient deprivation.

What you should do

• Make healthier eating choices, moderate consumption, and exercise. Crash diets don’t work, for long-term weight loss. As a matter of fact fad diets do more harm than good, in the long run. These are also known as Yo-Yo dieting; and they can actually train your body to continue to gain weight. In addition you can even increase your chances of developing heart disease & related problems. To lose weight you need to expend more calories than you consume.
• Increase the number of meals you eat to 4-6 times a day. Make the meals about the size of your fist. Eating 4-6 times a day will increase you metabolism, unless you have a thyroid problem it will work for you. Don’t starve yourself!
• Reduce your daily caloric intake by 250 calories if you consume more than 1800 calories a day.
• Burn 250 calories a day by walking, cycling, or other aerobic exercise.
• Start a resistance-training program; you don’t need heavy weights to start. Simple resistance bands and a stability ball will do the trick. Refer to the series” how to build muscle” at http://www.chicagotrainingcore.com Resistance training causes you to burn calories even after your workout.

1 pound of body weight equals 3500 calories; a reduction of 500 calories a day 7 times a week equals 3500 calories. You can double that effort if you want lose 2lbs per week, but don’t do anymore than that, this system helps reduce your chances of the lose/gain cycle. So remember, loosing 1-2 pounds a week is a healthy approach to weight loss without depleting your body of essential nutrients.

The Skinny On Dieting

Dieting for weight loss may sound like a good idea, but when you consider the potential health risks you may want to reconsider your strategy. Many of today’s diets South Beach, Atkins, and the pop culture favorite “Lemonade diet” share the same problem, macronutrient & micronutrient deprivation. Macronutrients put simply are carbohydrates, fat, & protein. Micronutrients are minerals calcium, potassium, sodium; etc. Vitamins are not considered minerals, but rather organic compounds; therefore vitamin supplements do not correct micronutrient deprivation.

What you should do

• Make healthier eating choices, moderate consumption, and exercise. Crash diets don’t work, for long-term weight loss. As a matter of fact fad diets do more harm than good, in the long run. These are also known as Yo-Yo dieting; and they can actually train your body to continue to gain weight. In addition you can even increase your chances of developing heart disease & related problems. To lose weight you need to expend more calories than you consume.
• Increase the number of meals you eat to 4-6 times a day. Make the meals about the size of your fist. Eating 4-6 times a day will increase you metabolism, unless you have a thyroid problem it will work for you. Don’t starve yourself!
• Reduce your daily caloric intake by 250 calories if you consume more than 1800 calories a day.
• Burn 250 calories a day by walking, cycling, or other aerobic exercise.
• Start a resistance-training program; you don’t need heavy weights to start. Simple resistance bands and a stability ball will do the trick. Refer to the series” how to build muscle” at <a href=”http://www.chicagotrainingcore.com“> Resistance training causes you to burn calories even after your workout.

1 pound of body weight equals 3500 calories; a reduction of 500 calories a day 7 times a week equals 3500 calories. You can double that effort if you want lose 2lbs per week, but don’t do anymore than that, this system helps reduce your chances of the lose/gain cycle. So remember, loosing 1-2 pounds a week is a healthy approach to weight loss without depleting your body of essential nutrients.

If you are considering hiring a private personal fitness trainer in the Chicago, Illinois area, contact us at 1.773.593.6846.

I have been e-mailed & asked this question many times this week. Will creatine help to gain muscle mass? The answer is no! creatine does not help you to gain muscle mass, at least not directly. What creatine does is help you to sustain longer workouts. The way it works is it increases the levels of creatine phosphate [CP] in the muscle, thereby producing more energy, and decreasing fatigue.

The downside is that it prohibits water entering the muscle, which can cause severe muscle cramping, & dehydration, and also contributes to muscle soreness. Muscle soreness is the result of protein synthesis, {protein repairing the muscle} and dehydration. The good news is that your body already produces CP. So how do we produce energy?

Our source of energy is taken from the foods we eat. The human body does not use food in the form that is ingested; rather it is broken down into nutrients to be used, such as carbohydrates, fat, & protein, and is stored in the organs & tissue, which can be later used for energy. CP starts off as pyruvate, which is converted to adenosine triphosphate & CP and is produced in the mitochondria, also referred to as the powerhouse of the muscle cell. The body also produces other various energy systems that all result from the initial production of CP, adenosine triphosphate [ATP] & pyruvate. Those sub systems however, are aerobic in nature, and therefore do not come into play for this discussion.

The body uses nutrients in a hierarchy, though no one is more important than the other, and it is important to know what that order is, so that you can plan your energy requirement needs, according to the type of training you are doing. First we use carbohydrates, secondly fat, third protein. Protein can be used as fuel, and in some cases is, when all other energy sources are depleted, though it is not recommended; because it is an inefficient source of energy; and keep in mind, anaerobic exercise {weight lifting} does not burn fat.

The most important thing to consider before taking creatine or any other supplement, or worse, steroids is what effect it will have on your hormonal system! Nature intended our bodies to exist in a homeostatic state. Taking any of these supplements alters that state; and may cause serious undesired effects. So unless you are a professional body builder, or power lifter, and are under the supervision of a dietician or nutritionist, do not attempt to prescribe these supplements to yourself. If you want more energy for your workouts, eat more carbs! Your diet should consist of 55%-65% carbohydrates daily anyway!.

If you are considering hiring a private personal fitness trainer in the Chicago, Illinois area, contact us at 1.773.593.6846

Hello muscle builders. Welcome to “How to build muscle part 2″. This is the second and arguably the most important phase of muscle building,  because this is the “Hypertrophy” or “Growth phase”. The human body works on the S.A.I.D. principle, “Specific Adaptation to Implied Demand”. it means, that your body will get used to what you put it through. For instance, if you train a particular part of your body say only your arms, they will recruit more muscle fibers {see how to build muscle: part 1} than any other parts of your body. Aside from looking funny, you will have trained your arms to adapt to the demand you placed on them, and they will no longer respond to training, if you continue to do the same routine day in & out, that is why you MUST progress! So let’s begin phase 2.

If you have followed the instruction given in “How To Build Muscle: Part 1″ and are able to do 3 sets of at least 15 repetitions of 8 to 10 exercises, and able to hold a conversation while doing so, then you are prepared to move on, or progress.

In this phase you will increase the resistance or weight to about 80%- 85% of your maximum ability. This will force your muscles to adapt to the new demands. Perform 8 to no more than 12 repetitions with 30-90 seconds rest between sets. For best results, start off with 8 repetitions, doing 8 to 10 exercises. If you are truly performing at 80%-85% you shouldn’t be able to do 12 right away. When you are successfully able to perform 2 workouts back to back {all muscle groups} it is time to progress, DO NOT ADD MORE WEIGHT. Instead, add to more repetitions! Then repeat the previous step. When you get to 12 reps & successfully complete 2 back to back workouts {all muscle groups} add 2 to 5lbs and start from the beginning with 8 reps, and repeat the cycle.

Now let’s talk about a critical aspect of muscle growth. Stretching! Most of us overlook the importance of stretching, especially men! It seems like a waste of time for sure, however.. stretching aids in many aspects of muscle building & overall health. For our purposes stretching will help increase the cross sectional area of the muscle, allowing more muscle fiber to be recruited to the area, making the muscle bigger! So you see, as much of a hassle it seems to be, it is worth the extra 5 minutes to do it!

So there you have it! Phase 2 of muscle building. Keep in mind, this is part of a formula! You will still have to adhere to it, if you want to gain muscle mass, so be sure to check back soon to learn more about building muscle.

If you are considering hiring a private personal fitness trainer in the Chicago, Illinois area, contact us at 1.773.593.6846.