Tips for Healthy Living  — 12.16.09

The Tips for Healthy Living features have been a hit, and we want to continue to touch on topics of interest to our readers. I’ve learned that working out to keep fit is sometimes not enough, and if you really want to avoid injuries and have the ability to work out into your later years, this series of health tips we will be presenting is for you! —Carmelo Sigona

Being an athlete in college and weekend warrior, kickboxing into my late 40s, I sustained many injuries. They have been a challenge.

I’m so thankful to learn from Danny Locsin, owner of Train For Life in Morgan Hill, about how to first work the small muscle groups to avoid injury and how to be more mobile if inflexible or injured.

We have many excellent trainers shopping in our store. Danny is someone who I talked to for more than a year whenever he came to shop about his fitness center and healthy living.

This feature and the features to follow, I believe, are some of the best tips for your health. Enjoy!

Danny Locsin, owner of Train For Life fitness center in Morgan Hill, helps Carmelo onto the Bosu ball for stability exercises which help with balance, for example.

TIPS FROM DANNY LOCSIN

Instability squat with Bosu ball.

What it does: Improves balance, proprioception, and coordination while recruiting small groups around quads, hamstrings and glutes.

Carmelo demonstrates how to start a squat on the Bosu ball

How to do it: Using a Bosu ball, (you can purchase these at Sports Authority for about $100) stand with feet shoulder width apart, find balance on starting position.  Start squat by pushing hips back, using arms to counterbalance body.  Lean forward slightly and relax legs as you descend keeping the belly button in to activate deep abdominal musculature.

Keep reps low for starters (6) and work up to to 12.  Repeat for 3 sets.  When this becomes simple, hold dumbbells for added resistance.

*Tip with Bosu ball…fill it with half the air if you are a beginner. As you become more comfortable, increase air and difficulty. Work carefully at first.

Have fun!