Spotting Dumbbell Bench Press Correctly — At the Weight

I constantly see athletes spot dumbbell bench presses incorrectly.

Most people want to spot a dumbbell bench press at the elbows. This is flawed for a few reasons:

• If the weights get dropped from the up position, they can hit your arm, chest or head. This is not good.

• If a lifter is using heavy weights, and a spotter is pushing up at the elbows, the lifter who collapses at the arm risks breaking his/her elbow or the spotter's toe if the weight falls.

When we spot a barbell bench press, we spot at the weight. Why would it be different for dumbbells?

Tune In or Turn Off When Working Out

Last winter, I spent a lot more time in the gym because of the copious amounts of snow and ice on the road.

Normally, I cherish a run in the snow: the powdery quiet, my feet making tracks, the solitude as most people peered out of their windows, wrapped in warmth as I pushed through the icy wind.  Mine would be the only footprints I'd see, especially if I started early.  It was my time to be alone with the entire world.  It was beautiful.

However, I turned to the gym when that bucolic scene turned into two feet of snow piled on roadsides, sidewalks unshoveled and ice covered every conceivable surface. I took my earphones with me and watched way too much "Say Yes to the Dress" and "What Not to Wear."  I even met the Kardashians and, by the time spring rolled around, could tell Kourtney from Khloe.  (Hey, sometimes "Law & Order" just can't be found.)

As the weather warmed, we shot from freezing to blisteringly hot.  Many days I found the heat and humidity simply too much even in the early morning hours.  Other days I convinced myself that it was simply too hot and humid in those early morning hours because I secretly wanted to sleep in.  Additionally, the area I usually run was under heavy construction: sidewalks were closed so pedestrians were diverted to areas with potholes, backhoes and inattentive drivers in unfamiliar terrain.  In short: it was dangerous.

And yet — some days I just have to hit the road.

On those days, I remember why I love to run: it's a chance to be totally free for an hour.  Everyone knows my route, from Police and Fire to Public Works and Utilities, so I can be found in case of a true emergency (as opposed to simple urgency).  (No, I am not that important, but sometimes my work is.)

This hour of solitude allows me to focus further than an arm's length away and watch the squirrels and butterflies — even catch the bright yellow birds that dart among the flowers in the summer.  I hear the sounds of the community: construction, cicadas, fellow athletes. 

As I run, I tell myself stories of my own brilliance, courage and wit (because everything is possible when it happens in my brain).  I sometimes think of nothing, letting my brain process my footfall into the rhythm of a poem or search for a lead for that story that has stumped me for days.

Disconnection should not be among people, but regarding machines.  Tuning into "Cake Boss" can clog my brain from the really important process of thinking and creating.  Don't get me wrong, I have been known to zone with "Bridezilla" (much to the shock and dismay of my husband, who just glances at me from time to time, wondering what happened to his reasonable wife).

More importantly, we need to disconnect from the tidal wave of intel relentlessly pouring into our brains via phone, computer, BlackBerry, iPod.

We all need the humbling realization that a missed phone call is not a tragedy, an e-mail will remain in the inbox until we address it (and, if we're lucky, will have been addressed by someone else in the meantime).  

This helps me realize how I am important to the important people in my life does not depend on the computer that helped me compose this essay — but is a tool that helps us connect when we can.  Only when we disconnect can we truly connect in a way that's meaningful.

— Chris

A Drug Society

We have definitely become a drug society.

My daughter mentioned on Facebook how she was having a tough time sleeping at night. A friend suggested she try melatonin, an over-the-counter supplement that resets our internal clocks. It is used to reduce jet lag and insomnia.

This is exactly what I would have done for a friend with a problem: I would have recommended a solution.

Now that I have said that, here are a few possible side effects of melatonin:

• headaches
• nausea
• depression
• nightmares
• irritability
• abdominal cramps
• dizziness.

There are better ways to fall asleep than just putting drugs in our bodies, such as light meditation for relaxation, warm milk or a walk an hour before bedtime.

It's always better to try natural remedies first before putting drugs in your body.

And word to the wise: don't approach these powerful supplements without first consulting a medical professional. Just because they're "natural," "herbal" or "homeopathic" doesn't mean they're not powerful or that interactions with something as simple as aspirin can't be dangerous.

New Running Shoes: Hype or Magic Bullet?

Someone stopped me in the gym a few days ago to ask me about the new toning shoes on the market.

Can a pair of shoes actually help shape your legs and butt?

A panel of experts put the shoes through their paces for A.C.E., and the bottom line will make you think twice before investing a lot of money in shoes with amazing claims.

The Connection Between Avatar and Fitness

This article by Michael W. Smith comes to us from New Jersey Newsroom.  I really liked the message, and the author was succinct.

Your fitness 'Avatar' 

Last night I saw Avatar, the box-office smash hit, in IMAX 3-D.

Wow, what a great story and the special effects (3-D/IMAX) were amazing to say the least. I literally felt like I was running through the forest and flying on raptors from Pandora. But, anyway ...

I couldn't help but think about what is means to stand for something, what it means to believe in something.

I know what I stand for and what I believe in – family, fitness, and peak performance in all areas of life. I know my passion and why I exercise, which is to provide the means to pursue that passion ... or Avatar if you will.

So my question to you is, "Why do you exercise and want to tone your body and feel unlimited energy?"

If that question is hard to answer then it's time to find YOUR Avatar – find your passion, act on it, and use exercise to look and feel awesome. Period.

Remember that knowledge is not power. Knowledge is only potential power.

It's action that takes it to the next level.

My message is simple: Get up, get out, get moving, get fit (or get fat), and change your life by believing (in yourself and your body). 

 - Michael W. Smith 

Does Keeping Kids Physically Fit Improve Their Grades?

In general, I think kids who are more fit will have better attention spans and better self esteem.

However, too many kids love to show off their gray-matter muscle more than doing push-ups.

I personally would like to see a few more studies on the subject.  Here is an eye-opening news story, courtesy Ivanhoe. 

Kids + Fitness = Better Grades

(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- New evidence underlines the idea that physical fitness is associated with academic achievement in young people.

"As children's health continues to be a concern -- especially when it comes to obesity -- some have suggested that children's physical fitness is associated with their academic performance," study presenting author Lesley A. Cottrell, Ph.D., associate professor of pediatrics at West Virginia University in Morgantown, W.Va., was quoted as saying. "The research, however, had not developed enough to define the nature of that relationship."

Dr. Cottrell and colleagues analyzed the body mass index percentiles, fitness levels and standardized academic test scores of 725 fifth grade students in Wood County, W.Va. The researchers focused more on the children's fitness level than on their weight. They compared that data to fitness and academic performance two years later when the students were in the seventh grade.

They separated the participants into four groups of students who were:

• in high physical fitness levels in fifth grade and remained so in seventh grade;

• fit in fifth grade but had lost their fitness by seventh grade;

• not fit in fifth grade but were physically fit by seventh grade;

• not physically fit at the beginning of the study, in fifth grade, nor at the end of the study, in seventh grade.

Children who had the highest standardized test scores in reading, math, science and social studies were fit at the start and end of the study. The next best group, academically, in all four subjects, was made up of children who were not fit in fifth grade but had become fit by seventh grade. The children who had lost their fitness levels between fifth and seventh grades were third in academic performance. Children who were not physically fit in either the fifth or seventh grades had the lowest academic performance.

"The take-home message from this study is that we want our kids to be fit as long as possible and it will show in their academic performance," said Dr. Cottrell. "But if we can intervene on those children who are not necessarily fit and get them to physically fit levels, we may also see their academic performance increase."

The study suggests that focusing more on physical fitness and physical education in school would result in healthier, happier and smarter children, Dr. Cottrell said.

SOURCE: Presented at the American Heart Association's Conference on Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism, March 4, 2010

Ice or Heat for Injuries?

Here is a question I get often: When I have an injury, should I use ice or heat?

For some people, this is a subjective topic. There are people who have preferences based on what feels good to them.

Here is my take: When there is an injury, use ice immediately to helps reduce swelling. Remember the old adage: RICE — Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation.

Once the bruising leaves and there is still some stiffness or pain, go ahead and apply heat. Topical ointments like Ben Gay or Tiger Balm work well. I also like hot, moist washcloths.

Self-medication is recommended for minor injuries that occur on a regular basis, i.e., joint aches, sore muscles and other mild pain that rest doesn't heal, and aches and pains that are more a bother than a medical issue.

When an injury occurs, always check with your physician as soon as possible. Be smart and be healthy.