Job Demands Analysis / Ergonomic Assessment

At Karp Personal Fitness and Rehabilitation our rehabilitation professionals are equipped to visit the client’s work place to perform a Job Demands Analysis.

This helps to precisely identify the physical demands of an occupation.  Whether you are looking to return to a former job or start a new one, Karp Personal Fitness and Rehabilitation can get you on the right track to a healthy and successful recovery.

We can also perform an ergonimic assessment of the work area to help prevent common overuse injuries and to ensure a successful return to work.

For a Job Demands  Analysis or Ergonomic Assessment, feel free to contact a  Karp expert today!

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Ask us any question about fitness, fitness training or your own personal goals.

Just fill out the details in the following form and we will get back to you as soon as paossible!

Regular Food Facts

FOOD COMPOSTION GUIDE

BREADS

	MEASURE	CALORIES	PROTEIN	CARBS	FAT
BRAN FLAKES	1 Cup	152	5.3	37.3	.8
BRAN MUFFIN	1	104	3.1	6.1	3.9
CHEERIOS	1 ¼ Cup	111	4.3	19.6	1.8
CORN FLAKES	1 ¼ Cup	110	2.3	24.4	.1
CREAM OF WHEAT	1 cup	134	3.8	27.7	.5
DINNER ROLLS	1	113	3.1	20.1	2.2
ENGLISH MUFFIN	1	130	0	4	1
GRANOLA NATURE VA	1 cup	503	11.5	75.5	19.6
OATMEAL-COOKED	1 cup	145	6	25.2	2.4
PANCAKES,PLAIN	4″	62	1.9	902	1.9
PLAIN BAGEL	1	296	11	56	2.57
RYE BREAD	1slice	56	2.1	12	4.1
SHREDDED WHEAT	1 lg	83	2.6	18.8	.3
WAFFLES	5.5″	209	7	7	7.4
WHITE BREAD	1 slice	62	2	11.6	0.79
WW BREAD	1 slice	56	2.4	11	.7
WW PITA	1	140	6	24	2
WW ROLLS	1	90	3.5	18.3	1

DESSERTS & SWEETS

	MEASURE	CALORIES	PROTEIN	CARBS	FAT
ANGEL FOOD CAKE	1/10 pce	121	3.2	27	.1
BROWN SUGAR	1 cup	821	0	212	0
CANDY	1 oz	89	0.1	22.7	.1
HONEY	1 Tbsp	64	0.1	17.8	0
JAMS	1 Tbsp	54	0.1	14	0
JELLIES	1 Tbsp	49	0	12.7	0
MAPLE SYRUP	1 Tbsp	50	0	12.8	0
RAW SUGAR	1 Tbsp	14	.06	12.7	.07
RICE PUDDING	1 cup	387	9.5	70.8	8.2
SPONGE CAKE	1/10pce	149	3.8	27	2.85
SUGAR, WHITE	1 cup	462	0	119	0
WHITE CAKE	1/10pce	188	2.3	27	8

FLOUR

	MEASURE	CALORIES	PROTEIN	CARBS	FAT
BUCKWHEAT	1 cup	333	11.7	72	2.5
CORN	1 cup	431	0	89.9	3
POTATO	1 cup	386	8.8	87.9	.88
RICE	1 cup	479	7.5	107	.4
RYE DARK	1 cup	419	20.9	87.2	3.3
RYE LIGHT	1 cup	266	7.5	62.3	.8
SOY	1 cup	303	26.4	21.9	14.2
WHOLE WHEAT	1 cup	400	16	85.2	2.4

GRAINS

	MEASURE	CALORIES	PROTEIN	CARBS	FAT
BARLEY	1 cup	696	19.2	154	2.2
BRAN, RICE	1 cup	278	12.7	60.6	12.8
BRAN, WHEAT	1 cup	121	9	35.4	2.6
EGG NOODLES	1 cup	200	6.6	37.3	2.4
MACARONI	1 cup	151	4.8	32.2	1
PASTA WW	1 cup	400	20	78	1
POPCORN	1 cup	54	1.8	10.7	.7
RICE, BROWN	1 cup	704	14.8	152	3.6
RICE, WHITE	1 cup	706	13.1	157	1.5
RICE, WILD	1 cup	565	22.6	121	1.1
SPAGHETTI	1 cup	155	4.8	32.2	.6

EGGS

	MEASURE	CALORIES	PROTEIN	CARBS	FAT
WHITE	1 lge	16	3.35	.41	0
WHOLE	1 lge	79	6.07	0.6	5.6
YOLK	1 lge	63	2.79	.04	5.6

DAIRY

	MEASURE	CALORIES	PROTEIN	CARBS	FAT
BUTTER	1 Tbsp	101	12	.008	11.5
COTTAGE, 2%	1 cup	203	31	8.2	4.36
COTTAGE, DRY	1 cup	123	25	2.68	.61
FETA	1 oz	75	4	1.16	6
MARGARINE	1 Tbsp	101	0	0	11.4
MILK, 2%	1 cup	121	8.12	11.7	4.68
MILK, SKIM	1 cup	86	8.35	11.8	.44
PARMESAN, GRATED	1 tbsp	23	2	0.19	1.5
YOGURT LOW FAT FR	1 cup	225	9.04	42.3	2.61
YOGURT LOWFAT P	1 cup	144	11.9	16	3.52

OIL

	MEASURE	CALORIES	PROTEIN	CARBS	FAT
OLIVE	1 tbsp	119	0	0	13.5
SOYBEAN	1 tbsp	120	0	0	13.6

FRUIT

	MEASURE	CALORIES	PROTEIN	CARBS	FAT
APPLE	1	81	0.27	21	.49
APRICOT	3	51	1.48	11.7	.41
AVOCADO	1	324	3.99	14.8	30.8
BANANA	1	105	1.18	26.7	.55
BLUEBERRIES	1 cup	82	0.97	20.5	.55
CANTALOUPE	half	94	2.34	22.3	.74
CHERRIES	1 cup	104	1.74	24	1.39
CRANBERRIES	1 cup	46	.37	12	.19
FRUIT DRINK	12oz	372	0	45.8	0
GRAPEFRUIT	½ pce	38	.75	9.7	.12
GRAPES	1 cup	58	.58	15.7	.32
HONEYDEW	1/10 pce	46	.59	11.8	.13
KIWI	1	46	.75	11.3	.34
MANGO	1	135	1.06	35	.57
NECTARINE	1	67	1.28	16	.62
ORANGE	1	62	1.23	15.4	.16
PEACH	1	37	.61	9.65	.08
PEAR	1	98	.65	25	.05
PINEAPPLE	1 cup	77	.6	19.2	.66
RAISINS	1 cup	488	4.16	4.16	.09
RASPBERRIES	1 cup	61	1.11	1.11	.68
RHUBARB	1 cup	26	1.09	1.09	.024
STRAWBERRIES	1 cup	45	.91	.91	.55
WATERMELON	1 cup	50	.99	.99	.68

MEATS/BEEF

	MEASURE	CALORIES	PROTEIN	CARBS	FAT
CHUCK ROAST	1 lb	1164	83	0	90
FLANK STEAK	1 lb	888	87.4	0	57
GOURND BEEF LEAN	4 oz	298	20	0	23.4
LAMB CHOPS	1 lb	1146	63.7	0	97
LAMB LEG	1 lb	845	67.7	0	61.7
LIVER	4 oz	161	22.6	6.58	4.34
PORTERHOUSE STEAK	1 lb	1289	78.8	0	105.6
RIB ROAST	1 lb	1503	72.8	0	132
ROUND STEAK	1 lb	1093	88	0	79.5
SIRLOIN STEAK	1 lb	1179	82.7	0	91.5
T-BONE STEAK	1 lb	1384	76	0	118.5
TENDERLOIN	1 lb	1095	84.1	0	81.6
VEAL CUTLET	1 lb	681	72.3	0	41

POULTY

	MEASURE	CALORIES	PROTEIN	CARBS	FAT
BREAST ( skinless)	6 oz	220	30.2	0	6
DRUMSTICK	1	117	14	0	6.34
TURKEY (Light meat)	6.4oz	286	39	0	13.2

DRESSINGS

	MEASURE	CALORIES	PROTEIN	CARBS	FAT
CATSUP	1 Tbsp	16	.3	3.8	0
ITALIAN	1 Tbsp	68.7	.1	1.5	7.1
MUSTARD	1 Tbsp	15	.9	.9	.9
SOY	1 Tbsp	11	1.56	1.5	0
THOUSAND ISLAND	1 Tbsp	58.9	.1	2.4	5.6
VINEGAR	1 Tbsp	2	0	.9	0

SEAFOOD

COD	3 oz	70	15	0	.57
HALIBUT	3 oz	93	17.7	0	1.95
SALMON	3 oz	121	16.9	0	5.39
SHRIMP	3 oz	90	17.3	.77	1.47
SMAPPER	3 oz	85	17.4	0	1.14
TROUT	3 oz	126	17.7	0	5.62
TUNA IN WATER	1 can	216	48.8	0	.83

SOUPS

BEAN, BLACK	1 cup	116	5.64	19.8	1.51
BEEF BOUILLON	1 cup	16	2.74	.1	.53
CHICKEN NOODLE	1 cup	75	4.04	9.35	2.45
CLAM CHOWDER	1 cup	95	4.81	12.4	2.88
MINESTRONE	1 cup	83	4.26	11.2	2.51
TOMATO	1 cup	86	2.06	16.6	1.92
VEGETABLE	1 cup	72	2.1	12	1.9

VEGETABLES

	MEASURE	CALORIES	PROTEIN	CARBS	FAT
ARTICHOKES	1 Med	65	3.4	15.3	.26
ASPARAGUS	1 cup	30	4.1	4.94	.3
BEANS, BLACK DRY	1 cup	678	44.6	122	3
BROCCOLI	1 cup	24	2.6	4.6	.3
BRUSSEL SPROUTS	1 cup	38	3.3	7.88	.26
CABBAGE	1 cup	16	.84	2.76	.12
CARROTS	1 cup	48	1	11	2
CAULIFLOWER	1 cup	24	1.98	4.9	.18
CELERY	1 cup	18	.8	4.36	.14
CORN	1 cup	132	4.96	29	1.8
CUCUMBER	1 cup	14	.56	3	.14
EGGPLANT	1 cup	22	.9	5	.08
GARLIC	1 cup	4	.2	.9	.02
GREEN BEANS	1 cup	34	2	7.85	.13
KIDNEY BEANS	1 cup	218	14.4	39.6	.9
LETTUCE, ICEBERG	1 cup	10	15.6	2.2	.12
MUSHROOMS	1 cup	18	1.46	3	.3
PEAS	1 cup	118	7.9	21	.58
PEPPERS, SWEET	1 cup	24	.86	5.3	.46
POTATO	1 cup	114	3.2	25.7	.2
POTATO BAKED, SKIN	1 cup	220	4	32.8	.2
SOYBEANS COOKED	1 cup	234	19.8	19.4	10.3
SPINACH	1 cup	14	1.8	2.4	.2

OTHER

	MEASURE	CALORIES	PROTEIN	CARBS	FAT
BEER	12 oz	148	.94	13.2	0
CHEES, CHEDDAR	1 oz	114	7.06	.36	9.4
CHOCOLATE BAR	1oz	147	2.2	16	9.2
COLA	12oz	159	0	40	0
COOKIE, CHOC CHIP	2.5	51	.55	6	3
COOKIE, PEANUT BUTTER	2.5	495	8	58.7	26.4
COOKIE, SUGAR	2.5	494	4.54	65.5	23.9
GRANOLA BARS	1	454	9.79	66.7	17.6
MUFFIN, BLUEBERRY	1	316	6.09	48.8	10.8
PEANUTS	1 cup	838	37.7	29.7	70.1
PIE, APPLE	1/6 pce	410	3.4	61	17.8
RED WINE	3.5oz	76	.21	2.52	0
TACO SHELL	1	453	8.79	65.7	19.5
WHITE WINE	3.5oz	80	.15	3.4	0

Fast Food Facts

1 McDonalds Big Mac contains 585 calories, 27g protein, 46g carbohydrates and 32g fat

1 McDonalds medium fries contains 344 calories, 3.7g protein, 44g carbohydrates and 16g fat

1 McDonalds Egg McMuffin contains 294 calories, 17g protein, 28g carbohydrates and 12g fat

1 McDonalds medium Coca Cola contains 215 calories, 0g protein, 56g carbohydrates and 0g fat

1 McDonalds McVeggie Burger contains 348 calories, 23g protein, 50g carbohydrates and 6.5 fat

1 Burger King Original WHOPPER contains 710 calories, 31g protein, 52g carbohydrates and 50g fat

1 Burger King medium fries contains 360 calories, 4g protein, 46g carbohydrates and 46g fat

1 Burger King Croissanwich wEgg & Cheese contains 320 calories, 12g protein, 24g carbohydrates and19g fat

1 Burger King medium Vanilla Shake contains 540 calories, 4g protein, 76g carbohydrates and 20g fat

1 Burger King BK VEGGIE (w/ reduced fate mayo) contains 340 calories, 14g protein, 47g carbohydrates and10g fat

1 Subway Subway Club contains 320 calories, 24g protein, 46g carbohydrates and 6g fat

1 Subway Cold cut Trio contains 440 calories, 21g protein, 47g carbohydrates and 21g fat

1 Subway Cheese & Egg breakfast sandwich contains 320 calories, 14g protein, 34g carbohydrates and 15g fat

1 Subway  Veggie Delite contains 230 calories, 9g protein, 44g carbohydrates and 3g fat

I KFC Original recipe chicken breast contains 380 calories, 40g protein, 11g carbohydrates and 19g fat

1 KFC Twister Sandwich contains 740 calories, 31g protein, 56g carbohydrates and 43g fat

1 KFC order of Potato Wedges contains 240 calories, 4g protein, 30g carbohydrates and 12g fat

1 KFC medium Pepsi contains 180 calories, 0g protein, 47g carbohydrates, and 0g fat

1 Starbucks Grande Mocha Frappuccino-whip contains 420 calories, 6g protein, 61g carbohydrates and 16g fat

1 Starbucks Grande Caffe Americano contains 15 calories, 1g protein, 3g carbohydrates and 0g fat

1 Starbucks Grande Cappuccino contains 150 calories, 8g protein, 13g carbohydrates and 8g fat

1 Starbucks Grande Latte contains 260 calories, 14g protein, 21g carbohydrates and 14g fat

1 Starbucks Caramel Frappuccino “no whip’ contains 280 calories, 5g protein, 57g carbohydrates and 3.5g fat

Hockey Programs

With over 15 years experience working with NHL athletes, Karp has designed premier off-season hockey programs to ensure elite athletes maximize their performance. Each program is individually tailored to provide superior results.

* Improve strength, speed and acceleration
* Sport-specific plyometric training
* Cutting edge core stability programs
* Lower body fat
* Improve consistency and career longevity
* Muscle balance and injury prevention
* Sports nutrition programs

Preventing Nagging Golf Injuries - Part 2

This is the second of our two part series designed to prevent those nagging golf injuries. Last week we outlined the basics of flexibility and cardiovascular exercise. This week we are introducing essential strengthening exercises that will provide you with the stability, balance and strength you need to remain injury free this golf season. Before you start, be sure to perform a 5-10 minute warm up and follow the exercises outlined last week.

1. Dumbbell Presses With a Stability Ball

The stability ball is a great addition to your golf workout because as you perform your strengthening exercises the trunk musculature is simultaneously working to balance and stabilize the body. Exercising with a stability ball also demands concentration, which is important when playing a game requiring mental focus, such as golf.

To begin this exercise lie flat with your back on a stability ball and your knees bent at right angles and your feet flat on the floor. Start by holding one dumbbell in each hand with the dumbbells positioned beside your shoulders and slightly above your body. Press the dumbbells up above your chest until your arms are almost straight, bringing them together at the top. Slowly return to the starting position. Use a weight that allows you to perform three sets of 10-15 repetitions. You can take a 20-60 second break between each set depending on your comfort level.

2. Rubber Band Rotator Cuff

This exercise is designed to strengthen the rotator cuff muscles in the shoulder, which helps stabilize the shoulder joint to prevent shoulder injuries and provide a more consistent golf swing.

Standing with good posture, hold your rubber band a little narrower than shoulder width with your elbows beside your waist at approximately a 90-degree angle. Keep your elbows stationary and slowly rotate your hands outward as far as you can. Slowly return to the starting position and repeat for three sets of 10-20 repetitions depending on your comfort level. The exercise should be felt deep in your shoulders. You can take a 20-60 second break between each set.

3. Oblique Abdominal Crunches

If you have a nagging lower back injury, strengthening your abdominals can help to reduce the discomfort you feel when golfing. Strengthening your abdominals can also help to stabilize your trunk muscles helping to keep your body in proper alignment.

Start this exercise by lying flat with your back on the floor. Bend your left leg and place your right ankle on your left knee. Once you are in this position cross your arms over your chest or place your arms beside your head for greater difficulty. Slowly contract your abdominal muscles to raise your shoulder blades off the floor bringing your left shoulder towards your right knee. Make sure to keep your head in line with your body and do not tense your neck or press your chin to your chest. (Hint: keeping your eyes on a spot high on the wall may help you maintain the right position.) You should feel your stomach area, not your neck or lower back. Briefly hold this position then slowly lower yourself back down to the floor. Do 10-12 repetitions to each knee and repeat three times. You can take a 20-60 second break between each set depending on your comfort level.

As the weather improves and you head out onto the golf course remembering these exercises and stretches can help reduce ongoing pain, decrease the chances of new injuries and help your game.

Shaun Karp is a certified personal trainer in Vancouver. For further information call his office at 604-420-7800.

Preventing Nagging Golf Injuries - Part 1

As every sport is unique, it is important to have a fitness routine that concentrates on developing the muscles most used in your specific sport. For golfers, the muscle groups that need concentration are the shoulders, the stabilizers of the trunk, and the lower limbs that provide stabilization and alignment. Most sports injuries occur as a result of overusing the muscles most involved in the game; in golf these muscles are the lower back, wrists, shoulders and elbows. Over the next two weeks, we will introduce a balanced exercise routine designed to assist in the recovery of these injuries and to prevent new injuries.

This week’s issue consists of two important training principles: cardiovascular exercise and flexibility. Cardiovascular exercise is essential for playing 36 holes without undue fatigue, while flexibility is required to achieve full range of motion in your swing and to avoid poor alignment of the spine and pelvic girdle which often leads to lower back problems.

Cardiovascular Exercise (20 minutes)

The cardiovascular component of your workout can be done on any piece of cardio equipment you choose or through any outdoor activity that you enjoy. An important training principle to apply while participating in a cardiovascular workout is ensuring that you are working in your target heart rate range. Your target heart rate range can be calculated by subtracting your age from 220 and multiplying that value by 0.6 and 0.8 for the lower and upper ends of the range respectively. For example, a 35-year-old individual would have a target heart rate range of 111-148 beats per minute. Many newer pieces of cardiovascular equipment have built-in heart rate monitors for quick and easy heart rate monitoring.

Stretching (10 minutes)

Stretching is a crucial, and all too often neglected, component of a balanced exercise routine. Stretching does not only increase your flexibility and minimize your chances of pulling or tearing muscles, but it also increases performance. A flexible muscle reacts and contracts faster and with more force than a less flexible muscle, thereby improving your performance.

Your stretches should be performed after you are warmed up and should be held a minimum of 15-30 seconds and as long as 60 seconds. Your stretching routine should include the three following stretches:

1.Upper Pec/Pec Major

Face through a doorway with your arms flush against the frame. Apply a gentle force pushing your body through the doorway. Remember to keep good body posture and to keep your stomach tight so you do not over extend your back. The stretch should be felt across the chest muscles.

2.Latissimus Dorsi/Back Extensors

While kneeling on a mat, stretch your arms forward in front of your head with your palms down. The key to this stretch is to keep your gluteal muscles in contact with your heels and your arms stretched out as far as possible. You should feel this stretch through the middle and outer part of your back and down into your lower back.

3.Rotation Low Back Stretch

Lie flat on your back on an exercise mat or blanket. Bend your legs to a ninety-degree angle and keep your feet flat on the floor. With your arms out to the side and your shoulders flat on the floor roll both of your knees together down to the floor. A gentle stretch should be felt in the lower back. Hold for 15 to 60 seconds and repeat on the opposite side.

During this first week your goal is to train three times (ex. Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday) for 30 minutes following the exercises detailed above. Good luck and we will see you next week with some new strengthening exercises to further improve your golf game. Be sure to contact your doctor before starting an exercise program.

Shaun Karp is a certified personal trainer in Vancouver. For further information call his office at 604-420-7800.

Explosive Training is Required to Improve Hockey Performance

As the hockey season is coming to an end now is the time to start preparing for the upcoming fall season. In this issue we are introducing a strengthening exercise, a plyometric exercise, and a flexibility exercise designed to provide you with greater explosiveness, power and maneuvering ability.

Walking Lunges

Stand facing a room approximately 20-50 feet long. Step forward with your right leg and slowly lower your body until your rear knee is about 2 inches above the floor. Remember to keep your right knee directly over your right foot while keeping your back straight and shoulders upright. Step forward with your left leg and repeat the above. Continue lunging down the room alternating legs. Perform 3 sets of 12-15 repetitions per leg with a comfortable weight in each hand. You should feel the effort in your gluteus and thigh muscles, not in your knees, ankles or back. This is a favorite exercise of many of our NHL hockey players who want to improve on their power and explosive ability.

Side Jumps

Side jumps are a plyometric exercise designed to improve your speed and power. It is important to have a sufficient strength base before your start plyometrics. To perform this exercise, place a telephone book on the floor in the middle of a room. With your feet together jump sideways over the book landing as softly as possible. As soon as you land on the floor, jump back to the starting position. Repeat this movement 20 times, take a 30 to 60 second break and repeat the exercise for one to three sets depending on your comfort level. To increase the difficulty jump over a taller object such as a milk crate. This exercise will provide you with the explosiveness needed for rapid weight transfer while skating.

Rotation Low Back Stretch

Lie flat on your back on an exercise mat or blanket. Bend your legs to a ninety degree angle and keep your feet flat on the floor. With your arms out to the side and your shoulders flat on the floor roll both of your knees together down to the floor. A gentle stretch should be felt in the lower back. Hold for 15 to 60 seconds and repeat on the opposite side. Performing this exercise daily will improve your trunk mobility enhancing your maneuvering ability while you are skating.

If you are looking for some exercises to improve your hockey performance give these exercises a try. Be sure to talk to your doctor first to ensure that these exercises are safe for you.

Shaun Karp is a certified personal trainer in Vancouver. For further information call his office at 604-420-7800.

Rock Climbing is Great Exercise

If you are in a rut with your exercise lately, rock climbing is a great alternative sport as it utilizes all of the major muscle groups of the body. Despite what you may think, the sport is not all about strength, but is just as much about finesse, patience and attention. Men and women of all levels can enjoy rock climbing in studios across the lower mainland and, of course, outside.

One big misconception about rock climbing is that it only requires upper body strength. In actual fact, when using proper technique, much of the power comes from the legs and core stabilizers around the trunk. Strong forearms are needed to grasp the rocks, while strong calves also help stabilize the ankles for optimal leverage.

If you want to do some preparatory work before climbing the walls, there are various exercises that will enhance your performance. Some basic stability ball exercises will increase your muscular endurance and enhance your spinal stability. Using a stability ball will also improve your balance and coordination, all of which will give you an edge while maneuvering through the tricky verticals. Strengthening your legs through squats and lunges with light weights and high repetitions will increase your isolated muscle endurance and explosive power. This is useful when you have to climb from one position to the next.

When thinking about rock climbing, don’t underestimate good flexibility. Improved flexibility will enhance your ability to maneuver through winding courses. Always stretch out your hamstrings, hip flexors, groin, gluteals, back and pectoral muscles.

One advantage of rock climbing is the minimal equipment required. Good shoes are important. Rock climbing shoes look similar to ballet shoes except the bottom surface is harder and provides better grip. The shoes should have a snug fit so that there is no room for your feet to slip when balancing on the edge of a rock. Chalk on your hands helps prevent your fingers from slipping, especially if you find your palms sweating.

Of course, while your hands and feet do most of the work to hold you on the rock, there is also a vital safety system. A harness is strapped around your waist and thighs, which in turn are secured to ropes. These ropes run through a pulley system in a studio and are controlled by a belayer. If you slip on a challenging climb, the belayer and rope system prevent you from dropping. Also in the studios, once you reach the top of the wall, the belayer lowers you safely to the floor. If there is a really large weight difference between the climber and belayer, daisy chains can also be added. The whole system is designed to support up to 1000 lbs., so you need not fear as you learn your new sport.

Shaun Karp is a certified personal trainer in Vancouver. For further information call his office at 604-420-7800.

Be ready to climb the Grouse Grind in Six Weeks - Part 6

Only one more week then it’s all uphill from here! Congratulations to everyone who has made it to the last week of the Grouse Grind conditioning program. Your final workout has three components: stretching, strengthening, and cardiovascular exercise. Continue to follow this exercise program at a level that is comfortable for you.

Stretching (10-15 minutes)

Today we will replace the lying hamstring stretch with a new stretching technique, and we will add a stretch for your hip flexors for a total of nine stretches. Remember to start with a 5-10 minute cardiovascular warm up and to apply a gradual stretch to each specific body part and hold with a steady force for a period of 15 to 60 seconds. Before climbing the Grind, warm up by walking around the parking lot area a few times and perform the two stretches outlined today as well as the Quadriceps and Achilles tendon stretch as outlined in Week One and Week Four.

1. Hamstring Stretch

-stand facing a table or similar object approximately the height of your waist.

-keep your left foot flat on the floor and place your right foot on the table keeping both legs straight but not in a locked position.

-lean forward towards your right foot while keeping your back flat and your shoulders back. The stretch should be felt in the hamstring of the right leg. Alternate your legs and repeat the stretch.

2. Hip Flexor Stretch

-keep your right foot flat and extend your left leg straight backward. Lower your trunk as far as possible with most of the weight on your front leg. Keep your front knee above your foot and not past your toes.

-the stretch should be felt in your groin region and in the front of your left thigh. Hold for 15-60 seconds and repeat with your left leg in front.

Strength Training (25 minutes)

Today we are adding the final strengthening exercise called holding squats. This exercise is designed to improve your isolated muscle endurance in your lower body. Perform this exercise at the end of your strengthening routine. If you are feeling comfortable with your routine try shortening the breaks between your sets. This will increase the intensity and challenge your muscles to recover faster.

3. Holding Squats

-position yourself in front of a sturdy object that you can hold for support.

-keep your feet flat and squat down until your legs are parallel with the floor. Come back up, returning to 70% of starting position then go back down. Keep your knees over your feet at all times, not letting them extend too far forward.

-Perform only one set of 50-80 repetitions or as many as you feel comfortable with.

-This is a great exercise for the isolated muscle endurance of your quadriceps, which is excellent preparation for climbing.

Cardiovascular Exercise (45 minutes)

To continue to improve your cardiovascular fitness, increase the cardiovascular component of your workout from 40 to 45 minutes. To further intensify the cardiovascular component do eight high intensity intervals instead of six. Perform one interval approximately every five minutes. For further information on cardiovascular training and intervals refer to Week One and Week Three.

Your workout this week should take approximately 1 hour and 25 minutes to complete and should be performed three times this week with a day of rest in between each workout. Your consistency and dedication will definitely pay of, see you at the top!!

Shaun Karp is a certified personal trainer in Vancouver. For further information call his office at 604-420-7800.

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