Pre-Valentines: Put the LIFE back into your love life!

Hormones play such an important part in how we look, feel, think and act. Rock Workout is teaming with Kincaid Medical on February 12th from 2-5 for a WOMEN'S ONLY workshop - Putting the LIFE back into your love life! Free hormone testing, antioxidant scans, speak with Dr. Rosa Kincaid, MD, an Anti-Aging Expert; a pharmacist will be on hand to answer your questions, and Val Strang, Master Trainer will teach a class - Exercises to improve your love life!

Register for $10 at 314.531.7625 TODAY - reserve your spot - space is limited!

Exercises & your brain...

Exercise is not only great for your body - it has been shown to be good for your brain too! If you ever get a case of brain fog...do a few exercises..and your mental clarity will soar! MS clients greatly benefit from exercise as it also increases pathways in brains - so instead of information going down a "super highway", it also has side streets if needed!

Muscles, skeleton, tendons, ligaments, heart, lungs.. and now...BRAIN! Exercise can make you look better and smarter too! Who would have thought? V

Strength-training injuries among women have jumped a whopping 63 percent according to Michelle Hamilton of Women's Health.

Skipping your warm-up is a huge mistake!

You wouldn't launch into an all-out sprint the second you stepped onto a treadmill, so you shouldn't jump right into deadlifts the instant you hit the weight room. "Working cold, stiff muscles can lead to sprains and tears," says Morey Kolber, Ph.D., a professor of physical therapy at Nova Southeastern University in Florida. "Warming up increases circulation and improves range of motion, which preps your muscles and joints for action." What to do? Walk or jog for 5 to 10 minutes, do a few lunges and push ups... warming specific muscle groups before you start lifting!

FORM IS EVERYTHING - if you aren't sure how to do an exercise, ask a professional!

Go lighter in weights until you know the form - and are comfortable with it, then add no more than 5% at a time to avoid injuries.

Women - please do not copy your boyfriends workout... most women want different results than men, and we need to train specifically for our body frame! And just because it works for your best friend, doesn't mean the exercises are what you need... again, ask a professional!

Women have more knee problems than men because of our "Q angles": if it hurts a joint, don't do it! You may just need a little tweaking in form to make it work for you.

TRAIN SMARTER - NOT LONGER!

Any questions, contact Val@rockworkout.com - we will be happy to answer them!

Turning Cancer Survivors Into Cancer Conquerors

Val Strang: Turning Cancer Survivors into Cancer Conquerors

Val Strang isn’t your typical personal trainer. Not only is she providing a certifiable butt-kicking to her clients at her studio, , she is also changing lives. Val has dedicated much of her business to helping sufferers of cancer live healthy lives through her individually-catered workouts and consultations. Pedal the Cause had the opportunity to meet this Master Trainer and Cancer Exerciser Specialist to find out more about her special work with cancer patients.

Val began her work with cancer patients at the Cancer Support Community, formerly known as The Wellness Community, when they asked if she would come in for a few days to work with cancer patients. She enjoyed her experience so much with those at the Cancer Support Community that she became a Certified Cancer Exercise Specialist. “I realized this was what all my years of studying was for—to help people feel better and stronger at the most vulnerable time of a patient’s life!”

Since then, her clientele has grown and she now works regularly with the Cancer Support Community, providing free classes to cancer clients and individualized personal training. She empowers her clients with both physical and mental strength as they battle their illness, first by preaching her motto to her new clients that they are “Cancer Conquerors” rather than simply survivors. “To be a survivor, you need to be breathing. To be a Conqueror, you regain living and so much more. I want people to feel ALIVE AGAIN—not just existing, going through the motions of life.”

Val’s passion to help those living with cancer is undoubtedly making an impact in the St. Louis cancer community. And in return, her clients continue to make an impact on her. “I am astounded by their inner strength, compassion for others, and determination. They give so much more to me that I could ever teach them. No matter how tired I am before working with a group, I leave feeling unbelievably energized!”

Val will be helping us in our mission to fund research for cancer this year and we are grateful to have her support! To learn more about Val and her studio, Rock. Workout, click here.

Congrats to our Boston Marathoner!!!

LEARN WHAT TOOLS YOUR BODY NEEDS TO WORK 100%... JUST LIKE J DID!: "Hi Val, Well, another one bites the dust – Boston is history! It was fantastic. I felt really good the whole time – no cramping in my calves like prior times. Just some cramping in my toes, but I found that if I pressed a little into the ball of my foot at push off the cramping subsided. I think it might be caused by the way my foot strikes or maybe I am pushing off too much with my toes. On the down hills I think I did a lot better than last time. I am doing better at rolling down the hill and not braking. I feel a lot more confident with my balance since I discovered my laterals a few months ago – where have they been all this time? The flat part of the course was really not flat but rolling hills – but that was ok since different muscle groups were working on and off. I was ready for the hills – I thought about you counting “a’s” and it popped in my mind to count spectators with red shirts. It really worked!! Also tried not to over think the pace and maintain something that felt good. One of my goals was to feel good the last 5-6 miles of the race and I really achieved that. I actually enjoyed the last sprint (well kind of a sprint) down Boyleston through all the cheering masses. My husband at the finish line said he couldn’t believe how good I looked when I passed him by. I was happy with my finishing time of 4:18 – it was 15 minutes faster than the first Boston Marathon in 2008. Today I feel fine – a little stiff but not much more than I would feel after a long training run. The weather for the race was perfect 50 degrees, party sunny and a little wind that was mostly a crosswind and sometimes even a tail wind. The crowds were along the course the whole time – very motivational.

"Everytime I run I think of how much I have learned from you. Running is not just putting one foot in front of the other. It is a whole body effort and you have helped me to wake up those sleeping muscles that used just to go along for the ride. Much better when everything works together. Thanks again for your help and support – couldn’t have done it without you". Thanks - J

WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU! CONGRATS AGAIN!

I'm sooooo tired!

I'm so tired right now I could fall asleep at my desk. I could go get a quick cup of coffee... or an energy drink...or even a candy bar. I would feel a little better for a short time - then - BOOM! I'll drop like a lead balloon, and feel worse than I do right this minute. I DO NOT need to experience the re-occurance of a foggy brain!

THE best way to increase your energy is...(and you will think this is really counter- intiutive)...do a quick 10 minute cardio burst - get my heart rate up, my blood pumping, my limbs moving. As a result, my brain will unfog and I'll be able to put sentences together again! This will keep me going for at least 3 hours (then I can do it again!)and it's actually....HEALTHY!

So, use your coffee break to walk - or run- or jump rope. You will be surprised how quickly you feel energized! Have a great day! Stay focused, stay fit!
Val

Big boned? Baby Fat ...still? Stop kidding yourself!

"I'm big boned"; "I'm carrying my pregnancy baby fat" (still, really? after 5 or 10... years?) "I'm fighting menopause". It's not about your weight - it's about your size.

Enough! Stop kidding yourself - YOU ARE OVERFAT, AND IT'S TIME TO GET REAL... because the reality of being overweight stinks. Overweight people have a higher risk for cardiopulmonary disease (heart attacks too); asthma, cancer, joint issues, (bad feet especially)...diabetes, and the list goes on and on. NOT to mention how you feel about yourself!

Excuses are just that - excuses. No time (I can totally relate to this one); no energy; no equipment (who needs a bunch of equipment? - see my bathroom workout from channel 4!); no room (did I mention a workout in your bathroom?) - great excuses that do nothing for you.

Start right this minute - sitting at your computer place your feet flat on the floor- now stand up- sit down-stand up- sit down - SQUATS! Seriously get your body moving throughout the day - do not sit still for more than one hour at a time - then move your body (no, not for another cup of coffee).

Get Real - get moving - get healthy and feeling good about yourself!
If you would like a copy of tmy bathroom workout, email me at Val@rockworkout.com

Spring into Summer Group Fitness Program

You REALLY want me to do HOMEWORK?

When you were in school, you had homework to do. Is homework is important? Of course it is! Did you go from 1st grade to high school? Of course not - learning is a process - step by step, until you can answer tough questions without much difficulty.

Same thing goes for your muscles - learn some new exercise and it is really tough; at first. With continuous use, muscles get stronger - and then work even when you aren't thinking specifically about them - so that your body graduates from 1st grade up to 2nd, and so on.

When a trainer gives a client HOMEWORK, guess what? We can tell if you do it - or not! Tests are given a lot of different ways - mentally and physically - will you pass your next pop quiz?

Congrats to my last client "A"; she's been doing her homework between our biweekly sessions and has made HUGE advances in her fight to activate muscles! MS is a tough disease - but she keeps on working hard and is stronger and more mobile than ever! I'm proud of you!

Moral of the story - DO YOUR HOMEWORK - YOU WILL BE AMAZED HOW YOU CHANGE!

What in the world is FUNCTIONAL TRAINING?

We've all heard the buzz words - "core"- "pelvic floor engagement" - "stabilization exercises" - "compound exercises" -"functional training"; do you have ANY IDEA what they mean? What's the core: your abs? Is pelivc floor engagment a fancy word for kiegels? Stabilization - that means just staying still, right?

Functional Training is just a fancy phrase for what humans do every day of their lives - move! You don't move one muscle group at a time unless you act like a robot. You move in all different angles, with muscles in your legs, back, abs and arms moving at the same time.

Functional training works your body in the manner your body moves - different directions usually at the same time. Working your arms while doing a leg exercise like a lunge or squat helps to keep your body strong and stable, not to mention balanced. You don't live your life seated - (a popular TRX saying)- so don't exercise that way. Standing with diagonal movements helps keep your back and abs strong - no more reaching for a can and wrenching your back!

Think of the way you live your life - bending and reaching; Straightening and pulling; pushing and twisting. Exercises that help strengthen muscles during those moves keep you safe - and strong. Find a NATIONALLY BOARD CERTIFIED TRAINER to help you discover the functional movements in you!

Re-think the resolutions!

Three months ago the New Years resolutions were going strong... Are they working for you now? Were they realistic? Time effecient? Did you have an achievable goal? The "I'm going to get up at 4 am and workout for one hour every day till I lose 25 lbs" resolutions are NOT realistic. Kids, work, home, significant other, being just plain tired makes you miss one or two - then a weeks worth, then you think "why bother?"

Re-evaluate your goal - a little time management and planning go a long way. Get up at 4am? Really? Haven't you always been a night owl?

Start with looking at your natural bio-rythms; late nighter or early morning riser? When do you rush like a crazy person vs a few moments to breathe? Do you really have time to drive to a gym accross town because they had a two for one offer - or would it be best if you had a program for home? How much time do you REALLY have to workout - consistently? If it's only 15 minutes - GREAT - compound exercises combine multiple muscle groups in one exercise! You can do 5 to 6 different exercises - like lunges with bicep curls - squats and overhead presses - side planks with lateral leg lifts - and with consistency, you CAN accomplish your goal.

What are you waiting for?

"I'll start my fitness routine and watching what I eat on New Years day" (oops - New Years day is on Friday). "I'll start it the first Monday". (Maybe you will...) Right this minute seems like a perfect time to make SOME SORT of change... don't let another day go by without making a small change to your bad habits. You will never be able to go back to make changes; so START RIGHT THIS MINUTE!

Something simple like drinking water in between cocktails will help alot!
Run up the steps instead of using the elevator...
Do 20 pushups against the counter top everytime you go into the kitchen.
See how easy it can be? So, what are you waiting for? Val

No quick fixes - just commitment and hard work!

The madness begins..."buy this and lose 10 inches in 10 days".."drink this before meals and watch fat just melt away without working out!" .."Workout for 10 minutes a day just three times a week to lose 5 inches off your waist - in 3 weeks!"
STOP THE CRAZY TALK! IF FITNESS WAS THIS EASY, EVERYONE WOULD BE DOING FIT!

Nothing but commitment, proper eating for your body and consistent workouts (both cardio and resistance training)WORK! It's not all about inches lost - its about being healthy, fit and feeling good about yourself. Play hard - work hard - and enjoy life! Merry Christmas to all!

No - if it's easy, it's not going to work...for long.

"Buy this now and get in shape by Christmas"..."Two pills before meals is all you need to lose unwanted fat"..."Attach to your abs and abs get toned and tight while you sleep"..."I just exercised 10 minutes a day on my new ab killer machine and lost 12 inches in my waist - and still ate what I wanted".

Ok - ENOUGH IS ENOUGH...NOTHING, I REPEAT NOTHING works any better than good ole-fashioned hard work - monitor your eating - and drinking alcohol. If it's easy, everyone on this planet would be fit and trim...so why is obesity on the rise?

Do not be afraid of sweating - or grunting while lifting weights ( lifting weights will not bulk you up. STOP WITH THE QUICK FIXES - get ready for the New You - through dedicated, EDUCATED exercise! Join me, won't you? Val

Oh no! Americans are getting heavier and less active!

A recent government survey shows that Americans betwen the ages of 40-74 are heavier and less active..compared to 1988! Only 43% exercise 3 times a week (vs 53%), 36% are obese (compared to 28%), and only 26% eat at least 5 servings of fruit & veggies daily - (compared to 42%!) Why is this happening? Think about what you eat and do during a week's time.... No need to wait to New Year's Eve... make changes NOW!

Help a great cause while you exercise!!!!

HELP NEEDED!!! If you can run or walk, you are needed for the Race to Cure Lymphoma 5/10K run - 1 mile walk - sprite sprint (for the youngsters). This Saturday, October 17th - 8 AM. St. Louis Mills in Hazelwood, MO - Just off 370 & St Louis Mills Rd. Move your body for an excellent cause! Please attend - and if you can't workout, volunteer to help them out... contact our friend - Jerry via email: jadiggity@gmail.com. Join us, won't you?

Use a rainy day to re-think your fitness plan!

Days like today make people just want to curl up with a good book; and "veg". Fine, your body just might need the rest! While you rest, think about what is working for you, and what isn't...from your personal life to I recently met with someone that has been doing the same workout routine for years... OMG! Change is good - and necessary to achieve your highest fitness potential. The exercise that you hate to do are most likely the ones you need the most! Check out a new group class (we have a ton at Rock); try a new sport... meditate! Take care and keep moving! Val

Wondering Wednesday: How Does Exercise Relate to Corporate Wellness Programs?

IN HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT, Tilt AMERICAN worker would lose to a band of sleepy preschoolers. Only 15% of U.S. workers exercise enough, and 40/0 don't attempt so much as. a sit-up. More than half blame work, with 8 in 10 grousing that they would hit the treadmill—really they would—if only their employers encouraged it.

Be careful what you whine for. With health-care costs hobbling profits, more employers are saying to employees, Get healthy—or else. After all, insurance premiums and absenteeism by sick workers set businesses back $15 billion a year. says the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And yet 70% of health-care costs stern from preventable chronic diseases. Take diabetes, which costs nearly $92 billion a year: 90/0 of cases could be avoided by better eating. Smoking-related illnesses rack up an additional s75 billion a year.

The new wellness program has teeth. It levies fees for not joining and sics personal coaches on employeesEmployers' whip of choice is the corporate-wellness program. Three-quarters of large employers have one, up from 56% three years ago. And the new wellness pro. gram has teeth. It levies fees for not joining. assigns workers to risk categories, rewards them for improving and sics personal coaches on employees to hound them into better habits. Some employers take the mission so seriously they're telling workers to get well or get lost.

Worthington Industries was an early convert. The $3 billion metals manufacturer opened a gym at its Columbus, Ohio, headquarters in 1985, later adding free yoga, step and cardio classes. In 1995, it built an onsite wellness center with three full-time physicians, a lab and pharmacy. But with the company's health-care premiums still soaring, CEO John McConnell decided to get serious. In 2003 Worthington hired an outside vendor to implement a program called Healthy Choices that would track and improve workers' health. Workers who participate get cash credits of up to s5o a month toward their share of health-care premiums. "I thought, 'People respond to money.'" says McConnell. "It's a pretty sweet deal."

The results are plain. Since 2004, the percentage of participating workers in the low-risk category rose from 30% to 41%. Pat McGee, 49,a corporate trainer based in lack-son, Michigan, says his days on the road "began with doughnuts and ended with pizza." After a heart attack in January 2006, McGee embraced the wellness program, which has since helped him quit smoking, change his diet and start walking more than e km every day. His two daughters quit smoking too. Thanks to success stories like McGee's, Worthington saved s2.5 million in claims over the past two years, more than double what it has spent on the program. says Kay Cooke, director of benefits. That makes McGee proud: 'We're a profit-sharing company, so I figure every dollar we save is a dollar in my pocket one way or another."

Wellness programs are wasted efforts unless workers take part, but for now, they remain mostly voluntary. A 2005 study by the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions found that at most companies, less than half of employees participated. That's where the carrots and sticks come in. While employers like Kaiser Permanente dangle cash incentives for workers who submit to health evaluations, others, like AstraZeneca, threaten higher premiums for not taking part.

Scotts Miracle-Gro has gone so far as to fire a worker for smoking; he has since filed a federal lawsuit charging discrimination. Worthington c eo McConnell says he would never fire a worker for poor health, maybe because he's no Lance Armstrong himself: 6 ft. (1.8 m) and 23o lbs. (1o5 kg). at 54, he is a lapsed jogger who sneaks a smoke some evenings and whose risk assessment is only moderate. Even for bosses, wellness doesn't always come easy.

So you've been told that doing hundreds of crunches alone will get you the rock hard abs you desire.

Diet and Exercise Myth #1: Crunches will get rid of your belly fat.

False. “You can’t pick and choose areas where you’d like to burn fat,” Tyne says. “In order to burn fat, you should create a workout that includes both cardiovascular and strength training elements. This will decrease your overall body fat content.”