Blog Archives: Fitness and Vitality
ZUM 12-Week Couch-to-5k Training Plan
Many people are embracing running as a form of exercise and stress relief during this period in time. Some are first timers, some are returning to the sport. In any case, It’s important to take one’s time when ramping up the distance in any running program. Most people would never show up to the gym…
Let’s Talk Core Strength & Spine Health!
I’ve been working with people’s bodies since 1998, and to this day some people assume that working your core means doing sit-ups, crunches and the like. But at ZŪM we know better! Sit-ups mostly target the abs (six pack muscles) and obliques. And while these are core muscles, they are only a small part of…
RESILIENT HAMSTRINGS TRAINING, PART 4
ROMANIAN DEADLIFT PROGRESSIONS The Eastern Block countries get credit for all of the badass exercises. There’s the Russian Twist, where you sit on the floor and wield a medicine ball side-to-side in an arcing pattern, and the Bulgarian Split Squat, where you set a foot on a platform behind you and basically do a single…
RESILIENT HAMSTRINGS TRAINING, Part 3
HAMSTRINGS PROGRESSION ON SWISS I remember the day I learned about the next series of exercises. I was attending a continuing education course with a guy who was recognized and respected as an authority in sports performance. He said, “Nobody will strain their hamstrings if they master the hamstrings series on a physioball.” I’ve used…
RESILIENT HAMSTRINGS TRAINING, Part 2
INCLINE TREADMILL WALKING A great way to start hamstring training, especially if you’re a beginner, is with incline walking. Hopefully your hamstrings are feeling loose and relaxed after the Seated Hamstrings Mobility exercise, and you notice a little more stride length and ease with each step. Your hamstrings and gluteal muscles (aka: butt, glutes, tush,…
RESILIENT HAMSTRINGS TRAINING, Intro and Part 1
Introduction Anybody who’s dealt with a hamstring strain knows they’re a royal pain in the, well, hamstrings. And probably other places like your hip, knee, or even your lower back as you change the way you move to avoid the discomfort in your strained hamstring, which can put repetitive stress in other places. This injury…
ZUM U: Insulin and Cortisol in Fat Loss
Insulin and Cortisol are two hormones in the human body that can either be your best friend or worst enemy. We’ll be discussing these two hormones in relation to fat loss. In our modern day world we’re inundated with choices. One of the most abundant choices we make a day is food. What…
On Your Feet! A Basic Guide On How To Build a Solid Foundation
Foot pain is the 2nd most documented pain in our culture, following the lower back and can be caused by changes in physiology, biomechanics, environmental changes as well as genetics. In my years of practice I have been commonly asked what is the weakest area of the body I see. Although most think it is…
POSTURE! POSTURE! POSTURE!
What is correct posture? What a loaded question! Posture, is it the same for everybody? Yes, and no. That didn’t help a whole lot, did it? Yet please allow me to explain. Posture, defined by Merriam-Webster is a position of a person’s body when standing or sitting. Posture, defined by biomechanics is when the central…
How fit is your Fitbit?
(Note: this is the final blog post from trainer Jordan Sahlberg, who has moved on to exciting new professional challenges. Good luck, Jordan!) Wearable fitness trackers have seen a massive increase in popularity with the everyday person interested in more accurately measuring and quantifying their fitness level. Companies like Fitbit, Jawbone, Nike, Apple,…