Fit and Hungry

There’s a reason why I have such high job satisfaction: my clients. These people are freaking incredible. (My mom never let me say “freaking” when I was growing up. She smacked me on the back of the neck when I did. Since moving out of her house over 10 years ago, I try to say it as often as possible.) My clients are loyal, motivated, driven, and tolerant. Tolerant of my questionable comedic choices and tolerant of my tough love. A love that is so tough you’d have to be deep in it to understand it. There are times when my clients consider hating me. Not a week goes by without someone’s inner voices cursing me out. “Look at her. The trick makes everything look easy. Just do this, she says. Just? Just?!? If I didn’t think she’d kill me, I’d hit her.”

Yet, they stick with me and continue pushing themselves beyond what they think is possible. I take them through grueling workouts that leave them exhausted and debating whether they can kick me in the stomach and make it to their car before I catch them and kick them back. It’s all part of the process. Anytime someone makes you feel weak, they run the risk of being resented. That’s when I remind them they are not weak. Weak people do not exhibit the tenacity and strength that my clients do. Weak people do not come to 6am bootcamp sessions and then return less than 12 hours later for a private one on one session.

My clients are amazing. I work hard for them, staying up with the mosquitos drafting emails, creating fact sheets, and sending motivational messages. Not because they need it but because they deserve it.

Yeah, I got real sentimental today. It won’t happen again.

Southern adj. situated in, toward, or facing the south.
Fitness n. good health or physical condition, especially as the result of exercise and proper nutrition.
Maniac n. an insane person; a person who has an excessive enthusiasm or desire for something.

Southern. Fitness. Maniac.

Those three words are the first to come to mind when I think of our guest expert, Sarah Rippel. She is a talented personal trainer with a tough spirit and training philosophy to match. She is unconventional in her approach to fitness and that’s what makes her programs effective. She gives 100% to her clients and to her own training regimen. (Her southern accent is just a bonus.) Sarah is one of the few trainers in the industry who thinks outside of the box. She is a fitness “maniac” dedicating her life to building strong, lean bodies. I respect her for she is the truth!

The Three Issues Most Women’s Workouts Aren’t Addressing!
By Sarah E. Rippel, BS, CPT

When Angel asked me to write a guest post, I was both honored and excited. Then, when she suggested the topic for which I was to discuss, I became even more excited. Why? Angel suggested that I write about the three most neglected muscle groups in women. I knew instantly that I should bring up three issues that pertain to most of my female clients: decreased hip mobility, lack of proper glute functioning, and scapular control. I address these issues in my clients’ workouts on a daily basis and feel they are often neglected by people who do not work with a trainer.

1. The first issue I want to discuss is a lack of hip mobility. A decrease in hip mobility may be the result of several things, most often spending too much time in the seated position is the culprit. Also, I feel that many people who have low back pain mistakenly believe the “cure” is to perform stretches for the low back. Low back pain may often be the result of decreased hip mobility. The same goes for knee issues. The body can be viewed as a stack of joints. Typically if an area isn’t functioning properly (ie: tight hips), it affects the joints above and/or below it. There will be compensations made for this lack of mobility. It is important to address this because not only can a lack of hip mobility lead to pain and/or injury, it can lead to a decreased ability to move, resulting in less enjoyment of exercise and daily life.
Mini Hip Mobility Routine:
a. Half-Kneeling 3D Psoas Stretch – 5 reps each plane of motion per side, 2 sec per rep
b. Modified Cossack Stretch – 5-8 reps per side, 2 sec per rep
c. Half Turkish Get-Up – 5 reps per side, bodyweight first, then add 8-15 lb dumbbell

2. The second issue on the hit list is impaired glute function. The glutes are neglected because many women do not know how to train them. This leads to imbalances and faulty recruitment patterns, further exacerbating the problem. Most exercises that women associate with glute training (ie: squats and lunges) aren’t as effective if the glutes aren’t firing! Many women waste their time using fancy glute machines at the gym, which simply don’t get the job done. It is important to address this issue because the glutes not only allow the body to function more efficiently when trained properly, they add shape. You can tell when someone’s glutes are “asleep” – they typically have a flat butt!
Mini Glute Function Routine:
a. Bridge – 15 reps
b. Staggered Stance Hip Hinge + Rotation – 10 reps per side
c. Kettlebell Swing – 8-20 kg

3. The third and final issue I want to address is insufficient scapular control. We’re talking shoulder blades, ladies. All of the muscles that work to control the scapulae are often neglected because you can’t see ‘em. Many women tend to shy away from upper body exercises because they feel weak. I also feel that the scapular region is neglected because many women are simply unsure of how to train it properly. It is important to improve the strength and mobility of this area because it plays a big role in posture and injury prevention.
Mini Scapular Control Routine:
a. Dowel Awareness Drill – 5 reps of 10 second holds (retraction; depression)
b. Scapular Push-Up – 10 reps
c. Quadruped Sliding Reaches – 5-10 reps per side

These are some “outside the box” strategies for improving weaknesses found in the female body. Give these exercises a try, aiming for 2-3 times per week. You should see an improvement in not only these areas, but your entire body. Why? The body doesn’t function as as individual muscle groups – it’s a beautifully-crafted machine designed to function flawlessly. Life interferes with proper functioning of the areas I discussed, therefore we must pay extra attention to them so that our bodies move better and we feel better! – Sarah E. Rippel, BS, CPT

Not sure how to do the exercises Sarah mentioned? Check out her videos for a thorough demonstration of each exercise. Hip Mobility Video, Glute Function Video, Scapular Control Video.

This isn’t the last of Sarah. In the next installment, I will probe the mind of this southern fitness belle and force her to reveal her secret to getting great abs.

Sarah has been helping people improve their health for over 14 years. She is the owner of “Outside the Box” Training, (soon to be known as “Rippel Effect”), offering in-home one-on-one/small group training as well as outdoor fitness camps in the Baton Rouge, Louisiana area. If you live in the Baton Rouge area and want more information, drop her a line at fitprosarah@gmail.com & follow her on Twitter @fitprosarah.

A reader asked: Why do you always tell me to eat immediately after our strength training workouts?

I had to post this question because I am constantly reminding my clients to refuel after their session with me. This gentle reminder is usually met by an eye roll and a dismissive, “okay,okay”. But there’s reason why I tell them to do this.

The main purpose of carb intake after physical activity is to replenish depleted stores of liver and muscle glycogen. The timing of carb intake has an important effect on the rate of muscle glycogen synthesis after exercise. Studies have shown that when carb intake is delayed (2 hours after exercise), muscle glycogen concentration is 45% lower compared with ingestion of the amount of carb immediately after exercise.

Are you officially confused? Let me try to break it down.

Carbohydrates play many roles in the body, but one of its main functions is to provide energy to the contracting muscle. Glycogen is the storage form of carbohydrates and it is found in both the muscle and the liver. Muscle glycogen is a readily available energy source for the muscle (the one that’s doing the work). Liver glycogen serves to maintain a constant blood glucose level.

When you exercise, especially at high intensities, muscle glycogen is broken down. When muscle glycogen gets too low, then the liver glycogen becomes a source of fuel. Basically, the longer and harder you exercise, the more your glycogen stores are depleted.

Thus, to replenish these stores (that are now broken down and depleted), you must eat. Trust me, it matters. One of the smartest things you can do after a tough workout is to eat within an hour of the session. The meals surrounding your workouts are some of the most important feeding sessions of the day.

Oh, it should go without saying that I’m referring to healthy foods, ones full of carbohydrates and protein. Once I saw a girl leave the gym, walk into a coffee shop, and leave with a giant drink topped with whip cream and caramel. Hmm?

Never ruin a good workout with poor food choices.