Renegade » exercise

Well Rounded Training Equals Above Average Fitness Levels

Jennifer Calderone — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 19:46:26 +0000

Success in sports require solid fitness levels including cardiovascular conditioning, core, lower and upper body strength, flexibility, body kinetic awareness, power, speed and agility. These attributes are only the first set of skills necessary to achieve greatness within sport. To become a stellar athlete sport specific skills must also be acquired and mastered. Yet for many present day athletes, basic fitness levels have plummeted and the aforementioned attributes simply do not exist amongst players. This is due to training regimes and programs that are too narrow in focus when, in fact, the approach should be far broader. To achieve these attributes training does not only require exercises that use weight but a variety of others that are only found within the Renegade program.

As a Renegade Trainer and avid follower of the Renegade methodologies for over a year, I personally have experienced a level of fitness that previously did not exist. Physical improvements in strength, flexibility, body communication, speed and power allow me to perform physical activities far better than before.

Increase your fitness abilities today. Contact a Renegade trainer in your area.

Jennifer Calderone
Hordon Health

Baseball The Renegade Way

Jennifer Calderone — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 20:33:51 +0000

Signs of spring are all around. Tiny buds of green have surprisingly began to appear from the earth offering the promise of warm sunny days and mild nights. Bright yellow forsythia and soft pink weeping cherries will soon begin their marvelous show as spring blooms. Along with the rebirth of vegetation, another spring time event has reappeared– baseball. Presently enthusiastic fans, all across the country, are making their way to the playing fields for opening day as another season, of bats cracking in the warm summer night wind, gets underway.

At some point the majority of young American boys are taught how to play this beloved game. However, the techniques taught, be it by a coach or parent, are flawed. Players are taught to utilize the arm and heave the ball. These erroneous training methods are not only incorrect but detrimental to the health of the player. Throwing the ball by employing only the arm is why countless young players suffer extensive injuries particularly from overuse. As a participant in the first Renegade baseball clinic, I experienced how the Renegade training methodology directly relates to baseball and translates into a healthy and an extraordinary player.

Renegade training stresses posterior chain development. When moving a weight it is always lifted using the force and power generated from the lower body versus the arms. This same methodology holds true when throwing a ball or swinging a bat as the engagement of these large muscles are crucial to producing power and speed on the mound. Therefore, a player should not throw the ball with their arm, as typically taught, but with their legs. This is not the latest circus trick but should be interrupted to mean the lower half generates the energy which is then transferred to the arm. The arm essentially serves only as a slingshot transferring the energy from the lower body.

The same methodology is applied when hitting. The player begins in an athletic position, engaging the hamstrings, and then swings the bat as the hamstrings and hips generate energy enabling the batter to hit the ball with force, power and speed.

While this may seem difficult for many to grasp and some may blatantly disagree, we must acknowledge there are a bevy of youngsters being injured and experiencing pain when playing that no child should encounter. To pack some heat on the mound and reduce injury, training should employ techniques necessary to build a strong lower body.

Check out Boston Baseball Institute or Renegade Baseball on Facebook. For more information, contact Hordon Health at www.hordonhealth.com

Jennifer Calderone
Hordon Health

Manufactured Poison

Jennifer Calderone — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 13:08:33 +0000

Our youth are unfit, unhealthy and obese. However, this is not only due to lack of exercise but also poor eating habits as children are no longer consuming fruits and vegetables. Instead manufactured foods, in arrays of abnormal colors, now replace a diet of natural foods. These manufactured foods are poisoning our children and will have disastrous consequences on their health, including early death, if eating habits are not immediately rectified.

Children’s eating habits are so horrendous, they at not only at high risk for a myriad of obesity related diseases but are also suffering from a host of other issues including hyperactivity and attention deficit disorder. While I am not a medical doctor, I firmly believe the varieties of chemicals our children are ingesting are largely contributing to these disorders and a host of others. While medication has become the typical solution as of late, eliminating the consumption of processed foods altogether is a far healthier alternative. As a result, our children would have more energy, perform better in school, and be physically fit. Proper diet has tremendous effects on children’s health and should never be underestimated!

For more on this topic don’t miss my article and other valuable contributions from team members in the April edition of DMC ezine.

Jennifer Calderone
Hordon Health
www.hordonhealth.com

Skip Rope

Jennifer Calderone — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 19:55:53 +0000

Today average levels of fitness have plummeted. Basic body weight exercises are presently “too advanced” for most of the population. The average person cannot even jump rope for more than a few seconds without becoming winded. Many individuals also lack the hand eye coordination and body control necessary to skip rope. The reason for this and the appalling decline in our nation’s overall health is due to a decline of exercise and general activity.

Our nation’s poor physical condition and health is shocking but must not be ignored. We must employ the necessary tactics to get our nation’s health back. One simple and inexpensive way to begin is with a jump rope. Although there are vast arrays of fancy fitness products available, the basic jump rope is a far superior item than others for cardiovascular conditioning and will have remarkable effects on improving overall fitness.

In addition to increasing cardiovascular efficiency, skipping rope also offers gains in foot and hand speed, increased work capacity, improved motor skills and will aid in the reduction of body fat. It also adds fun and provides a new challenge to a tired workout regime.

Jennifer Calderone
Hordon Health

Child’s Play

Jennifer Calderone — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 18:36:18 +0000

Our nation’s health is deplorable. We are more obese than ever. At the same time, we have more technology available that should help simplify our lives and provide us with more free time. One might think we’d be more fit with additional hours available to exercise as a result of these modern day technological conveniences. Yet this is simply not the case. In fact, advancements in technology have proved counterproductive to our health as we spend endless hours sedentary while utilizing these gadgets. At work, individuals are “strapped” to their desks much of the day as most tasks are completed with the aid of the computer. Even simple communication amongst coworkers occurs with just a few simple key strikes and a click of the mouse.

Sadly, our children are severely paying the price. Today they are moving far less than ever before. As children, I know many of us fondly recall times spent outside playing baseball, basketball, hockey, riding bikes or simply running around. Not only were friendships formed but overall health and wellness remained high. Today this is not the case. Our children are less active and more obese than ever before. This sets the stage for a life time of bad habits and unmanageable obesity rates. Therefore, it is crucial to make health and exercise a priority early on. Turn off the video games, computers, and other technology and get our youth onto the playing fields exercising and having fun.

For more on this topic, don’t miss this month’s issue of DMC.

Jennifer Calderone
Hordon Health

Slow and Steady Wins The Race

Jennifer Calderone — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 19:15:18 +0000

In the classic fable the tortoise and the hare, we learn a valuable lesson that persistence results in triumphant. No matter how talented an individual may be, without the presence of a sound work ethic they will not succeed. Today, most individuals lack basic patience and the drive to work hard. When instant gratification is not granted, frustration sets in and the next matter that offers the promise of immediate success takes precedence. However, anything of value is worth the hard work it will take to achieve. Similar to the tortoise, the individual that will not accept failure is the one that will reign victorious.

Whatever the obstacle, face it head on and don’t give up. If others are smarter or more talented, don’t give in and don’t lose confidence. Continue with unwavering determination because dedication, hard work, a sound work ethic, strong mind and a resilient will are the ultimate equation for victory.

Build an unyielding mind and body that can conquer all that comes its way. Contact a Renegade Trainer today.

Jennifer Calderone
Hordon Health
Nutfit @ Dedham Strength & Fitness

Plastic Confidence

Jennifer Calderone — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 02:33:23 +0000

Many women feel extreme pressure to look beautiful because of the relentless images of “perfection” we are bombarded with daily. As a result of these unachievable standards, one’s self image and self worth slowly begin to erode. As a result, many women feel plastic surgery is the only solution. This is a brutal measure that all too often comes at an extreme cost – life. Is this so called “beauty” really worth the risk of death or severe disfigurement? An acquaintance of mine recently mentioned the popularity of plastic surgery amongst her friends and noted her sister, who almost died from a tummy tuck, now bears the brutality of a surgery gone terribly wrong.

Plastic surgery is nothing more than plastic confidence, a cheap imitation for the real thing. If a woman does not have self confidence before surgery, she will not have it afterwards. Confidence and self worth do not stem from our outward appearance although we are deluded into believing so. Instead, confidence comes from achievements and success stemming from hard work and feeling good on the inside. Plastic surgery is simply not the answer.

For a real confidence builder try working out. The internal transformation will be as amazing as the external one.

Jennifer Calderone
Boston, MA
Hordon Health
Nutfit @ Dedham Strength & Fitness

Break Free

Jennifer Calderone — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 21:59:49 +0000

After performing the same exercises for a period of time the body adapts and the exercises become easy making them less effective. It is pertinent at this point to change the exercises in some way by increasing the weight or by doing different exercises. I witness this everyday as I see the same individuals performing the same machine based exercises or partaking in the same group classes and note they are not experiencing results. While I certainly don’t want to discourage individuals from exercising, in order to get results, exercise should be varied. Not only does this offer more benefit but a lot more fun.

Yet, teaching an old dog new tricks” has proven to be my greatest challenge as of late. It seems some individuals are content with the same routine because of the ease with which they can perform the exercises and the fact they don’t work up a sweat. They simply do not want to work hard or push themselves out of their comfort zone. Why even waste the time slowly grazing on the treadmill reading or putting only minimal effort into an exercise? If there are no physical obstacles holding one back then there is no reason why the effort put fourth is not 100%. Don’t settle for the same old routine, break free, and achieve results.

Contact jcfitnessfirst@gmail.com

Jennifer Calderone
Hordon Health
Nutfit @ Dedham Strength & Fitness

From Athletes to Elders

Jennifer Calderone — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 01:39:11 +0000

Young or old, Renegade training is perfect for any age. My clients currently range in age from 23 to 73. This is because Renegade training is functional training that offers something for everyone from elders to athletes. Although resistance training is not appropriate for all individuals, Renegade Program’s including Red2, DMC, and Yoga are. In fact, these three programs provide the perfect starting point for all beginners enabling them to build a strong core/trunk and enhance flexibility. Additionally, these same programs provide tremendous benefits for athletes and continue to enhance performance, producing top athletes.

No matter age or fitness level athlete or every day individual, Renegade will improve the quality of your life. Contact a Renegade trainer in your area today!

Jennifer Calderone
Nutfit @ Dedham Strength & Fitness
Hordon Health

Get on the Ball by Getting Off the Ball

Jennifer Calderone — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 02:49:26 +0000

Forget the myriad of gadgets marketed for balance including the Bosu ball. I am sure many of you have witnessed individuals standing on a Bosu ball attempting to balance. Not only is this device absurd but it is not necessary. There are far better ways to attain balance that does not involve this silly ball. In fact, the kettlebell is such an item. It is not the actual bell that promotes balance, but balance is acquired as a result of lifting the bell through various complex movements that activate the same musculature required for balance.

Renegade training prepares an individual’s mind and body to be adept at reacting to the chaos that occurs both in life and on the playing field. It does so by training on a variety of different terrains so when the unexpected presents itself you can react. By doing so the body is prepared to handle literally whatever comes your way. However, there is absolutely no instance where you will ever need to be prepared to stand on a Bosu ball. The gym is the most stable environment there is and neither representative of the chaos of daily life nor representative of the “fog of war” found on the playing field.

Stop wasting time training for balance, get off the Bosu ball. Train for the unknown, prepare for the unknown, be able to handle the unknown. RENEGADE – a completely balanced training program.

Jennifer Calderone
Hordon Health
Nutfit @ Dedham Strength & Fitness