Healthy Tips for Shoveling Your Snow

By Marty Linclau-Miller, Human Performance Consultant, Longevity Studios

The last snow storm left many of my neighbors with some sore muscles and hurting lower backs.

Many of my clients, happy to say, came to their sessions following the storm and let me know how surprised they were at how good they felt even after all the shoveling.

After giving this some thought, here are my 5 big tips for making sure our latest snow storm isn’t a pain in your back.

Dress For The Event

• Wear proper clothing that is "breathable"
• Dress in layers
• Wear boots
• Wear gloves or mittens

Use The Right Equipment

• Choose a shovel that is ergonomically correct
• Use a shovel with a plastic blade (weighs less)
• Use a an actual “snow” shovel
• Get a snowblower!

Know The Conditions

• Put salt or sand down where there is ice
• Shovel halfway through a big snow storm
• Fresh snowfall is lighter, so shovel early
• Use smaller shovel loads for wet snow

Use Proper Snow Shoveling Technique

• Warm your muscles up first
• Lift with the legs and hips
• Place your hands a good distance apart on the shovel to create leverage
• Only toss snow forward and avoid tossing snow in a twisting motion
  

Establish a plan before beginning

• Plan the most logical place to put the snow
• Plan how long it will take with frequent breaks
• Pace yourself through the activity
• Get others involved to help

Happy shoveling!

Beating The Winter Blues

Tips to Keep the Blues at Bay

As we put the holidays behind us and settle down to the last few months of winter, even the best of us can get a little down. The “winter blues” are brought on by shorter days, colder nights and the lack of sunlight. Natasha Atkinson, one of the Human Performance Consultants at Longevity Studios, has compiled a list of ten tips to help beat the blues.

Read Natasha Atkinson's full article on our website...

Healthier Hips and a Better Butt

Join us this weekend for our latest Longevity Studios Seminar

by Cliff Long, President & CEO, Longevity Studios

One of the first things we look at when a new client comes in, is how well their hips are working for them. When the hips are not functioning properly, it can lead to the hip joint wearing out prematurely, knee problems, foot issues, and a low back that stays painful all the time.

Muscle imbalance of the hips is common and often leads a person to overuse of their lumbar spine. When we identify just how the hips need to be stretched and strengthened and give the right exercises, the imbalance goes away.

After the hips have been corrected, or if the client comes in functioning properly, we move into exercises that continue to increase the function of the hips, but also focus on the best aesthetic development of the glutes … aka, the butt, the booty, the bum, and the junk in the trunk. A great looking butt is something that you should want, not only to turn peoples’ heads, but it's also a great indication that your hips are at their optimal level of function. To see some exercises that can take your bum to the “boom boom pow” level (as the Black Eyes Peas would say), check out some of the videos on the Longevity Life Plan Blog and on our YouTube channel.

Learn more about proper exercise techniques for your hips and butt at our seminar this Saturday, February 13th.

World Gym in La Plata

State-of-the-Art Fitness Facility Opening Soon!

If you've already taken a tour of the new World Gym in La Plata, you know how spectacular the new facility will be. If you haven't, I suggest you take one to see all that it has to offer. Longevity Studios will be providing the fitness and training services for the new World Gym. Whether you need help using all of that new state-of-the-art equipment or if you're ready to get seriously strong and fit, we'll have something for you.

We will be offering free equipment orientations, one-on-one personal training, partnered training, and small group training programs. We're ready to begin offering all of these services as soon as the doors open at the new facility. For more details, check out the World Gym Services page on our website.

We've heard some rumblings that some of you can't wait to get started. We'd like to help! If you're looking to get started on your fitness goals now, take a look at our Special Offers page. You can start training now at our La Plata studio, and transfer to World Gym the day it opens.

We're very excited about our role at World Gym and what the new year has to offer. We look forward to meeting you and being your travel guide on the road to fitness!