It seems like it’s taken forever, but spring has finally arrived here on the East Coast of the U.S.! I think we can safely put away our snow shovels, the rock salt and pick up the rake, and gas up the lawn mowers. Now that the temperatures are finally staying locked in the 60’s to 80’s we can all soak up that sunshine that’s been hiding out on us since St. Patrick’s Day.

But with all the schools starting commencement practice, and with Memorial Day just a few days away, summer is not that far off. And is your body ready for the beach and all that it has to offer? Or are you going to be hiding it under a t-shirt or worse when you and your friends hit the sand and surf?

Well, there are quite a few among us that might have put off getting to the gym or hitting the pavements early this year because of the cold, wet, snowy conditions that seemed to hang over everyone this year. But you can still pull off a pretty good-looking presence once the volleyball nets get strung and the shoes get swapped out for a pair of flip-flops. Here below are a few exercises and tips that can give that body of yours a little definition. After all, we don’t want anyone kicking sand on your beach towel now do we?

Getting fit and toned requires the right balance of weights, cardio, and the right nutrition, to get your body working correctly in order to tone and shed that extra fat that you’ve grown accustomed with over the winter and sloppy spring months! Studies have found that incorporating into your fitness routines, strength training, it can have your metabolism working overtime, instead of just doing cardio all by itself.

A study at West Virginia University supports this. They found that people that incorporated a regular regimen of lifting weights, peeled off an average of 14.5 kg and watched their metabolisms speed up by 4 percent. The reason for this? Well, the more you incorporate weight training, the more calories you'll burn during everything you do. Lifting your coffee mug or watching your favorite show suddenly becomes more productive as you burn fat for free.

The people in the study who did just aerobic exercise, such as running, lost more weight, on a faster scale, but that also included four kilograms of muscle. Consequently, their metabolisms slowed down by an average of 14 percent. In the future, they'll have more trouble keeping the weight off, if they slack off on the amount of running they do in a week/month. The key to successfully losing the dead weight, which we call fat can be avoided if you build muscle, along with the cardio.

Keeping track of this crunch-time fitness activity can be a challenge without the help of a good activity tracker/monitor and one that also tracks your heart rate can be very beneficial when you're looking at the stats to see where you're improving and where your not hitting your mark.

One that I like and keeps me on track with my fitness goals is the Garmin Forerunner 735XT GPS Running Multisport Watch  It not only tracks various kinds of cardio exercises like running, (It has a great GPS, built right in) but it also is waterproof, so swimming laps is a no-brainer. And with its multiple performance features and the benefit of having a wrist-based heart rate monitor, you can plot just how well you're doing using the data calculated from your VOC max estimate, and lactate threshold.

Again, this is nothing but a tool, albeit a great tool for helping you get that body of yours in shape in time to feel confident as you walk the beach.

Now, It's Crunch Time!
The whole idea of this type of training, is to combine a weight regimen routine along with your regular cardiovascular sessions, just break out two-three days a week to add in the weight training, and in no time, you should start to see a faster reduction in your weight, while seeing the results of a more toned body frame.

You'll combine these lifting workouts with short, sharp interval training sessions. Research at Laval University found this burns fat, up to three times faster than exercising at the same pace.

This three-pronged attack is a surefire way to earn you more muscle and less fat. Repeat this workout 3-5 times per week to keep building muscle and burning fat, or alternate between the workouts listed below.

WORKOUT PRACTICES:
Choose a weight that's 80 percent of the most weight you can push or press just once.
Do just one set of every exercise using 8-12 reps.
When you can do 12 reps, add 5 percent more weight.
Take four seconds to raise the weight and four seconds to lower it.
If the routine takes more than 45 minutes, you're taking way too long.
Do 3-4 workouts per week, leaving a day's rest between each one. This is your light running day!
If you want to do cardio, do it after lifting to burn more fat.  But monitor your stats so you don't push yourself over your limits!
Don't rest between sets. The setup time for a new exercise is enough.
Push out the reps until your muscles fail and cry for mercy.
Use perfect form for all exercises to avoid injury.  

Recommended Weight-Related Exercises:
BARBELL SQUAT
1 set of 8-12 reps
BARBELL DEADLIFT
1 set of 8-12 reps
SEATED LEG CURL
1 set of 8-12 reps
SEATED CABLE ROWS
1 set of 8-12 reps
BARBELL BENCH PRESS - MEDIUM GRIP
1 set of 8-12 reps
BARBELL SHOULDER PRESS
1 set of 8-12 reps
PARALLEL BAR DIP
1 set of 8-12 reps
BARBELL CURL
1 set of 8-12 reps
SIT-UP
1 set of 8-12 reps

Remember, you’re going through this fitness routine, in order to get your body beach ready in a short amount of time. Once you reach the level of muscle tone and weight to mass ratio, that you’re looking for. Then slack off a bit and get back into your regular cardio/running routines, if that is your main fitness passion. Just remember to work in at least two days a week of weights, at a lesser pace and weight amount than we recommended above, just so you keep those muscles you've worked so hard on to tone up these past few weeks, in the same great shape!

 * If you search YouTube, for the above weight training exercises, you will be able to see the correct posture and stance that you need to maintain in order to not only do the exercise correctly but to avoid injuring yourself!

Ok, anyone that is looking to get in better shape has probably heard all kind of fitness conversations about what to do, how to do it, and how you can get results faster. If you’re like most people nowadays, you’re clicking around through the internet, searching on current fitness trends and what would work best for you and how to go about implementing it.

Well, here’s one more for you to contemplate. Work on building up your “Core” So do you really know what people mean when they’re talking about “Core”?
The “core” is a term used to describe just about everything on your body that isn't your legs and arms. This means you can think of your glutes, hips, abdominal muscles, inner abdominal muscles, pelvic floor, and scapula as your core. Your core is where your power is generated in order to carry out any movement. Your core muscles help strengthen and stabilize your spine and pelvis, which is why developing a powerful core is the first step to making your whole body stronger.

But you need to “Own” your commitment to building up your “Core” and its not getting any easier to find the time to do this. Remember, those New Year resolutions you made about 8 weeks back? Well, if you’re like most Americans, about 41% made a New Year resolution after that ball dropped at midnight. Out of that 41 %, 21% of them made the resolution to get fitter for 2018. But as in preceding years, at this time of year, by the end of February, only about 8% of those resolutions made are still being kept. Something we can probably all agree on: It's freakin' tough to stay fit when life's just this busy, and it only seems to get harder every year, especially when it means blocking off time to get in your exercises!

So, what is a "Beginner Fitter", To do?
So maybe you aren’t in good enough shape to get down and give us 50 crunches. But we know you’re not looking to ignore your core either. Well here’s no small truth: A strong midsection isn’t all about six-pack abs. Every time you lug in the groceries, shovel some heavy snow, or get out there (weather permitting) to do some landscaping around your home that involves digging, raking or picking up cut branches, to some extent your relying on your core as a foundation of strength to be able to accomplish these tasks.

Lots of beginners have upper back tension or lower back issues. Your core is located in your posterior chain and strengthening it will help keep your chest up and your spine strong, which can correlate to some back pain relief.

Whether you’re getting back into fitness after a lapse or you’re an exercise newbie, developing a solid core will increase your stability and balance. Translation: You’ll be able to perform more advanced moves with confidence as you regain your strength.

Below are a few exercises you can do, without the need to get to a gym and use their equipment. But to keep you honest and to track your exercise routines to make sure you are accomplishing your goals of working your “Core” and getting the maximum out of your workout routines, you should use an activity tracker. This way it automatically records your activity levels and provides that data to you so you can track just how well you're doing against what you need to attain your weekly or monthly fitness goals. One such tracker is the Garmin Vivofit 3  You can actually set daily goals for yourself in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Vívofit 3 acquires information about your current activity levels and accordingly assigns daily goals. It keeps on refreshing your daily goals as you achieve the previous ones and helps you march towards a better and healthier life. And if you happen to be sitting a little too much throughout the day, it’s going to remind you that its time you moved so that you maintain the proper movement within your daily lifestyle. So, take advantage of what technology has to offer you in helping you to achieve that “Core” that will carry you through any kind of life obstacle!

Bird-Dog Crunch
Targets: Abs, hamstrings, glutes and shoulders
Stronger abs don’t develop overnight, you’ll have to first learn how to activate your core. For this essential True Beginner core exercise, start on the floor on all fours, hands placed directly underneath your shoulders, hips in line with your knees. This is your starting position. Lift your right hand and extend your arm straight out in on you, keeping it shoulder height, while simultaneously lifting your left leg and extending it straight back (a). Your whole body should be in a straight line from right fingertips to left toes. Bring your left leg to touch your right elbow under your stomach. Extend your leg and arm out again. Return to starting position (b). Repeat on the other side (c). Do five reps on each side.

Modification: If you’re unable to maintain form, simplify this movement by forgoing the crunch. Instead, extend your arm and opposite leg out and hold for three seconds, then switch sides.

Standing Bicycle Crunches
Targets: Oblique’s, rotational muscles
Do traditional crunches cause discomfort? Rubin suggests this True Beginner variation instead. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, hands placed behind your head. With a tight core, straight back and relaxed shoulders lift your right leg and simultaneously raise your right knee and lower your left elbow towards each other (a). Return to the starting position (b). Repeat on the opposite side. Do five reps on each side.

Modification: If rotating your upper body downwards is too difficult, simply lift your knee to your chest while keeping your upper body still, alternating legs.

Seated Leg Lifts
Targets: Abs, hamstrings
Don’t be fooled by this basic-looking leg lift: Beginners to even more advanced folks will start feeling the burn after a few reps. Sit on the floor, legs extended straight out in front of you. Keeping your core engaged, lean back slightly, so you’re able to place your hands on either side of your glutes. Take a deep breath and lift one leg six inches off the ground (a). Hold for five seconds, and then put it down. Repeat with the other leg (b). Continue alternating for one-minute straight, then take a 20-second break. Repeat for five rounds.

Modification: To make this exercise easier, lift one leg at a time without stopping to hold each one extended for five seconds. Need more of a challenge? After lifting a heel, bring your knee into your chest, then extend your heel back out and lower down. Repeat on the opposite side.

Sit-Ups
Targets: Abs, possibly hip flexors depending on range of motion
If performed incorrectly, sit-ups can cause more pain than they’re worth. Rubin breaks down how to safely and effectively perform the move. To start, sit on the floor with your knees bent, heels touching the floor, hands on either side of your head, shoulders dropped and relaxed to avoid tension in the neck. Keeping your feet on the ground, lay back until your back is flat on the floor, or as far as you’re able (a). Rise back up (b). Continue for one minute straight, then take a 20-second break. Repeat for five rounds.

Modification: Having trouble keeping your core and back engaged? Slowly lower yourself as far as you can, and work up to lowering completely down to the floor. There’s no need to go all the way back until you can maintain perfect form.

Modified Bicycle Crunch
Targets: Oblique’s, rotational muscles
Start in the same neutral position as the sit-up, sitting with knees bent, heels flat on the floor, hands on either side of your head (a). Bring the right knee and left elbow towards one another, with a simple and gentle twist (b). Return to the start position (c). Complete the movement with the left knee and right elbow. Continue for one minute straight, then take a 20-second break. Repeat for five rounds.

Modification: This is a major progression from the sit-up, so if this movement is tough for you, keep practicing sit-ups

Spider Plank Crunch
Targets: Lower abs, glutes
Still, have fuel left in the tank? Rubin challenges True Beginners to tap into their Spidey sense. Start in a push-up position, hands on the ground directly underneath your shoulders, legs extended backward with your toes on the ground, so your body is in a straight line. Lift your right leg and bring your knee towards the outside of your right elbow (a). Return to plank position (b). Repeat the movement with the other leg. Do five reps with each leg.

Modification: If this is too challenging, simply hold a plank on your elbows or hands for 30 seconds at a time, for three rounds. (If you have a wrist issue, try doing this movement on your elbows.)

Now, remember, these exercises are geared to help you increase the strength to your overall “Core” if one or two of them seem a little hard when you first try them. Lay back a bit but continue to work your way up to the recommended reps associated with each, and in no time you’re going to be cranking them out on a consistent basis.

You have to think of your body's "Core" as your structural foundation. Like any good contractor knows, your buildings are only as good as the foundation it rests upon. Make the effort to be sure your own "Core" is up to the task of supporting you, and all the fitness routines you want to put it through.

Ok, anyone that is looking to get in better shape has probably heard all kind of fitness conversations about what to do, how to do it, and how you can get results faster. If you’re like most people now a days, you’re clicking around through the internet, searching on current fitness trends and what would work best for you and how to go about implementing it.

Well, here’s one more for you to contemplate. Work on building up your “Core” So do you really know what people mean when they’re talking about “Core”?
The “core” is a term used to describe just about everything on your body that isn't your legs and arms. This means you can think of your glutes, hips, abdominal muscles, inner abdominal muscles, pelvic floor, and scapula as your core. Your core is where your power is generated in order to carry out any movement. Your core muscles help strengthen and stabilize your spine and pelvis, which is why developing a powerful core is the first step to making your whole body stronger.

But you need to “Own” your commitment to building up your “Core” and it's not getting any easier to find the time to do this. Remember, those New Year resolutions you made about 8 weeks back? Well, if you’re like most Americans, about 41% made a New Year resolution after that ball dropped at midnight. Out of those 41%, 21% of them made the resolution to get fitter for 2018. But as in preceding years, at this time of year, by the end of February, only about 8% of those resolutions made are still being kept. Something we can probably all agree on: It's freakin' tough to stay fit when life's just this busy, and it only seems to get harder every year, especially when it means blocking off time to get in your exercises!

So, what is a beginner fitter, “Want-To-Be to do”?
So maybe you aren’t in good enough shape to get down and give us 50 crunches. But we know you’re not looking to ignore your core either. Well here’s no small truth: A strong midsection isn’t all about six-pack abs. Every time you lug in the groceries, shovel some heavy snow, or get out there (weather permitting) to do some landscaping around your home that involves digging, raking or picking up cut branches, to some extent your relying on your core as a foundation of strength to be able to accomplish these tasks.

Lots of beginners have upper back tension or lower back issues. Your core is located in your posterior chain and strengthening it will help keep your chest up and your spine strong, which can correlate to some back pain relief.

Whether you’re getting back into fitness after a lapse or you’re an exercise newbie, developing a solid core will increase your stability and balance. Translation: You’ll be able to perform more advanced moves with confidence as you regain your strength.

Below are a few exercises you can do, without the need to get to a gym and use their equipment. But to keep you honest and to track your exercise routines to make sure you're accomplishing your goals of working your “Core” and getting the maximum out of your workout routines, you should use an activity tracker. This way it automatically records your activity levels and provides that data to you so you can track just how well you're doing against what you need to attain your weekly or monthly fitness goals. One such tracker is the Garmin Vivofit 3 ) You can actually set daily goals for yourself in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Vívofit 3 acquires information about your current activity levels and accordingly assigns daily goals. It keeps on refreshing your daily goals as you achieve the previous ones and helps you march towards a better and healthier life. And if you happen to be sitting a little too much throughout the day, it’s going to remind you that its time you moved so that you maintain the proper movement within your daily lifestyle. So, take advantage of what technology has to offer you in helping you to achieve that “Core” that will carry you through any kind of life obstacle!

Bird-Dog Crunch
Targets: Abs, hamstrings, glutes, and shoulders
Stronger abs don’t develop overnight — you’ll have to first learn how to activate your core. For this essential True Beginner core exercise, start on the floor on all fours, hands placed directly underneath your shoulders, hips in line with your knees. This is your starting position. Lift your right hand and extend your arm straight out in on you, keeping it shoulder height, while simultaneously lifting your left leg and extending it straight back (a). Your whole body should be in a straight line from right fingertips to left toes. Bring your left leg to touch your right elbow under your stomach. Extend your leg and arm out again. Return to starting position (b). Repeat on the other side (c). Do five reps on each side.

Modification: If you’re unable to maintain form, simplify this movement by forgoing the crunch. Instead, extend your arm and opposite leg out and hold for three seconds, then switch sides.

Standing Bicycle Crunches
Targets: Oblique’s, rotational muscles
Do traditional crunches cause discomfort? Rubin suggests this True Beginner variation instead. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, hands placed behind your head. With a tight core, straight back and relaxed shoulders lift your right leg and simultaneously raise your right knee and lower your left elbow towards each other (a). Return to the starting position (b). Repeat on the opposite side. Do five reps on each side.

Modification: If rotating your upper body downwards is too difficult, simply lift your knee to your chest while keeping your upper body still, alternating legs.

Seated Leg Lifts
Targets: Abs, hamstrings
Don’t be fooled by this basic-looking leg lift: Beginners to even more advanced folks will start feeling the burn after a few reps. Sit on the floor, legs extended straight out in front of you. Keeping your core engaged, lean back slightly, so you’re able to place your hands on either side of your glutes. Take a deep breath and lift one leg six inches off the ground (a). Hold for five seconds, and then put it down. Repeat with the other leg (b). Continue alternating for one-minute straight, then take a 20-second break. Repeat for five rounds.

Modification: To make this exercise easier, lift one leg at a time without stopping to hold each one extended for five seconds. Need more of a challenge? After lifting a heel, bring your knee into your chest, then extend your heel back out and lower down. Repeat on the opposite side.

Sit-Ups
Targets: Abs, possibly hip flexors depending on range of motion
If performed incorrectly, sit-ups can cause more pain than they’re worth. Rubin breaks down how to safely and effectively perform the move. To start, sit on the floor with your knees bent, heels touching the floor, hands on either side of your head, shoulders dropped and relaxed to avoid tension in the neck. Keeping your feet on the ground, lay back until your back is flat on the floor, or as far as you’re able (a). Rise back up (b). Continue for one minute straight, then take a 20-second break. Repeat for five rounds.

Modification: Having trouble keeping your core and back engaged? Slowly lower yourself as far as you can, and work up to lowering completely down to the floor. There’s no need to go all the way back until you can maintain perfect form.

Modified Bicycle Crunch
Targets: Oblique’s, rotational muscles
Start in the same neutral position as the set-up, sitting with knees bent, heels flat on the floor, hands on either side of your head (a). Bring the right knee and left elbow towards one another, with a simple and gentle twist (b). Return to the start position (c). Complete the movement with the left knee and right elbow. Continue for one minute straight, then take a 20-second break. Repeat for five rounds.

Modification: This is a major progression from the sit-up, so if this movement is tough for you, keep practicing sit-ups

Spider Plank Crunch
Targets: Lower abs, glutes
Still, have fuel left in the tank? Rubin challenges True Beginners to tap into their Spidey sense. Start in a push-up position, hands on the ground directly underneath your shoulders, legs extended backward with your toes on the ground, so your body is in a straight line. Lift your right leg and bring your knee towards the outside of your right elbow (a). Return to plank position (b). Repeat the movement with the other leg. Do five reps with each leg.

Modification: If this is too challenging, simply hold a plank on your elbows or hands for 30 seconds at a time, for three rounds. (If you have a wrist issue, try doing this movement on your elbows.)

Now, remember, these exercises are geared to help you increase the strength to your overall “Core” if one or two of them seem a little hard when you first try them. Lay back a bit but continue to work your way up to the recommended reps associated with each and in time you’re going to be cranking them out on a consistent basis.

6/20/2016: The Day the Earth Stood Still (for me). The day my internist called to tell me “It’s bad. Really bad.” Ovarian Cancer. Further testing revealed it to be the worst: stage 4. Meaning it wasn’t just throughout my abdomen and bowels, but it had migrated to lymph nodes around my heart and chest. The first words from my oncologist: “Your life as you now know it will never be the same.”

Chilled me to my bones, those words.

How can this be? I’m a lifelong competitive runner, nutritionally aware, a “practice what I preach” sports physical therapist. Used to being the healer/caregiver, I never thought I’d be the one needing help: the (gulp) patient.

After listening to (and researching) the laundry list of problems I would encounter with the aggressive chemotherapy, I decided I was going to think outside the box, be proactive and use my physical therapy knowledge to deal with the predicted physical issues.

First goal: I will always walk or walk/run to chemo no matter what (yes, initially my husband had to pick me up afterward for safety reasons). Chemo was only 3.5 miles away, so it seemed doable. It did get a little tough over the winter months, but I had it all figured out. Dress warmly in layers, and carry a change of clothes in my backpack. Use the ladies

room at the hospital to “baby-wipe” myself down, change and go for treatment. My oncologist got a real kick out of this; he said in his line of work he never sees a patient in better shape than himself!

Second goal: No pain or “feel good” meds for me, no sirree; with the exception of the now legal in NJ medical marijuana……great for getting me “out of my head” and letting me sleep at night. I am now really good at making cannabutter. But that’s another story; possibly a cookbook in my future?

Interestingly, the things I was doing before: working, running, cross training, strength training, core, postural, flexibility exercises, and foam rolling are really helping me combat the side effects.

- Stiff, tight muscles? Self-active release, foam roll (and the Melt Method – thank you Sue Hitzmann) ; gentle stretching. Check.

- Neuropathy (tingling, occasional numbness and cold in hands feet)? It’s all about revving up the circulation! Gentle, (for me) sustained cardio (run/walk; elliptical, arc trainer, spin cycle) along with the above. Check.

- Joint pain? I am a whiz at Kinesio/Rock taping, temporary splinting. This knowledge has taken me quite a long way for pain relief. As a last resort, I’ll self-medicate occasionally with children's liquid Tylenol or Advil (less stomach irritation for me in this form and you can really dose control). Check.

- Fatigue and/or weakness? High rep, low weight strength training; body weight core and postural program. A few days of taking it easy. Check.

People always ask me how they can help. I don’t honestly know unless you are going through the same thing I am. I could use some advice from folks that have been there. One thing I know for sure: don’t tell me how “strong” and “brave” I am!! You would do exactly as I’m doing: by facing this head on and trying not to fall apart! There’s no bravery there, really, just reaction based on fear. Bottom line? Survival. And please, don’t throw a pity party for me. It’s all there in your eyes, and I can plainly see it.

Yes, I’ve had to make some major modifications to pre-cancer previous routine, but I am able to incorporate everything into my cancer battle. My work hours are significantly reduced, and my running is now walking/running but I power through this daily. Staying motivated to continue my daily exercise is also a challenge, but I’ve found music really helps. My surprising go-to song? Learn How to Live (thank you 80’s pop idol, Billy Squier!).

There are specific lines in certain songs that just make me tear up when I hear them: Hercules Mulligan (Hamilton: The Battle of Yorktown) rapping: “When you knock me down I get the F*** back up again!” Fun! (the song? Carry On): “May your past be the sound of your feet upon the ground.” Gets me every time.

Then there are some days I just don’t want to get out of bed. But hey, there were days I didn’t want to get out of bed B.C. (before cancer)!

The psychological issues continue to be much more of a struggle for me than the physical ones. It comes down to “quality of life”. How does one define this? It’s all relative, really. I’m used to a very physical life with both work and play, so my definition may not compare to someone else’s.

I know I’ll never be able to go back to my former life. But how do I find a “new normal?” I haven’t yet been able to sit down and come up with a new plan for myself; establish new goals outside of my cancer life. Finding a new purpose. The hardest task of all.

Cancer, of any form, is a very real and personal illness which affects many people in many different ways!  This story is from Janice Morra, who as you can see was very active and took her physical condition, prior to being diagnosed, very seriously. It was this lifestyle of physical activity that she pursued, which helped her to compete against this illness and not just simply throw in the towel.  

 Guest Blogger: Janice Morra