4fitbodies.com

I will be adding some exciting new features to my personal training site, www.4 fitbodies.com, so check back often.

Of course, this will continue to be the best place to find articles I write on personal training and sports training as well as weight loss and fitness.

So if you have questions, be sure to get with me. I have also recently joined the Douglasville, Georgia Chamber of Commerce so if you are a member, get with me at one of the meetings as I am looking forward to meeting all of you!!

Tags: Fitness, Sports Fitness by David Hansey, Personal Trainer
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What is the core? You have probably heard the term bouncing around and may not be fully aware of what the core is. Your core is made up of 29 muscles that support your spine. You may know some of them as abs, obliques, lumbar, etc.
A strong core is critical to great golf for ONE MAIN REASON. Your core transfers power to your upper body when you swing. So, if your core is not tuned, your swing will never be as good as it could be.
Core training is accomplished by many movements and some of these can be golf-specific. If you are completely unaware where to start, drop by and see me and I will be happy to discuss your goals and some options with you.
If you are familiar with the gym, you may think that you just need to hit your abs harder. Core training is not just about the abs. It is about balance. If you overtrain your abs and ignore the rest, your core is still weak. So, it is about giving attention to the entire core – balance.
This is also a bit of a play on words because your core is also about balance. Your core helps your balance too! Many great core moves are about creating imbalance so your core has to engage during other activities. Do you see people using the big physio balls? That is what they are doing with them. Performing a move like your bicep curl on the ball engages your core so you are doing double-duty. This is a great way to sneak a few extra core moves into your routine. This, along with a few core specific moves should be all you need to make your shot the very best it can be.

And remember, if you need a little help with your training program or you do not understand the above, a few personal training sessions can really help!! Ask me if you need help.

Tags: Fitness, Sports Fitness, golf by David Hansey, Personal Trainer
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Wishing everyone a Happy Easter!

Remember a healthy lifestyle means all things in moderation. So go ahead and enjoy the chocolate and the Easter eggs today — just there is more pleasure in the taste of the first one than the 5th one….. so why not just have one.

And for other indulgences, remember the 3 bite rule, if it is an indulgence, try having just one bite, but for sure stopping at 3 — more will not necessarily make you happier.

I have added a new marathon page so if you are interested in running or marathons, check it out often as I will be adding training routines and a bunch of info on racing and running.

Also be sure to check out my latest article in the Chapel Hill News where I go over some details on sports specific training.

And again, happy Easter!!
Dave Hansey

Tags: Chapel Hill News, Fitness, Marathon Training, Running, Sports Fitness by David Hansey, Personal Trainer
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Hamstring injuries can be extremely painful. They are also a chronic problem for many athletes. They are not avoidable in every case, but there are many things you can do to prevent them.
Hamstring injuries are caused by a variety of things such as muscle imbalances, mineral deficiencies, overtraining and dehydration.
With any injury, your first visit should be to your doctor. He can diagnose your injury. He can also refer you on to a specialist if your injury is severe. He is also the only person that can tell you if you can begin rehabilitation and training. Visiting your doctor is critical. It also will help your trainer to help you with your rehabilitation training. Once you are on the road to recovery, you need to review your training and your body to prevent being injured again.
A body alignment test is a great way to find muscle imbalances. As Gold’s Gym’s only Certified Sports Fitness Specialist and Douglasville’s only Certified Performance Enhancement Specialist (the pinnicle in personal training certifications), I can assess your movement and posture for muscle imbalances and help you to develop a program to correct these imbalances.
You may think that your posture is fine because you sit up straight. Posture and movement consists of more than just sitting up straight. It consists of many minor nuances such as not having a tilt in your pelvis and not rolling your feet when you bend your knees. It is difficult for you to see all of these items on your own.

Tags: Fitness, Injury Prevention, Sports Fitness by David Hansey, Personal Trainer
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Stability Training

David Hansey

NASM Certified Performance Enhancement Specialist

NASM Certified Sports Fitness Specialist

NASM Certified Personal Trainer

Any strength training program should be progressive and the first step is always to correct imbalances and gain stability in order to move on and strengthen. This is one of the reasons why I always suggest at least a few personal training sessions for anyone starting a new sport or returning to a sport after a break. Just because you think you are “fit” does not necessarily mean you are in optimal shape to prevent injury once you start to play. I see clients almost every day who complain of injury. And most of these injuries can be traced back to using poor mechanics to compensate for weak or tight muscles.

This is also true in teens. Just because your child is slender and active does not mean that they have the shoulder stability to pitch baseball games. Nor does it mean that the training they receive on their team will help them gain this stability. Most sports training programs are just what they say they are. Programs to help you perfect your game and be a more capable player. They rarely include a personalized training program to assess and correct your personal needs. That is where personal training comes into play.

Once your weaknesses, strengths and goals have been assessed, it is time to lay out a training program that will correct any weaknesses and will help you to get to a point where improvements to your game are noticeable because you have the strength and balance to perform the movements correctly.

The first part of your training program must include stabilization exercises. I cannot stress this enough. These exercises are the “building blocks” that allow you to continue on to strength and power training. Failure to build muscle stability just increases your chance of injury. And to be honest, EVERYONE should review their stability needs. I am not just talking about elite athletes here. I see weekend tennis players with sore elbows. I see golfers with sore elbows, wrists, shoulders and lower backs. I see baseball players (and as young as 10 years old) with elbow and shoulder problems. I see runners with sore ankles and knees. I even see people who take aerobics or walk with sore ankles, knees, feet and shoulders. And almost EVERY single one of these complaints can be corrected with stability training. So be sure to get your body assessed and add stability training to your program today.

Regardless of your sport, the off-season is the time to make these assessments and train for improvement so when the time comes to play; you are stronger, faster, more accurate and less prone to injury. For more information on Sports Specific Training, call me at 404-514-1896 or visit my website at www.4fitbodies.com.

Tags: Chapel Hill News, Flexibility, Sports Fitness by David Hansey, Personal Trainer
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