How to Improve Your Mobility...
with a Unique 5 Minute Stretching Routine
Ronald Grisanti D.C., D.A.B.C.O., DACBN, MS, CFMP
What if you could significantly improve your mobility in just 5 minutes daily?
I recently discovered an excellent and well done video by Jeremy Ethier who provides a short 5 minute video detailing how by focusing on three key areas—the hips, upper back, and ankles one can make a dramatic improvement in their flexibility and mobility.
He walks you through 5 simple yet highly effective exercises, complete with form tips and progressions.
You will learn the "world's greatest stretch" that hits all the problem areas at once.
To quite honest I have found these moves to be a mobility game-changer.
And since it only takes 5 minutes, it's a routine you can actually stick with.
Considering I will soon turn 67 years old, I've found these mobility exercises to be an essential part of my daily exercise routine for performance and injury prevention.
Watch the following 5 minute YouTube Video by Jeremy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOuKeVuej9E
Dr. Grisanti's Comments:
Jeremy Ethier is the founder of Built With Science and a fitness expert who has mastered the art of combining science with training and nutrition.
Ethier is an FMS certified kinesiologist who has helped millions of people improve their fitness.
Ethier's training methods are based on countless hours of research of peer-reviewed studies, as well as personal trial-and-error.
Credentials:
Bachelor's degree in Science, specializing in Kinesiology
FMS certified (Functional Movement Systems)
PPSC certified (Postural Restoration Performance Specialist)
Throughout his career, he has the privilege of collaborating with renowned experts in the field of fitness and nutrition. Collaborations with esteemed researchers such as Bret Contreras, Dr. Stuart McGill, Eric Trexler, Alan Aragon, Brad Schoenfeld, Dr. Bill Campbell and Layne Norton has further enriched his knowledge and helped many people stay at the forefront of cutting-edge research.
He strives to maintain trust and confidence with his audience by prioritizing accuracy, transparency, and integrity in everything he does.
He meticulously analyzes research studies, critically evaluates scientific literature, and synthesizes complex information into digestible, actionable content.
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** Always consult with a physician or healthcare practitioner with significant integrative or functional medicine training before starting any of the above recommendations.
You can find a qualified and certified functional medicine practitioner by going to: www.FunctionalMedicineDoctors.com
The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Dr. Grisanti and his functional medicine community. Dr. Grisanti encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional. Visit www.FunctionalMedicineUniversity.com for more information on our training in functional medicine. Look for practitioners who have successfully completed the Functional Medicine University's Certification Program (CFMP) www.functionalmedicinedoctors.com. This content may be copied in full, with copyright, contact, creation and information intact, without specific permission, when used only in a not-for-profit format. If any other use is desired, permission in writing from Dr. Grisanti is required.
High-Intensity Interval Training
High Intensity Interval Training
Ronald Grisanti D.C., D.A.B.C.O., DACBN, MS, CFMP
When it comes to lowering blood pressure exercise is a non-negotiable factor.
You may be thinking what is the most effective form of exercise to lower blood pressure.
More and more studies are showing the exciting results of something called HIIT in lowering blood pressure. HIIT stands for High Intensity Interval Training
What is HIIT?
HIIT is not any specific exercise, rather, it is a technique. You can apply this technique to almost any kind of exercise whether it be walking, riding a bike, swimming, doing some body weight exercises or even dancing in your living room.
** ALWAYS CHECK WITH YOUR PHYSICIAN BEFORE STARTING ANY FORM OF EXERCISE FOR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
HIIT training consists of combining very short bursts of working at your absolute max alternating short periods of active recovery rest. Research has found that this form of exercising gives you more health benefits than any other way of exercising.
It shortens the amount of time you need to spend on exercise and is more effective; you work out for just 10-30 minutes and reap impressive health benefits. You burn more body fat, your metabolism is stimulated for long after you finish exercising, and it also it helps you utilize oxygen more efficiently.
One of the biggest benefits people find from HIIT is the reduction in training time. Through HIIT, you can put in about half the amount of time compared to traditional cardio exercise to reach your goals.
One study found that just 2 minutes of HIIT sprinting increased metabolism as much as 30 minutes of running. HIIT increases the efficiency of your heart and HIIT training also has a major effect on naturally lowering your blood pressure.
HIIT and blood pressure:
Although most any type of exercise has its benefits, HIIT shines when it comes to saving time. Using the HIIT technique is the ultimate short-cut.
Study after study shows that HIIT exercise improves blood pressure in people with hypertension better than any other kind of exercise routine.
HIIT is extremely effective in reducing resting heart rate and blood pressure in overweight and obese individuals.
It has been shown that HIIT exercising just 3 times per week for just 20 minutes at a time lowers blood pressure more effectively than continuous endurance training.
What is the science that makes HIIT so effective?
HIIT training changes something called endothelial function.
The endothelium is a very thin membrane that lines the inside of your heart and your blood vessels. The cells in this membrane release a variety of substances that control how your blood vessels relax and contract.
We know that stiff hard arteries play a role in high blood pressure.
The ability of your artery walls to expand (vasodilate) is very important.
You need to have flexibility in your arteries to allow for appropriate blood flow throughout your body.
HIIT improves endothelial function and reduces the stiffness in your artery walls more so than any other traditional form or exercise.
Just a 1% improvement in your endothelial function can result in a 13% reduction in the risk of cardiovascular events like heart attacks and strokes.
One study showed that 73% of people restored blood pressure to normal using a HIIT training method for just 2 months and 24 exercise sessions. There was a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure from 145.4 (± 9.0) to 118.3 ( ± 15.6) mm Hg.
How to Apply HIIT
With HIIT training you're are going to go ‘all out' at a high intensity for short amounts of time. You then do an ‘active recovery' rest for a short interval. You can apply this technique to any kind of exercise, walking, running, jumping rope, cycling and even to weight training.
I personally prefer using a stationary bike for minimizing injury. It is simply a great option to implement HIIT into your workouts.
Using the HIIT on a stationary bike
Warm-up for 5 minutes on a low setting.
After your 5 minute warm-up increase the tension on the bike and pedal as fast as you can for 20 seconds. This is called the Sprint phase. After the 20 second sprint phase, lower the tension on the bike and comfortably pedal for 2 minutes.
This is one session of HIIT.
Repeat the above 5 times and you are done.
Heart Recovery Tip
After doing your 20 second sprint, lower the tension and wait 60 seconds and check your pulse. You want your elevated pulse to come down between 8-10 beats. This is your heart recovery zone. If for some reason your pulse does not come down 8-10 beats you should stop and call it a day. For example: After you do your all out sprint for 20 minutes your heart rate when go up to 110 beats. After one minute of decreasing the tension and comfortably pedaling, your heart rate should come down to 100-102 beats. That is a good heart recovery.
Although as I mentioned above I prefer the stationary bike this can be applied to walking as well. Simply walking at a comfortable pace for 5 minutes then do an all out "brisk" walk for 20 seconds. Walking comfortably for 2 minutes then repeat five times.
That is all you need to do to maximize this effective form of exercise (HIIT) to lower your blood pressure.
References
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29424402/
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-of-hiit#TOC_TITLE_HDR_8
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21450580/
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1741826711400512
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0531556516306003
Compliments of Functional Medicine University www.FunctionalMedicineUniversity.com
Zone 2 Training Benefits for Improved Cardiovascular Health
Zone 2 Training Benefits for Improved Cardiovascular Health
Ronald Grisanti D.C., D.A.B.C.O., DACBN, MS, CFMP
When it comes to fitness training especially the term cardio, I want to provide a simplified explanation of the term, Zone 2 training.
What is Zone 2 Training
Zone 2 refers to a low-intensity heart rate zone (between 60% to 70% of the maximum heart rate).
Zone 2 training corresponds with increased fat loss, cardiovascular health, and healthy mitochondrial function.
The zones go upward in intensity from one to five:
Zone 1 (50-60% HRmax): Lower intensity movements, mostly warm-up and cool-down exercises.
Zone 2 (60-70% HRmax): Moderate activity, with potential manageability for longer periods.
Zone 3 (70-80% HRmax): Aerobic exercise, higher intensity training than zone 2, but more difficult to sustain for longer periods.
Zone 4 (80-90% HRmax): Intense anaerobic exercise that builds muscle, such as weight lifting.
Zone 5 (90%+ HRmax): Exercises and drills performed at maximal exertion for short periods of time, like sprints.
How to calculate Zone 2 training level:
1: Estimate your maximum heart rate based on your age. To estimate your maximum age-related heart rate, subtract your age from 220. For example, for a 50-year-old person, the estimated maximum age-related heart rate would be calculated as 220 – 50 years = 170 beats per minute (bpm)
2: To determine Zone 2 training level simply take your maximum heart rate and multiply by 60% and 70%. So the 50 -year-old person with a maximum age-related heart rate would have a Zone 2 training level at 102 (60%) and 119 (70%).
Compliments of https://www.inchcalculator.com
Benefits of Zone 2 Heart Rate Training
- Increase in the number of mitochondria
- increase in mitochondrial efficiency
- increase in “metabolic flexibility”
- lower resting heart rate
- a decrease in blood pressure
- lower risk of injury
- improves insulin resistance
- improve your ability to run/cycle longer
- improve your resilience and ability to deal with increasing load.
- improved longevity
Best Exercises to Incorporate Zone 2 Training
- Walking
- Light jogging
- Rowing
- Swimming
- Biking/cycling
- Dancing
What is the right dose of zone 2?
For a beginner: 2 hours a week is a good place to start
Ideally: 3-4 hours per week
Dr. Grisanti's Comments:
Exercise comes in all different forms and I commonly err on the side of being conservative but still striving for optimal benefits. I see way too many people pushing themselves to the brink of exhaustion to obtain cardiovascular and fat loss health benefits. It simply is not necessary and in fact can be counterproductive for optimal health and even fat loss.
Zone 2 offers what I commonly hear as the "sweet spot" for achieving optimal cardiovascular health.
With proper clearance from your physician I strongly encourage Zone 2 training. I believe you will be pleasantly surprised with the benefits.
References:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28393328/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32514573/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29695511/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29986718/
https://www.howardluksmd.com/zone-2-hr-training-live-longer-less-injury/
https://drruscio.com/zone-2-training/
** Always consult with a physician or healthcare practitioner with significant integrative or functional medicine training before starting any form of exercise.
You can find a qualified and certified functional medicine practitioner by going to: www.FunctionalMedicineDoctors.com
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