Common Exercise Injuries and How to Avoid Them

The Most Common Gym Injuries

By a show of hands, who has ever been injured by performing exercise at a gym? What’s the matter, can’t raise your arm?  Perhaps you should read this post.   (Thanks to Marta Montenegro, MF, MS, CSCS, NSCA-CPT, for providing the basis for this article.)

If you avoid exercising because of fear of injury you risk losing the many benefits of moving your body daily. Compare this to the risk of serious health concerns, coupled with the need to be energized for the demands of daily life, and the risk of gym injury seems minor.

What are the reasons for most injuries caused by exercise?  In my experience they occur due to a common list of behavior:

  • Improper Exercise Form and Posture
  • Poor Exercise Technique
  • Lack Of Appropriate Recovery Time
  • Muscle And Joint Imbalances
  • Lack Of Cross-Training Activities
  • Ignoring Chronic Pain

Who gets hurt and why?

According to “The Overview of Strength Training Injuries: Acute and Chronic,” Current Sports Medicine Reports (2010).  Moshe Lewis, MD, MPH, Volunteer Clinical Faculty, UCSF Chief, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, the lower back, knees, shoulders and ankles are the most frequent injury spots. The strength training overview report shows that males had a larger proportion of upper trunk injuries (26.8 percent) when compared to women (18.4 percent). Females had a larger proportion of foot injuries (22.9 percent) than males (11 percent).

Women are more likely to be injured in fitness classes, whereas men are more likely to cause injuries to themselves by lifting weights.  Few men cross gender lines to join the females in these exercise classes that traditionally involve a rapid succession of twisting movements, a common root of injuries.

Avoiding these common injuries by following simple but practiced habits:

1. When Lifting Weights: Upper Body

Avoid excessive external rotation of the upper arm when doing shoulder press. If you are using machines, select a machine that provides a hand position that does not require excessive external rotation.

Similarly, if using free weights do not perform the overhead press or lat pulldown from behind the neck. Also avoid using a heavy weight that requires the use of momentum and induces poor form. Instead perform the exercise using a controlled motion and concentrate on good form.

In regards the chest press and triceps dip moves, avoid overextending the shoulder joint. Keep the arms close to the bench when doing dips. Likewise, when performing chest presses, keep the arms at a proper angle (70 to 80 degrees) in relation to body to avoid shoulder impingement.  If you already suffer from shoulder impingement, do shoulder press with a neutral grip (palms facing each other) to avoid excessive pressure in this area.

2. When Lifting Weights: Lower Body

The back plays a primary role in overall body stabilization; therefore it has a role in all moves such as squats, deadlifts, leg press, lunges, standing exercises and rotational movement.

How to avoid it? First, check your form. One way to reduce the risk of injury is to maintain good form.  With many exercises this means maintaining a “neutral spine” position where the pelvic areas is neither back nor forward. Image stacking your spinal disks like dominos; one gets out of alignment and the entire stack is compromised. Strengthen this area by doing a combination of static and dynamic moves such as:

a) Planks. Start with the basic, holding the position for up to 60 seconds, repeat 3 times. Progress gradually to planks lifting one foot at a time to then one arm at a time without twisting your hips and while keeping the back flat.

b) High And Low Cable Wood Chops (2-3 sets of 10-12 reps).

When performing free weight exercises such as squats and lunges, flex the hips and knees slowly, avoiding unnecessary forward momentum to complete each repetition.  Keep your bodyweight over the middle and heel area of the feet. Very importantly, keep the knees aligned over the feet and do not let the knees go beyond the toes when descending.

To avoid excessive stress on the ligaments, don’t let the thighs go beyond a parallel position to the floor. Stop the descent if the lower back begins to round or the heels rise off the floor. When performing the leg press or similar movements on machines avoid using excessive weight. How do you know?  If you find yourself slipping down in the seat and rounding your back to execute each repetition, then it’s too much weight.  Performing the exercise in this manner places excessive strain on the tendons.  As we age, tendons are the weak link the muscle-tendon chain, often the cause of chronic pain and injury.

Foot risks: The most common type of ankle sprains, lateral or inversion sprains, occurs when the foot is turned inward on the leg. Frequently the cause of injury can be stepping on an uneven surface, or landing with the bottom of the foot turned inward.

How to avoid it? In step classes the exercisers are required to step up and down at various angles. As the class progresses, in trying to keep with the cadence (or instructor), the participants can fatigue and lose their coordination. When this happens they don’t step unto or off of the platform correctly and they roll their ankle. Maintain good technique even if it means falling behind the cadence. Also remember that it is OK to stop for a while and catch your breath. Also, when lifting weights, perform the exercises in standing position and once you feel strong, mix up some moves with one leg lifted off the floor. It’s important to work on balance moves since we tend to spend so much time sitting.

Cardio Warning

For Ken Baldwin, assistant professor Department of Sport and Wellness SUNY-Plattsburg, everything starts with a good posture. Baldwin notes he is concerned when people are running, spinning or using the elliptical machine.

“When people hunch over and lean their head forward, they are not in good alignment, their back’s rounded out. Every time your heel hits the ground, you’re putting major stress on the back—from the lower back to cervical spine. If you do it for 20 to 30 minutes in the wrong alignment, there’s no wonder why your knees, hips and back are bothering you,”

How to fix it?

Baldwin recommends looking at the entire posture alignment when hitting any cardio machine.  “Make sure both shoulders are level, the head is leveled,” he says. “When I look at them from the side with the ear, shoulder, hip joint going linear in a straight line, the better posture alignment allows more muscles to develop better in balance with the body.”

Four points of posture

1) Sit/stand as tall as you can—think about lengthening your vertebrae in your spine from your waist to your head.

2) Shoulders at 90 degrees, chest is held up high. When the lungs are realigned in proper position—they perform better.

3) Retraction: Keep your shoulder blades back/retracted. This works two major muscle structures, medial trapeziums and your rhomboids, and can help maintain posture.

4) Contract your abdominal muscles as if you were being punched in the gut.  Use your breathing to maintain this awareness throughout the exercise.

5) Don’t rely on a machine to maintain good posture.  YOU are the machine. Learn which muscles and technique work best for you.

Lastly, make a plan when you exercise, particularly at a gym.  Arriving without a goal or structured exercise plan will leave you frustrated, misguided and at a higher risk of injury. Be smart, have fun, and do it daily.

 

 

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Seminar with Teruo Chinen, Goju-Ryu Karate Master

I am pleased to announce that Teruo Chinen, 9th Degree Black Belt, will conduct a seminar on traditional karate on Saturday, January 28, 2012 in Walnut Creek, California.  Chinen Sensei is the founder of Jundokan International and a direct disciple of the founder of Goju-Ryu karate, Chojun Miyagi.  It has been our privilege and pleasure to have hosted Chinen Sensei in the past and his lessons are always insightful, generous and challenging.

Attendance at this event is by invitation only and open to all martial art disciplines.  Please contact me for further details and invitation for a rare opportunity to train with a living legend of the martial arts.

Be well, stay strong. Pedro J. Bernardy: (925) 980-9466 pedro@pedrobernardy.com

 

 

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New Articles!

Please visit our Articles Page for material recently submitted by our two newest Shodan (1st Degree Black Belt), Bob Gorman and Igor Akkerman.  Their essays, respectively on Mushin and a historical account of Okinawan karate in North America, are well worth your time.  While there please read the other articles on nutrition, teaching methods and martial arts expression written and submitted by other members of our RyuBuKan Dojo family.   Any feedback or questions you have on this material can be sent to me at:   pedro@pedrobernardy.com

Thanks again to all of our dojo members for their contributions and support.

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Rank Advancement, December 11, 2011

Please join us as we welcome several of our adult students to test for new rank in Shorin-ryu karate. This special event will be conducted on Sunday, December 11 at Renaissance Club Sport in Walnut Creek from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Please contact me for any questions regarding this event.

Be well, stay strong. Pedro

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10 Fitness Myths Exposed!

"1000 cruches daily and I still don't have a "Six Pack! What am I doing wrong?"

I am pleased to share this article written by Raphael Calzadilla, a veteran of the health-and-fitness industry who shares my holistic approach to body transformation, nutrition programs and personal training.  A complete biography of Raphael is listed at the end of this article.

MYTH #1: Women will get big if they weight train.

A woman has approximately one-third the testosterone compared to a man, so putting on a ton of muscle is not going to happen. The women you see in the magazines who look big and manly are on steroids, growth hormones, etc. You may look bulky if you’re carrying excessive body fat and building muscle. However, if you’re reducing body fat, you’ll eventually be able to see those lean, defined muscles.

MYTH #2: You must work out five to six days per week to make progress.

I see a lot of people in the gym five to six days a week, and they’d be better off playing ping pong. Consistency and level of effort is the key. I’d rather see someone work out three days per week with enthusiasm and intensity, than five inconsistent days of lackadaisical effort. In fact, for those clients that have trouble with motivation, I recommend only two days of workouts per week, but they must do it every week.

MYTH #3: Spot Reducing Is Possible.

The human body loses fat over the entire body at various rates of speed. It’s impossible to spot reduce. If you’re focusing on only losing fat that sits on your hips, it won’t work. Generally, the first place you gain fat is the last place you lose it.

MYTH #4: Stretching prevents injuries.

After analyzing the results of six studies, researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention could not find any correlation between stretching and injury prevention. According to Dr. Julie Gilchrist, one of the researchers involved with the study, “Stretching increases flexibility, but most injuries occur within the normal range of motion.” Dr. Gilchrist goes on to say, “Stretching and warming up have just gone together for decades. It’s simply what’s done, and it hasn’t been approached through rigorous science.”

Make no mistake; a stretching program is not without benefits. Seven of nine studies suggest that a regular stretching program does help to strengthen muscles. However, it does not appear to actually prevent injuries. Warming up prior to exercise and increasing blood flow to the muscles is actually more conducive to injury prevention. I’m not suggesting that you eliminate stretching. It is valuable and flexibility is certainly important as we age. However, we may be off base assuming it’s an injury-prevention technique.

MYTH #5: One should lose weight before they begin an exercise program.

There is no physiological reason to lose weight prior to beginning an exercise program. Exercise is the best thing for your health, and there is no time like the present to start. There are too many benefits of exercise to list here, but you’re doing every system and cell in your body a world of good by exercising. Any amount–starting with five minutes a day–is beneficial.

Fat loss and muscle gain are only two of the many benefits that your body will experience from exercising. Each day will get a little easier as you become more fit. There is no justification for waiting to begin–unless you have orders from your doctor.

Whether you exercise with 20 percent body fat or 30 percent body fat, you’ll still be providing your body with the same benefits. When you carry less weight, you can move a little more easily, and it may be less strenuous on your heart. You can be more fit at 30 percent body fat if you are exercising than if you try to achieve 20 percent body fat without exercising.

The goal is to gain or preserve muscle and lose fat — not just lose weight (which implies both muscle and fat).

MYTH #6: Lifting weights very slowly is the best way to weight train.

Lifting super slowly produces super long workouts — and that’s it.  University of Alabama researchers recently studied two groups of lifters doing a 29-minute workout. One group performed exercises using a 5-second up phase and a 10-second down phase, the other a more traditional approach of one second up and one second down. The faster group burned 71 percent more calories and lifted 250 percent more weight than the super slow lifters.

The real expert says: “The best increases in strength are achieved by doing the up phase as rapidly as possible,” says Gary Hunter, Ph.D., C.S.C.S., the lead study author. “Lower the weight more slowly and under control.” There’s greater potential for growth during the lowering phase, and when you lower with control, there’s less chance of injury.

MYTH #7: Eating a lot less or going on a crash diet will get the results you seek.

This was a dietary strategy popularized prior to the 1980s. People would go on crash diets like the grapefruit diet and lose weight — meaning muscle and fat. They assumed just eating less would take care of everything.

Today, we know total calories are important, but so are the amounts of protein, carbohydrates and fats in the diet.

A slight caloric deficit (less than maintenance) must be adhered to, as well as eating small meals and snacks every two to three hours. This helps to control blood sugar; and it is a fact that blood-sugar control will help you to lose fat. I always recommend some sort of structured nutritional program. Just guessing doesn’t work.

MYTH #8: Performing countless abdominal crunches thinking it will get rid of the ‘pooch’ area on the lower tummy/abdominal area.

I get a question related to this issue approximately 20 times per week. It is not possible to spot reduce any area of the body.

The real solution is to reduce overall body fat through a slight caloric deficit, add resistance exercise (weight training) to stimulate the metabolism, and cardiovascular exercise to burn additional calories. That’s the way to fat loss.

Performing crunches will never reduce the abdominal area because it only serves to strengthen muscle, not flatten a specific area. Just as 200 bicep curls will not make the arm smaller, nor will 200 abdominal crunches make the waist smaller. You cannot spot reduce any part of the body. It’s just not physiologically possible.

MYTH #9: Performing a lot of cardio is the best way to lose fat.

Some people go up to 90 minutes or longer on a cardio machine. The problem with this strategy is it’s completely ineffective. It’s a poor method to lose body fat and a real time waster.

You can workout for long sessions with moderate intensity or use shorter sessions with higher intensity (based on your fitness level). You can’t do both!

The shorter, more-intense session will burn more overall calories and preserve muscle, which will make you look tight and lean when you get to your scale weight goal. In addition, the shorter, intense sessions will have a more profound effect on the calories you continue to burn 24 hours after completing the session.

Want to lose fat efficiently through cardio? Pick up your pace a bit and try to get a more intense and efficient 30 to 45 minutes. You don’t need to be huffing and puffing for dear life, just increase the intensity a bit and keep it sustained at a higher level within your target heart-rate range.

MYTH #10: Calories are the only thing that counts when trying to lose fat or gain muscle.

Ratios of proteins, carbohydrates and fats are also important. The key to losing fat and gaining muscle is controlling and manipulating insulin levels. In simple terms, when we consume excessive calories or excessive amounts of high glycemic carbohydrates at one meal, the body’s blood sugar rises. When this happens, the pancreas secretes insulin to lower blood sugar levels.

One of the many drawbacks of this happening excessively is, along with putting you at risk for diabetes, the body also holds onto stored fat! A balance of proteins, carbohydrates and fats works most efficiently in losing fat and gaining muscle.

Don’t forget, the ultimate key to a lean and tight body is the combination of proper nutrition, exercise and consistency. As always, check with your doctor before starting any exercise program.

(A drug-free competitive bodybuilder and 2005 winner of the prestigious WNBF (World Natural Bodybuilding Federation) Pro Card, Raphael Calzadilla is a veteran of the health-and-fitness industry. He specializes in a holistic approach to body transformation, nutrition programs and personal training. He earned his B.A. in communications from Southern Connecticut State University and is certified as a personal trainer with ACE and APEX. In addition, he successfully completed the RTS1 program based on biomechanics.)

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6 Paws™ Fitness Boot Camp

 

6 Paws™ Fitness Boot Camp

I recently partnered with Bonnie Brown-Cali, professional dog trainer and owner of Dog Dynamics , to conduct 6 Paws™ Fitness Boot Camp, a weekly outdoor program designed to bring your four pawed companion and get fit together.  During this 60 minute program you and your dog will perform challenging cardio and strength building exercises.  We will work on nutrition, agility, balance and team work in an encouraging environment.  This is much more than fitness; it’s about team-work, which shapes good obedience and a calmer dog.  Classes will begin in Walnut Creek in September.  Further details will be announced in the coming days. For more information or to be added to the Dog Dynamics newsletter, please contact Bonnie Brown-Cali at:

bonnie@dogdynamics.org or (925) 229-8200

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KarateKids Advancement, September 2011

Students from our Karate Kids Program ( ages 5 to 8 ) and Karate Teens (ages 9 to 13) are invited to demonstrate their skills and receive their next rank on Tuesday, September 27 or Thursday, September 29 during normal class time.  A letter was distributed to all parents informing them of the acceptance criteria for their child. I look forward to a strong response and enjoyable time for all.

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Student Essays, “The Value of Martial Arts Training For Children”

Recently my adult class underwent rank advancement . As part of their testing criteria, Maria Bernardi, Robert Jinkins, and Clare Williams were asked to write a short essay on a specific topic related to their martial arts study. I am pleased and honored to present these works in this post. I hope that they provide you the same degree of pleasure I had.  Great job to all!

The Value of Martial Arts Training For Children

By Clare Williams

The intrinsic value of martial arts training for children is that it is fun!   If you want to teach children you must first capture and hold their attention.  The extrinsic value of martial arts training is the positive influence it has on the physical, moral and emotional development of the child.  Parents may enroll a child because of a learning disability or a discipline problem.  Self discipline and concentration are key to success in the martial arts, as in life.  A system of rules and accountability allow the child’s character to develop.  While he is learning blocks, kicks, strikes and safety tips, he is also interacting with adults and his peers, learning focus, self awareness, respect, responsibility, kindness, diligence and perseverance.  Increased self esteem is a clear benefit of martial arts training.  This child may also serve as a role model for his younger siblings.

Respect for the tradition and discipline of martial arts and respect for their teachers and their peers is inherent in the dojo rules of etiquette.   The bow is done as a sign of respect.  Children must address their Sensei, other instructors and their peers with respect.  They await commands and perform moves when told to do so.  Self respect comes with the attainment of clearly defined goals which leads to continuous improvement.

Responsibility comes from doing what one is called upon to do–showing up on time, focusing, being kind, helpful and respectful toward others and practicing diligently. Self awareness comes from mindful practice.  Perseverance comes from performing a move until it is perfected.  A sense of purpose and belonging comes from being part of a dojo where the tradition is practiced and passed on and the comradery of sharing that experience with their peers.

Parental involvement is a crucial element for success.  Full parental support is achieved with clear communication and inviting parental participation in helping children achieve.  The overarching aim of martial arts training is to build self esteem and help each child reach their full potential.

The child strives to become good, better and then the best that he/she can be.  The competition is with oneself.  The comparison is who they have been, who they are now and who they are striving to be in the future, in martial arts and in life.  Martial arts can inspire confidence, foster self esteem, develop character and improve motor skills.  A child may join as a discipline problem and grow to love martial arts.  Perhaps only in later years will they appreciate the life skills they have gained as a result of martial arts training.  And they learned to punch and kick too!  - Clare Williams

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Student Essays, “My Expression of Martial Art – A Way of Life”

Recently my adult class underwent rank advancement . As part of their testing criteria, Maria Bernardi, Robert Jinkins, and Clare Williams were asked to write a short essay on a specific topic related to their martial arts study. I am pleased and honored to present these works in this post. I hope that they provide you the same degree of pleasure I had.  Great job to all!

My Expression of Martial Art – A Way of Life

by Bob Jinkins

Karate is one of the best known of all the martial arts.  In karate we move in fluid motion as we punch, kick, dodge and block while using varied footwork and stance patterns.  The martial arts are more than just Karate.  Their spirit is included within many styles of unarmed combat and self-defense disciplines including Judo, Small Circle Jujitsu, Tai Chi, Kendo, Muay Thai, Kung Fu and more.  There is a common concept within the martial arts that goes beyond the premise of unarmed combat or self-defense.  I believe martial arts are meant to be the expression of one’s self.  Along with this come the mental and physical health benefits of being fit and living the martial arts way of life.   This self-expression properly applied will carry over into how we live, interact and help one another.  I’ve found that family, friends and the martial arts way of life (for me; karate & judo) have provided me with a way to positively ground myself.

Martial arts represent to me a philosophy, an art and a spirit.  It fosters loyalty and trust among family, friends and our dojo mates.  It enables one to find the warrior within, while developing and expressing one’s self.  The determination and conviction we apply during training, practice, and with the coaching we receive in martial arts help us to develop our mind, body and spirit in ourselves.

Self-expression in the martial arts develops through practice and coaching so our technique can be automatically applied without thought or pretense.  It is a point where mind and body come together as one in a relaxed form so that we flow effortlessly.  There is no thought, Sensei tells us, as we move through our complex stance patterns (i.e., “You are thinking too much about it, just let it flow).   As you learn to relax and mind body becomes one, you’ll enter the zone.  It is important when in the zone; to remember the feeling, savor the moment, and place it away within oneself for automatic use at another time without thought (“Mushin” – no mind).  The ability to combine your mind body together with one’s imagination during training will provide a better opportunity to develop and apply automatically your technique, skill and self-expression in the martial art that you practice.  It may come for example as you learn to automatically apply bunkai from kata that you know and understand.

Through training and practice, you will have the opportunity to discover things about yourself and others.  Every person is unique.   Learning about yourself and others may enable you to better understand a situation so that your actions, skills and martial art techniques may be best applied positively.  This is an important point to remember, as you become well rounded in the martial artist way of life.  Reaching out and sharing your knowledge to help and give back to others is a great way to express oneself in the martial arts way of life.

A famous martial artist expressed, “Running water never goes stale, so you have to keep on flowing”.   I believe this means that we should train every part of our self: mind, body, spirit, reflexes, and determination as one.  We should also honestly and positively express ourselves.  So here I am, learning and training to positively share my martial arts way of life (physical, mental and spiritual) with my family and friends around me.  Share the martial arts way of life; may it become part of you and those whose life you touch.  - Robert Jinkins

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Student Essays, “The Value of Proper Nutrition and Daily Exercise”

Recently my adult class underwent rank advancement .  As part of their testing criteria, Maria Bernardi, Robert Jinkins, and Clare Williams were asked to write a short essay on a specific topic related to their martial arts study. I am pleased and honored to present these works in this post.  I hope that they provide you the same degree of pleasure I had.  Great job to all!

Value of Proper Nutrition and Daily Exercise

 by Maria Bernardi

I can only write from what I’m learning from my own personal life-threatening catastrophic health experience and my ongoing strategy to STAY ALIVE by keeping cancer from invading my organs.  Numerous studies are showing that proper nutrition and daily exercise may protect the body from disease and may help control and even reverse existing disease such as cancer and diabetes.  On that note, a healthy regimen of proper nutrition and exercise is not an option, but a priority in everyone’s life.  The unavoidable stresses that come along with life could also be met head-on and more successfully when our bodies are kept strong and healthy.

Before the first cancer occurrence, my priority was to survive single parenthood, paid no attention to what I ate or drank, consuming convenient fast foods daily due to my two-job schedule.  Exercise was nowhere in my agenda, and if and when a few minutes would come along, was to make up from the daily sleep deprivation.  I feel my lifestyle was a significant contributor to my present health challenge.

However, I’m forever grateful to all the different individuals and sources that are steering me towards what appears to be a working tool to stay alive without conventional poisonous medicine:  proper nutrition and daily exercise.

My understanding is that the cells in the body depend on enzymes to grow and stay healthy, and that one of the purest sources of enzymes is found in raw green food, like green vegetables. I need to stay on the 100% raw green vegetables due to my severe threat, but as I progress, I will transition slowly to the 80/20 eating lifestyle.

It is also my understanding that cancer cells can only grow and live in an acidic environment and must have sugars (from simple carbohydrates and any other form)to survive.  Therefore, by starving the cancer cells, not feeding them any sugars, and maintaining an alkaline ph balance of 7.5 or higher, they will die and be eliminated from the body.

The process of eliminating dead cancer cells cannot take place without daily exercise to sweat and clean the toxins out of the body; thus, proper nutrition and daily exercise go hand in hand to maintain a healthy body.

“The Value of Proper Nutrition and Daily Exercise?”   Well, I’m still here! – Maria Bernardi

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RyuBuKan Dojo Advancement Photos, September 1, 2011

The initial Photo Album on this site is of our recent rank advancement held at Renaissance Club Sport for our adult members.  All of these great pictures were taken by Nick Cardo who also helped train several of our members prepare for this event.  Please take a look at the action video of these photos and offer your comments. Congratulations and Thanks to All!

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New Karate Kids Class Schedule, October 2011

Beginning in October our Karate Kids program at Renaissance Club Sport will have a new class schedule to allow younger students and to better balance our class sizes. The new schedule is as follows:

TUESDAYS & THURSDAYS

3:30 PM – 4:15 PM ages 4-6

4:25 PM – 5:20 PM ages 5-8

5:30 PM – 6:15 PM ages 9-12

Our Adult class will remain from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM.  All classes will be held in Studio B.

Please note that effective October 1 all Karate Kids students must be members of Renaissance Club Sport.  For more information regarding this program and to register your child please contact Annie Schneider, Junior Programming Director, at (925) 942-6345 or annie.schneider@clubsports.com

 

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Web Site Launch!

I am pleased to announce the launch of my new Web site on September 8, 2011.  My intention is to provide information, education and motivation to help fulfill my mission of helping others live long, healthy and productive lives.  I ask that you provide any comments for enhancing this site to better meet your needs.  Please forward your suggestions to:  Pedro@PedroBernardy.com

I also want to express my sincere thanks to those of you who have supported my efforts and have enriched the lives of others as a result.  Be well, stay strong.

Pedro J. Bernardy

(925) 980-9466    pedro@pedrobernardy.com

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Exercise Instruction for Cancer Survivors

Exercise Instruction for Cancer Survivors

I will again be conducting exercise instruction for the Cancer Transitions program at the Cancer Support Community East Bay in Walnut Creek starting Monday, September 12. This six week course is for cancer survivors who have recently ended their treatment cycle and learning to establish new lifestyle habits to maintain their physical and emotional well being. Classes are held from 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM.   Further details on this and their many other resources are available at:

http://www.cancersupportcommunity.net/index.html


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Awarded Best of the East Bay 2011!

As a result of your outstanding support I am again honored to be named Diablo Magazine’s Best of The East Bay Personal Trainer for 2011. This is the third time I have received this award which I respectfully share with the trainers and lifestyle coaches who continue to guide me. Click here to visit the Best of the East Bay website.

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Women’s Self-Defense class for the AAUW

I was invited by the local chapter of American Association of University Women (AAUW) to present basic lessons on self-defense for women. Assisting me was my student, Clare Williams, a former law enforcement officer and veteran martial artist. We covered strategies for improving awareness, prevention skills and several defensive and offensive techniques using instinct response mechanisms. The presentation was very well received and served to enlighten our audience on the need to remain safe, smart and strong. For more details on AAUW please visit their site www.aauw-daw.org.

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“Best of The Bay” Interview

Click here to view the Renaissance Club Sport interviews conducted in June of 2009 and televised on local television KRON TV Best of The Bay. Enjoy!

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