You’re the only doc than can rip and carve on and off the water.. I’ve seen your work in the OR and on the water.. way cool my friend.. Surfing like this requires quick action, strong hips and legs for holding that rail. Thanks for sharing this great shot. Suzie
Aloha Friends!If you’ve always wanted to have a private personal trainer, this may be for you!
I’ve been experimenting with a few clients and I’ve decided to offer something new and fun for those on a tight time schedule and budget.Express Workout – Suzie Trains Maui. Train with me, get fit and have fun in half the time! Join me in a supervised, custom workout that targets all muscle groups including cardio. Enjoy surround sound while you pump it up and make the most of your time. I’ll be safely pushing you during your workout depending upon your ability. We are constantly on the move. Heart rate is up and we’re having fun!
To maximize the benefits, your 30-minute workout consists of both resistance training and cardiovascular training.
I can make a wonderful a workout for you with two-thirds resistance training and one-third cardiovascular training. In a 30-minute workout, that’s 20 minutes of resistance and 10 minutes of cardio. Yes, just 10 minutes. But 10 strongminutes!
Each workout is different! It’s a great way to jump start your week or get motivated again. Call me for details.
**All new clients are required to have a pre-fitness assessment. Towels and water provided. Assessment includes photos, movement observations, flexibility review, blood pressure screening and lifestyle review.
Ever get confused on how to choose the right energy drink? Take a moment and listen to some helpful information that will make a huge difference the next time you may opt for a quick boost. Whether you are hitting the waves for a big session or having a nice walk on the beach, know how to choose the right energy drink to keep you going!
This audio clip is from the Maui Breakfast Club. Maui’s number one rated talk show every Friday from 7am -8am. Tune In The Maui Breakfast Club: with Tom & Kellie Health & Fitness Specialist, Suzie Cooney of Suzie Trains Maui KAOI 1110 AM Join Tom Blackburn-Rodriguez, Co-Host Kellie Pali and Maui Weekly Special Correspondent Trisha Smith. “If it’s Friday, it’s the Maui Breakfast Club.”
If you want to keep the weight off, increase your muscle mass today. Muscle is critical for quality of life. People who lose a lot of muscle mass during their weight loss programs usually lose some of their fitness as well.
When this happens, they can’t do as much physically, so their performance declines when surfing, playing golf, hitting a tennis ball or even carrying a bag of groceries.
Muscle holds a lot of your body water and is essential for regulating body temperature. Muscles are big spenders and burn lots of calories 24/7. When people are on restrictive diets ( bad ) the body is tricked into believing it’s on a deserted island with minimal or no food – therefore as a natural defense mechanism, the body attacks it’s most active tissue, muscle in order to SLOW down the body’s metabolic rate.
There are wonderful health benefits of building muscle:
Increases endurance and flexibility
Protects your joints (reducing risk for injury)
Increases your energy level and boosts metabolism
The math: If you gain 1 pound of additional muscle tissue which can burn 35-50 calories per day…over the course of a year you can burn 91,250 calories a year! Fat burns 2 calories per day. On average, the amount of muscle gain when performing a resistance program, a person can gain 3-5 pounds ever 3-4 months. Keep in mind that this will vary greatly depending upon age, genetics, and type of training program you are performing. Continue reading Keep The Weight Off and Join the Muscle Mass Today
Introducing my new Maui Teen Health & Fitness Role Model, Cami Comet! I will be asking Cami to send us her workout routines, what she eats to stay healthy and how she is helping her friends at school, stay fit! Welcome Cami. Super cool to have you on the Suzie Trains Maui Team! You go Cami! Feel free to leave Cami a comment to welcome her! Suzie
Cami writes:
I am fourteen years old, and my goals are to stay consistent with my eating habits, and to get some physical exercise in, but still have time for school, friends, and family. Maybe even exercising with those people also.
The sports I like to do are soccer, beach volleyball, tennis, swimming, running, bowling, hiking, water activities, etc. I love all of those, and there is more, but I am not necessarily that great at doing the sports, I just like to have fun!
I also love my veggies. I pretty much like all of my vegetables except for radishes, mushrooms, etc. But there is just one veggie that I will eat with every meal, and that is asparagus. Although I do like broccoli, brussel sprouts, and salad; asparagus is my number one!
Being fit and healthy means feeling good, looking good, and staying at it. Meaning keeping your diet under control, and squeezing time in to be active.
This is the final journal entry of our Maui’s, Phil McGain as he crosses the finish line! As always, entertaining and very inspiring!
“I started to high five and low five anyone who put out there hand and even people who didn’t put out there hand, I was on a high at this point, I was about to finish, I wanted to make the most of it.”
The RUN 26.2 miles of pain and pleasure.
I sat down and pulled off my bike shirt, throw on my running shirt, get my compression socks on which are really tight and hard to pull on, shoes are on, tied, hat on, GPS on, I bolt out of there which seemed like a few minutes but I think it was more like 4 minutes. I look down at my GPS and see my pace at 11 minute per mile, slow down I tell myself, you want to be around 11.5 minute per mile until you get your running legs and get a feel for how your energy level is. I come to the first aid station, people everywhere, “water, coke, gel, Iso, cake, bars, fruit”, it’s all there. Yes this race is well-catered and good thing. I grab a water and have my first gel and a salt tablet. I’m feeling wonderful. The entire run course is lined with people, all cheering, sitting in chairs, drinking German beer, sleeping, enjoying the fact that we are out here doing all the work and they get to sit relax and watch. Continue reading Maui’s, Phil McGain Part 3 “The Run” Germany IRONMAN
”I’m a huge fan of Nancy Clark, a well-known sports registered dietician. I too believe that your workout does not end until you refuel!” Suzie
By Nancy Clark, MS RD CSSD
For Active.com
Nutrition may be your missing link in training. Here are eight common nutrition mistakes many athletes make with tips and recipes for how to solve them.
No. 1: Beneficial Protein Intake
Some athletes eat too little protein; others eat too much. For example, a 150 lb (68 kg) athlete may need 0.5 to 0.75 g pro/lb (1-1.5 g pro/kg); this translates into about 75 to 105 g pro/day. This athlete can easily consume too much protein if the foundation of the menu is:
Breakfast:
6 egg whites
18 grams of protein
Lunch:
1 can of tuna
35 grams
Snack:
1 protein bar
20 grams
Dinner:
2 chicken breasts
90 grams
16 oz. milk
16 grams
Total:
179 grams
This amount of protein is excessive, to the point some of the protein could be wisely traded for more carbs to better fuel the workouts.
In contrast, a vegetarian athlete on a reducing diet could easily under consume protein if foundation of the menu is:
Breakfast:
2 egg whites
7 grams of protein
Lunch:
salad with 1/4 cup of chickpeas
3 grams
Dinner:
1 garden burger
11 grams
Total:
21 grams
Too little protein contributes to poor recovery, muscle wasting, and sub optimal results from hard training.
Solution: By meeting with a sports dietitian, you can learn your protein requirement and how to translate that into food.
No. 2: Iron to Prevent Fatigue From Anemia
Iron-deficiency anemia is common, particularly in females. Anemia causes needless fatigue and reduced performance. A survey of collegiate athletes indicates 20 percent of the female volleyball and basketball players were anemic, as were 50 percent of the soccer team. (1)
Anemia is particularly common among women who have heavy menstrual blood losses, but eat neither red meat nor iron-enriched breakfast cereal.
Solution: If you feel needlessly tired, get your blood tested by your doctor and be sure to get your serum ferritin measured. To help prevent anemia, strive to eat an iron-rich diet of:
red meat, or iron-rich alternatives (dark-meat chicken or turkey, salmon, tuna) iron-fortified cereals (Wheaties, Raisin Bran, Total)
To enhance iron absorption, include with each meal a source of vitamin C, such as orange juice, berries, broccoli, tomato or other fruits and vegetables.
No. 3: Post-exercise Food
At the end of a hard workout, you haven’t finished your training until you have refueled. Don’t rush off to work or school, with “no time to eat” as the excuse.
Solution: Plan ahead, so you have recovery foods readily available. Even in a time-crunch, you should be able refuel your muscles properly. “No time” is no excuse.
No. 4: Recovering With Both Carbs + Protein
Recovery foods should offer a foundation of carbs with protein as the accompaniment. A reasonable target is about 240 calories of carbs (60 g carb) and about 80 calories (20 g) of protein. Some popular choices include Greek yogurt with honey, chocolate milk, cereal with milk, and pasta with meat sauce. You need not buy engineered recovery foods; standard fare works fine.
Note that recovery foods can be eaten pre-exercise. That is, a pre-exercise yogurt gets digested into amino acids and glucose; those food components will be ready and waiting to be put into use when you stop exercising. In a 10-week study with recreational body builders, those who consumed a protein-carb supplement both immediately before and right after the mid-afternoon strength training session gained 2.3 pounds more muscle and 7 pounds more in strength (as measured by bench press), compared to the group without the pre- and post-exercise fuel. (2)
Athletes who do two workouts a day really need to rapidly refuel with a proper recovery diet. A six-week study with swimmers reports those who did two workouts (morning and afternoon) sprinted slower than those who swam only in the afternoon (3). If nutrition is your missing link, don’t even think about double workouts.
Solution: You may not feel hungry for solid foods after a hard bout of exercise, but you are likely thirsty. A fruit smoothie (made with yogurt) is excellent for recovery, as is a chug of chocolate milk. Both contain carbs to refuel, and protein to build and repair muscles and reduce muscle soreness.
No. 5: Rest Days for Muscles to Refuel
Rest is an important part of a training program; muscles need time to refuel and heal. Depleted muscles may need more than 24 hours to replace glycogen stores. Hence, rest days with little or no exercise enhance a training program.
Athletes who want to lose weight commonly hesitate to take a rest day; they fear they will “get fat.” These athletes need to understand:
1) On a rest day, they will feel just as hungry because the muscles need food to refuel.
2) They will gain (water) weight. For each 1 oz. of glycogen, the muscles store about 3 oz. water. This water gets released during exercise; it is beneficial.
Solution: Plan one to two rest days a week. Notice how much better you are able to perform the day after a rest day.
No. 6: Adequate Fluids
Solution:
Athletes who stay well hydrated can train harder and perform better. For each one percent of body weight lost via sweat, your heart has to beat three to five more times per minute (4). This creates needless fatigue.
Solution: If you are well-hydrated, you will need to urinate every two to four hours, and your urine will be a light color. If you are sweat heavily, you really should learn how much sweat you lose (and thereby need to replace) during a workout. Do this my weighing yourself naked before and after exercise. For each pound (16 oz.) of sweat, you should drink at least 16 to 24 oz. of fluid.
No. 7: Sodium Before Exercise in the Heat
Research with trained cyclists reports they rode 20 minutes longer to exhaustion (99 vs. 79 minutes) in 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius) heat when they drank a pre-ride beverage with about 1,000 vs. 150 mg sodium. They drank no fluids while riding. (5)
Solution: If you train and compete in the heat, you should consume salty foods beforehand. This holds water in your body and reduces your risk of becoming dehydrated.
No. 8: The Sports Dietitian
(RD, CSSD)
Serious athletes generally have a support crew that includes a coach, sports psychologist, and a medical doctor, physical therapist and massage therapist. But to their detriment, some fail to have a sports dietician on their team.
Solution: To get the most from your workouts, find a local registered dietitian who is a Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (RD CSSD).
The bottom line: Don’t let nutrition be your missing link. You will always win with good nutrition.
Nancy Clark MS, RD counsels casual exercisers and competitive athletes at Healthworks, the premier fitness center in Chestnut Hill, MA (617-383-6100). Her NEW 2008 Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook 4th Edition, and her Food Guide for Marathoners and Cyclist’s Food Guide are available via http://www.nancyclarkrd.com/.
References 1. Eichner, R. Anemia and Blood Boosting. Sports Science Exchange #81, Vol 14(2), 2001 2. Cribb, P., and A. Hayes. 2006. Effects of supplement timing and resistance exercise on skeletal muscle hypertrophy. Med Sci Sports Exerc 38(1):1918-1925. 3. Costill, D.L., R. Thomas, R.A. Robergs, et al. 1991. Adaptations to swimming training: Influence of training volume. Med Sci Sports Exerc 23(3):371-377. 4. Casa D., L. Armstrong, S. Montain, et al. 2000. National Athletic Trainers’ Association position statement: Fluid replacement for athletes. J Athletic Training 35(2):212-224. 5. Sims, S.T., L. van Vliet, J. Cotter, and N. Rehrer. 2007. Sodium loading aids fluid balance and reduces physiological strain of trained men exercising in the heat. Med Sci Sports Exerc 39(1):123-130.
Target the upper and lower abs, and get rid of those love handles! I recommend at least 100 reps, 4 sets of 25
Difficulty Level: Beginner/Intermediate Muscle Group(s): Abs / Obliques Equipment: 2 paper plates, mat Progression: Lift both legs off ground, bend at knees
Preparation:
Feet flat on ground, shoulder width apart
Press low back into mat; imagine filling a bucket, tilt pelvis towards you
Lift your shoulders completely off mat, hold and touch chin.
Place hands on plates, with each plate outside of heels.
Start
Finish
Obliques
Movement:
From the start position, place hands on paper plates
While contracting abs, push or slide plates towards your toes at a fast rhythmic pace:
Tempo: 1-1-1
Repeat movement sequence for recommended repetitions
Keep spine in place. Do not generate movement from arms and/or shoulders. The movement should originate from your abs. Really lock in and focus!
For Obliques: Simply slide plate on alternating sides. Hold that stomach tight! Make each rep count!
Any questions, feel free to contact me : Suzie Cooney, CPT
Advanced! Single Leg Bicep Curl with foot on Stability Ball This is very advanced, and one should only progress if hips and knees are strong and stable.
Preparation
Balance on a single leg with foot pointing straight ahead and knee slightly flexed while maintaining a stable position over your 2nd & 3rd toe.
Hold a dumbbell in each hand with arms extended by side of body.
Movement
Maintaining level hips and a drawn in position, perform a bicep curl by flexing the elbow.
Slowly lower the dumbbell back to the side of the body by extending the elbows.
For the Hammer Curls, switch feet to continue your balancing!
Challenge: Balance of Course! Tall upper body, smooth and controlled. Remember, your arm is a lever, your hand is there just to hold the weight. Lighten your grip! Concentrate on the contraction of the bicep..hold it all the way through the movement…!
Free Weights vs. Machines and the Benefits of Both!
Suzie Cooney, CPT Maui, Hawaii
I am often asked, should one train with free weights or machines? There is great discussion among specialists in my field, but I like to focus on the benefits of both!
They both have certain advantages in strength training and performance. They both also have limitations. It depends on what you have access to and where you are starting in your fitness program, if you are a professional athlete or coming off an injury, and what suits your needs.
Machines:
Whether a high performance spin bike like the cool Keiser M3or the home gym system, Bowflex® Home Gyms or a cable systems such as Precor Exercise Equipment, offer a more controlled movement and allow for complete muscle isolation.
Machines, if used correctly, don’t have to be so intimidating. They may be good for the novice person, or senior who has yet to establish the knowledge or the strength, to isolate the rest of their body as the base, and move the selected limb or target muscle group safely through a repetition. The motions are usually smooth and controlled.
For the experienced, machines offer a nice way to mix up the routine, avoid training plateaus, and don’t require a spotter. They also can be used for rehabilitation if you are injured, to protect a certain joint, such as the knee or shoulder.
Free Weights:I prefer free weight training, for it requires balance, coordination, and total body stability. More muscles throughout the entire body must be recruited to stabilize your base. Think of your body, basically as the base or “machine”. The feeling you get from free-weight training is much more natural.
Free-weight training offers a much larger variety of exercises that give you complete control, of speed, range of motion and the opportunity to progress the intensity of that exercise. For example, performing a simple bicep curl can be more challenging by standing on one leg, or placing a stability ball behind you with one foot, while the other foot in a deep lunge position! This takes huge balance, strength and serious muscle stabilization.
The equipment variety has changed greatly over the years. You may have noticed that these days, free-weights come is many different shapes. I love to use medicine balls, kettle balls, The Body Barand even paper plates! I have noticed that one can achieve greater strength gains with this method of training.
Training with free-weights does require proper training and knowledge of how to perform each exercise safely! This is critical. I make sure all of my clients execute each repetition to perfection. We don’t progress up to a heavier weight or to the next level until we are both comfortable that the joints, back and extended limbs are strong. If you are attempting advance strength training, I highly recommend a spotter!
There have been numerous studies that conclude free-weights are not better than machines. They each have their role in fitness training, and I recommend getting comfortable with both. It’s also great to mix it up so you enjoy working out!
Join the Discussion: Leave a comment 
Category: Sports Medicine, Uncategorized | 
Tags: big wave surfing, Cas Soma, Cloudbreak, cross-training, Fiji, fitness, Orthopedic Surfing Doc Maui, strengthen, strong surfing, surf conditioning, surfing fitness, Suzie Trains Maui, Tavarua, training
Express Workout – Suzie Trains Maui. Train with me, get fit and have fun in half the time! Join me in a supervised, custom workout that targets all muscle groups including cardio. Enjoy surround sound while you pump it up and make the most of your time. I’ll be safely pushing you during your workout depending upon your ability. We are constantly on the move. Heart rate is up and we’re having fun!
There are wonderful health benefits of building muscle:
but I am not necessarily that great at doing the sports, I just like to have fun! 
Note that recovery foods can be eaten pre-exercise. That is, a pre-exercise yogurt gets digested into amino acids and glucose; those food components will be ready and waiting to be put into use when you stop exercising. In a 10-week study with recreational body builders, those who consumed a protein-carb supplement both immediately before and right after the mid-afternoon strength training session gained 2.3 pounds more muscle and 7 pounds more in strength (as measured by bench press), compared to the group without the pre- and post-exercise fuel. (2)
Rest is an important part of a training program; muscles need time to refuel and heal. Depleted muscles may need more than 24 hours to replace glycogen stores. Hence, rest days with little or no exercise enhance a training program.
Crunch Plates
Advanced!
Movement
