Get a grip on forearms: you've got questions. We've got answers - Ask Our Experts

Men's Fitness, August, 2002

* As you press up, keep your hips over your shoulders so that your spine is vertical, holding its natural curves.

* Press out of your shoulders and use the wall to help maintain your balance. When you first start, stay on the wall; to maintain contact with it, you can bend your legs a bit.

* If you have a spotter, he can hold one of your legs and pull upward, helping you maintain position as he lightens the load on your shoulders.

Dixon says that the purpose of the movement is to work your balance and develop your delts. "Don't focus too much on the number of reps you're performing," he explains. "By trying to add reps too quickly, you'll compromise your form and may potentially injure yourself. As you get stronger, focus more on control and balance, and on performing more of the work by yourself."

FORUM

ALLEVIATING ALLERGIES

I have allergy problems that hinder my weight-training and cardio efforts. The medications my doctor has prescribed don't seem to help much--I always seem to have nasal problems and itchy eyes. Can you recommend some alternatives?

--H.B., Provo, UT

"For helping the body overcome allergies, the only treatment I'm impressed with at all is allergy shots," says R. Steven Davidson, who has a doctorate in natural health sciences. "When you receive an allergy shot, you're generally given a small dose of the allergen itself, which helps your body develop an immune response to that substance. Allergy shots help to desensitize the body's response to allergens, and this may be the only treatment' that truly works."

As for all the medications on the market, including the ones that may have been prescribed for you, Davidson says they merely treat symptoms rather than help prevent allergies.

"Many provide relief through bronchial or vasal dilations, allowing you to breathe more easily, but they don't affect the body's response to allergens per se." If these medications work for you, by all means continue to use them. Just don't expect that taking them will cure your allergies.

Itchy eyes, however, can be a difficult symptom to suppress, Davidson says, and may explain why the medications you're currently taking don't offer much relief. "Optic allergies are difficult to treat because the eyes have a quick clearance of drugs. When you put eyedrops in, the half-life of the active ingredient is very short."

Repeated applications may therefore be necessary. Davidson recommends consulting your doctor and reading the application directions for your particular medication. "Using saline drops for the eyes and sprays for the nose can be somewhat effective at flushing out irritants and allergens," he says. Keep a bottle of each on hand for allergy flare-ups.

Finally, Davidson says that homeopathic remedies may also help quell allergies. "Some homeopathic products may work similar to the allergy shots, wherein they give small amounts of the allergens to the body to create a reaction, and then, over time, as with the vaccinations, the body will create an immunity to the allergens."