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Showing posts tagged gyms
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Your Free Leg Workout
Squats are one of the most important exercises that you can do for your legs. If you are looking for maximal calorie burn while simultaneously trying to build your core then this is the key exercise to incorporate in your program.
Squats can be done multiple ways to emphasize different parts of your legs. For example, if you do your squats with your legs shoulder width apart and focus on keeping a majority of the weight on your heels then you will activate the hamstring and glute muscles (the back of your leg and your butt).
Or if you would like to emphasize your inner thigh and tighten and tone them up then I highly recommend that you do a wider stance squat with your toes pointed out slightly. This change in angle still works the legs out with an emphasis on the inner part of your legs. I like to use the wider stance squat in replacement to the inner thigh machine as I think the squat is much more effective in getting the results you want.
Another way to do the squat can be with your feet completely together (narrow stance). This can emphasize a little bit more on the outside part of your thighs. Replacing the outer thigh machine.
As always with any squat motion be sure to keep your core tight (belly button sucked in towards spine) to protect your back as well as making sure that you are always doing the correct form to get the maximal benefit of the squat.
There are different tools that you can use to do the squat such as the smith machine, barbell, dumbbell, squat machine, physioball, and bosu ball.
All of those tools can accomplish the same goal as long as you keep your form correct and you pay attention on every rep and movement to ensure you are working the targeted area.
The repetitions should always be varied every few weeks in my opinion so your body does not hit a plateau. To start I would do anywhere from 10-12 reps with a moderate weight and focus on your form before you add additional weight.
By adding weight to your squats it will not automatically bulk up your legs. In order for you to bulk your legs or your body for that matter, you need to intentionally do it by eating a high calorie diet. So if your goal is not to bulk up then you have complete control by paying close attention to your diet.
Here are a few more leg exercise ideas for you to incorporate
Leg Press http://youtu.be/oRflcUrFEH4
Stationary Lunge http://youtu.be/ZmzQz_BfyxA
Step Ups http://youtu.be/8QuSZXfjsX4
Please email or share with your social networks whoever you think can benefit from this advice.
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How to Deal With Being Intimidated in The Gym and Where to Start
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The Fastest Fitness Strategies to look your very best.
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The Scale is a Liar
The scale is such a trap for so many people especially when they are trying their best to better themselves and we have all been sold on the fact that weight is the only thing that matters. That is old school thinking and the scale never really tells the full truth. Sometimes the scale will say you have lost or gained weight but it can be so many different things that make it change. It can be the fact that you have had a lot of sodium and water in the same day and so your body is retaining water. It could also be that you are gaining muscle and dropping fat.
Focus on how You Feel
The best way to tell if you are being successful in your workout program is number one…how you feel. This is often overlooked and under rated in a fitness program but it is the real reason why you started focusing on weight loss in the first place is to feel a certain way…to be happy!
How do your Clothes Fit
The next thing you want to focus on is how your clothes fit. If you are working out right and getting results then your clothes will fit looser on your body.
It is all about Body Fat
Lastly, you want to focus on your body composition and the key number that you want to keep a very close eye on is body fat percentage. At the end of the day it is body fat percentage that is what gives you the lean and tone look. Focus on that number instead of the number on the scale.
(Source: thesumofmypartss)
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Benefits of Stretching
Stretching will help to increase your flexibility in your body which will make sure that you do not pull any muscles. It increases your range of motion so that you can do more movements with less energy and less tightness. Stretching also increases your body’s blood flow which can ultimately help you recover faster as well as give you more energy.
How to Stretch
Be sure to warm up and before you stretch to make stretching more effective and beneficial for you. Ride a stationary bike or walk on a treadmill before you stretch for 5-10 minutes to ensure that you do not pull a muscle. Be sure to stretch both sides of your body and do not bounce but make it a smooth transition. Stretch 7 days a week throughout the day for maximum benefit.
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My personal story on the value of hard work.
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What to do when you hit a Fitness Plateau!
What to do when you hit the good old plateau? When you feel like all of your exercises and workouts are not producing any results and you cannot figure out why your body was responding to the workouts before and you suddenly hit a WALL. Has this ever happened to you before? It probably has because it happens to everyone…even that guy or girl that looks “perfect”. Hitting the wall or as we call it as personal trainers the plateau is part of the game in which we signed up for. The plateau is your body’s way of saying I am not changing anymore because I just adapted to what you gave me and I HATE to change. Yes your body can talk and YOU should listen to it because it is giving you a valuable message.
The message that your body is telling you is that you need to change something if you want it to look or feel different. The body is a hypocrite, it says one thing but means and does another. So you have to train in that manner and give it the stimulation it needs in order to change and get to the next level.
In order to get out of a plateau let me first list off the reasons why they happen
- doing the same workouts from 2 months ago
- not tracking your workouts and progress
- using the same amount of weights or doing 3 sets of 10 ALL THE TIME
- starting off with a too generalized and generic program
- not using a good enough mix of free weights, machines, cardio, and plyometrics
So now that you know why they happen this is what you need to do in order to see results….the exact opposite of what that list says. What you want to focus on is variety, variety, variety. If you put your body in a constant state of confusion then it will have no choice but to change and adapt because that is how the body works. The simplest ways but most often overlooked ways are things like increasing your weights, switching the order of your workouts and exercises, shortening the length of your rest in between your workouts, doing your exercise in different angles. Those are all great ways to switch up your workouts and avoid/get out of a plateau. So do not let the plateau get you down but fight through it because you are DEDICATED.
If you have questions… ask me and I will answer :)
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Ask a fitness Question
Ask a Fitness Question and tell three of your followers to ask me a fitness question and I will make up a 4 week personalized workout program for you. Will you help me help as many people as possible? :)
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How to get rid of belly fat. Hope you guys enjoy and ask questions. :)
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Got Fitness Questions?
I am available to answer your fitness questions that you have so ask away :)
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Why you should do Group Fitness Classes at your Gym.
I think you should join your local gym or ymca whatever fits your budget and lifestyle and enroll in the classes that are available that come with you gym membership. The reason why I believe you should do that is because the classes are great and are usually ran by highly passionate instructors who truly have a desire to help you out. Also I really like the classes because there is a great variety of different moves and techniques that are taught and do help in getting you to your fitness goals. I also think they are great because they are such a great support system and you can really make some life changing friendships at these classes. I love the chemistry and relationships between the group fitness classes and their following. Also the best part of these classes are you can go at your own level and push yourself each week so you do not have to worry about feeling dumb in the gym.The gym industry can really be a great industry to be in when it is done right. I am in love with it and I want to convince you to be in love with it too. :) A usual offering of group fitness classes that are available at your local gym, ymca, or university are as follows
- Yoga- for flexibility and strength
- Spinning- for leg endurance and strength
- Pilates- for flexibility and strength
- Powerpump- weight training and endurance
- Zumba- fun dance class to get cardio in. A favorite by Women :)
- KickBoxing- Great for cardio and core strength
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Here are some functional exercises that you can use that can be done in the gym or if you have home equipment you can as well.
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One of my trainers showing you how to do some ab exercises that you can do at the gym or at home. Some more helpful tips for you guys.
