Happy Holidays!

The holidays here! And before we know it, we’ll be ringing in 2017! I know most of us are all already thinking of training hard to make up for all of the holiday treats. However training hard can be dangerous. Make sure before you jump into an intense training routine that you are cleared by a doctor to exercise, are wearing the proper workout gear and know how to train hard safely. You’re especially prone to injury when you’re training hard.

I recently had the opportunity to sit down and speak with chiropractor Nekessa S. Remy. Dr. Remy is based in downtown Toronto at the Integra Health Clinic. I got to ask her questions regarding how to prevent injuries when training hard. So, if you are about to embark on a fitness journey check out what we spoke about below:

Alicia: When training with an all-out effort, do you suggest a dynamic or static stretching routine?

Dr. Remy: For any workout routine, the most important factor for stretching is knowing when to perform each stretch; both types of stretching are important. Dynamic stretching consists of functional based exercises, which use specific movements to prepare the body for movement. This involves moving parts of your body and gradually increasing reach, speed of movement, or both, while increasing your core temperature. This type of stretching is best used before your workout as part of a warm up. We know that a proper warm up can not only affect the likelihood of injury, but also directly impacts your ability to perform to your maximum ability. As such, dynamic stretching plays a major role in maximizing your performance levels and should be a key part of any warm up

• Like dynamic stretching, static stretching improves flexibility by moving joints through a specific range of motion. However, unlike dynamic stretching, it does not increase your core temperature. These stretches are often held for longer periods, ideally 20 to 30 seconds. Static stretching suppresses the central nervous system, relaxing the muscle spindles by lengthening them, and has been shown to actually reduce power and force production in several studies. This type of stretching is more effective during the cool down period of your workout.

A: What are some stretches that should be included in a routine?

Dr. R:  Flexibility is often overlooked as part of a heavy training routine. Consider the amount of time we spend siting behind a computer desk when not training, sitting watching tv or sitting behind in a car. These postures keep our joints in very restrictive positions. I recommend addressing the areas which are most restricted including the hips, shoulders and lower back. Some of my favourite stretches include:

Pigeon Stretch (Hips)

• From Downward Facing Dog, step both feet together and bring your right knee forward between your hands so your outer right leg is resting on the mat.
• If your hips are more open, inch your right foot away from you. Make sure your left hip is always pointing down toward the mat. If it begins open up toward the ceiling, draw your right foot back in toward your body.
• Stay here with your hands resting on your right leg or walk your hands out in front of you, allowing your torso to rest over your right knee.
• Hold here, breathing into any areas of tightness and tension for at least five breaths.

Then place your hands on the mat in front of you, tuck your left toes and step your right foot back.

Repeat using the left leg.

Cow’s Face (Shoulders)

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and pointed straight ahead.
• Attempt to interlock your fingers behind your back. If you are not able to get your fingers to interlock, use a towel.

Hold for one minute, then switch sides and repeat.

Knee rolling (lower back)

• Lie on your back as above with the knees bent.
• Slowly lower both knees to the left whilst turning the head to the right.
• Bring the knees up again and to the right whilst looking left.
• Repeat this movement 10 times.

A: How often should someone train hard to achieve maximum results?

Dr. R: You can train anywhere from 3-7 days a week. The important thing is to incorporate cross training into your program. So whatever discipline you are training in, keep in mind that you are often working specific muscle groups repeatedly and ignoring others. Cross training on your “days off” can help to address muscle imbalances that can occur when focusing on only one activity. Cross training not only aids in reducing the occurrence of injury, but also allowing for maximum gains.

In general, you want to give your body 24-48 hours in between really hard training sessions. Within those 24-48 hours, you don’t have to be inactive, though; try an activity that will not hinder your training. Pilates, yoga and swimming are all great choices that will allow your body to remove while continuing to build supporting muscle strength which can ultimately also improve your performance.

 A: When should you back off from training hard?

Dr. R: The biggest sign that you should back off from training is pain and/or injury. Pain is a sign that there is an issue with your body. Keep in mind that most lifters do experience delayed onset muscles soreness or DOMS, as its often called. This soreness is the result of microscopic damage to muscle fibres involved in the exercise. This type of damage likely results from moderate stresses that were experienced during the exercise. This is a normal process which is required for growth in muscle size and strength. It will start approximately 24 hours after the workout but should be gone after 72 hours. If pain persists, there is most likely an injury. Training when injured not only will limit your body’s ability to recover from that specific injury but the compensation that occurs in other areas of the body can lead to other injuries occurring simultaneously.

A: Does hydration play a factor in your ability to train hard and stay injury free?

Dr. R: Water composes 75% of our muscle tissue. A study published in the “Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research” reported that a 1.5 percent decrease in water loss resulted in a decrease of muscle strength of the one rep max bench press. Given that such a small amount of water loss can compromise strength, staying hydrated is essential in muscle strength and gain. Researchers found that the amount of water within cells plays a critical part in whether or not muscle breakdown occurs. Preventing muscle breakdown is crucial since muscle breakdown stops muscle growth within muscle cells. Decreased body water leads to the shrinkage of cells and the breakdown of protein. Thus, by maintaining adequate fluid levels, we can cause cells to swell, thereby reducing the amount of protein breakdown and increasing the building of new muscle tissue which will ultimately improve strength gains and reduce muscle injury. Further more, dehydration causes our blood volume levels to drop which causes fatigue and dizziness. Training when fatigued will both hinder training and increase the risk of injury.

As a general rule of thumb, you should be taking in 1 Litre of water per 1,000 calories expended per day. So someone who burns 2,500cals would drink 2.5 Litre fluid daily.

A: How much water should you be drinking if you are training hard?

Dr. R:  The amount of water a person should consume daily is a controversial subject. The standard eight glasses of water a day prescriptions recommended all over the place won’t be enough for serious muscle seekers. This is fine for the average person who consumes around 2,000cals a day without much activity. However, if your workouts are frequent and intense, you will require more water.

As a general rule of thumb, you should be taking in 1 Litre of water per 1,000 calories expended per day. So someone who burns 2,500 cals should drink 2.5 litres of fluid daily.

A: What should my nutrition look like before and after a workout?

Dr. R: By eating a healthy, well-balanced meal one to two hours before exercise, and another health, well-balanced meal within one to two hours after exercise, most people can meet their workout nutrition needs without anything else.

Pre workout Meal:

If you’re looking to increased strength gains, your protein and calorie needs are likely higher. Keep in mind that calories from carbs should come from carbs that are low on the glycemic index. You could also add a protein + carbohydrate drink during your training. A typical meal could include:

1 to 1 ½ servings of dense protein (i.e. lean meats)

1-2 portions (thumb size) of healthy fats (i.e. nuts)

1-2 servings (fist size) of vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower)

1-2 handfuls of dense carbs (i.e. berries or brown rice)

If you don’t have over an hour to spare, a smaller meal like a shake or a smoothie is recommended as its easier to digest with limited time.

Here’s the make up of a good smoothie

1 scoop protein powder

1 fist of veggies (spinach works great in smoothies)

1-2 cupped handfuls of carbs (berries or a banana work great)

1 thumb of fats (like mixed nuts or flax seeds)

low-calorie beverage like water or unsweetened almond milk

Post workout Meal:

No matter what time of day you exercise, the key is to follow up with meals that combine protein, which helps your muscles recover, and carbohydrates, which replenish energy stores. For best results, eat within 30 to 60 minutes after exercise, when muscles are most receptive. During this window, an increase in enzyme activity makes the body more efficient at storing glucose for energy and building protein in fatigued muscles.

One of my favourites sport recovery smoothies combines banana, milk (almond), and yogurt makes for a fresh and satisfying sports recovery drink. Almond milk and yogurt work double duty, providing both protein and carbohydrates. Bananas are packed with potassium and magnesium―powerful electrolytes for healthy muscle function.

Another great example is this protein packed sandwich.

Use low-sodium cold cuts which provide some salt to help replace what’s lost in sweat during exercise. Add Tomatoes which boost of vitamin C. Try 100 percent whole wheat bread which will boost your fibre.

A: What are some beginner exercises to do if I want to train hard?

Dr. R: Before you start any new program it is important to ensure that your core can support heavy lifting. The core includes the traverse abdominis (TVA), erector spinae, obliques and muscles of the pelvic floor. These muscles work as stabilizers for the entire body. Core training is simply doing specific exercises to develop and strengthen these stabilizer muscles. Without proper stabilization you are setting yourself up for failure and/or injury.

Heavy squats, deadlifts, and barbell rowing give the core a challenging workout by themselves, but doing additional abdominal and oblique training helps to alleviate the injury factor. Handling the heavy weights that are necessary for mass building requires a very strong midsection.

Dead Bugs

This exercise not only improves core conditioning, it also builds stability in the hips and trunk.

• Begin lying on your back with your hands extended above you toward the ceiling.
• Bring your feet, knees, and hips up to 90 degrees.
• Exhale hard to bring your ribcage down and flatten your back onto the floor, rotating your pelvis up and squeezing your glutes.

Dead bugs can also help prepare people for crawling exercises. They build the coordination necessary for any cross crawling activity because they essentially mimics the hand and leg movement, only performed on your back rather than your hands and feet.

Bird Dog

This is an excellent exercise for improving core stability because it hits multiple functions at once.

• Start on all fours and tighten your abdominal muscles, keeping your spine and neck in a neutral position; you should be looking at the floor.
• Slowly extend your left leg behind you while reaching your right arm forward, keeping your thumb towards the celling.

The Bird Dog works both anti-extension and anti-rotation, improves coordination, and puts the glutes and shoulders to work. You can think of this exercise as a plank-superman hybrid. And much like the dead bug, it’s a great exercise to help prepare for cross-crawl exercises. If you’re looking for an exercise that delivers a lot of bang for your buck, this one just might be it.

I hope you found Dr. Remy’s tips helpful for training hard in the gym. Make sure you stretch, eat properly, drink your water, plan your workouts in advance and make sure you are prepared physically train hard! Thanks again Dr. Remy!

For more info about Dr. Nekessa S. Remy and how to contact her please read below:

Dr. Nekessa S. Remy runs a chiropractic practice in downtown Toronto, at Integra Health Centre where she works amongst other leaders in the health care field. As a licensed chiropractor and Medical Acupuncturist, Dr. Nekessa Remy has developed an approach to injury management that is based on current research and measurable patient outcomes. Her passion for health and rehabilitation lead her to earning an Honours Degree in Kinesiology from the University of Western Ontario followed by a Doctorate of Chiropractic from the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College where she graduated Magna Cum Laude. Dr. Remy is also a Registered Acupuncturist under the College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists of Ontario. She has held certification as a Can Fit Pro personal trainer and has worked in both the athletic training and sports rehabilitation fields. Most recently Dr. Remy has become a sports injury consultant for the Brampton Rebel Soccer Team, and in the summer of 2015 she brought her skills to the Pan Am Games Medical Team.

Twitter: @drnekessaremy

Instagram: @drnekessaremy

Train It Right Youtube Launch

Have you had a chance to check out the Train It Right Youtube?  Go subscribe! Like the videos! Share them! Leave some comments! Thanks!

www.youtube.com/trainitright

Tons of great content to come including exercises, Q&A, Vlogs, and Workout's!

Some of the content includes videos like:

Squat Variations

Did you know that squatting is a fundamental human movement pattern that involves nearly every muscle in the body? Squatting improves fitness, performance, and mobility for daily-life tasks. But do you always do the same type of squat? You shouldn’t and here’s why:

Have you ever noticed that when you do an exercise you haven’t performed in a few weeks, you experience a much more intense delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) for two or three days afterwards? Well that is because your muscles are moving in a slightly different plane of motion than what they are used to and they’ve become unaccustomed to this newly reintroduced movement. Don’t get stuck doing the same exercises each and every week! Change it up so that you can wake up muscles that may not be getting used if you are continually doing the same exercises week after week.

When you add variations into your workouts you can add strength faster and see more development and changes to your physique. Try new exercise movements, add extra weight or perform more sets and reps each workout. It’s all about the variation. Variations also help keeps you mentally stimulated and non-stagnant in your workout regime. This keeps the workouts fun and exciting as well as challenging.  When you add variation exercises to your program you will hit the muscles from different angles, helping to stimulate more muscle fibers and create a nice, fully rounded muscle that really pops. Add variation – you have nothing to lose and everything to gain!

Try these examples of variations for squats that can be built into your current training program. Remember to engage the mind-muscle connection and focus on the contraction, negative and stretch phase of the lift. Don’t rush through the reps, keep tension on the muscle through the entire range of motion to get the full benefit of each exercise.

Front Squat

Place the barbell at the upper chest height in the rack. Step forward and position bar in front of shoulders. Cross your arms and place hands on top of barbell with upper arms parallel to floor. Then move the bar from rack. Squat down by pushing your hips backwards while allowing knees to bend forward, keep your back straight and your knees aligned with your toes. Squat down until thighs are just past parallel. Return to the starting position and repeat.

Bulgarian Split Squat

This can be done with a barbell across your back or dumbbells in both hands. Stand with dumbbells in your hands or bar across your back. Extend leg back and place top of foot on bench. Lower yourself down by flexing both the knee and hip of front leg until knee of rear leg is almost in contact with floor. Return to your starting position and repeat. Then switch legs.

Hack Squat w/ Barbell 

Position barbell just behind your legs. With feet flat on floor shoulder width apart, squat down and grasp barbell from behind with overhand grip. Lift bar by extending hips and knees to full extension to stand up tall. Squat down by bending hips back while allowing knees to bend forward, keeping back straight and knees pointed same direction as feet. Squat down as far as you can possible while keeping your head and chest up. Repeat.

Heels Elevated Hack Squat

Place some plates or a step behind you. Position barbell just behind your legs. With toes on the floor and your heels on top of the step making sure that your feet are shoulder width apart, squat down and grasp barbell from behind with overhand grip.  Lift bar by extending hips and knees to full extension to stand up tall. Squat down by bending hips back while allowing knees to bend forward, keeping back straight and knees pointed same direction as feet. Squat down as far as you can possible while keeping your head and chest up. Repeat.

Goblet Squat

Stand holding a dumbbell or kettlebell close to your chest. Then squat down between your legs until your hamstrings are on your calves. Keep your chest and head up. At the bottom position, pause and make sure that your elbows are on the inside of your knees and legs. Return to the starting position, and repeat.

Sumo Squat

With bar upper chest height, position bar on the back of your shoulders and grasp bar to sides. Place feet wider than shoulder width apart and make sure to point your toes outward 45° to 30°. Begin by squatting down by bending hips back while allowing knees to bend forward.  Keep your back straight and your knees aligned with the direction that your toes are facing.. Descend until thighs are minimally just past parallel to floor. Return to the beginning position and repeat

Curtsey Squat

Stand with your feet hip width apart and hands on hips, weights in your hands or barbell across your back. Move your right foot behind your left leg, as far past your left foot as is comfortable. Using a "curtsy" motion, squat down. Keep your weight in the front leg, head up and chest up.  Return to the beginning position of  standing and repeat.

Box Squat

From rack with barbell at upper chest height, position bar on back of shoulders. Grasp barbell to sides. Dismount bar from rack and back up until contact is made with box immediately behind. Stand with either a regular squat position with feet shoulder width or a wide stance with feet flared out slightly. Then sit back onto box by bending hips back while bending knees, keeping your knees in light with your toes and your head and chest up. Using a controlled movement then lower your glutes onto box. Once contact is made stand back up returning to the starting position and repeat.

Much of how you use the above squat variations comes down to what you are currently doing in the gym. While I am not suggesting to drop your current routine and start this one, there is value in adding some variation to your training sessions so that you can stimulate the muscle in a different way and keep it responding without hitting plateaus.

At the end of the day, it is important to realize that no matter where you are in your training experience, there is value in the occasional variation adjustment. Whether it is to bring up weak points or to keep your body healthy and in balance, varying stance and bar placement, using dumbbells instead of a barbell can add that missing element and help with your progress.
Happy Training!

Hollywood stars have some of the best bodies that we've ever seen! Let's face it, sometimes it's completely unbelievable and we're left to wonder if it is genetics or if it's 'genetically-modified' (i.e. plastic surgery). But the fact of the matter is that no matter what, a great body takes hard work, both in the kitchen and in the gym!

My Experience With Tide + Downy Odor Defense Collection

I was recently sent the Tide + Downy Odor Defense Collection to try out! When the bag was delivered to my house I quickly opened it up to reveal the Tide + Downy Odor Defense Collection. What an awesome idea! Finally a collection of odor defence laundry pods and beads specifically designed to fight gym smells! The Tide + Downy Odor Defense Collection has been designed to “remove odors at the source so odors don't come back, wash after wash.” They have the added power of Febreze, which is supposed to break down built-in odors and layers of body soil and dinge, which can lead to odor issues over time. In addition, Downy Fresh Protect with Febreze Odor Defense infuses your laundry with motion-activated technology to neutralize odors for 24 hour odor protection while you move throughout your day!

I was particularly excited because as most of you reading this know that I practically live in the gym. I train athletes, business men and women, fitness enthusiasts, fitness rookies and run transformation programs. I also train myself up to 3x a day. Not only am I training but I train intensely with 1x strength training session and 2x a day intense cardio. So you can imagine just how much I sweat when I am working out that hard. Fabrics that I wear when I train include neoprene, elastane, spandex and moisture wicking blends. We all know that these hold smells and sometimes they are hard to get out!

I basically living and breathing in gym clothes day and and day out you can probably imagine how many times a day that I normally have to change my clothes due to sweat, dirt and smell. I sometimes go through three or more outfits. And how many loads of laundry that I have to do! I was in desperate need for an elevated laundry regime. You don’t realize how dirty your clothes actually are until the “rebloom” happens (either during the workout or while resting in your gym clothes, when you least expect it).

What a difference the Tide + Downy made for me and my laundry. I used the Tide + Downy Odor Defense Collection every time I did laundry for an entire week. I was blown away by the difference in smell, the freshness and the softness of my favorite go to gym clothes! Even my regular clients commented on my freshness (not that I was that bad before) but the smell of fresh laundry due to the infused febreeze is noticeably different with the Tide + Downy Odor Defense Collection. I didn’t have to change as often as I use to and the odors were definitely neutralized.

I would recommend this product to every gym goer, outdoor adventurist or weekend warrior. Basically anyone who is active should have the Tide + Downy Odor Defense Collection and use it on all of their clothes! Remember to put the pods or beads in before your laundry and you won’t be disappointed. Trust me you won’t want to wash your gym clothes in anything else again. Tide #getsitout

You can learn more about the Tide + Downy Odor Defense Collection products on their social channels and website:

@Tide - Facebook, twitter

@tidelaundry - Instagram

http://tide.com/en-us/about-tide/tide-downy-odor-defense-collection

#getsitout #sponsored #tide #laundry #odor #odordefencecollection #workout

If you want to lose weight to become more healthy, you’re going to need to take action. It’s not good just doing nothing and hoping the problem will fix itself. You need to make sure you come up with as many different ideas and options as you can to help you lose weight. The good news for you is that there are plenty of ways to do this these days.

Image Source

Coming up with the best weight loss techniques is one of the best things you can do. It’s important to have different options and ideas you can use. You should take a look at the ideas and techniques listed on this post. They will help you come up with the best ways to lose weight and get you looking and feeling fantastic.

Boot Camp

To get serious about losing weight you need to make sure you take decisive action. You’ve got to immerse yourself in the process, and take it as seriously as you can. And one of the most effective things you can do is to attend a boot camp. Prestige Boot Camp is one of Europe’s leading fitness and weight loss boot camps. A visit to one of these is going to set you on the road to the perfect fitness regime. You’ll be in the ideal surroundings to work on losing weight and enjoy the motivation and facilities necessary. This is one of the best things you can do if you want to work on losing weight and getting fitter. Think about signing up for a weekend or a week of intensive boot camp training!

Personal Trainer

The next option would be to hire a personal trainer to put you through your paces. This is one of the most sensible options, and will really help keep you dedicated. A personal trainer can take care of all the difficult and strenuous parts of the process like devising fitness regimes. It’s important to have somebody who will keep you in line and motivate and inspire you. A personal trainer can provide you with an extra impetus to stay fit and healthy. They will be able to use some of the best bodyweight exercises, and come up with a personal fitness program. If you’ve never used a personal trainer before you might find it hard work. But it will all be worth it in the long run, and the end definitely justifies the means.

Fad Diets

As well as the exercise there are other approaches you can take to losing weight as well. For example, you need to look into what you’re eating. Dieting is closely linked to weight loss and a healthy body. That’s why it’s important to make sure you come up with sensible diets that can help you. Fad diets are very popular these days and provide a quick and easy way of losing weight. However, it’s worth noting that many fad diets act solely as short-term measures. And, as such, you need to make sure you have a sensible diet once you’ve reached the end of your fad diet.

Losing weight is an important part of the process of staying fit and healthy. That’s why it’s important to come up with as many weight loss techniques and tips as you can. Many of these will involve a balanced diet and regular exercise. But, there are more extreme examples like the ones listed on here.

Lifting Straps By Rip Toned Review #riptoned

These LIFTING STRAPS  By Rip Toned come in a pair of cotton padded weightlifting straps for both men and women. I was recently sent them to try for free. I actually have only used lifting gloves or grip pads throughout my long history of fitness and training. I never had the opportunity to use straps before. I was a bit nervous but they were easy to use and very sturdy. I  definitely was not disappointed and was very impressed. Why have I never used straps before?!?!?

A little bit about why these were a good product for me: I had a motorcycle accident last May which left me with 7 stitches in my hand and reduced grip strength. I am strong but I have been unable to hold the weight that I know I am capable of lifting to lift it. I quickly put the straps to use and I have to tell you these straps have helped me lift heavier than I was  able to before.

I also like that they give you a Product Guarantee. They are actually the ONLY Weightlifting Straps Backed by a Lifetime No-Hassle Free Replacement Guarantee.

Why use lifting straps? According to their website "Quality no slip weight lifting wrist straps allow the confidence, safety and leverage critical to achieving your body’s peak performance and health we all so desperately seek."

This straps are great for a variety of reasons:

- Lifting Straps overcome a weak grip allowing you to lift more weight while building your ideal body
- RipToned lifting straps provide an element of safety to your exercise when losing your grip could cause injury
- Great quality material for long lasting use
- Rip Toned workout wrist straps will not stretch giving you complete peace of mind
- Provides solid grip without slipping for maximum lifting power
- Top notch stitching and product workmanship
- Durable cotton material with thicker than most neoprene padding
- Comfortable one size fits most design
- Washable for easy care

Get yours here you won't be disappointed if you lift heavy and/or have difficulty gripping when you lift.

Thanks Rip Toned these straps will forever be in my training bag!

(Image via pixabay https://goo.gl/FeuyYr)

Did you know that you don’t necessarily have to pick up a weight to get a good workout in? Using your bodyweight can be just as tough and rewarding. Here are some of the best bodyweight exercises for your body parts:

Chest/Triceps

Very little needs to be said on this matter; everyone knows that the push-up is a great bodyweight exercise for your chest. The great thing about push-ups is that there’s room for alterations. You can drop your knees down if you’re unable to do a normal push-up. You can do clapping push-ups if you find normal ones too easy. You could even try one handed ones if you’re arong enough.

Also, you can alter the angle of your body to target different parts of the chest. Put your feet on a bench and do incline push-ups to target more of your upper chest.

Or, if you bring your hands in close and do a push-up, you’ll be targeting your triceps more. This is actually one of the best tricep exercises you can do.

Shoulders

For shoulders, you can do a variation of a push-up. It’s called the pike push up and starts off in the classic downward facing dog yoga pose. You then let your forehead drop close to the floor then push back upwards. It can be tricky to get the movement right, but when you do you really feel it in your delts.

Alternatively, you can do a handstand presses if you’re experienced and strong enough. Do your handstand up against a wall for safety and stability.

(Image by skeeze https://goo.gl/Pt5IEy)

Back

One of the best exercises you can do for your back is the pull-up. It’s a simple movement that involves grabbing a bar overhead and pulling yourself up off the ground.

Of course, pull-ups are a hard exercise to do, and not everyone can do them. If you can’t do a pull-up, or don’t have any way to do on in the home, do an inverted row instead. This is a much easier exercise to do, and you can alter the difficulty based on where you place your legs. If you’re in the gym, you just need access to a squat rack or smith machine to do this.

Biceps

Bodyweight exercises for the biceps are similar to the back. The best one is called a chin up. It’s like a pull up only you grab the bar with an underhand grip. Plus, you should focus on using your biceps to curl your chin up over the bar.

Likewise, you can do inverted chin curls, which are similar to the inverted row. But, you grab with the underhand grip and use your arms to curl your body up. This is an absolute killer, and your biceps will soon feel pumped.

Legs

The best bodyweight exercise for legs is squats. Doing loads of squat variations is a great idea to build leg strength without needing weights. You can do jump squats for an extra challenge, or one legged squat if you feel up to the challenge.

Another favourite bodyweight exercise is the lunge. There are many lunge variations that are fantastic for strengthening legs and building muscle.

Would you like to get in shape and turn your body into a fitness machine? Do you look at old movies starring Arnold Schwarzenegger with envy? Then now could be the best time to start working on your muscles. Most people don’t know where to begin, and so we’ve made some suggestions on this page. The basic rule of thumb is that you don’t want to push yourself too hard. You will cause an injury and set yourself back considerably. Start slow, and build on your routine when you feel more comfortable.

Join a local gym

It might sound obvious, but the best course of action usually involves joining a gym. The only issue is that many people struggle to find the motivation they need. That is why you should encourage a friend to come along for the sessions. Either that or you should pay for the services of a personal trainer. You will notice an improvement by the end of the first month if you train regularly. It’s a big commitment, but exercise is the only way to get your body in shape.

Try a self-defence class

There are lots of different self-defence classes you might like to choose. Some people like to stick with something traditional and popular like Karate. Judo is also a top choice for many folks who are just starting out. However, those of you who want to try something different might consider Krav Maga. The boss of IDF Training told us it is one of their most sought after classes. People come from all around the country to take part. The self-defence system was designed for the Israeli military, but it has become popular all over the world.

Buy weights and set them up at home

Those of you who are more interested in building muscles than getting fit should purchase some equipment. That is the best way of taking your training to the next level. Presuming you have a spare room in your home, you could create a personal gym. Make sure you have lots of weights and a decent bench so you can work out at times that are convenient for you. Again, asking a friend to come round and take part is a wise move. You will have someone there to help if you injure yourself, and they will provide much-needed encouragement.

Run every morning before work

It’s a good idea to go out running for half an hour before work. That is the best time of the day to get your fitness regime started. You don’t need to pay for access to a local track. Just jog around the streets in your area. Make sure you purchase appropriate running shoes, so you don’t damage your body. It might have been okay to run in school shoes when you were a child, but adults need more support. Your body is not as young as it used to be. Try to find shoes with memory foam soles for the most comfortable experience.

You should have enough ideas to get started right now. Maybe you should see how many press-ups you can do at the moment? Perform your new routine and then see how that number has increased in a few weeks. It’s important that you can tell how much difference your exercise is making. It could be wise to get hold of a pedometer too. That will give you a basic idea of how far you’re running.

Good luck!

Gregor