Going to the gym alone is tough. There are many mistakes. Below are some of the most common problems that I see at the gym on a day to day basis. They are simple and easy to correct. Once adjusted you will feel better and achieve a more efficient and effective workout.
1. Proper Workout Wear. For your own saftey proper gym shoes should be worn. Weights could fall at any moment and land on your toes and break them or your foot if you are in sandles etc. Also for women a good sports bra goes a long way when exercises, and makes your workout more comfortable and enjoyable. Make sure to shower after your workout because sweat can cause bacteria growth. The last thing you want is something along the lines of athletes foot.
2. Abdominals. Keep your back pressed against the ground, and your belly button pulled in. Try and not bend your neck to keep everything in line.
3. Breathing. Inhale during the negative motion, and exhale during the positive motion. Don’t hold your breath, this could cause hernias or other injuries.
4. Using Weight Clips. Proper safety at the gym is very important. Too many times we through the weights on the bar for squats, bench, or curl bar without putting on the clips. Without the clips any slight movement left or right could send the weights flying, and could cause injury to yourself while lifting or to others next to you.
5. Stretching. Stretch at the end of your workout. Don’t bounce while stretching. Instead, hold the position; bouncing can cause injuries. Stick to static stretching, and hold for at least 30 seconds.
6. Lunges and Squats. Don’t let your knees go past your toes during any exercise. The best example is the squat or lunge. Drop your hips down, and sit back when squating as if there is a chair a little to far back for you. Keep legs shoulder with as well. This will help you avoid injuries.
8. Biceps Curls. Be sure there’s no space between your elbows and the sides of your body when performing bicep curls. A lot of times we like to hold the arms out from the body.
9. Running. Heel to toe if you are going for the distance. Dorsi flexed and on the balls of your feet if you are doing sprint intervals. Both should not be performed heavy, but light footed. Don’t forget to use your arms. They are just as important as your feet and legs, and when used your running economy is better (i.e. more efficient).
10. Diet. Lack of water decreases your energy level, and fatigue almost always lead to poor technique. You should replenish your stores after your workout no more than 20 minutes after. This helps with muscle growth and recovery. Try a scoop of chocolate promasil added to water or non fat milk.
11. Personal Trainer. When you get a personal trainer, make sure that they are properly certified and have their CPR. Also make sure that they are just taking you through mindless workouts. It is important to have a periodized plan for best results, and always have a goal. The goals are what will keep you motivated besides having set appointments with your trainer.
12.Holding on tight to Cardio Equipment You should hold lightly and keep a tall posture posture. If you feel confident it is even better to do it hands free. When you naturally swing your arms it promotes more calorie burning and improves your balance. That will help with day to day activities.
Exercise has benefits for everyone. Age is not a factor, nor is ethnicity, height, or experience. Working out can also benefit expecting mothers. Most women benefit greatly from exercising throughout their pregnancy. According to an article by Zawadski the benefits of exercising when pregnant include:
Helping to relieve backaches
Improving posture by strengthening and toning muscles in the back, butt, and thighs
May help prevent or treat gestational diabetes
Increasing energy levels
Noticeable mood changes towards more positive
Reduction in constipation by accelerating movement in the intestine
Increasing the muscle tone, strength, and endurance
Improving in sleep and quality of sleep
Improving the ability to cope with the pain of labor
Helping women regain pre-pregnancy fitness and shape more quicklyAny pregnant woman wanting to exercise should always talk with their healthcare provider first. The personal trainer or instructor should make sure that it is known to the pregnant client’s medical doctor that she will be starting an exercise routine. This is to make sure that there are no complications with the pregnancy where the mother to be could endanger the baby. Usually there is no problems but occasionally there are extreme cases where the mother to be should be on bed rest. So it is important to check with your doctor first.
The today show launched a new fitness program called Radius. The Radius trainers are made up of a team that includes a multitude of trainers. Some I have come across before on the internet. Some I have never heard of. That doesn't mean that they aren't excellent trainers by any means. Obviously they know their stuff to be part of such a huge project. According to the trainers that were on the show this is an on-demand fitness service that offers you workout videos in a variety of styles, intensities and durations. This will allow you to create your own customized training program. According to Radius it is "Personalized fitness, anytime, anywhere, any screen."
The Radius routines are designed to accessible anywhere, meaning they are viewable on any screen (such as your smartphone, computer, tablet and TV). Even more of a bonus is that they require little to no equipment. This makes it easy if you have a busy life, small space or travel a lot. Most routines don’t require anything beyond a mat, towel and water bottle.
NBCUniversal owns the venture in partnership with Under Armour, and with a monthly rate of $9.99 American. The most interesting part of this venture partnership is that the Radius programs will air on NBCSN, weekdays between 6 - 9 AM, and is also set to launch through Xfinity On Demand soon. How cool is that? It's been so long since there has been real workout programs on TV. Im not sure if this will be available in Canada right away but I sure hope so. This is totally something as a trainer that I would love to be a part of. Maybe a Canadian version? Just dreaming haha
In every gym when you walk in no doubt you will see men standing in front of the mirrors pumping out set after set of bicep curls focussing primarily on the Biceps brachii (the visible bicep muscle). While this is an obvious and relatively effective way to train the elbow flexor, it leaves out many other undertrained muscles involved in elbow flexion. To give a quick boost to your arm training in the quest for bulging biceps try some of the following:
Reverse Grip - EZ bar curls:
Grab the EZ bar with an overhand grip and the palms on a grip where they will ever so slightly begin to face each other. Now starting with the arms straight curl the bar up and only at the top will your elbows slightly move forward. What this does is work the brachioradialis (a muscle running directly underneath the biceps) and forearm muscles intensely while reducing the work the biceps brachii contributes to the lift. When this muscle grows it pushes the biceps up which gives the appearance of larger arms!
Seated Dumbbell Hammer Curls:
Hammer curls are performed by holding the dumbbells with the palms facing one another as if about to use a hammer. This allows the brachialis and brachioradialis to be further targeted as the biceps function of supination will be removed. Performing these seated will allow you to focus directly on the task at hand, flexing the elbows without swaying the upper body to gain momentum. As well this way the nervous system isn't preoccupied with maintaining standing balance and instead is fully devoted to the hammer curl!
Thick grip implements:
The reason that thick grip implements work so well for making the arms bigger in a hurry is that they increase the neural recruitment of the motor units in the forearm while reducing the strain on the wrist. When this occurs the forearms will gain strength and size which will lead to a radiating effect up to the biceps leading to greater weights being able to be lifted and then more micro trauma to the muscles causing hypertrophy. In the event the facility you train at doesn't have any thick implements, you can bypass this issue by purchasing a pair of Fat Gripz which are attachable to most barbells, dumbbells and handles at www.fatgripz.ca, or at many supplement stores.
With the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics just a couple of weeks away let’s take a look at one aspect of getting to the highest level in a sport, Strength training. While yes a vast majority of sport specific coaches have a decent understanding of strength training the truth is their expertise is the specific skill and tactical development of the sport which is why athletes need an additional component to their support staff, Strength and Conditioning Coaches.
Using track and field as an example, the main staples that 90% of track coaches program for their athletes are:
Power Cleans
Partial Range Back Squats
Barbell Flat Bench Press
[insert random abdominal exercise here]
As a strength coach I have to look not only at what will improve performance by making the athlete faster (stronger to improve stride length) but also what will prevent injury and the biggest injury in the sport is a hamstring injury, but yet not one of the above exercises addresses the issue of ensuring the hamstring is sufficiently strong to prevent being overpowered by the quadriceps and glutes and then leading to a strained/pulled hamstring. This can then be extended to every sport and the specific strength qualities related to them whether its acceleration/power, speed, strength, endurance, strength endurance.
Strength Coaches study and are better equipped than sport specific coaches to find various imbalances and then using the tools in our toolbox, scientifically formulate a program to reduce the discovered imbalance to reduce injury risk and improve athletic performance whether that’s running speed, jump height, racquet speed or punching power. This requires another approach to periodization training and even mini periodization within a specific training cycle/block to maximize the effect of training to translate onto the field of play. Just in a program this includes:
Exercise selection
Variation of exercise selection (Range of motion, implement, grip, angles)
Specificity to sport skills, tasks and movements
Taking into account physical and emotional demands of practice
Taking into account physical (metabolical, hormonal, neurological) and emotional demands of training session (repititions, sets, intensity/load, tempo and speed of movement, rest intervals, range of motion)
Nutritional demands and status of athlete
Elite athletes need to have a strength coach in their support staff to help to ensure they are physically ready to perform at their highest level, to be their strongest/fittest for competition. Take a look at every NCAA collegiate program, they have a department dedicated to strength and conditioning for this very reason.
To perform at the highest levels, elite athletes require their training to be catered and specific towards them. This gives the added NEED to have an additional coach who specializes in strength and conditioning training to ensure the athlete is at their best when in competition and able to handle the rigors and demands of day to day practices and come out of it healthy.
- Tony Risling
Do you think bootcamp is tough? Try it in the sand! Starting Saturday December 7th 2013. Join Alicia at Beach Blast for an indoor bootcamp. Choose the morning session or the afternoon session. Bring your own yoga mat and get ready to have some fun!
Location
Beach Blast 15 Leswyn Rd Toronto, ON, Canada, M6A 1K1
TTC Directions
From Yorkdale Subway Station:
Take any Lansdowne 47 (B or C) Bus to Caledonia and Leswyn Rd. Walk to #15 Leswyn
From Lawrence West Subway Station:
Take any Lawrence Ave. W Bus # 52 or 58 to Caledonia. Walk North 1 block to Leswyn Rd. Turn right walk to #15
From Lansdowne Subway Station:
Take any Lansdowne 47 Bus North. Get off at Caledonia and Leswyn. Walk 2 buildings in on Leswyn.
2 Minutes from Yorkdale Mall
Features
7 indoor courts
8 outdoor courts at Caledonia Park (adjacent to Beach Blast parking lot)
Easy access to Caledonia Park
Licensed cafe and snack bar
3 Large Patio Areas on multiple levels
Register on the December 7th in person or email trainitright@gmail.com
I attended the launch of Reebok One's Fitness app this weekend at the Can Fit Pro conference (more on this later). Below is the official Press Release.
Toronto, ON – Reebok today announced the launch of two innovative digital tools inReebokONE and the Reebok Fitness app. ReebokONE is an online fitness community unified by one mission - to make people fit for life. The network acts as a hub where fitness professionals from around the globe can connect and find inspiration among fellow professionals, helping them to develop their skill set, progress their careers and create a brand for themselves. The Reebok Fitness app, designed to inject variety into workout programs, helps consumers rejuvenate their fitness routine by creating new and varied workouts using a combination of popular disciplines – walking, running, dance, yoga and training.
ReebokONEBy signing up to the free online platform at www.Reebok.com/ReebokONE, fitness professionals can create their own personalized web page, with customizable URL, where they can upload photos, update an “About Me” section, upload their certifications and areas of expertise plus add locations where they teach. This enables members to connect with clients and other fitness experts around the world, making ReebokONE the premier fitness destination for fitness professionals. Along with being able to connect with other experts, instructors that sign up to ReebokONE also gain access to a number of member rewards, including:
A 25 per cent discount on Reebok products
The ability to earn commission on Reebok products they recommend
Access to exclusive fitness content from Reebok
To earn commission, members are required to sign up to the commission program, which then allows visitors to purchase products displayed in the ‘My Favorite Gear’ section of their profile. Members will then receive a commission on every purchase made through their page without having to do anything further. In addition to the financial benefits, signing up to the network instantly unlocks exclusive fitness content from Reebok covering a wide range of topics to help further enhance the careers and skill set of fitness professionals. This includes a ‘Learn From The Best’ feature, where members can gain insights into the latest fitness trends, gear and advice; and a ‘Featured Professional’ section that allows members to learn from other fitness and training experts. “I am so grateful to be a part of the ReebokONE network,” said two-time CFL all-star defensive back Tommy Europe, now personal trainer and fitness blogger. “As a professional, I strive to always continue my education so I can provide the best service possible. ReebokONE is a network of mentors, peers, and constant motivation; all real fitness professionals should join.”
Reebok Fitness AppThe free Reebok Fitness app, available on Apple and Android devices and online atwww.reebok.com/fitness-app, allows consumers to create customized workout programs based on activities they already love and new activities they’d like to try. Users simply need to select the length of the program they require followed by the percentage of time they would like to focus on each activity and the Reebok Fitness app will generate a workout routine based on their individual preferences. Consisting of a variety of different workouts to complete each week, the program can be personalized further by allocating certain workouts to specific days of the week to ensure you never miss a workout. Michael Rossi, vice president of Reebok Canada, said “We want to spark people’s passion for fitness and encourage them to get the most out of their workouts. We believe people make the most of their activities when they’re motivated, so that’s why we created the Reebok Fitness app. With over 200 workouts, the app gives people the chance to try new activities and plan a varied workout program in a few quick steps. We believe that mixing up your workouts and trying new activities will help you realize your full potential.” Reebok is dedicated to empowering people to be fit for life. The brand wants to inspire people to get moving and is passionate about helping people lead a healthy and active lifestyle. To find out more information and to register for ReebokONE, please visit www.reebok.com/ReebokONE.
Congrats to Snooki. She did an amazing transformation and she worked her butt off to do it. Yes it takes time and she did it gradually. Way to go girl! Check out her cover:
Okay, more than a few pounds. Waaay more than a few, actually: The four-foot-nine Jersey Shore personality and new mother shed 42 pounds in six months, and as she told Mehmet Oz, MD, yesterday on The Dr. Oz Show, she did it without starving herself or resorting to any other unhealthy tricks.
She just wants to be a good role model for Lorenzo, her seven-month-old baby, Snooki told Dr. Oz. Hey, she’s already a good role model for all of us who need to clean up a little, whether we’ve been acting out on TV or spending too much time in a seated position watching other people act out on TV. So here are Snooki’s rules for losing weight. The shorthand version: Don’t be like Snooki.
Anti-Snooki Rule #1: Be sensible. It was the first question Dr. Oz asked: How did you lose the weight? “You don't do anything crazy,” Snooki told him. “You just go to the gym. You work out.” She wasn't kidding about that: She goes to the gym five days a week or more. And no half-asleep trudging on a Stairmaster for her, either. Trainer Anthony Michael makes sure she keeps her heart rate up (she wears a monitor) and her core muscles working, with exercises like squats, plank jacks, mountain climbers and stars. She also eats right: lean protein and fruit and vegetables, and plenty of it. She sticks to 1300 calories a day, but with foods like those she can eat whenever she gets hungry. “I worked very hard to lose that weight,” Snooki told Dr. Oz. Sensible!
Anti-Snooki Rule #2: Be patient. Snooki lost a lot of weight fast, but she struggled for the first few weeks when she was doing everything right for no visible reward. “I went to the gym for probably, like, a month and a half and I didn't see any results,” she said. “I’m, like, what the hell’s going on here?” She kept at it, though, and soon enough the weight started to come off and the muscles started to show. Because that’s Snooki: She’s goal-oriented, deals well with frustration, and perseveres. Right? Well, that’s the new Snooki. The anti-Snooki.
Anti-Snooki Rule #3: Be centered. Snooki wanted to make a major change in her life and her body, but not because she hated herself. She was motivated by wanting to be a good role model for baby Lorenzo, and by wanting to be able to keep up with him when he starts to get mobile. “And also I want to look good,” she said (which she does). “I don't want to be skinny—I want to be strong.” Snooki’s bottom line for all of us trying to get from where we are to where we want to be: “You should feel great about yourself, because you're an awesome person.” Then she took a sip of a cocktail Dr. Oz mixed for her: grapefruit, lime juice, and tequila, in a portion-controlled 125-calorie cup. Snooki, here’s to you!
We all know that Jillian Michaels has said before that she hates the gym. Well apparently she has spilled the beans on hating the gym again. Would you trust a trainer that hates the gym but is always in it training people? I think its one thing to say you don't like the gym and train people outdoors or with body weighted exercises. However this is such a bold statement. I love Jillian but if you are a motivator to both women and men for health and active lifestyles I don't think this is something you should just throw out there. Does she have anyone doing her PR? Well either way apparently she says that she actually hates the gym in an upcoming interview with Ben Tracy.
Jillian posted on her facebook "What if I told you that I absolutely hate the gym?"
Check out the gorgeous Jeanette Jenkins aka The Hollywood Trainer on the Ricki Lake show taping a segment. She looks radiant. Jeanette's energy is amazing! You can follow her on twitter here: https://twitter.com/JeanetteJenkins
TRAIN IT RIGHT NEWSLETTER
Sign Up and get a free 7 day Train it Right HIIT Program!
Going to the gym alone is tough. There are many mistakes. Below are some of the most common problems that I see at the gym on a day to day basis. They are simple and easy to correct. Once adjusted you will feel better and achieve a more efficient and effective workout.
