April 27, 2024

Take your fitness All-Out!

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Go All-Out!

When was the last time you experienced true muscle fatigue in your fitness plan? True muscular fatigue means you’re working to your max. Choosing a workout that requires your maximum physical effort and full mental attention keeps motivation high. It’s also a great method to assess your fitness abilities and progress. Experiment with different workouts once a week or once a month to see what requires 100% of your body and your mind. You may even find a new sport to love!

 

 

SLOW DOWN your strength training!

Get Fit Quick Tip:

SLOW DOWN your strength training!

To get the most out of your strength training workout, slow down your pace! Complete the exercise at a pace where you’re able to stop the exercise at any point. Controlling the weight is key to overloading your muscles. A slow pace extends the time your muscle is under tension. Try lifting the weight for 2 seconds and lowering the weight for 4 seconds for starters.

 

*Consult your physician before beginning workout.

 

 

Perfect your PushUp

Get Fit Quick Tip:

PushUps!

Do traditional exercises like pushups still have value in your exercise plan? The answer is a resounding yes! Here’s why. Pushups incorporate all muscles of the body. Pushups use the core muscles how they are required to work during your daily activities, in a stabilizing capacity. Pushups build upper body strength.

Find a form of pushups that works for you. For example:

Wall Pushups. Stand facing the wall. Place your hands flat on the wall in front of you, about chest-level high and shoulder-width apart. Bend both elbows and lean into the wall. Keep your feet flat on the floor and keep your torso straight. Extend both arms and return to your starting position.

Bench Pushups. Place your hands in the center of a stable bench, with your body straight and toes on the floor. Bending both elbows, lower your chest toward the bench. Extend your arms and return to your starting position.

Floor Full Pushups. Place both hands flat on the floor with your hands slightly wider than your shoulders. Tuck your toes under and lift your body up off the floor.  Bend both arms and lower your chest toward the floor. Extend both arms to return to your starting position.

Floor Modified Pushups. Kneel on the floor. Place both hands flat on the floor in front of you about shoulder-width apart. Move your knees back slightly until your body is straight, with only your knees and hands on the floor. Bend both arms and lower your chest to the floor. Extend both arms to return to your starting position.

*Always consult your physician before beginning exercise.

 

 

Weight Training Works!

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Weight Training Works!

You lift weights every week in the form of groceries, your children, your dining room chair, the bag of dog food, various items in and out of your car. Want to make your daily tasks easier? Start a weight training program. Lifting and carrying are required daily actions that can be completed with less effort by logging a strength workout as little as 2 days each week. Consult a Fitness Professional to outline a program specifically for you, as well as learn proper form and technique. Here are few other benefits of a weight training program you may not have thought of:

Shape your muscles. Muscles give your body shape and contour. You’ll look fit.

Builds independence and confidence. You’ll easily be able to lift and carry what you need, when you need without having to wait for assistance.

Decrease stress. If you’ve had a long stressful day, you’ll leave the muscle and mind tension in every repetitions and set. The result is a relaxed and total-body tension free you.

Improves body awareness. General awareness of posture and alignment will improve, especially if you’re working with free-weights, as you have to stabilize your body on every set.

 

*Consult your physician before beginning exercise.

 

Stand Up. Go Walk!

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Every 2 hours- Stand up and go for a walk.

If you’ve been sitting for 2 hours, you’ve been sitting for too long! Stand up and go for a short walk! Set your phone alarm to signal regular walks during your day. You’ll energize your body, and refresh your mind.

 

Walk around your building.

Walk the hallway.

Walk your driveway.

Walk to the break room.

Walk the stairs.

March in place.

 

Stretch Break

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Single Knee to Chest Stretch

Stretch Break: To ease lower body tension, perform this stretch. Lie on your back with both legs straight on the floor. Using both arms, gently pull your right knee in toward your chest. Hold for 10-30 seconds, then release. With both arms gently pull your left knee into your chest. Hold for 10-30 seconds, then release.

 

*Consult your physician before performing exercise.

Set Weekly Goals

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Set Weekly Goals!

Short term goals of 3-6 months are important, as are long term goals of 6 months or longer to keep our focus. However, setting weekly goals keeps motivation high day in and day out. Write down your weekly goals and check off your progress as you go. 

Here’s how to get started:

Break it down. Set a weekly mileage goal or weight training goal by workouts logged, or even number of exercises, sets or weight mastered.

Reward small steps. Every workout counts and should be acknowledged as important.

Adjust as soon as possible. Weekly goals allows feedback sooner than short term goals. This means less time wasted moving in a direction not supportive of our goals.

Ask for Accountability in your Fitness

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Ask for Accountability!

Find a workout partner or exercise group to hold you accountable to your fitness. Simply knowing you have to report your progress, means you’re less likely to skip a workout. Here’s how to start:

 

Talk to your friends, coworkers or family. Ask if they have fitness goals. If so, ask how they stay on track.

Ask for what you need. What exactly are you asking of them? Be specific.

Define your terms. Be clear how you’ll communicate progress, how often and what the ramifications are for falling short.

Follow through. Stick to your agreed upon plan.

 

Unstructured Exercise Counts!

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Abandon your structure!

Not all exercise has to be structured to count. Making fitness fun is a great motivational tool to keep exercise consistency up. Start thinking out of the box for ways to be creative with your fitness. Here’s a few to get you started:

Be spontaneous. Meeting cancelled last minute? Go for a walk. An extra hour on your hands? Bike to a friends house. At a concert? Get up and dance!

Add the play. Did you play a sport or game as a kid? Play as an adult!

Incorporate props. Try a stability ball, stability disk, foam roller, medicine ball or pilates disk. Experiment with different exercises to keep fitness interest high.

Mix in adventure. Try your local climbing gym. Jump in your community pool. Check out the local hiking trails. Take a kayaking or paddling lesson.

 

Post-Walking Stretch

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Post-Walking Stretch

After you’ve completed your walk or run, perform a Standing Lunge Stretch to maintain mobility of your ankle.

Stand facing a wall or post. Place both hands on the wall about chest-level. Step about 18 inches back with your right foot. Push your right heel down, and bend your left knee slightly feeling a stretch in your right calf muscle. Hold for 10 to 20 seconds. Release and return to your starting position. Repeat the stretch by stepping back with your left foot. Hold for 10 to 20 seconds, and release.

 

*Consult your physician before performing exercise.