March 19, 2024

Challenge your Coordination

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Challenge your Coordination!

Fitness means many things! Endurance, strength, power, flexibility, and balance and coordination are all aspects of fitness! Set a goal to try a new exercise each month that challenges your coordination. The mental focus required is a nice distraction from the physical effort. And because of the mental focus you’ll need to master this aspect of fitness, your interest remains high and your motivation will soar! For an all-inclusive workout with an emphasis on coordination consider stand up paddle board, basketball, baseball, jump rope, dance, slack line, rollerblading, trampoline, tennis, just to name a few.

FUN workout= Consistent Workout= Results!

Get Fit Quick Tip:

FUN is important!

And don’t forget to have FUN with your workout! YES, FUN! A fun workout means you’ll be consistent. Consistent workouts lead to results. Here’s how to add in the FUN:

1. Make it social. Invite friends and family!

2. Set up an obstacle course. Meet at your local playground and make up an obstacle course as you go along.

3. Forget structure! Move, jump, run, hop- get your heart rate up for 20 minutes.

4. Play a game. Kickball works well. So does softball, volleyball or soccer.

5. Revisit childhood. Remember freeze tag? Remember hide and seek? Remember musical chairs? GO!

6. Add props. Jump rope, hula hoop, beach ball all make for a great workout addition!

 

Build Fitness Momentum

Build momentum toward your fitness goals by taking one step at a time. One healthy step fuels the next healthy step, promotes the next healthy step, and so on…

Take a healthy step with #HealthyWayMag Fitness Chat every Monday at 5pm(Pacific)/8pm(Eastern) on Twitter! Pick up tips, ideas, solutions, find accountability, get motivated and have fun chatting with others also on their fitness journey.

Here’s how to join:

1. Log into your Twitter account.

2. Enter hashtag #HealthyWayMag.

3. See questions posted for discussion noted as “Q1″ for question 1. “Q2″ designates question 2.

4. Chat with other participants and have fun!

 

Monday April 25, 2016 #HealthyWayMag Fitness Chat Sponsored by RunnerBox:

Looking for an economical and effective method to learn what running, cycling, triathlon, racing and fitness gear is available, and more importantly what’s best for you and your training? Consider RunnerBox! A bimonthly subscription service or one time box (makes a great gift) allows you to sample the best top gear on the market. Offering a Runner Box, Tri Box, Cycle Box, you will find a box for you. Their boxes include everything from gels, bars, healthy snacks to skincare and accessories. They’ve done the research and only include the best gear for you to sample… all delivered right to your door! It doesn’t get easier! Check out their new race-specific kits. These “race survival kits” insure you are prepared and arrive at the starting line ready to race hard! Quantities are limited, so order yours NOW!

 

What’s your Vision?

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Create a Vision Board

A vision board, simply put, is a visual reminder of your health and fitness goals. It highlights words that empower you, pictures that motivate you, and scenarios that inspire you. Draw, write, color, paste pictures, tape magazine clips, or use whatever materials trigger the feeling in you of why these goals are important. Here’s how to get started:

Use poster board, construction paper or notebook paper.

Include whatever images and/or words that resonate with you.

Make your vision board as simple or elaborate as you wish.

Place your board where you’ll see it daily.

 

 

ENERGIZE your Fitness!

Short days and cold weather can make motivation tough. Get ENERGIZED by chatting with others sharing your journey to fitness!

Join #HealthyWayMag Fitness Chat on Twitter and stay current on top gear, best exercise practices and keys to motivation. Together we solve challenges, share successes and provide accountability and encouragement along the way.

Mark your Calendar NOW:
Every Monday at 5pm(Pacific)/8pm(Eastern) #HealthyWayMag Fitness Chat on Twitter.

It’s easy to join in: Simply log into your Twitter account. Enter #HealthyWayMag to follow the chat feed. Questions for discussion are posed as “Q1″ Question 1, “Q2″ Question 2 and so on. Reply to offer your tips, ideas and experiences by notating your answer as “A1″ to designated your answer to question 1,”A2″ to offer your thoughts on the second question and so on.

 

Monday December 21, 2015 #HealthyWayMag Fitness Chat is Sponsored by RecoFit Compression Gear.

RecoFit Compression Gear is a go-to for many world class athletes and fitness-enthusiasts alike! Their technical-fit and uniquely designed gear helps you get more oxygen to your muscles, thereby reducing swelling and delaying fatigue. The means better performance and faster recovery! RecoFit is the only compression gear that cuts their fabric in a cross-grain process for effective compression and no-slip positioning! Check out their products such as Calf Compression Sleeves, Shin-Splint Therapy, Full Leg Compression Sleeves, and Arm Coolers to experience the RecoFit difference for yourself. Proudly made in the USA! To learn about product details and upcoming news, follow them on Twitter at @Recofit.

Considering an Exercise Class? By Jennifer Austin

Thinking of joining a class at the gym? Here are a few tips to get you started safely.

Know the class description. Most gyms offer a class schedule (either online or via hard copy) along with a brief description. Still unsure, ask a staff member for more information or do a little google search for more information. Walking into a class that you don’t know about is simply careless.

Be realistic in your fitness ability. Know your capability, what you want to accomplish and know your strengths and weaknesses in the exercise world. We don’t gain our goal fitness in a single workout or single day. If upon reading the class schedule, something interests you, but seems like a stretch in your fitness consider adding it to your three or six month fitness goal list.

Know the fitness that is required. In the schedule, you’ll find a degree of difficulty, beginner, intermediate or advanced. There is a reason for the listing!

Get proper guidance, instruction or set-up. If you’re joining a class that includes equipment or gear, make sure you know how to properly use the equipment. For example, if you’re trying a spin class for the first time, ask the instructor for a set-up. If you’re joining a boot camp class for the first time, ask the instructor for guidance how to perform the exercises.

Be prepared. Knowing what the class entails, also means showing up prepared. In most cases, being prepared means being hydrated prior to the class, having eaten prior to the exercise if that is what you usually do, wearing proper clothing (breathable, clothes you can move in), wearing proper footwear for the activity, bringing a water bottle, bringing a towel, turning your cell phone off during the class,

Pace yourself. Your goal during the first class is to be an active observer. Do the moves if they feel comfortable, but mostly observe to get an idea of the flow and intensity of the class.

Give it a few chances. If the first class doesn’t go as well as you expected, try again! If the second class doesn’t go as well as expected, but you find you do enjoy the style of workout, try a different instructor. Every instructor has a different teaching style, personality and instruction back-ground. It would be a shame to not pursue an interest, on account of not enjoying the instructor’s style.

Running a marathon? Here are your 5 don’t do’s. By Nicole Bryan

Running a marathon is not an easy undertaking. And therein lies the beauty! You will work harder than you ever expected, feel energized more than you expected and push more than you ever thought possible. The finish is worth all your time and effort! Veteran marathoners agree on a few key don’t-do’s to make your journey to 26.2 a little easier.

Don’t make these common marathon mistakes:

Don’t go out too fast. Adrenaline and excitement will make you want to run all-out right from the start. DON’T! Begin just as you would a long training day.

Don’t miss a hydration-stop. Not feeling thirsty at that exact moment? Take a few sips anyway. A few minutes or miles down the road, you’ll be happy you did.

Don’t try anything new on race day. Every aspect of your race should be tried and confirmed to work in training, including clothing, calories, hydration, and pace.

Don’t expect a smooth ride. There will be physical and emotional ups and downs, many even within one mile. Stay focused and let the moment pass. Trust your training and power on. Visualize your finish, repeat your mantra or power word, sing your favorite song or simply count steps until you’re able to re-focus your mind.

Don’t be afraid to adjust your strategy. Part of being a smart athlete means adjusting along the way if need be. For example, you develop a stomach ache at mile 15, decrease your pace for 2 miles and drink water only until feeling better. Or you start to feel a twinge in your hamstring at mile 18, shorten your stride and change your angle or position on the road until the twinge subsides.

Trust your training. YOU ARE READY.

Is it ok to miss a workout? By Jennifer Austin

Excused Absence?

We hear time and time again its crucial TO exercise, but there may be times when we should NOT exercise.

There are physical hardships that have recommendations to not workout while managing certain conditions. What we hear about less often, however, are the non-physical situations that also require rethinking a workout.

Unsafe equipment. If there is an “out of order” sign on your favorite piece of cardio equipment at the gym, it means the equipment is out of order! Don’t try to use it regardless of the advisory, it’s unsafe. The same applies to stability balls that are under-inflated, exercise bands that have holes in them and free weights that have loose collars or machines with obvious pieces missing. Choose an alternative workout or piece of equipment for the day.

Rushing. Speeding through your workout leads to inefficiencies and possibly injury. Streamline your exercises, pick your priority moves based on your goals and perform those only with a quality focus. Inability to do this may mean moving your workout to another day or time is your best option for results.

Dispersed attention. Thinking of other things while working out may lead to poor progress or injury from lack of attention. Instead, use the workout to take mental break from your worries and troubles and focus only on the muscles you’re working and the task at hand. If you’re unable to target your focus, exercising another time is your best course of action.

Unsure how to do specific exercise. Forgetting instruction or proper equipment set up means do something else for the workout. Guessing as to a seat setting or machine start up will only lead to frustration and possible injury.

In most cases with a little creativity, we can work around an equipment challenges or scattered thoughts. The benefits of exercise are cumulative and therefore missing one exercise session will not make or break our fitness. In fact, having good common sense and making smart choices about our workout will lead to the greatest benefits of all, being healthy, feeling good and capable to participate in life-long fitness.

Be a Beginner…Again by Nicole Bryan

In a workout slump? One of the best ways to increase motivation is to try a new activity. For many, merely the thought of being the new kid in class conjures up uncomfortable feelings and images of being lost or not performing correctly. However, as adults, we are in charge of how we can approach a new activity with confidence, humility and yes, even a sense of humor.

If you’ve been in the fitness world for a while, you may have forgotten what it feels like to be a beginner. Consider it! You may even find a new sport, workout or physical activity to love. If you’ve been thinking of trying a new exercise, make TODAY the day you become a beginner, yet again. Go ahead, get comfortable with being uncomfortable. I dare you!

Here’s how to make being a beginner a little less scary:

Talk to friends. Actually, talk to everyone and anyone you know who has participated in the activity you are considering. As them what they like and don’t like about the activity. Ask them what location, instructor, gear and technique they recommend. Also, ask what initial fitness capabilities are required.

Google it. Let’s face it, we’re no longer in a not-knowing age of technology. Simply do a search online. Play connect-the-dots with the information you find, and see where it leads you.

Request a guest pass. If you’re unsure if you’ll like the activity, save some money up front by asking for a guest pass. Many facilities and even instructors allow a first-visit-free opportunity. You’ll never know if there are discounts or free trials available unless you ask!

Try and try again. Instead of discounting the new activity right off the bat after a unpleasant experience, give it at least three attempts on three different days. Sometimes it’s a matter of finding a the right fit of location, instructor personality or class participants.

Learning takes time! You didn’t just walk on to the tennis court the first time and score an ace, so why would you expect to instantly master the skills needed during your first try? Learning is half the fun after all! Cut yourself a break, and remind yourself that learning a new activity takes time.

Why weight training could change how you workout forever! By Kaitlin Cofer

In years past, weight training has been viewed as a bodybuilder’s activity, a thing that “meat heads” do. But, thanks to the growing popularity of weight lifting and circuit training, iron isn’t just something you consume anymore.

You may be asking, how can weight training change how you workout forever? Here are 3 key reasons that weight training is effective and will keep you interested in working out for years to come. Always consult your physician before beginning exercise.

 

1. Involving weights in your workout causes your muscles to work harder which in return increases your metabolism and burns more calories as well as increases bone health. 

 

Example: Add in some dumbbell work to your normal circuit and you will feel your muscles burning faster than if you did the exercise with body weight alone.

 

2. There are countless exercises that involve weights! Back squats with a straight bar, squats with dumbbells, squats with plated weights…the number of exercises that you can do with weights and the exercises that can be changed up by adding different types of weights is countless.

 

Example workout using Dumbbells: 

 

5 Rounds of 50 seconds work and 10 seconds rest: (Always consult your physician before beginning exercise.)

 

1. Dumbbell push press: hold dumbbells with palms facing out and slightly dip your body down with a slight knee bend and use that momentum to drive the dumbbells up to the sky and back down, repeat this movement for 50 seconds.

 

2. Renegade rows with dumbbells: place dumbbells on the ground and get into a push up position while holding the dumbbells. Push up and bring up one dumbbell at a time, repeat for 50 seconds. *modification=push ups from knees.

 

3. Single arm row with dumbbells: stand up with one dumbbell in hand. Stagger your legs into a lunge like position. Place the hand without the dumbbell on your thigh and keep your core engaged and back straight. Row the dumbbell back with your elbow bent and jabbing the air behind you. Repeat on opposite side.

 

All four of these workouts incorporate weights, causing each move to be a total body exercise.

 

3. Three words: Strong is SEXY!

A male or female with muscles is sexy. There is nothing more attractive than a person who looks and feels strong. A healthy body is a healthy mind.

 

No matter if you belong to a large gym, a circuit training center or you have your own set of weights at home, it is easy, fun, and effective to add weights to your routine! Start light and work your way up!

 

Kaitlin earned a B.S. Nutrition from Cal Poly SLO and is a CPT. Kaitlin’s extremely passionate about inspiring people to find/fuel their inner athlete.

*Disclaimer: Result may vary from person to person.