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Saturday, 28 May 2011 15:11 |
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Keep in mind, your personalized training sessions can be a mix of the traditional and untraditional. Trust your personal trainer. Working with an experienced personal trainer can make exercise fun, as you benefit from proper instruction for the best results, and experiment with a variety of training regiments from kickboxing, interval training, strength and conditioning. For those of you wondering: Do I need to use all that equipment that I’ve seen at the gym, in order to get the best results? The answer is NO. Your personal trainer, however, might implement one or two of these machines into your daily routine. It all depends on what is the correct fit for you. Below are some of the traditional exercising machines that may still hold value in your personalized training program:
Treadmill: The motorized equivalent of walking or running in place. Treadmills are great for beginners, as they require little coordination to use. Furthermore, those people experiencing back pain, bad knees or weak ankles may find treadmills kinder to their joints, as opposed to concrete and cement. For those of you who get bored easily, a treadmill may sound like a nightmare, and should only be used for emergency aerobic situations, like heavy downpours restricting you from the streets.
Elliptical: A machine that provides the feeling of fast walking, stair-climbing and cross-country skiing combined. Those who gravitate towards it: runners who need a break in their daily pounding of pavement and walkers looking for a livelier workout. For those of you who feel the circular-type motion unnatural while standing, you may want to pass.
Stationary Bicycle: You’ve got two choices here: upright or recumbent. Upright simulate a regular bike, while recumbent let you pedal out in front of you. Bikes help the legs, toning the thighs and giving those with soar joints, like your knees, a break. For those of you accustomed to the feel of outdoor cycling, indoor bikes will never do it justice.
Stair Climber: Just what it sounds like, step up, up, up. Better than running the local bleacher, right? Those of you looking to get in shape for more strenuous activity like skiing, climbing, hiking, and even running, will find the stair climber a favorite. Stair climbers, however, aren’t for novices, and for someone still working on coordination, it could get frustrating.
For those of you in Fairfield County what of the listed machines is a must have in your personalized workouts? |
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Friday, 13 May 2011 03:04 |
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With so many self-help fitness items, videos, etc., you may be asking yourself, why do I need to pay a personal trainer? I think Fitness for Dummies authors, Suzanne Schlosberg and Liz Neporant, M.A., say it best: “The fitness industry has no shortage of hucksters, and they count on the public’s naivete—and hunger for a quick fix—to keep that money rolling in.” And of course you can get fit on your own, but there is no quick fix, you still have to make a plan, stay dedicated and always follow through. With a personal trainer you get the additional benefits of seeking advice, getting help with organization, learning right from wrong in the world of fitness, and have a motivational partner along the way. Below are four fitness rip-offs your personal trainer would advise you to look out for:
Creams, gels and pills intended to eliminate cellulite: Some of the ingredients included in these products are ginko biloba, sweet clover, grapeseed biblavonoids, dried focus vesiculosus, or sometimes “biotechnologically derived elements a/y.” HUH? The truth is no legitimate research exists to show the positive effect of any pill or cream on cellulite.
Pills and powders intended to speed up your metabolism: The ingredients in these, in their forms best known, citric acid found in fruits, the mineral chromium, or a mosh posh of any and every ingredient possible. A simple example to illustrate the falsity of these products: only two legitimate studies were published on the citric acid and its effects on human metabolism, the results were contradictory.
Pills intended to prevent your body from absorbing the fat you eat: a popular ingredient in these pills is chitosan, a substance that forms the hard shells of shellfish and insects. The are solutions that cost you a large chunk of your wallet, and promise the impossible. No, you can’t eat fried chicken with mounds of mash potatoes, and gravy and butter rolls, guilty and fat free.
Metal boxes that deliver electricity to muscles: The low-impulse jolt is supposed to tone and tighten muscles. The only way to strengthen muscles is to work them out. You are simply electrocuting yourself without proper help from a doctor or physical therapist, as these devices are only used best in pain management and certain rehabilitation.
For those of you in Fairfield County, have you ever invested in any of these rip-offs? If so, which ones and why? |
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Friday, 20 May 2011 11:44 |
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As we discussed a couple blogs back, introducing your child to exercise, even through playful activity, as well as healthy eating habits can help in his or her development. However, any personal trainer would tell you that exercise isn’t only an early life or mid life activity. Staying active as you age is essential, especially if you want to age slowly and with good health. In fact, The Journal of Gerontology has released a study showing that people over age 60 can train just as hard as younger folks and derive the same benefits from exercise as people far younger. So why not let a personal trainer help you?
It’s all about knowing where to begin. The answer? Check back to our beginning blogs because no matter what age the starting points are the same. You need to know your current health, and with a personal trainer, you can set some reasonable goals. Don’t get discouraged about immediate results, and instead consider the extent to which your life can be enhanced with the help of a personal trainer and a successful fitness routine: you have more energy; you experience less anxiety; you have an easier time losing weight; you increase bone density, build muscle strength and slow muscle deterioration; you improve your balance; you reduce lower back pain; you boost your immune system; and you substantially cut your risk of heart disease arthritis, diabetes, colon cancer, and dementia.
Remember, as you begin an exercise program stay safe. Stop exercising if you feel any of the following: Nausea, faintness, racing pulse, cold sweat, chest or neck pain, muscular pain, or excessive fatigue. Investing in a personal trainer will ensure that you approach your exercise program safely.
For those of you in Fairfield County, are you invested in an exercise program and what age are you? Are you unsure what exercises are best for you at your age?
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Friday, 13 May 2011 02:49 |
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Parents invest in their children’s education as it is an essential part of their future. But, do parents overlook their children’s health and what an unhealthy lifestyle can mean for their children? It's never too early to consult a personal trainer.
According to Fitness for Dummies authors, Suzanne Schlosberg and Liz Neporant, M.A, “Statistics on childhood obesity are startling: More than one out of every seven kids in the United States is overweight or obese, and that number climbs every year.” One of the best investments you could make for your child is contacting a personal trainer, as well as taking the following dual approach:
Embrace your child’s natural love of activity. Remember, playing is really just a child’s form of exercise. Encourage your children to play with their friends, and be satisfied to know that as they run, skip, dance, etc., that they are burning calories.
Promote healthy foods to your children. If you stock your fridge and cupboards with healthy choices they will have no choice. It’s about introducing healthy foods to your children at a young age, and allowing your child’s palette to become accustomed to the right kinds of foods.
Furthermore, you should consider taking your children along on your fitness routine. They will learn by example, just make sure you don’t express the idea that exercising is drudgery. And, you never know, they might make your routine feel a little like childhood fun.
For those of you in Fairfield County, are you noticing an obesity epidemic among the children in your area? What are some activities you promote to keep your children active? Also, what types of healthy food do you find to be popular among the kids?
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