Prism Fitness Group

Functional Fitness Equipment

How To Do a Crow Pose

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Featured Move: Crow Pose

Featured Product: Smart Mat

 

Crow Pose is an arm balance pose that strengthens your upper arms, forearms, and abdominal muscles while improving balance and full body coordination.

 

 

STEP 1:

Lower into a squat with your heels lifted and your feet hips-width apart. Place the inside of your knees to the back side of your upper arms. Spread your fingers wide and place your palms to the floor about shoulder distance apart.

 

 

 

STEP 2:

Push your hands into the floor and lift your hips into the air as your head moves toward the floor. Maintain a long neck by keeping your shoulders away from your ear and keep your arms in a bent position. Shift your body weight until you lift onto the balls of your feet as you gently lean forward. Be sure to keep your tailbone tucked and your abs braced as you round your back.

 

 

Step 3:

Lift one foot off the ground as you continue to activate your core and arms. Once stable, lift and leverage your other foot into the air while maintaining alignment. Beginners, try holding for a few seconds. As you get stronger in this pose, increase the amount of hold time.

 

 

Step 4:

Lower one foot, and then the other as you ease your body back to a low squat position. Repeat movement, or push through the heels to stand.

 

 

 

 SELF-GUIDED FITNESS

 

The SMART MAT:

The Smart Mat has 14 Core Exercises printed on one side and 14 Stretching Poses on the other side for easy reference. The mat features a durable, non-slip surface and can be rolled for easy storage and transportation. Mat is 6-ft long by 2-ft wide.

 

 

What the experts say:

This mat is provides excellent cushion and stability for performing balance poses such as Crow Pose.

 

CLICK HERE FOR A PRINTABLE VERSION!

 

 

Why is “Cardio” Exercise Good for Your Heart?

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Many gym-goers list calorie burning as their number one reason for opting for a cardio session, but the truth is that aerobic exercise is about much more than keeping your weight under control.

 

Aerobic exercise, also known as “cardio” workout, often uses repetitive contractions of large muscle groups to get the heart beating faster. It’s considered to be the most beneficial type of exercise for your cardiovascular system (heart + circulatory system)

 

What happens to your heart during aerobic exercise?

Aerobic exercise improves circulation, which results in lowered blood pressure and heart rate. During this type of activity, blood flow is directed toward your working muscles and away from other areas of the body.  This leads to increased blood flow and more volume returning to the heart.

When the heart registers a larger blood volume, the left ventricle adapts and enlarges over time. The larger cavity it creates can hold more blood and expel more blood per beat, even at rest. With regular cardio conditioning, our resting heart rate can even drop because each beat delivers a bigger burst of blood. When fewer beats are needed, it takes work off your heart, which is why cardio exercise is recommended for heart health.

 

Calculate your Target Heart Rate:

When participating in aerobic conditioning, it’s a good idea to know what range you should be working in for optimal performance and results.

 

The Mayo Clinic says:

If you’re aiming for a target heart rate in the vigorous range of 70 to 85 percent, you would calculate it like this:

  • Subtract your age from 220 to get your maximum heart rate.
  • Calculate your resting heart rate by counting your heart beats per minute when you are at rest, such as first thing in the morning. It’s usually somewhere between 60 and 100 beats per minute for the average adult.
  • Calculate your heart rate reserve (HRR) by subtracting your resting heart rate from your maximum heart rate. Your HRR is your resting heart rate subtracted from your maximum heart rate.
  • Multiply your HRR by 0.7 (70 percent). Add your resting heart rate to this number.
  • Multiply your HRR by 0.85 (85 percent). Add your resting heart rate to this number.
  • These two numbers are your training zone heart rate for vigorous intensity exercise. Your heart rate during exercise should be between these two numbers.

 

Cardio Training has many benefits

According to John’s Hopkins, aerobic exercise is one of your most effective tools for strengthening the heart muscle, keeping your weight under control and warding off the artery damage from high cholesterol, high blood sugar and high blood pressure that can lead to heart attack or stroke.

 

How often should you train?

Health experts such the American College of Sports Medicine and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) say that you should try a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate intensity cardio work for five or more sessions per week

Do you have a Love or Hate relationship with Burpees?

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Whether you like it or not, burpees are an excellent exercise to add to your fitness routine. The burpee is a full body strength and cardio training exercise and a perfect example of functional fitness. You will work your arms, chest, quads, glutes, hamstrings, and abs with every rep.

 

How to do a standard burpee:

Just follow these simple steps:

 

  1. Stand shoulder-width apart, drive heels into the floor and hold your arms at your sides.
  2. Your hips push back as you bend your knees, and lower your whole body into a squat.
  3. Next, put your hands on the floor right in front of you.
  4. Keeping your body in alignment, jump your feet back and softly land on the balls of your feet in a plank position. Avoid the common error of allowing your back to sag.
  5. Jump forward to return your feet in a landing position just outside of your hands.
  6. Move your body vertically as you reach your arms overhead and explosively jump up into the air.
  7. Land softly immediately engage back into a squat for your next rep.

 

TIP: While you want a little speed in your burpee, don’t go too fast…or you risk you’ll burning yourself out after doing just a few.

 

3 reasons to love the Burpee

 

 1.  It’s a calorie torcher

 

Burpees can turn your body into a fat burning machine.

Because you use so many muscle groups in this intense full body exercise, you will burn a ton of calories. Research shows that individuals can burn more calories performing a high-intensity exercise than spending the same amount of time performing a steady-state exercise.

 

2. It’s great for overall conditioning

 

Better, faster, stronger. If you are looking to up your endurance, cardio conditioning, and strength, the burpee is a magnificent multi-task tool to have in your fitness arsenal.

Better yet, burpees can speed up your metabolism throughout the day—meaning you may end up burning more calories all day long.

 

3. So many variations–you’ll never get bored!

With the multitude of burpee variations, you can build workouts for days. Choose a modifier if you are a beginner, or, if you are totally hardcore, add some fierce and creative choices to your burpee routine.

 

Make it harder:

Add a pushup to your burpee.

 

While in the down phase of the burpee, ease your body all the way to the floor so that you are hovering in a push-up position. Slowly rise back to high plank and continue with the burpee execution.

Some in the fitness field would say that all burpees should include a push-up or it doesn’t count. We would say that #everyburpeecounts.

 

Make it easier:

Walk the burpee.

 

Follow the same steps as you would during your burpee execution, but instead of jumping back and forth, simply walk into each phase. Then, instead of an explosive jump at the end, stand tall and reach your hands up over your head.

 

Get creative:

Add a tuck jump

 

Follow the steps of a standard burpee, but during the explosive jump, raise your knees up toward your chest while lifting your feet off the ground.

 

Or try a Medicine Ball Burpee.

 

Start in a plank position with both hands resting on a medicine ball. Bring both knees up towards your chest and then explodes upwards into a jump, holding and lifting the ball above your head while in mid-air. Return the ball to the floor, and jump your feet back to a plank position while hands remain on the ball. Repeat.

Agility & Coordination Training: The Other Mind-Body Workout

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Yoga might be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of a mind-body workout, but agility training is a great way to connect your movements to your brain power. The ability to recruit the correct muscles in the right sequence all while maintaining proper form come from the ability to communicate between your mind and body quickly.

 

Agility training helps improve reaction time and coordination. This type of training is not just important for athletes, but for everyone, especially as we get older.

 

The more we can train our bodies to work in the three planes of movement (front to back, side to side, and up and down) the better our balance, reaction, and coordination time will be. Not only will it help you have greater range of motion for your everyday activities (climbing stairs, shoveling snow, playing with your kids), but it can be an injury prevention tool. Reaction time and coordination count big time if you take a slip on an icy sidewalk, or trip over a trail root.

 

TIP: Remember, agility is not just about being fast. Focusing on form trains your body to make sure the correct muscles are engaging and can strengthen the mind-body connection that leads to improved coordination and speed.

 

Integrate Agility Drills into Your Workout

One of the best ways to create quick movement in every direction, and improve your coordination and mind-body connection is with Agility Ladder Drills.

To get the most out of the drills, you must focus on getting the movements down, and then try to do them as fast as possible.

 

Try these:

 

The Heisman:

Alternate each foot in and out of the box, and then pause as you bring a knee up to your chest to meet the opposite elbow. Alternate knees as you move through the boxes.

 

The Squat Hop

Start by squatting with your legs wider than the ladder, then jump with both feet in between the rungs.

 

High Knee Linear Run

Run in a linear fashion through the ladder with one foot in between each rung. On the up position, bring your knee up toward your chest.

 

Take the Agility Ladder anywhere. In any weather!

Did you see our outdoor version of the High Knee Linear Run filmed in the crazy -60 below zero temperature Polar Vortex the Midwest experienced during January?

 

 

 

 

Essential Products for your Home Gym (that don’t take up a lot of space!)

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With a full schedule, it can be hard to carve out time to make it to the gym. Wouldn’t it be nice it you could get a full workout without leaving your house? Whether you have a dedicated room, or just an area of your home, we’ve rounded up some essential products guaranteed to keep you busy without taking up a lot of space.

 

 

 

PRODUCTS FOR YOUR WORKOUT

 

SMART Medicine Ball

Medicine Balls are very versatile. Our Smart Medicine Balls are a functional fitness staple. The weighted center forces the user to use different muscle groups to throw, bounce or twist with the ball.

8 exercises are printed on each ball for easy reference. They also feature a textured surface for a reliable grip and made of sturdy rubber.

 

Try these exercises for a mix of cardio and strength training:

Jack Press: Start with your feet together, hands holding the medicine ball at your chest. Jump both feet out to the side, while pressing the ball straight out in front of you. Return to start position. Vary the speed to add cardio intensity.

Plank Medicine Ball: Put the Medicine Ball under both ands and hold your body in a high plank, balancing on the Medicine Ball. It takes the plank to a whole new level! Increase your hold times as you improve.

 

 

 

 

Core Wheel

If you think this product is just about building your core, think again! Our Smart Core Wheel will bring your body weight exercises to a whole new level. Shoulders, triceps, lats, legs, and yes, core muscles will be seriously challenged.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Smart Straps

Have you ever stared at those dangling straps at the gym and wondered what to do with them?

Body weight training using straps can be intimidating to a novice, but we’ve developed our SMART  STRAPS  product line with our signature self-guided exercises printed directly on the straps for easy reference.

Three Reasons to Try Body Weight Training using our SMART Straps

  1. It’s an amplified version of your regular body-weight exercises
  2. It’s accommodating for people of all fitness levels –from novices to elite athletes
  3. It’s completely portable making it easy to take your workout with you anywhere!

Don’t be deceived by appearance, because you will get a killer workout, and our self-guided product makes it easy to learn!

 

New! Celing/Wall Mount!

And now, even if your doorframes, trim or space around your door openings are not ideal for the smart strap, we have a new solution: The smart strap ceiling Wall Mount. This new product allows you to put the smart straps in a place that works best for you! If you have a dedicated room for home fitness, this is a perfect way to add smart straps to your own gym.

 

PRODUCTS FOR YOUR STRETCH SESSION

 

SMART MAT

Whether you want to run through some sun salutations, or work on building your flexibility through some focused stretching, our Smart Mats are a great choice. They are thick to provide cushion to your body, and durable to stand up to your repeated workouts. The 16mm Smart Mat has 14 Core Exercises printed on one side and 14 Stretching Poses on the other side for easy reference. Roll it up to put in your closet, or use the sturdy grommets to hang!

 

 

 

 

 

PRODUCTS FOR RECOVERY

 

SMART Recovery: Self-Guided Muscle Release Roller

The general idea behind foam rolling exercises is that by applying direct loads to your muscles, you lengthen and massage the underlying tissues. The use of foam rollers for effectively reducing muscle tension is now a widely accepted fitness practice and makes it easier to resume those challenging workouts.

 

Using foam rollers can

  • Increase blood flow and elevate heat in the involved tissue.
  • Reduce tightness and soreness in muscles promoting proper muscle recovery
  • Increase joint range of motion (ROM), which is important before a challenging workout.
  • Promote a feeling of relaxation after a workout.

 

 

 

 

WORKOUT – STRETCH- RECOVERY: All in one!

 

A collection pre-made just for you!

 

SMART In-Home Bootcamp

Our Bootcamp package offers a range of our Smart Products to suit every lifestyle and fitness aspiration, while doing it in the comfort of your home. Along with product, we’ll provide you with a boot camp workout of your own!

Bootcamp includes:
(1) 20lb, 30lb and 40lb Resistance Cables
(1 pair) Quick Flip Handles
(1) Smart Speed Jump Rope
(1) 6lb Medicine Ball
(1) Mini Band: Medium
(1) 65cm Stability Ball
(1) Kettlebell Sandbag
(1) Foam Roller
(1) 6mm Exercise Mat

 

 

 

Three Reasons to LOVE these products:

 

  1. Build Multiple Routines
  2. Store in a closet or small room.
  3. Our SMART fitness products put the moves right on the product so you’ll never be at a loss for what to do!

 

 

Follow us on social media for content you can use to build your own workouts!

 

 

Core Confidence

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Don’t slouch! That’s a tip we may have given or received many times in our life. Turns, out, it’s pretty good advice. Having good posture leads to better balance, reduces injury, and helps you exude confidence.

Building and maintaining good posture is a continual act of intention. Posture can be positively affected by actively working the muscles in the trunk section of the body (the core) as well as being mindful of body alignment while standing, sitting, or lying down. Good posture leads to the correct alignment of body parts and ultimate support by muscle tension against gravity.

Your core muscles wrap around your spine making it easier to maintain posture. Weak core muscles encourage slumping, which tips your body forward and throws you off balance. Proper posture is essential to balance: stand up straight, and you center your weight over your feet.

 

What is defined as Good Posture?

 

According to Harvard Medical School, good posture is defined as:

  • chin parallel to the floor
  • shoulders even (roll your shoulders up, back, and down to help achieve this)
  • neutral spine (no flexing or arching to overemphasize the curve in your lower back)
  • arms at your sides with elbows straight and even
  • abdominal muscles braced
  • hips even
  • knees even and pointing straight ahead
  • body weight distributed evenly on both feet.

 

When sitting down, keep your chin parallel to the floor; your shoulders, hips, and knees at even heights; and your knees and feet pointing straight ahead.

 

There are many health benefits to having a strong core. Regardless of your fitness ability, it’s important to make sure you always include movements that work your midsection (front, back, and sides.)

 

Try these exercises:

 

V up: Lay on your back, with arms overhead. Lift your legs and arms up simultaneously to form a “V” with your body. Return to the floor and repeat.

 

Scissors: Lay on your back with your feet in the air above your pelvis. Slowly lower your feet toward the floor, crisscrossing them on the way down. Return back in the same motion. Vary the count down to increase work and interest.

 

Plank Hold: Hold your body over the ground with your feet under your ankles, hands under your shoulders, and your face looking straight toward the floor. Body aligned from head to toe, and hips and shoulders squared. Try to increase the amount of time you hold a plank. Start with 10 seconds, and work your way up to 60-second sessions (or longer!)

 

Plank tap out: Hold your body over the ground with your feet under your ankles, hands under your shoulders, and your face looking straight toward the floor. Body aligned from head to toe, and hips and shoulders squared. Tap a foot out to one side while maintaining the hold. Alternate feet in the toe taps. Add in alternating hand taps for variation.

 

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