Prism Fitness

Functional Fitness Equipment

Lunchtime Workouts are a HOT Fitness Trend in 2021

by

Lunchtime workouts are proving to be a good time for people to take a break from their at-home office work for a physical and mental break.

Lunchtime Workouts Surface as a Top Fitness Trend of 2021

It’s no secret that the fitness industry has gone through a massive change over the past year. Not only did where we workout change (more home workouts, less gym time), but the when changed too. According to a report by ClassPass, lunchtime workouts increased by 67% in 2020.

Daily routines were upended and it disrupted the trend of people swinging by the gym on the way home from work.

Now, with many working and doing many of the daily tasks without leaving home, people are looking to break up their day. A noon workout proves to be a good time for people to “step away from their office.”

The worry about returning to work sweaty is no longer top of mind, as a quick shower or clean up at home is all that is needed to hop back on a Zoom Call.

A mid-day break might also prove to be more efficient because you know you need to get back to work, which can help you be more organized with your workout time.

There are benefits to a lunchtime workout.

Prying yourself away from the computer can be a much-needed mental break and a perfect excuse to move your body. If you’re used to going from meeting to meeting, sitting behind a computer on Zoom meetings all day can be rough on the body.

In fact, prolonged sitting has been linked to various health issues. Getting up and moving halfway through the day breaks up these long stretches.

You can improve circulation, mobility and reduce overall stress by sandwiching in a workout in the middle of the day.

If you don’t have time for a whole mid-day workout, try these exercises to combat the downfalls of sitting all day.

Another plus is that lunchtime workouts usually benefit from a good breakfast fueling, making your energy and blood sugar levels ideal for diving into a high-intensity workout. Immersing yourself in the adrenaline rush of a lunchtime workout can make you feel re-energized as you go into the afternoon hours.

The feeling of accomplishing a completed workout can tend to spill over into the rest of the day and help you be mindful about making good food and activity choices to keep you on a solid wellness track.

Even once life gets back to normal, lunchtime workouts could be a healthy, positive trend that will stick around.

 

Another Bonus: All of your equipment is on-hand

It’s a lot easier to grab a noon workout when you are just steps away from a zoom class and/or your collection of workout equipment.

People are starting to realize that creating a functional workout doesn’t necessarily require a room full of treadmills.

In fact, a great place to start your collection is with our SMART Necessity Bundle, which includes a 16 mm Smart Mat, a Smart Stability Ball, Smart Recovery Foam Roller, and three fitness cables (20#, 30#, & 40#) that you can mix and match to vary up your resistance training.

Tip! Our unique SMART Quick Flip Triple Pocket Handle allows you to use all three cables at once if you choose, so you actually have up to a 90# resistance tool!

 

Your Next Lunchtime Workout is Here!

30 minutes is all you need to squeeze this workout into your day.

5 minute Upper Body Strength Workout

 

 

Tool: Fitness Cables

 

  • Bicep Curls
  • Side Flies
  • Standing Front Raise

Timing: Complete each exercise for 20 seconds. Repeat the cycle 5 times.

 

 

5 minute Core Workout 

Tool: SMART Stability Ball

 

  • Stir the Pot
  • Jack Knife Pike
  • Oblique Twists

Timing: Complete each exercise for 20 seconds. Repeat cycle 5 times.

 

 

15-minute Fitness Yoga Routine

Tool: SMART Mat

 

  • Down Dog
  • Plank to Side Mountain Climber
  • Single-Leg Down Dog to Reverse Warrior
  • Reverse Low Lunge
  • Plank to Down Dog
  • Child’s Pose

Timing: Hold each exercise for 20 seconds. Repeat cycle 7 times.

Watch the video here.

 

 

5 minutes of Foam Rolling Recovery 

Tool: SMART Recovery Foam Roller

 

  • Spine Roll Release
  • Mid and Upper Back Release
  • Lower Back Release

Timing: Spend about 30 seconds on each move and run through 3 cycles. These moves are perfect for combating the effects of sitting all day.

Watch the video here.

Need some extra motivation and connection during your workout? Schedule a Zoom workout with a friend!

We’re Here to Make your Goals a Priority

We are so excited to offer you this new Fitness Journal created especially for you in mind from our fitness experts.

NOW IS THE TIME: Make Room for the Best You! is our latest fitness journal to help you get focused and get your goals in gear. Click To Tweet

To get your copy of this Fitness Journal just sign up for our mailing list. With that, you will also get the latest news, blog posts, fitness tips, and be the first to hear about sales.

Prism Fitness Free Goal Journal

Let’s Connect!

Join Us on Pinterest!

Join Our Prism Fitness Smart Community!

Learn about the latest fitness tips and products from our Fitness Experts!

Sign Me Up!

Weekly Motivation!

Pin For Later!

Are you the person who loves to bring a friend to class & chat between sets? Get ready to Zoom Workout with a friend & Reimagine Your Routine

Join Our Prism Fitness Smart Community!

Learn about the latest fitness tips and products from our Fitness Experts!

Sign Me Up!

Recently Viewed Products

Check Out Our Best-Selling Products!

Zoom Workout With A Friend And Reimagine Your Routine!

by

Are you the person who loves to bring a friend to class & chat between sets? Get ready to Zoom Workout with a friend & Reimagine Your Routine

For many, home and work schedules still look different after 11 months, and in many cases, gym life and fitness routines have been interrupted, either temporarily or permanently.  A Zoom Workout might just be the answer.

To stay healthy and fit, there has been a move to reimagine our workout space and routine. Click To Tweet

This has led to many people outfitting a home gym or creating a multi-purpose space in their home for fitness activity. People are discovering the silver lining in having workouts ready for them at home is recaptured time.

The one thing missing is human connection.

Enter: Zoom Workout

Of course, there’s been an explosion of online workouts, whether live or on-demand, which is great if you’re looking to work along to a class or join a live session. But if you’re that person who loves to bring a friend to class and chat between sets, you may still feel that pinch of loneliness, even in an online workout.

The great news is that there is no shortage of platforms where you and a friend can meet-up online with the intent of working out via video chat. Fitness apps, social hangouts, and of course, the reconfiguring of popular office video-conferencing apps like Zoom have been all the rage.

There is no need to feel like you have to tackle your workout alone when you can tap into the technology meant to help you stay connected.

Are you the person who loves to bring a friend to class & chat between sets? Get ready to Zoom Workout with a friend & Reimagine Your Routine

Here are three tips to make your virtual partner workouts a success.

1. Set a time

Just like an in-person workout session, be sure to set a time for your virtual workout plan too. Having a dedicated space and time will help you stay accountable and keep each other on track. The upside of working out simultaneously is a sense of connection that can help you power through the grind of an at-home workout.

2. Set a Weekly Challenge

To keep motivation high, map out different challenges for you and a friend. These challenges could take place both online during your session or when you’re offline.

One challenge to try while doing your virtual session is an “I Go; You Go” style of workout. In this type of challenge, you complete an exercise while your partner cheers you on via your online portal. Then, you switch. It allows for not only camaraderie but also a moment to catch your breath!

You could also institute an offline challenge where you are each “assigned” to complete a designated exercise (such as completing 50 pushups per day). During your next virtual session, check-in with each other about how you did. Knowing that you’ll have to report on your performance at the beginning of your virtual sessions might just keep you on your toes to complete your end of the bargain.

3. Follow a Shared Virtual Workout Plan

A shared workout plan you can bring to a virtual platform such as Zoom is a brilliant way to stay on track with your fitness. Here are some tips to stick to your goals.

Here’s the catch: don’t improvise. That time you spend deciding what to do next is likely to be a motivation killer, and the downtime could just lead you into chatting away your time.

Instead, plan your Zoom workout ahead of time and message it to the other person. That way, if you plan to use any equipment with the workout, you can make sure that both people have it handy.

To get you started, we’ve come up with a workout to try with a friend.

  • Format: “I Go; You Go”
  • Time: 20 minutes
  • Equipment Needed: SMART Medicine Ball
  • Timing Structure: 20 seconds on, 20 seconds off – Alternate who is “on” and “off.”
  • Platform: Zoom, or other online video chat platform

Four sets of the following six exercises. 

4-minute sets with a 1-minute break between sets = 20 minutes. 

  1. Shoulder Press
  2. V-Up
  3. Standing Rotational Twist
  4. Figure-8 Skaters
  5. Step and Shoot
  6. Overhead Circles

 We’re Here to Make your Goals a Priority

We are so excited to offer you this new Fitness Journal created especially for you in mind from our fitness experts.

NOW IS THE TIME: Make Room for the Best You! is our latest fitness journal to help you get focused and get your goals in gear. Click To Tweet

To get your copy of this Fitness Journal just sign up for our mailing list. With that, you will also get the latest news, blog posts, fitness tips, and be the first to hear about sales.

Prism Fitness Free Goal Journal

Let’s Connect!

Join Us on Pinterest!

Join Our Prism Fitness Smart Community!

Learn about the latest fitness tips and products from our Fitness Experts!

Sign Me Up!

Weekly Motivation!

The difference between who you are and what you want to be is WHAT YOU DO!!

Pin For Later!

Are you the person who loves to bring a friend to class & chat between sets? Get ready to Zoom Workout with a friend & Reimagine Your Routine

Join Our Prism Fitness Smart Community!

Learn about the latest fitness tips and products from our Fitness Experts!

Sign Me Up!

Recently Viewed Products

Check Out Our Best-Selling Products!

I am text block. Click edit button to change this text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.

Keep Your New Year’s Goal with These 4 Quick Tips

by

Keep Your New Year's Goal with These 4 Quick Tips

Many people start the year with a challenging New Year’s Goal. There is nothing wrong with looking to make a change in your health or fitness. But according to Forbes, 80% of New Year’s Goals will be abandoned by February. The main reason these goals fail is because people create a goal without a plan. If you need help creating an achievable goal check out our NOW IS THE TIME Fitness Goal Journal. Just sign up for our email list and we will send it to your inbox!

Prism Fitness Free Goal Journal

Some of us may have already given up on these New Year’s Goal but let’s get back on track with these 4 tips to make them stick!

Take Baby Steps Towards Your New Year’s Goal

  • We set ourselves up for failure by exercising too hard too soon. That’s when we become extremely sore, injured, or discouraged.
  • Gradually increase your workout time and/or intensity.

Find a Buddy

  • Find a form of exercise you enjoy and others who share that enjoyment.
  • Join a running club, biking club, ski club, or tennis team.
  • Sign-up for a race, so you’re working toward a specific goal. Join a training group to help you prepare.
  • Seek out cardio and strength Group Fitness classes at your health club or community center with certified instructors who can guide and encourage you.
  • Register for individual or small group Personal Training sessions.

All of these can be found virtually, so pick a setting and program that best fits your needs!

Celebrate Small Achievements within Your New Year’s Goals

  • Don’t wait until you reach your goal to pat yourself on the back!
  • Set smaller goals along the path to your main goal.
  • Celebrate your successes (in a healthy way) to stay motivated.

Give Yourself a Break!

  • Remember we are human, and humans are not perfect.
  • Don’t dwell on imperfections. If you stray from your path, forgive yourself and get back on track.

 

Cheers to fitness success and a healthy lifestyle!

 

If you need help starting a fitness routine check out these post:

Smart Straps are the all-in-one functional fitness training system allows you to train smarter by recruiting more muscles for stabilization.
You're going to get max health benefits for your Functional Fitness Training by learning the benefits, effective training, & proper equipment #fitnessforlife #functionalfitnesstraining
Ease Back Into Your Workout Routine

Let’s Connect!

Join Us on Pinterest!

Join Our Prism Fitness Smart Community!

Learn about the latest fitness tips and products from our Fitness Experts!

Sign Me Up!

Weekly Motivation!

Pin For Later!

You're going to get max health benefits for your Functional Fitness Training by learning the benefits, effective training, & proper equipment #fitnessforlife #functionalfitnesstraining

Join Our Prism Fitness Smart Community!

Learn about the latest fitness tips and products from our Fitness Experts!

Sign Me Up!

Recently Viewed Products

Check Out Our Best-Selling Products!

A Stretch Session Can Get You Moving Again!

by

If you want to set your body up for long term success, now may be the time to add in a stretch session to your wellness goals.

Why adding a weekly Stretch Session will help you get moving again.

If you feel like the last year of makeshift home offices, lack of gym time, and more Netflix & chill has led to the loss of strength, mobility, and flexibility, you are not alone. Poor posture can develop from spending long sitting sessions, especially from a workstation that’s not set up for proper ergonomics. Muscles can lose range of motion when they are not engaged in movement. What you need today is a stretch session.

In fact, muscles can become chronically tense and contracted due to improper body mechanics, which leads to diminished strength and function. Without movement, your muscles can become tight and even shorten so that when you’re ready to move your body, it’s harder to extend because the muscles have become weak. Stretching can help restore muscle balance by counteracting sustained postures, interrupting repetitive movements.

Get Back On Track!

If you’ve recently recommitted to getting back on track, you might feel discouraged by your lack of range of motion due to muscle shortening, and the same movement you used to do (hiking, biking, running, rowing) might even seem foreign to your body.

If you want to set your body up for long-term success, now may be the time to add a stretch session to your wellness goals. Not only is it a great way to get your body moving again, but it also increases spatial awareness (also called proprioception), which sparks muscle receptors that help improve balance and movement.

When you feel better about how your body moves, you may be more inclined to keep going. In fact, regular stretching improves overall function by ensuring that the body can respond to added activity.

The best time to add a stretch session into your routine is after you’ve completed another exercise activity and your muscles are warm. Even if you’re just getting started again and your activity is taking a short walk around your block, a stretch session at the end can help your body begin to improve muscular function.

 

Get Started! 

 

Grab a SMART Mat.

SMART 6mm Mat with Direct Print Exercises

Our 6 mm SMART Mat makes any surface ready for your session. There is just enough padding for your knees, bottom, and other areas of your body to feel protected from the hard ground. The non-slip pad is easy to transport anywhere and can even be used to create a workout space outside. Plus, it creates an instant clean area for your workout regardless of where you are.

The other benefit to our SMART Mat is that if you need inspiration for your workout, you can simply follow the 14 stretch or 14 core exercises printed directly on our self-guided product.

 

If you’re looking for a longer session, try this!

7 Stretch Exercises to Get You Moving Again

Select two or three of your favorite songs. Follow the below sequence of stretches completing each one for about 30 seconds for about a 10-minute stretch session. These stretches are a good mix of upper and lower body mobility work.

STANDING CHEST OPENER

Grasp hands behind your back and ease them down toward your bottom while pulling your shoulders back and down.

STANDING TRICEP STRETCH (RIGHT & LEFT) 

Lift one arm up with your elbow facing the ceiling and your hand reaching down your back.

WIDE HINDI SQUAT TO FORWARD FOLD 

With feet wider than hips, toes pointed slightly out, lower bottom toward ground keeping your tailbone tucked in. Hands can be in prayer position or anchored to your inner knee. Hold at your bottom threshold, and then tip your body so your head goes toward the ground and bottom goes into the air. Move slowly back and forth between these two moves.

WIDE LEG Posterior Stretch 

With legs wide, ease hands toward the floor and hold.

WIDE LEG Posterior Stretch with a Spinal Twist (RIGHT & LEFT)

From the above position, lift one arm toward the ceiling while the other stays close to the floor, aligning from top to bottom. If you have mobility in your neck, gaze toward your upper hand.

FROG

Start in child’s pose and then turn your feet out and lift your upper body onto your elbows. Hold this position for the full 30 seconds, or if it’s too intense, hold for 5 seconds and then release to all fours and repeat.

HIP FLEXOR WITH A SIDE “C” REACH (RIGHT & LEFT) 

On your knees, put your right leg forward and stretch into the front of your hip on the left leg. Raise your left arm so your hand is above your shoulder. Take the right arm out to the right side, and then bring it up toward the ceiling while at the same time reaching your left arm toward your right side. Repeat.

Let’s Connect!

Join Us on Pinterest!

Join Our Prism Fitness Smart Community!

Learn about the latest fitness tips and products from our Fitness Experts!

Sign Me Up!

Weekly Motivation!

Pin For Later!

Our bodies are designed to move! Let Functional fitness training be your guide

Join Our Prism Fitness Smart Community!

Learn about the latest fitness tips and products from our Fitness Experts!

Sign Me Up!

Recently Viewed Products

Check Out Our Best-Selling Products!

The Benefits of Resistance Bands Over Free Weights

by

The Benefits of Resistance Bands Over Free Weights

Resistance bands are a must have in your home gym, although many people are still using the traditional free weights like dumbbells, kettlebells, and barbells. There are some big advantages to resistance bands over free weights, but first what are resistance bands?

Resistance bands can mean several different products depending who you talk to, including Fitness Cables, Sleeved Tubing, Strength bands (looped bands), and Mini Flat Bands. One thing in common with all these resistance training tools is they are inexpensive and effective tools for men and women to build whole body strength through functional exercises.

With so many options, it can be difficult to decide what equipment you need for an effective resistance workout.  We’ve created the Smart Resistance Training Bundle to keep the guess work out of your fitness routine! The Smart Resistance Training Bundle includes 3 Fitness Cables, 1 pair of Smart Quick Flip Triple Pocket Handles, 1 Smart Deluxe Door Anchor, and the Smart Resistance Training Drawstring Bag to keep it all together.  This training bundle will give you the versatility to train from 20lbs to 120lbs!

What are the Big Advantages of Resistance Bands Over Free Weights at Home?

There are several advantages to using resistance equipment like the Smart Resistance Training Bundle over traditional free weights at home. The two big advantages of resistance bands are space required and continuous resistance.

Resistance equipment is extremely portable and compact. Whether you travel often, or your home gym is actually your living room, you will be much happier with the amount of space required to store resistance equipment. No need for 5 pairs of dumbbells when you can match fitness cables with our Smart Quick Flip Triple Pocket handles. They will allow you to achieve the same amount of difficulty as traditional free weights.

The other big advantage of resistance equipment when exercising at home is training your muscles with continuous resistance. This gives your muscles a greater challenge per exercise, resulting in better outcomes then doing the same exercise with traditional weight training equipment.

How do Resistance Bands Deliver Better Results than Free Weights?

The point of maximum resistance is different for resistance bands compared to traditional free weights. The point of maximum resistance is where your muscle does the most work. Traditional weight training works against gravity, your point of maximum resistance is where the movement peaks against gravity, which isn’t necessarily the ideal peak for that movement. Meanwhile the point of maximum resistance for resistance bands is where the band is fully stretched, which is typically at the peak of the movement.

This continual resistance of resistance bands challenges muscles throughout the entire movement instead of just at the peak point against gravity.

Another big difference between resistance training and traditional weight training is in resistance training there is no momentum. When working against gravity the initial start to the movement is very difficult and can results in the need to create momentum to start the lift. The use of momentum reduces the work required to complete the exercise.

When using resistance equipment, you are not able to gain momentum like you can with free weights, the continual resistance is provided through the entire movement. So, resistance training is often safer to use during quick and large range exercises such as wood chops.

How to Safely and Effectively Use Resistance Bands:

    • Adjust the resistance by changing where you hold the tubing.
    • Anchor firmly to its fixation point.
    • Start with lighter resistance for new exercises. Increase resistance once you have perfect technique.
    • Keep the wrist in a strong functional position – a firm grip around the handle with the wrist slightly extended.
Learn More about Why Strength Training is Important here!

Resistance Training Workout

Smart Fitness Cables with Quick Flip Triple Pocket Handles allow you to easily switch the cables between exercises to get the resistance you desire.

Try these SMART Upper Body Resistance Exercises to start your resistance training program:

  • Front Raise
  • One Arm Row
  • Should Press
  • Bicep Curl

Start with lower resistance then what you use with free weights and complete 2 set of 8 reps.  Too easy? Increase resistance and do a third set!

If you love Pinterest as much as we do, follow us here and pin this workout.

Self guided Upper Body Resistance Workout

Let’s Connect!

Join Us on Pinterest!

Join Our Prism Fitness Smart Community!

Learn about the latest fitness tips and products from our Fitness Experts!

Sign Me Up!

Join Our Prism Fitness Smart Community!

Learn about the latest fitness tips and products from our Fitness Experts!

Sign Me Up!

Recently Viewed Products

Why using the SMART Core Wheel Will Get You Functionally Fit in 2021

by

core wheel

This is the year to be the fittest “you” yet, and we have the perfect training companion to get you strong from the inside out; the SMART Core Wheel.

When it comes to training your midsection, there are a lot of things you can do. But if you’re looking for something different, we challenge you to try the SMART Core Wheel. Not only will adding this new training stimulus keep things fun, you can expect to expose your core to next-level fitness right out of the box. 

In fact, get one for yourself AND your fitness friend and introduce a #abchallenge to your 2021 fitness routine and #2021goals.

Why it’s different

First of all, don’t underestimate this fitness tool. It’s no gimmick; it really does go above and beyond the typical ab training. Your body will tell you from the first roll out that it’s working.

The everyday functions of your midsection include twisting, flexing, bracing, and extending. The purpose of building core strength is to help make these movement patterns better while reducing the chance of injury. Crunches, oblique twists, and planks are all excellent ab workout choices, but you may miss out on helping your body reach high or far if you don’t integrate extension work into your routine. Starter extension moves include inchworms, superman reaches, and long lever planks, but if you’re looking for the game-changer in core strength, the instability that comes with rolling your torso out on a wheel will take you to the next level.

The SMART Core Wheel works by forcing your body to function in synchronized control as your whole chain of muscles from your hip flexors and up toward your shoulders has to labor together to stay in form.

Starting a routine with the SMART Core Wheel

Even if you are pretty fit, you’ll find that the core wheel will offer you some fantastic challenges to your body. To prevent injury, you’ll want to practice building core strength with your body weight.

1. First, build a base of core strength.

Build these non-core wheel moves into your workout routine to be more successful with your core wheel progression.

  • Plank Holds
  • Inchworms
  • Bird Dogs
  • Plank up-downs
  • Low plank mountain climbers 

2. Add a few SMART Core Wheel Exercises

Next, add a core wheel segment to your ab training regimen. The key to success is to work this tool into your routine in a progressive format. Start with the beginner moves, and don’t be discouraged if you can only do a handful.

It takes quite a bit of control and strength, from both your core and your entire body working in sync, to correctly use the tool. Proper form will help you from straining your lower back or putting too much stress on your joints. It’s always better to do one good move in proper form than ten moves in poor form. 

Try these moves first: Beginner Core Wheel

Here are some exercises to try right out of the box. Perfecting these moves first will boost your form (and confidence!) to get the basics down before you move on to more challenging moves.

Be sure to keep your spine neutral, chin tucked, and brace your abs. Your goal should be to avoid arching your lower back as you roll out. If you feel this happening, reduce your range of motion (shorten the roll). Avoid putting too much stress on your shoulders, wrists, elbows, and back. 

PLANK HOLD: Place your hands on the pedals and position them directly below your shoulders. Your feet should be hip-width apart. Lift to a plank hold 

KNEE ROLL-IN: Start in a plank hold (see move 1). Drop your knees to the floor and roll the core wheel back toward your body. Roll out again until your hands are under your shoulders and lift back to plank hold. Repeat.

KNEE ROLL-OUT: Start in kneeling position. Roll the wheel away from your body as far as you can go while keeping your abs braced, your back free from strain. As you get more experienced with the core wheel, you will be able to reach your arms all the way out, and your body hover directly above the floor. 

3. Next, add a few more SMART Core Wheel Exercises

Before you know it, your muscles will become stronger and learn to work together, and you’ll be adding to your rep count in no time. When you’re ready, move to the intermediate and advanced moves. Even if you want to jump right into the intermediate and advanced moves on the core wheel, you’ll have better success if you master the form in the beginner moves. It will improve your control when the weight shifts in the wheel. 

Plank Hold Tap Outs

Place your hands on the pedals and position them directly below your shoulders. Feet should be hip-width apart. Lift to a plank hold. Keeping your hips from dipping down, tap one foot out past hip-width and return, and repeat with the other foot. As you’re building strength, return to the knees for a break.

JOIN OUR FREE NEWSLETTER

Learn about the latest news and tips from our Fitness Experts AND receive exclusive deals.

Sign me up!

Interested In Becoming a Prism Fitness Dealer?