6 Station Outdoor Bootcamp

July 20, 2018 by Linda

Summer is the perfect time to take fitness outside, and an OUTDOOR BOOTCAMP is still one of the best ways to get a great sweat in under the sun.

Designing an outdoor boot camp doesn’t have to be hard. All you need is adequate space, a good class design, and enough equipment for your group. A good boot camp workout mixes cardio, strength, and agility exercises – working opposing major muscle groups and alternating between upper body and lower body work. Whether you are a fitness pro looking for a class design that is ready to roll out, or you just want to hit the park for a solo session, we give you this simple, but effective circuit-style routine.

This design works best with 12 people but is scalable up or down. At 12, you can have two people at each station, increasing the peer-to-peer motivation. Adjust equipment according to your group size. Set your stations up in a large circle, or in a straight line depending on your space. Leave enough room to perform the work, while keeping the stations close enough to maximize group interaction.

Equipment Needed (Based on 12 people)

STATIONS:

Agility Ladder Shuffle-Sprint Return (Equip: 1 Agility Ladder)

Going as fast as possible, put one foot in each ladder rung from start to finish. At the end, sprint back to the start, and repeat. Two people should be able to work in line with a time gap of 3 seconds. If your group becomes larger, keep the momentum up by having participants do scissor jumps in between ladder runs.

Jump Rope (1 Jump Rope for each participant)

Each participant grabs a rope. Go all-out for full time.

If it’s been a while since you’ve jumped rope, here are a few tips.

Jump 1 to 2 inches off the floor, with just enough space for the rope to slide under feet —balls of feet should touch the floor.

Keep your elbows close to your sides as you turn the rope. The movement comes from the wrists and forearms, not the shoulders.

Medicine Ball Pushup (1 Medicine Ball for each participant)

Start in the push-up position on the floor, and square your hips and keep your back aligned. Place one hand on a medicine ball, while your other hand stays on the floor. Keep your feet spread wide to help with stability. This will be your starting position.

Keep your body straight, bend your elbows and descend towards the ground, allowing your chest to approach the floor, stopping chest at the elbow. Push back up to full arm extension.

Repeat on the other side.

Side Raise/Front Raise (1 Fitness Cable for each participant)

Each participant can grab a cable that provides a challenging level of resistance. Alternate between lifting your arms out to the side and raising them both to the front. Keep the range no higher than shoulder height.

Russian Twists (1 Medicine Ball for each participant)

Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor (easier) or raised up off the floor (more difficult) at about a 45 degrees angle. Hold the medicine ball with both hands, directly in front of you. Twist slowly from your torso to one side and touch the medicine ball to the floor. Pause and then smoothly contract your abs and twist your torso back to the center position, and then proceed on to touch the medicine ball to the floor on the other side of you. Repeat.

Low Pulse Medicine Ball Goblet Squat (1 Medicine Ball for each participant)

Stand with your feet just outside your hips, toes slightly turned out. Hold the medicine ball in both hands at hip level. Keeping your weight in your heels bend at the knees and squat down to a 90-degree angle, moving the medicine ball toward the floor, in between your legs. Once in position, pulse at the bottom for the full time.

The Details:

TIMING: 45 seconds on, 15 seconds off

ROUNDS: 6

If you are a leader or coach of a group, run through the basics and form for each exercise. Next, run through a simple dynamic warmup that prepares the body in all planes of movement. (20 jumping jacks, 20 high knees, 20 skaters, 20 clockwork lunges). Then, have participants claim a starting station, spreading out so that all circuits are being utilized. Ideally, there should be two at each station.

Next, start the timer and perform the indicated station exercise for 45 seconds. During the 15 second rest, have participants move to the next station in line. Once participants have completed all six stations, take a 60-second break. After the break, have participants go back to their starting station and start the next round. Completing six rounds of the six stations will give you a 45-minute workout session. End with a cooldown.

COOLDOWN:

Run through a series of sun salutations. Try this four times through.

Mountain Pose.

Hands Fan up.

Dive into forward fold.

Half lift.

Hands to floor, step back to high plank (knees or toes).

Lower to low plank.

Pull through to up dog.

Hips push back to down dog.

How to Maximize Your Rest Days & Recovery Periods

July 13, 2018 by Linda

Rest days and recovery are an essential part of any training and conditioning program. In fact, some would argue that it might be as important than the workout itself. The truth is, recovery must happen before progress is made. It is key to minimizing injuries, staying in the game for the long-haul, and increasing success on days when you want to push to the max.

Schedule Rest Periods

For optimal success, make sure you take at least a 24-hour rest between intense training sessions within the same muscle group. Remember, you are breaking down your muscle tissue and depleting your energy stores when you train. Rest periods allow for the muscle fibers to repair and grow. Returning to the gym prematurely could increase your risk for injury.

Then, every 3-4 weeks, plan a total recovery week. If you are lifting, try performing half the number of reps with sub-max loads. Or do a different take on a workout. Swap your HIIT session for a hike session, for example.

Proactively scheduling your rest days and recovery weeks can keep you from overtraining syndrome (OTS), which can occur when the body struggles to regain from constant strenuous exercises. Overtraining can actually cause a decrease in performance and may even lead to serious, adverse metabolic and physiological changes within the body.

Tip: Take one of your workout slots in your recovery week and schedule a sports massage during the time you would usually work out. That way, you keep a routine, and you fit in some needed self-care.

Sleep, Hydrate, & Refuel

The whole purpose of sleep is to induce a state of restoration in the body. In fact, it is the hormonal secretions that occur during sleep that can have the most significant influence on recovery. Research shows that without adequate sleep, the body can experience a decrease in both tolerance and performance in training sessions and the healing process after. Bottom line: get your ZZZ’s and avoid screen time right before bedtime.

Dehydration not only reduces performance potential but can delay the recovery process. Exercise increases the body’s need for water and electrolytes, especially the sessions that are the most sweat producing. And how much water should you be drinking daily? Find out here.

Proper nutrition is also key to successful recovery. Make sure you have a good source of protein as it is required to rebuild muscle tissue. And don’t rule out carbs just yet. They are a muscles primary source of energy and are important for refueling your body’s glycogen stores. Consult a sports nutritionist for the best food options and fuel recommendations based on your activity level and other considerations.

Focus on Recovery Sessions

Be sure to schedule active recovery into your workout routine. Doing so can help not only with injury recovery but overall workout success. Try these:

Smart Stick

The Smart Stick makes your favorite movements and exercises more productive. The hands push and pull each other and “drive” the body, creating balanced, an optimal range of motion from top to bottom. The unweighted version is perfect for flexibility and balance exercises.

Foam or Grid Rollers

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

Read more about how to use foam rollers in recovery here:

Stretching

The Mayo Clinic says that, in general, stretching may help you improve range of motion in joints, improve athletic performance, and reduce the risk of injury.

In fact, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends that you stretch for 60 seconds on each major muscle group at least two times a week.

Smart Mats make stretching easy.

Massage:

Relieve tight muscles, deep tissue knots and minor aches and pains with a variety of self-massage tools.

TP Grid STK Roller

Hand-held roller used to relieve minor aches and pains. Designed with three-dimensional Grid® surface and AcuGRIP handles for targeted relief.

TP AcuCurve Cane

Relieve tight muscle knots in hard-to-reach areas like the neck, back, and shoulders. Features extra firm tip to provide precise pressure in deep tissue knots. Two-ball design on one end effectively targets the muscles surrounding the spine.

TP Grid Ball

Massage ball designed with the three-dimensional Grid® pattern for targeted relief in a compact size. Lightweight and portable!

TP Nano Foot Roller

Increase flexibility and relieve pains in the foot and forearm areas. Patterned surface promotes blood flow.

No Pain, No Gain. MYTH or TRUTH?

July 6, 2018 by Linda

No Pain, No Gain. MYTH or TRUTH?

You will have to push yourself into a zone that may be uncomfortable to really challenge yourself. You’ve heard the phrase “What doesn’t challenge you, doesn’t change you”. That is a very true statement, in many ways, both mental and physical.

But PAIN is something different.

TRUTH: Pain is your body’s way of saying something isn’t right.

Experiencing a sharp, acute pain that occurs quickly, or if your pain lasts for a few days after exercise, could be a warning sign to stop your workout out and possibly seek medical attention. This is a different scenario than pain that gradually builds during your workout (think lactic acid burn). Pushing through your pain is a choice that may increase the severity of your injury. Even though it’s hard to be on the sidelines, think long-term in relation to your fitness journey. The last thing you want to experience is an injury that sets you back for days, weeks or even months. Even though it’s sometimes heralded as a marker of fitness, in truth, long-lasting pain and soreness for days after your workout is not a winning solution and may lead to overtraining and chronic injury.

According to the American Council on Exercise, your workout should put a reasonable demand on your cardiorespiratory and musculoskeletal systems to improve function, without significantly increasing the risk of injury.

That said, if you’re doing something different, and working muscles that haven’t been used in a while, you’re going to feel it the next day or two after, and that is normal.

If you want to improve your fitness level, try this: Group Fitness.

June 29, 2018 by Linda

When you workout by yourself, does it provide you with enough of a challenge? It’s easy to slack off on the rep count, or intensity when no one is looking. But, there’s a bond that is formed when a group sweats, grinds and struggles their way through a crazy-tough workout. If you are looking for that next-level challenge, gather up your best group and jump into some small group training, group bike rides/runs, or even a group exercise class.

Just like having an accountability partner, group workouts can make you push harder, get competitive, and increase motivation.

Push Harder

Studies show that exercising with a group can take your workout up a notch because you tend to push yourself harder than you would on your own. This is called The Köhler Effect, and the, and the basis is that no one wants to be the weakest link in any given group setting. In the fitness world, this translates to pushing harder when you are working out with people who are fitter than you.

In fact, in one study, participants performed a series of planks and showed that working with a group produced a motivation gain that allowed the participants to hold their planks for a longer period of time. Those who exercised with a more-capable partner increased their plank time by 24 percent.

Get Competitive

Group settings can lead to positive competitiveness. Seeing what others are capable of doing can inspire you to try harder. In fact, when the group mirrors the effort and level of its fittest members, the result can be an elevation in the fitness level of the entire group. Working on this competitive edge can also help you past mental barriers that can develop when you are on your own.

Increase Motivation

Group workouts can improve consistency, duration, inspiration and can create a higher level of motivation among one another. Increases in motivation often happen because group workouts tend to be filled with encouragement in the form of verbal cheers and positive vibes from others to keep the energy and motivation high. These accolades are infectious and create a positive attitude and environment for the whole class.

3 Reasons to Get a Fitness Accountability Partner (and Why You Should Choose This Person Carefully)

June 22, 2018 by Linda

One of the best ways to reach your fitness goals is by partnering up with a like-minded person with similar fitness goals. Studies have shown that this relationship investment can boost your goals with a higher success rate, get you there faster, and keep you on-track.

Here are three research-backed reasons that you should partner-up to tackle your 2018 fitness goals.

Helps you stay committed

What if you could double your chances for fitness success, AND have more fun while doing it?

Research shows that having a workout buddy can help you stay committed to training goals and boost enjoyment out of any given session. According to one study, 95 percent of those who started with a friend completed the program, compared to a 76 percent completion rate for those who tackled the program alone.

Why does this work? Human beings are inherently social. We crave the interpersonal support, company, and positive reinforcement of others.

Having that time set aside on the calendar, where you know someone else is counting on you, can be a driving factor in whether you choose the workout, or choose the couch on any given day.

Helps you stay in it longer

Opting for a group or partner may help you push yourself past your comfort zone and raise your threshold higher in both time and intensity. This can be beneficial if you are stuck in a plateau. When you are with someone else, you tend to give a little more effort than you normally would if you were working out by yourself.

If you can, choose a partner that is slightly ahead of you in the fitness game. According to a study at Kansas State University, people who exercised with someone who they perceived as a little better than themselves, increased their workout time and intensity by 200 percent.

Helps you broaden your workout (and stay in form)

Having a partner can add a creative mix of exercises to your workout. While there are plenty of exercises you can do by yourself, adding a partner allows you do things like medicine ball tosses, resistance band runs, and partner pushups.

Your partner can also help you spot bad form. It’s easy to develop poor form habits when you work out by yourself if you are not paying attention. Having another set of eyes can save you from injury due to repeated improper alignment. You also gain a spotter in the weight room. Having a spotter can help you to make sure that you are performing an exercise correctly and can safely do those exercises.

Fun Partner Exercises to try:

Medicine Ball Tosses

Resistance Band Runs

Partner Pushups

Back and Forth Tire Flips

Wheel Barrows

Agility Ladder Runs

Choose carefully

Are you ready to find that workout partner? One more piece of advice – choose carefully.

The key is not only to choose someone who you trust and connect with, but to choose someone who won’t accept lame excuses. In fact, if you choose someone who does not share a similar commitment to fitness, it can turn into a distraction or even a potential deterrent.

Another key factor is simple logistics. Choose someone with a schedule that you can count on. Pick a day and time that works well for both of you, and you will set your fitness partnership up for success.

Fit Dad Fit Kids

June 15, 2018 by Linda

Troy Ismir, MS Personal Trainer and Health Coach

Troy Ismir, Guest Blogger

We want to give a big shout-out to our guest blogger Troy Ismir, Personal Trainer, Health Coach, and Founder of the podcast “Divine Wellness Academy”. In honor of Father’s Day, he shares some tips on how to encourage your kids to follow in your fitness footsteps.

One of my earliest memories of exercising with my kids is when they were two and one years old. I traded in my road bike for a Burley bike trailer and attached it to my mountain bike. I would sneak in a bike ride with my two kids in tow with their heads bouncing around like bobble heads. Thank goodness I didn’t cause any permanent damage to their cervical spine.

I have always included my kids in my exercise program. I believe one of the most important things we can teach our children is how to be physically active and eat healthy. I was the dad who wanted to know what my kids were doing in physical education class more than in math class, because if we don’t have our health, what do we have? I have always felt that it was my personal responsibility to be a role model for my kids in this area.

Here are three things I did to instill the value of health and fitness into my kids’ lives.

MAKE IT ABOUT EDUCATION

I have always been a big believer that we should teach our children why it is important to exercise and eat healthy. Educate them on why sodas aren’t good for our health or why eating too much sugar will catch up to us in the long run. I then allowed them to make their own choices as they got older. I never said they can’t have those things, I simply provided healthier options and allowed them to choose. Now that my kids are twenty-two and twenty-one years old, I am proud to say they both love to eat healthy and to exercise.

MAKE EXERCISE FUN

Exercise and physical activity should be fun. I have been in the health and fitness business for over twenty-five years and one of the things I have loved about being in this profession was taking my kids to the gym with me. My kids learned from a very young age that taking care of our bodies doesn’t have to be drudgery. It’s fun to move and to be physically active. To this day I hike, play golf, lift weights and ride bike with my kids every chance I get even though they are young adults now and leading their own lives.

MAKE MEALS TOGETHER

Ah yes, the lost art of cooking and eating dinner together. Some of my greatest memories are cooking together with my kids. It’s simple, fun and creates team work. From choosing the recipe, going to the grocery store, meal prep and ultimately spending time in the kitchen together followed by quality time at the dinner table.

Its Father’s Day this Sunday. As a father who strongly believes in health and fitness, I want to encourage you to make health and fitness a priority with your children. I have been blessed with two beautiful children that are as passionate about health and fitness as I am. One of the greatest Father’s Days gifts we can give to ourselves and our families is sharing in health and well-being. Fit dads create fit kids.

Troy Ismir, MS

Personal Trainer and Health Coach

Troy Ismir has been involved in the fitness industry for over 25 years as a personal trainer, author, podcaster and motivational speaker. By overcoming his own limitations and discovering the infinite possibilities, he found his true life’s ambition is helping people get fit from the inside out so they can have more vitality, adventure and purpose in their life. Troy has his Master’s Degree in Exercise and Sports Science. He is certified as a Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the NSCA and is a certified Exercise Physiologist through ACSM. Go to troyismir.com to find out more about Troy.

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