Training and General Health Archives

Cold Weather Workout Benefits

Brrr. The cold weather may leave you wanting to hibernate and load up on hearty meals, but we have a good reason to stay tough through the winter months with an outdoor workout.

Burn More Calories in the Cold

Turns, out, cold weather may give you a more solid calorie burning session than temperate climates. For starters, you body will expend more energy to keep warm and regulate your core temperature. Cold weather also simulates a certain type of fat store and both of those factors can lead to burning up to 400-500 more calories per day. Of course, all exercise can boost your metabolism, but adding in some cold weather training could result in a higher metabolic increase.

Improve Your Immune System

Getting out in the cold can also improve your immune system, according the Mayo Foundation. Their study found that regular outdoor, cold-weather exercise reduced susceptibility of colds by 20-30 percent!

Get some winter workouts on your schedule now. Try these:

Snowshoe racing
Winter trail running
Downhill skiing
XC skiing
Winter hiking
Skijoring

End your cold weather workout with an indoor foam roll session after you’ve warmed up. Your muscles will appreciate the extra attention.

Why should we warm-up before a workout?

When you are pressed for time, it’s tempting to skip the warm-up and jump right into your workout, but getting your body ready for exercise is crucial for not only keeping your body free of injuries but making your workout the best it can be.

According to ASCM, the warm-up intends to increase the temperature of the muscles, thus preparing the body for the demands of the endurance conditioning phase, or primary focus, of the workout.

You’ll want to keep your warmup short and light, generally about 5-10 minutes, and at about 30% intensity of your goal workout intensity. You can start with a general warm-up to raise your heart rate and breathing (light job, easy bike, or brisk walk), and then move into a sport-specific warm-up that will mimic the activity that you will be doing. Stick to dynamic warm-ups vs. static which can actually decrease the power in your workout. Regularly engaging in warm-ups before a workout can lead to enhanced performance, injury prevention, and better mental preparation.

Here’s a quick warm-up routine that can prep your body for a run.

3-5 minutes of brisk walking leading to light jogging
Add 4-6 Strides (Strides are about 100m accelerations where you start at a jog, build to about 95% of your max speed, and then gradually slow to a stop. One stride should take you about 20-30 seconds.)

Dynamic Exercises: Repeat 4 rounds

10 Jumping Jacks
10 Forward Jacks
10 Squats
10 Alternating Step Lunges

How to Maximize Your Rest Days & Recovery Periods

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.

Add some FITNESS FUN to your next get-together with this “Party-Time Boot Camp”.

Party Time Boot Camp

Summer kick-off is just around the corner! Here’s a fun twist to add to your next BBQ or birthday party: “Party Time Boot Camp”! It’s a great way to sneak in a little fitness and show the kiddos (and adults) that workouts can be fun. Don’t forget to take photos! This is Insta-worthy fun.

This workout is great for groups of all ages, and doesn’t require much equipment. It’s perfect for a backyard or park. You’ll need one fearless and energetic “leader” to keep everyone moving, and a group of willing participants.

Set up:

Equipment: 2 ping pong paddles, 4 Frisbees (or sandbells), and 1 sandbag.

Set up time: 5 minutes.

Identify the space you will use. There will need to be a “start” and a “finish”. Keep the area between the start and finish big enough so the adults can run between and still get some good work in, while keeping in mind that the kids might lose interest if it’s too hard. Mark the start area corners with two Frisbees, and then mark the finish corners with two Frisbees (the benefit of the Frisbees is that you can always adjust if needed!) Have the participants line up between the “Start” Frisbees, and the leader will be closer to the finish end, facing the participants.

Ready. Set. GO!

Red Light, Green Light

Goal: First one to the “finish” section wins the round!

Leader uses two ping pong paddles, one red, one green. Hold up green Paddle and yell “GREEN LIGHT” signaling “GO”, then hold up red paddle and yell “RED LIGHT”, signaling “STOP”.

8 Rounds, each with a different move!

Sprint (traditional)
Frog Jumps (Low squat, hands toward ground, jump forward, land in low squat. Repeat.)
Power Skips (Your typical childhood skip with extra power and the highest knees you can do!)
Crab Crawls (Hands and feet on ground, belly up, moving hands and feet in forward motion.)
Agility Shuffle (Turn to the side, grapevine feet back and forth, moving from start to finish.)
Broad Jump Burpees (1 burpee, 1 broad jump moving towards finish line)
Lunge walks (Alternate legs in walking lunge to move toward finish)
Bear Crawls (Hands and feet on ground, hips in air, moving hands and feet in forward motion)

Wheel Barrow Races!

This race is a down and back event, so each partner gets a turn at being the “wheelbarrow”, and the “hauler” Grab partner, and race down and back. Make the switch where you’ve marked the finish line for the other events.

First one back from round wins!

Human Hurdles

Line up in row. Plank on forearms. Leave space in between each person. Once everyone is situated, instructor yells “GO” and the first person in line gets up and jumps “or steps” over each person until they get to the end. Once they are at the end, they drop to a plank position and become the last in line. Once the person’s turn is over, the next person goes. For those who don’t wish to jump or step high (have them step over people’s feet). Repeat until everyone has had a turn at being the jumper. Make sure you leave enough room as your line “grows”.

“Choose Your Balance” Contest

Choose a handstand, headstand, crow pose, or some type of standing balance such as “Tree Pose”. Everyone gathers in workout area. When the instructor says “GO” start your balance exercise. Longest Hold WINS!

Sandbag relay: 2 rounds- Timed!

Finish with some TEAM WORK!

Now your perimeter of the four corners is your designated relay area. (If you have a large group, you may need to increase the area.) Have everyone line up around the perimeter in generally equal distance from one another. (You could also line up around the house or along a fitness track if you have one nearby). The first person holds the sandbag or sandbell (hoisted over the shoulder) and when the instructor says “GO”, they run to the next person in line. Then, that person runs to the next, and so on, until the last person reaches the end. The instructor times the event.

Round 2: Now your team has a goal: they must do it again, but BEAT the first time! This is a great way to get everyone working together and finishing with big smiles.

The Second Hardest Thing About Fitness

If the first hardest thing about fitness is getting started, then the second hardest thing is knowing what to do.

That’s where Self Guided Products come in. For everyone who has made it to the gym to workout, and then wandered around, or even LEFT because you were not sure what to do, you are in luck.

Prism Fitness Group has designed a line of smart products that feature corresponding workout moves printed right on the product!

Smart Medicine Ball

The 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.

Smart Stability Ball

The Smart Stability Balls are self-guided for users at all fitness levels. They feature 13 exercises that are printed on the ball for easy reference.

Three sizes available, each are burst-resistant (PVC construction) and includes a pump.

Smart Straps

Finally, you won’t be staring at the dangling straps wondering what to do with it!

12 self-guided exercises printed directly on the straps for easy reference.

No more wrestling with floppy straps; easily place your foot in the pre-formed cuffs either facing down or facing up to perform even more core and leg exercises!

Use the two door anchors to secure the straps anywhere! Toss over and loop tightly to a pole OR place them over a sturdy door, close, lock and you’re good to go.

Smart Mat Series

The Smart Mat comes in two styles, and 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.

Smart Plyo Cube

The 3-in-1 Smart Foam Plyo can be used at 20″, 24″ and 30″ heights (all in one!) saving your facility space and the user valuable time while being able to train safely. There are 9 exercises printed on the plyo box for easy reference.

It’s made of high-density foam with a commercial-grade vinyl cover.

Smart Recovery Foam Roller

The Smart Recovery Foam Roller is used to release muscle tension before, during and after workouts. It features 9 movements that are printed directly on the foam roller for easy reference. It is 2-ft long, which is wide enough to use on backs. The durable polyethylene foam is designed for moderate to heavy use while still holding its shape.

“Don’t let not knowing stop you from starting.”

4 Benefits of Adding Plyometric Training to your Fitness Routine

As a kid, we never thought twice about running and jumping. Now, as an adult, our movements tend to be much less dynamic in everyday life.

Plyometrics, sometimes called “Jump Training,” has steadily increased in popularity and is being incorporated into many workouts. The purpose of plyometrics is to improve explosive power. Plyometrics includes more than just jumping though. While tuck jumps, box jumps, and lunge jumps are all part of this type of training, upper body exercises such as plank jumps, clap pushups and medicine ball throws are all great ways to train explosively from head to toe.

There are numerous benefits to incorporating “plyo” training into your fitness routine. However, due to the intensity, plyometric workouts should be geared towards those individuals with a solid fitness base. Beginners should start with progressive modifications to help them build toward full moves.

It’s easy to make the connection that plyometric training will help power athletes in sports such as basketball, volleyball, and gymnastics, but can it help everyday fitness enthusiasts “up their game” so to speak?

The short answer is yes. Here are four ways that adding plyometric training to your fitness routine can benefit your everyday life.

1. Increased Agility & Coordination

Runners and rock climbers rejoice! If your jam is to be active (running, skiing, hiking, or even ultimate frisbee), plyometrics training can help boost your performance in whatever sports or activities you like to do. Improved footwork is a great boost to a trail running routine, and an explosive jump will help you crush that weekend pick-up basketball game.

2. Increased Cardiovascular Health and Muscle Strength

Plyometrics training focuses on increasing strength and proficiency of fast twitch muscle fibers, which helps build speed and power. In addition, plyometric exercises, especially when done in succession, can really get your heart rate up! Keep in mind, though, form matters. Always.

3. Increased Spatial Awareness

Video games have nothing on hand-eye coordination when compared to plyo training. The fancy term for this is “proprioception,” and it relates to how we sense objects around us as related to our muscles, joints, and motor skills. Spatial perception is important in everyday movements and even more so in sports, where proper coordination is essential.

4. Increased Fun.

Life is short. Mix it up. Capture the fun that jumping brought you in your childhood play. Skip, hop, and jump to mix a little fun with your fitness.

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