Our Fitness Blog - Prism Fitness Group

Take a hike!

October 12, 2018 by Linda

Fall is a great time to get outside. Lower temperatures and dewpoints coupled with changing scenery all make great reasons to take your fitness routine into nature.

Benefits of Hiking vs. Walking

Have you ever wondered what the difference between hiking and walking really is? Aside from intentionally choosing a scenic hiking route, both use the same lower body mechanics. The main variant is uneven terrain. Sand, packed dirt, rocks, and other natural materials found on nature trails create surfaces that force your body to work harder than flat, paved surfaces. In fact, hiking on an uneven surface increases your energy use by up to 28%, according to a University of Michigan study.

Hiking raises your heart and metabolic rate and consequently, you will burn more calories. Slope grade and switchbacks create differences in step gait and balance that require subtle shifts and increases in legwork throughout the hike.

Steady State Cardio with a View!

According to ACE, steady-state training (SST) focuses on maintaining a consistent, low-to-moderate intensity work-rate for an extended period of time. It is an established and proven method for improving cardiorespiratory fitness and enhancing aerobic capacity.

Fall hikes are a great choice for mixing some steady-state cardio into your routine.

HIIT & HIKE

Jump into fall with this awesome exercise combo!

What if we took your favorite hike, and combined it with some amazing outdoor interval training? HIIT training, (High Intensity Interval Training) can increase the effect of EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption), helping to burn calories after the exercise session is completed. Plus, it’s a great way to add intensity and variety to the steady-state cardio part of your hike. In any case, it should make for a completely memorable workout. Studies show that you will have better retention and repetition of your workouts if you find them enjoyable.

Try this:

Stair intervals: Find a set of stairs within your hike and run up and down 5 times.
Box Jumps on Benches: Find a very sturdy bench and try sets of 10 box jumps. (Be sure to ask if you are on private or public land, and make sure that your jumps will cause no damage to the structure).
Weighted Backpack Trail Sprints: Put a couple SMART Medicine Balls in a backpack to increase the challenge of your sprints. Be sure the weight distribution is even and not pulling on your neck and back. Pick a spot on the trail and make a start and stop point. Run at top speed back and forth 5 times. Be sure to watch for fallen rock, roots, or other obstacles.
Rock dips and pushups: Find a rock, bench, downed tree or stair on your trail and hammer out a set of 10 tricep dips, then turn it over and do 10 pushups. Repeat five rounds.
Medicine Ball Jack Presses: Hold the Medicine Ball to your chest with your feet together. Jump out to a wide stance while pressing the medicine ball straight out in front of you. Try sets of 20 on repeat for 5 rounds. (Tip: Carry the Medicine Balls on the entire hike with you in a backpack for extra challenge!)

Master the art of the Pushup!

October 5, 2018 by Linda

Read these tips on how to do a pushup from front to back.

Get Started!

Lie in a prone position (belly down) on your mat, ground, or floor.

Get in Position

Position your hands shoulder-width apart, fingers facing forward or slightly inward.
Position your feet hip distance apart with the tips of toes facing the ground.

Lift off

Lift your entire body off the floor so that your weight is supported evenly from head to toe.
Push your arms to full extension, keeping your elbows soft and not locked.
Contract your core muscles, glutes and quads to keep them braced.
Pull your shoulders away from your ears.
Keep your head, neck and spine in alignment.

Going Down

Slowly lower your body towards the floor while maintaining a stiff torso and head aligned with your spine.
Eyes toward the floor; avoid bending your head (we promise, you can look at your shoes later!)
Maintain head to toe alignment (no sagging of the back or hips)
Lower chest to elbow height.

Going Up

Push through the heels of hands to lift body weight upward.
Continue to maintain head to toe alignment.
Push your arms back to to full extension, keeping your elbows soft and not locked.

Repeat!

How many can you put into your daily goal? Always remember, form first. Don’t try to hammer out a high number before you have your form down.

TIP!

To build strength and practice form, try slow pushups. Count 4 down, and 4 up. Then, mix up the tempos: count 2 down, 2 up, or 1 down and three up. It will add some variety in the mix.

But wait, there’s more!

Modify

You might think you can’t do a pushup. But there are many ways to modify!

Feet shoulder width apart

If you struggle to maintain head to toe alignment, put your feet shoulder width apart instead of hip width. Each session, try to put your feet in closer.

Wall Pushups

If you have shoulder issues, or simply can’t lift your body weight, try a wall pushup. Put your hands shoulder width apart on the wall and your feet out slightly so that your body is at a slight angle. Slowly lower your body toward the wall, and push it back using all the techniques applied to a regular pushup.

Kneeling Pushups

Put your body in a hands and knee position on the floor. Maintain head to toe alignment and ease your upper body toward the floor, stopping chest at elbow height. This works well if you are new to bodyweight exercises and are not ready to lift your full body weight. When you’re ready, you can move to pushups on your knees.

Knee Pushups

From prone position, put your hands shoulder width apart. Keep your feet hip distance, and lift up to a full arm extension while keeping your knees, shins and feet parallel to the ground. Once you have this mastered, increase the distance between your upper body and your knees by moving your knees backward. This will increase the amount of bodyweight you will bear going up and down. Then, mix in a few pushups on your toes. Before you know it, you’ll develop the strength to do whole sets of pushups on your toes.

Advanced Stability Ball Pushups

Put your feet on the top of the ball and follow the move through. For more work, place the front of your ankles over the ball. For less work, move the ball to your shin area.

3 Ways to avoid the freshmen 15

September 28, 2018 by Linda

Is it possible to avoid the freshmen 15?

Going away to college is a big transition for many students.

College is an exciting time for young people, but it can also be stressful. The way people handle stress can vastly different from one student to the next, but many turn to food.

The “Freshmen 15” has been a phrase used to describe the 15 lbs. of weight many freshman gain their first year away at college.

College’s today offer an extensive variety of meal choices at all hours of the day and night—not all of which are healthy.

In fact, many colleges now have fast-food chain restaurants right on campuses that are part of meal plan options. Students struggle making healthier choices when burgers, french fries, pizza, and ice cream are available 24-7.

Recent college graduates say it is possible to eat healthy while at college.

Have a plan before you head to the dining hall, recommends recent college grad Christina Delong. Too often college students walk into the dining hall and eat what looks good—not what’s good for them. DeLong had a rule for herself, her first plate of food was always from the salad bar. She would load up her plate with fresh veggies and salad. Many times she was too full to eat a piece of pizza or some other unhealthy choice.

Most campuses offer free workout memberships to the campus gym or workout center. Studies show that not only does working out keep the pounds off by it also improves brain health and those that exercise or play sports regularly do better in school or college.

Play intramural sports. Only a handful of students play college sports compared to the total number of college students on any campus. Just because you didn’t make the team doesn’t mean you can’t play the sport you love. Intramural sports of perfect for college students for more than one reason. There is a lot less pressure and the games are fun and still competitive.

Keep Motivated! 3 tips for getting the most out of your workout.

September 21, 2018 by Linda

Stay focused. Stay motivated.

If you’ve ever been to the gym for a workout sesh and come away feeling like you’re not sure you did anything productive, we’ve got three tips to help you stay focused on the work, and keep you motivated until the end.

Focus on FORM

At the beginning of the workout, when you are fresh, is the perfect time to focus on your form. Are your knees over your ankles in your lunges? Abs braced? Shoulders away from your ears? Spine aligned? Every move has its own set of form do’s and don’ts, so study up beforehand, and practice during the first part of any workout. It will give you something concrete to work towards and give you focus for the first part of your workout.

Focus on FEEL

After you’ve put a spotlight on your form, spend the next part of your workout focusing on the feel of the moves. If you have good form, such as driving through your heels in squat position, then you should be able to feel the muscles in your glutes firing. When we spend the time to isolate and recruit the proper muscles, we improve the mind-muscle connection and stimulate endorphins, which can help you to get through the work.

Focus on FINISH

When you’re nearing the end of the workout, you may be a tired, sweaty mess. To make a strong finish, take a quick moment to appreciate your hard work and dedication you’ve made to focus on form and feel. Then, build on the endorphins created during those phases, and power through with the thought that you are near the finish line.

“If the word QUIT is part of your vocabulary, then the word FINISH is likely not.” ― B.G. Jett

3 essential things to include in your cooldown routine.

September 14, 2018 by Linda

Somedays it’s hard to resist the urge to skip a cooldown after a knockout workout.

Maybe it’s been a long day, and you just want to get home. Do you workout in the early morning and skip the cool down to do one more set? Whatever the reason, skipping the cooldown after a grueling workout may seem like no big deal, but there are multiple reasons to include cooling down after every workout.

When you plan for it—you’re more likely to do it.

Taking 5-10 minutes to bring your heart rate back down immediately after a workout is common sense, but for most people cooling down is an afterthought.

Cooling down gives your body a few minutes to transition back to your pre-workout state. Cooldowns not only help reset your normal body functions, but it also helps your muscles and your mind relax.

Walk:

Whether you ran a marathon or spent the last hour boxing, taking a few minutes to walk around will help your body reduce your heart rate, breathing rate, and your body temperature. Walking redistributes blood and keeps it from pooling in your extremities, which can cause fainting when you stop working out abruptly. Keeping your activity level at a low intensity gives each of these systems time to recover and reset. Plus, giving your body time to reset itself will make post-workout stretching less sweaty and breathless—maybe, even enjoyable.

Hydrate:

Most people sweat profusely during a long work-out. During exercise, people can lose 6 to 24 ounces of water per hour depending on the type of workout. Rehydrating will help your body recover faster, and you’ll feel better.

Signs of dehydration include:

Fatigue
Headaches
Dizziness
Muscle cramps
Nausea
Dry mouth
Rapid heartbeat
Vomiting
Feeling light-headed

At any of these signs, it’s important to hydrate again quickly and seek medical attention.

Self-massage:

Many avid runners or professional athletes will tell you they never skip a massage after a game or race. While many of us do not have the money or the time to hire a massage therapist after a hard workout, we can take a moment or two to give ourselves a massage in those areas that can be troublesome. For example, runners may have some overuse soreness that can occur in the calf area. Self-massaging these areas right after a workout can help aid in a quicker recovery. Thinking of self-massage as part of your cooldown. It will help ensure you don’t forget to add it to your workout routine.

Whether you’re looking to massage your lats, quads, lower back, or any other large muscle group, or trying to achieve a killer core body workout, The Grid is certain to suit your needs.

Build muscle without weights anywhere at any time of the day.

September 7, 2018 by Linda

Resistance training without weights?

How to use Strength Bands in your routine to help build muscle.

Do you have trouble finding time to workout or make it to the gym?

There are many different kinds of excuses when it comes to working out, but one of the most common is not having access to a gym.

Strength training with Strength Bands is perfect for people with busy schedules.

Simply, Strength Bands are an easy and quick way to get a good workout no matter where you are. Because they come in a variety of tensions, you can have a multitude of muscle building exercises at your fingertips—literally. Plus, Strength Bands fit easily in a gym bag or suitcase.

Many people believe they cannot build muscle or get stronger without pumping iron in the gym with heavy weights and high reps. It is true, you can’t build muscle without increasing resistance and the number of reps, but you don’t have to lift weights.

Bands are unique as part of an exercise routine because they provide smooth, constant resistance through a range of motion. The diversity of Strength Bands let users add resistance training to any exercise routine.

For example, bands can be used for bicep curls or assist with pull-ups. They can also be used for speed training, conditioning, or during rehabilitation from an injury.

Additionally, with the use of Strength Bands, some exercises are more effective and safer than weights. Shoulders and other upper body movements are easily strengthened with bands.

Bands come in different resistances. Pick a thin band to start with and move to thicker bands as you get stronger.

Bands create both tension and increase the load. By increasing the thickness of the band, the tension can increase dramatically.

Even adding band workouts with weights will add extra resistance that will take a workout to a level you can really “feel.” Add them to lifts like squats or pushups by wrapping a band around your back or hands. During a lift, users can wrap the bands around a bench or attach them to a barbell.

Whether you use bands exclusively for a full body workout or to increase the resistance of other exercises, you’ll be surprised by the difference you feel.

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