Fit Tips & More

2009-10-06T09:01:00.000-07:00

What is Spinning?

If you are one of those people who are afraid of group fitness (i.e. aerobics), never fear Spinning is here. This is no "aerobics" class baby! You don't have to worry about fancy foot work! Looking for new way to add some variety to your workout? Spinning may be the answer. You may ask, "What the heck is spinning?" Spinning is more than just a workout. It is a comprehensive, mental and physical training program - the original indoor cycling program. Spinning classes combine a foundation of basic cycling movements with motivational coaching techniques, breathing awareness and heart rate training. Participants burn an average of 500 calories in 40 minutes of non-impact, individually-paced cardiovascular exercise. Inspirational music and an energized environment ensure a fun, safe and effective journey for participants of all ages and fitness levels. A spinning workout offers the best of both worlds, enabling you to go at your own pace, but still enjoy the energy and camaraderie of a group workout. This is particularly important when so many people are restricted from riding due to weather, traffic and safety concerns.

TIP:

2009-09-03T06:54:00.001-07:00

Myth: Eating twice a day is the best way to lose fat.

Fact: Eating fewer but bigger meals promotes fat storage and zaps your energy! Make sure you’re eating every three to four hours to keep your metabolism revved and the weight coming off.

TRICEPS

2009-09-03T05:54:00.001-07:00

Target Muscles: triceps brachiiYour Plan: three sets, 15 reps on each arm (moderate weight)
Set Up: Kneel on a bench, supporting your upper body with one arm and holding a dumbbell in the other. Position your upper arm (of the arm holding the dumbbell) so that it is parallel with the floor and bent at the elbow at a 90-degree angle. Don’t allow the upper arm to drop lower than your back.
Action: Extend your arm back until it is straight and then return it to the original position. Contract your abdominals throughout the move. Do all the reps on one arm, then switch sides.

PUSH UPS

2009-09-03T05:46:00.000-07:00

Push-ups are a great body-weighted exercise to build your chest and shoulder, biceps and triceps muscles. Unfortunately, although they challenge your pecs they can also be extremely tough on your wrists. Many women find push-ups difficult and painful on their wrists and as a result often shy away from this effective and efficient upper body move. Fortunately, there are options. Propping yourself up on a pair of dumbbells is a great solution to this common problem because it places your wrist joints in a more neutral position, alleviating the compression.
Not only are dumbbell push-ups more forgiving on your wrists, but they also up the ante of a classic push-up by increasing the activation of your core, back, triceps and rear deltoids. So the next time your wrists are too tender to do push-ups or you just want a more core-challenging version, try the dumbbell push-up.

DEADLIFT

2009-09-03T05:43:00.000-07:00

STIFF-LEGGED DEADLIFT
The move: In a standing position, grip a bar in both hands (alternating grips) with your arms extended in front of your thighs [A]. Keeping your back straight, hinge from your hips as you bend forward, lowering the barbell towards the floor. Keep your knees bent slightly and muscles flexed and rigid, until your upper body is parallel with the floor [B]. Return to the upright position with a strong, straight core. Keep the bar close to your body throughout the range of movement.
The benefits: Strengthens your back, core and hamstrings.

BICEPS

2009-09-03T05:40:00.000-07:00

HAMMER CURL
Target Muscles: brachialis
Set Up: Stand with your feet about hip-width apart, knees slightly bent and a dumbbell in each hand with a neutral grip, palms facing each other [A].
Action: Curl the dumbbells up toward your shoulders by bending your elbows until your forearms are perpendicular to the ground [B]. Hold for a second, really squeezing your biceps, then return to the starting position and repeat.

2009-08-30T05:53:00.000-07:00

Why weights?Three reasons to make time for strength training
1. Stave off osteoporosis. Resistance training increases bone density, which can prevent age-related loss.
2. Keep your metabolism revved. Muscle trumps fat for calorie burning—add more, burn more.
3. Look slimmer. Pound for pound, muscle takes up less space than fat. Boost muscle
and you'll appear thinner.

SHAKE IT!

2009-08-18T18:03:00.000-07:00

SHAKE IT ------AND LOSE IT! WITH OUR ZUMBA AND CARDIO FUNK CLASSES. GET ON THE FLOOR AND YOU'LL SCORE FLATTER ABS, SLIMMER HIPS, AND SEXIER LEGS ----- ALL WHILE HAVING A BLAST!

Music Matters!

2009-05-13T14:33:00.000-07:00

Why Music Mattersby Deekron ‘The Fitness DJ’
When it comes to fitness, music really matters. Music offers many benefits for athletes, whether you are working out, running, or training for a competitive event (e.g. a marathon). The right music can increase your performance, keep you focused, and may even help you stick with your training program.
The Benefits of Music for Runners
As the ‘Fitness DJ’ – a specialist in the area of workout music - my job is to provide people with motivation for fitness through music. The primary reason I launched the Motion Traxx running Podcast is to provide runners (and exercisers) with the benefits music brings to a run or a workout session. Science confirms that these benefits do, in fact, exist.
The effects of music on the performance of athletes have been well documented by research. One of the leading authorities on the impact of music on athletic performance is Psychology Professor Dr. Costas Karageorghis of Brunel University in London (UK). His research has found that when music is synchronized to a workout, the level of performance is noticeably enhanced. According to Karageorghis, music enhances exercise in several ways, including focusing concentration and diverting the mind from fatigue. The result is increased performance and endurance. A study conducted at the University of Tokyo also supports this theory. There, researchers found that the rate of perceived exhaustion differed, depending on the music played as participants ran on a treadmill.
In addition to increased performance, adding a regularly scheduled workout/running Podcast to your exercise routine may actually help you ‘stick with the program’. Karageorghis’ research revealed another long-term benefit of workout music – it may help with motivation and exercise adherence. Simply put, adding a regularly-scheduled workout music Podcast to your training routine may help you ‘stick with the program’. This yields long term benefits for your health, in addition to better performance.
Marathon organizers are now catching on to what runners have known for years, music while running is beneficial for performance in a marathon. At London’s 2008 ‘Run to the Beat Half Marathon’, participants were treated to live music along the route. The marathon music was chosen using scientific methods to aid in endurance and to match the target stride-rate of the runners. The choice in musical selections to be played at the marathon was influenced by the specific demands of marathon running.
Selecting Music for Running
Research shows the type of music you choose is essential for gaining the full benefits of workout music. Music can be stimulating or calming, depending on the tempo. To get the most out of your music, it should be synchronized to the workout you are performing.
A study conducted at the University of Plymouth in the UK, uncovered that the tempo of background music enhanced the level of exercise when running on a treadmill. The optimal tempo for many forms of exercise is between 120 and 140 beats per minute (‘BPM’). Runners need faster tempo music in order to pace their stride. Motion Traxx running music mixes are tailored to the higher BPMs required by runners, usually 150 to 180 BPM.
So science has proven what a lot of us ‘felt’ already – when it comes to running, working out, and other forms of exercise, music really matters.

Question: I work out at least five times per week, and I still have a "pooch"!

2009-05-09T05:31:00.000-07:00

I work out at least five times per week. My plan includes cardio, weights and stretches. I’m gaining some great definition, but I still have a “pooch” around my stomach area. It looks like I have a baby bump some days! Any ideas why this might be happening? And what can I do to help flatten out my mid-section?

There are several things that may be causing this "pooch" in your abdomen.
1. You may not be drinking enough water. Being in a state of dehydration will cause your body to hold onto the fluid that it currently has, causing a bloated stomach and/or a puffy body. This is a survival mechanism that has existed since the beginning of time. Our bodies require water to function. If you are not getting enough of it, the body will retain the water it does have access to until more water becomes available again.
Solution: Drinking more water. Your body will remain properly hydrated and will function optimally – allowing excess water to be eliminated – which will flatten out your tummy within a few short days.
2. You could be consuming too much salt. An excess of salt in your body will cause water retention (similar to how the body will hold onto water when it’s dehydrated) and you’ll quickly get a bloated midsection (aka the “pooch”).
Solution:Read your labels. Salt is hidden in so many foods that we often don’t know we’re consuming it. Even sports drinks contain sodium, so be aware of what you’re putting into your body. Prepare meals yourself as often as possible to control the salt content and order low-sodium foods when dining out. This small change will give the phrase “pass the salt” a whole new meaning.
3. You may have a food allergy that you are unaware of. Many people suffer from a gluten allergy and many more a gluten sensitivity. Keep a food diary and note when your "baby bump" makes an appearance (for example, is it after you eat bread or pasta?). You may start to notice a trend and you may even want to consider going for allergy testing or seeking out the professional advice of a dietician.
Solution:Get to know your body. Whether it’s investing in a food specialist, like a dietician or nutritionist, or being diligent with your food journal, make the decision to figure out the origin of your pooch. More often than not it’s a problem that can be solved with some simple dietary adjustments.
4. Stress = pooch. When you’re stressed out, the body produces an influx of cortisol – the hormone that will give fat deposits the “thumbs up” to sit in your stomach. Take a serious look at how much stress you have in your life. It may be time to end a friendship with a high maintenance pal; maybe the relationship with your partner needs some work; or perhaps your career goals need some reassessing. To help pinpoint your “triggers,” you might even want to pull out that journal and log times in the day when you feel stressed.
Solution:Exercise is a great way to relieve stress, but it can also cause stress if you are not giving your body enough time to recover between workouts. To help alleviate stress, ensure you get at least seven to eight hours of sleep a night. Consider meditation or yoga as a way of coping with your busy mind or make an appointment to get a massage. Taking time out for something that brings you happiness is often the best way to curb stress and, ultimately, give that pooch a rest too.

Member's Stick with it TIPS

2009-05-09T05:18:00.000-07:00

3 stick-with-it secrets

Toss the fat clothes “Each time I dropped a size, I’d donate any clothes that were too big to charity. It made my weight loss feel permanent.”
Share your goals “I told the people close to me that I was trying to lose weight. Once they knew, I didn’t want to disappoint them.”
Never stop learning “I’m constantly asking my healthy friends for advice. I follow the tips that work for me so I don’t gain back any of the weight.”

DON’T DENY YOURSELF “I love ice cream, so I keep low-calorie fudge bars in my freezer for those times when cravings hit.”
CHOOSE WISELY “I cut out ‘empty calorie’ snacks that aren’t filling, like pretzels, bagels, and potato chips. Now I eat baby carrots, sugar snap peas, dried apples, and dried mangoes instead, all of which are lower in calories and packed with filling fiber.”
MEASURE UP “It’s really easy to overeat if you’re just eyeballing portions or grabbing food when you’re on the run, so now I carefully measure and weigh all my meals and snacks.”

New Year Resolutions!

2009-01-01T08:01:00.000-08:00

If you have a weight problem, it can feel hopeless. The heavier you get and the longer that you’ve been overweight, the more impossible it seems to drop weight and keep it off. It’s hard to believe that this time, it will work. But it can.
Even if you have biological tendencies that make it easy to gain and hard to lose weight, you can be leaner and fitter than you are now.
If you are overweight, there's a good chance you could be making smarter lifestyle choices. To lose weight, you'll have to train yourself to substitute poor choices with ones that will help you drop pounds.
Now is the time to take stock of your behaviors. This first step—a reality check at the eating and exercise choices your make most of the time—may be the most challenging part of making a change. But it’s crucial for achieving lasting success.
So, to get yourself ready to start dropping, here’s what you need to do!

Step 1. Take three days of this week to write down everything you eat. This will help you identify your specific eating patterns and spot areas where you can improve. This will be your Baseline Diet Diary. You can track your diet with our Food Journal sheets.

Step 2. Learn to improve your diet. Make a appointment with one of our nutritionist.

Step 3. One of the simplest ways to squeeze fitness into your life is to walk more. Start wearing a pedometer and try to get in 5000 steps a day!

If you follow these tips, not only can you start to get in the best shape of your life, you’ll feel happier and optimistic. Eating better will fuel you and give your body the nutrients it needs. Your daily walks will lift your mood and your self-confidence!!!

Welcome to the beginning of the rest of your healthy life!

2009-01-01T07:32:00.000-08:00

GET THE NEW YEAR STARTED WITH OUR NEW GROUP FITNESS & AQUATIC CLASSES!! LOG ON TO WWW.WOMENSWORKOUTONLINE.COM FOR MORE DETAILS..

2009-01-01T07:24:00.000-08:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Come Spin With Us.......

2008-11-09T11:57:00.000-08:00

MONDAY'S @ 6:30PM

NEW CLASSES!!!

TUESDAY'S @ 6:30PM

WEDNESDAY'S @ 5:30PM

RUDE BEHAVIOR!

2008-11-06T06:42:00.000-08:00

ALL THE TALKING DURING CLASS HAS TO STOP. IT'S RUDE AND DISTRACTING TO THE REST OF US. IF YOU NEED TO HAVE LONG CONVERSATIONS PLEASE DO NOT DO IT ON THE AEROBIC FLOOR. GO IN THE LOCKER ROOM OR WAIT UNTIL CLASS IS OVER.

THANK YOU