At HomeBodyFit we like to continually challenge our clients with effective exercises and equipment. One of our favourite (high-intensity interval training) drills is Resistance Band Runs. Why?
Band runs:
Are very effective cardio fat burners
Are excellent for muscle conditioning
Are challenging, making normal running easier
Promote speed and endurance
Tone the main muscles of the legs and the core — the stomach and back
Our clients are used to doing push-up sets as part of their HomeBodyFit workout. They are a safe, effective at-home exercise. But have you ever wondered why they are so important (and why we ALWAYS list them on our sessions)?
Incorporate at least one set into your workouts, concentrating on proper form
Besides being one of the best upper body exercise there is, when done properly push-ups strengthen your core and lower back. And the best part? You can do them anywhere. Incorporate at least one set into your workouts, concentrating on proper form.
How to do Push-ups
Place your palms under your shoulders – slightly wider than shoulder width – with your feet close together and dig your toes into the floor to help stabilize your lower body. Maintain your body flat (like a plank) by engaging your abdominals.
Look ahead and lower your body keeping your back flat until your chest is nearly touching the floor. Important ! Keep your body in a straight line from the beginning and end position during a push-up.
Keep your elbows close to the body, drawing the shoulder blades back and down. Keep looking ahead and inhale as you lower yourself.
Exhale as you push to the start position, concentrating on the chest and shoulders – which are providing the strength for the push-up – and push up until your arms are almost straightened.
Repeat for as long as you can, working your way up to a minute.
The main muscles targeted are:
Pectoralis major
Deltoids
Triceps brachii
Serratus anterior
Abdominal muscles
Coracobrachialis
Want to learn more about getting fit at home? Visit HomeBodyFit.ca
Registration is underway for our next 8-week Summer Boot Camp:
Starts: July 23, 2014 When: Mondays & Wednesdays, 7pm or 8pm Where: Sidrebene (Just past Dundas on Alppleby) Cost: $192 ($12/class) for 8 weeks/16 sessions + two FREE make-up classes ($96 for 8 weeks/8 sessions)
Take some time for yourself and join Burlington Boot Camp
The benefits are astonishing:
Scorches calories (with high intensity circuits)
Strength Training (with battle ropes, hand weights, etc.)
Resistance runs (with exercise bands and hill runs)
Build confidence (you will be challenged)
No monotonous routines (every session is different)
Encouraging and friendly atmosphere
Affordable (only 12/class)
Take some time for yourself and do the body good. Our next session begins on July 23, 2014. Register online here…
Did you know that hill runs and repeats – running as fast as you can up a hill and then jogging slowly back down to recover – increases your calorie burn by up to 50 percent? Your downhill jog also engages your lower abs and works your quads.
Hill runs burn more calories and increase endurance
So the next time you go out for a run or training session, find a hill and do a set of hill runs (fast run up, slow jog down) and you’ll burn more calories, engage more muscle groups AND increase your endurance (after a few weeks of hill training, the next time you run your regular route, you’ll be amazed at how easy it’s become).
Is the daily grind starting to take its toll? Do you need a pick-me-up after Monday morning and mid-week?
Recharge your batteries with Burlington Body Camp
Forget the couch and forget the bar. We have a convenient and positive way to jump-start your battery. Burlington Body Camp. We’re a one-hour, twice a week, full-body boot camp located at Sidrebene Park (5100 Appleby Line).
The benefits are astonishing:
Scorches calories (with high intensity circuits)
Strength Training (with battle ropes, hand weights, etc.)
Resistance runs (with exercise bands and hill runs)
Build confidence (you will be challenged)
No monotonous routines (every session is different)
Encouraging and friendly atmosphere
Affordable ($192 for 8 weeks/16 classes + two FREE make-up classes)
Take some time for yourself and do the body good. Our next session begins on July 23, 2014. Register online here…
Eating lean doesn’t have to be complicated. But you do need to be smart about your choices. The following three rules are grounded in science…and they’re easy. You won’t even have to write them down.
Rule #1: Don’t deprive yourself. Eat to satisfy yourself.
Rule number #1: Don’t deprive yourself . Start your day with a satisfying breakfast like whole wheat pancakes with added peanut butter and fresh fruit.
This may seem simple, but there’s a reason you’re hungry…it’s because you’re hungry!
We are always telling our clients, “Don’t let yourself be hungry!” Why? Depriving your body slows down the metabolism and triggers the body to store fat. You’re doing more harm to your get-lean-goal by “dieting”. Also, when you’re feeling deprived, you’re more likly to reach for foods that are easy and less nutritious.
Instead, don’t deprive your body, keep yourself satisfied. You’ll have the energy and motivation to complete your workouts; and if they’re high-intensity sessions, you’ll burn more calories while at rest.
Here is the formula:
3 +1 = Fat loss
Eat 3 meals a day—breakfast, lunch, and dinner…and eat large meals so that you’re satisfied. You shouldn’t be thinking about lunch an hour after breakfast. Try planning your meals ahead so that you’re not tempted to run to unhealthy fast food counters.
Enjoy 1 protein-rich snack. E.g. A protein shake made with Greek yogurt and bananas or frozen fruit. On workout days, add a scoop of your favourite protein powder and enjoy within 45 minutes following your session.
Rule 2: Eat more greens and eat them first!
Rule #2: Eat greens first
Proven: Eating more vegetables at a given meal equals less total calories you will eat. One way to do this is to eat vegetables first. Make or order a small salad to enjoy prior to your meal. Or eat all of the vegetables BEFORE anything else on your plate.
Rule #3: Water water everywhere.
Rule# 3: Cut out the sugary drinks and replace with water and unsweetened tea.
Cut out the sugar-sweetened drinks. They are the easiest obstacle to remove in your goal to get lean. Focus on drinking water and unsweetened tea. Try green tea which provides added fat-burning and cognitive-boosting benefits.
Your goal should be to drink half of your body weight in ounces of water (including tea) per day. For example, if you weigh 180 lbs, aim to consume 90 ounces of water and tea.
Men’s Health Magazine has just published a great article on metabolic training. Haven’t tried a metabolic-style workout yet? Well let me ask, do you like the idea of burning more calories after your workout and while at rest?
Metabolic Training
Metabolic workouts are also fast. For example, we often guide our clients through a series of short circuits (e.g. 4-minute sets with ample rest time in between sets).
You don’t have to exhaust yourself to get a good workout and you don’t need to workout everyday to lose weight (we recommend 3 sessions a week to our clients).
“There’s a reason this type of training is so popular right now: It works. If you want to lose body fat, it’s the best type of exercise you can do.”
