Tag Archives: Personal Training

Stay Motivated!!!!

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Everyone has started out on an exercise program determined to reach a certain goal. In order to stick to an exercise program, and make it work for you, you need to find a way to keep that original motivation. Here are some tips to help stay motivated.

Start with small goals and work your way towards the bigger goals. Start with something simple. Once you have established a routine, start working out harder, and try doing more each session.

Exercise doesn’t have to be boring or repetitive. If you don’t like your exercise routine change it and make it more exciting. Keep trying new exercises until you find something you enjoy doing.

If your exercise routine is fun, you will end up looking forward to exercise instead of dreading it.

If you start treating exercise like hard work, that’s exactly what it will become. Make your exercises light, fun and exciting rather than looking at it as a chore you have to do. Don’t let yourself get a bad attitude towards exercising, or you will be more likely to give up.

Having someone to work out with makes it much more fun, and will keep you more motivated to exercise. You might even find that you’re actually looking forward to it! Having a partner makes it much harder for you to skip your workout.

Staying motivated isn’t hard if you approach your exercise program with an open mind. Be flexible and let yourself have fun. Eventually you will realize that you’ll enjoy working out, and before you know it, you will be looking forward to exercising.

Looking for a way to revive your old routine, add new, dynamic material, and stick with it? Consider personal training or small group classes now being offered at Excel Fitness. Working with a trainer doesn’t have to be intimidating or feel like a lifelong commitment. Call or stop by today to set up a complimentary consultation and find out if training (whether individual or with a group) is right for you!

By Chris Caruso, CPT

The Benefits of Fitness Testing

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The trainers here at Excel Fitness offer various services including exercise instruction, fitness consultation, computerized diet analysis, wellness evaluation, and fitness testing.

Fitness tests may include body composition, cardiovascular, flexibility, strength, and endurance testing. Power, speed and agility evaluations may be provided for certain athletes. Fitness tests are designed to monitor progress and to assist in the development of your fitness program. For example, regular body composition testing will allow you to track changes of fat and lean body weight (e.g. muscle). Body composition testing can discriminate bodily changes much more effectively than weight alone. This may be of particular interest to those who are interested in monitoring fat loss as well as those interested in tracking muscular development.

Regular fitness testing can objectively measure the effectiveness of your program and can possibly save you months or even years of hard work. If progress is not significant, immediate changes can be made to your program. Your fitness coach can help you decide the tests most compatible with your fitness goals and how often you should test.

Your fitness coach may redesign your program or simply make a few suggestions for continued progress.. These services are a great way to enhance your current fitness program or just get you started on a new workout in a safe and effective manner. Your fitness coach may encourage you to get a comprehensive fitness tests performed every 3 to 6 months. Body composition tests may be performed more often; once every month or two; once every two weeks if significant dietary changes are made.

For more information on how fitness testing can improve your results or to set up an appointment, contact the trainers at Excel Fitness in West Hartford, CT (860) 523-8167.

By Heather Claflin-Coy, C.P.T

The Point of Fitness Part 2: The Workout

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So, Kettlebells…

Now that I am a new Dad and spending more quality time at home, I’ve been shifting a lot of my fitness towards kettlebells, simply because they’re a lot more practical for home, saving both space and time.

The Turkish get up (or “get up”) is arguably one of the most effective functional movements out there you can do, and it’s perfect to do with a kettlebell. It looks deceptively simple, but even if you have a lightweight kettlebell, a dumbell, or even a cloth bucket with sand in it, you can make this work.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNVi6H3OUVs&feature=player_embedded

Remember, there is no “core” muscle. There are muscles throughout your body and people call the ones in the middle your “core”, which to me is strange. “Core strength” is up there with “tone” for nonsense fitness terms used by people who have been reading too many magazines.

Strength training builds muscle, builds bone, and makes you (duh) stronger. I could write paragraphs on why these are so important but I doubt I’ll convince anyone of anything; so instead, here’s my strength training program, every other day:

30 minutes, constantly looping through these will beat the crap out of you, or at least it beats the crap out of me. Start with the lighter bell, move up to heavy for the middle of the workout, then go back to medium as fatigue kicks in:

– 20 pushups or dips.
– 15  clean and jerks, each arm.
– 15  snatches, each arm.
– 15 single arm swings, each arm.
– 5 turkish get ups, each side.
– 5 wind mills, each side.
– 20 double arm swings.
– 10 single arm rows, TRX rows, or pull ups (preferably).

Conditioning is a little different, but fortunately I’ve got something else in my life right now that fits the bill and I enjoy doing. Every other day…

Running

It takes patience and determination to “get your legs”, so to speak. Ask anyone who can run five miles enjoyably and they’ll tell you about how much it hurt in the beginning when they could barely run down the block. Once you get your legs, you don’t want to lose them. Running even once a week (in addition to all the other stuff) helps keep you in the game. There’s something about the beating it puts on your legs where if you don’t do it enough your body stops keeping you in shape to do it again, and there you are not being able to run down the block.

Please feel free to ask me or any one of our trainers any questions on kettlebells or running. We would be happy to spend some time showing you some of these exercises.

To schedule a consultation with Gary Maher or any of the Excel Fitness Personal Trainers please stop by the gym or call (860) 523-8167.

 

 

 

Melissa Cyr Joins Excel as a Certified Personal Trainer!

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Melissa Cyr, C.P.T., NASM

 Melissa is a full-time mom of two with a strong interest in nutrition, fitness, and general health.   Her past experience includes teaching Bootcamp group fitness classes, and prior to becoming a mother she also worked as a Certified Massage Therapist while excelling in her career as an Analyst for CIGNA Healthcare.

Melissa is eager to help all clients reach their goals of living a more healthy life.  She has a particular passion for helping moms get their pre-baby bodies back, believing it is fully achievable to bring a woman’s body to a place of even greater fitness post-pregnancy. Having gained 65 pounds with each of her pregnancies she is sensitive to the ups and downs of achieving and maintaining a healthy weight! Melissa also has an interest in spreading her love of healthful, nutritious eating and food production and recently organized and implemented the building of an organic Edible Schoolyard teaching garden for a local elementary school.

Interests- Reading, cycling, weight lifting, hiking, organic gardening, volunteering and activism, and anything relating to kids!

Testimonial for Excel Fitness by Kaitlyn Tarpey

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Dear Shawn,

As a pageant girl I’ve attempted numerous diet and exercise regimes: Some great… some not so great. It’s imperative that I live a lifestyle promoting healthy habits, and I couldn’t seem to find the perfect niche. Working with you helped me find not only my inner-fitness-guru, but also the habits and workouts I needed to maintain my preferred body image.

You made sweating glamorous and kept me smiling through all my rigorous routines.  You kicked my butt into TOP shape and I felt like I had one of the most competitive swimsuit bodies at Miss Connecticut; I would not have made top ten without your help.  You not only were supportive in my preparation, you ensured I had the tools necessary to maintain this body for the rest of my life. I’m so proud to say that I’m at the same weight today- 4 months after Miss Connecticut- that I was the day of my swimsuit competition.  I would not be as healthy as I am today without you.

When I was crowned Miss Rocky Hill 2011, I was skeptical to have to drive to Excel from Stamford, CT but you ended up being worth every mile!  I’m so thankful for all of your tips and support through my journey and I can promise you I will be in touch not only for future events but also for everyday lifestyle questions.
All the best to you and everyone at Excel,

Kaitlyn Tarpey

Miss Rocky Hill 2011

Lee S. Testimonial for Jeff Roux @ Excel Fitness

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Investing in personal training with Jeff Roux is by far the best money I ever spent on my fitness goals.  I recommend him to every person I know who has a fitness, weight loss and/or health-related goal, even if seemingly unattainable. Jeff will help you get there! I’ve trained with Jeff for over 5 years through a variety of stages in my life: wedding preparation, post-back injury (not related to workouts with him), triathlon preparation, maintaining fitness and now post-pregnancy fitness and weight loss.

Jeff has never – I mean NEVER – missed a training session or called in sick. Each time Jeff has tailored the training session to meet my very personal and specific needs. Jeff has his thumb on the pulse of emerging fitness trends and exercise science, keeping the trainings new and fresh, but keeping me safe from fitness fads. There are many poorly educated meatheads out there pretending to be professional personal trainers. Jeff is not one of them!  Jeff is attentive, respectful, energetic, positive, reliable and an expert on motivation. In less than four months after the birth of my son, I am back into my favorite (pre-pregnancy) jeans.  Thank you Jeff Roux!

– Lee S.