work out - Excel Fitness

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

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.