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How to Include Your Dog in Your Exercise Routine

7 January, 2018 By admin

dog sleeping
Dog performing savasana 🙂

Whether you exercise on a regular basis or want to begin making it more of a priority in your life, one of the best ways to stick with it is by making it fun and interesting. After all, if you look forward to exercising, you’ll make sure it’s something you do at least once a day and maybe sometimes even more! While there are unique classes you can take and easy-to-use DIY equipment for your house, why not let your furry friend in on the fun? Exercising with a dog is one of the best ways to burn calories while letting your pup get their energy out, which is pretty much a win/win for both of you.

Want your Dog to be your Workout Buddy?

Are you intrigued? What dog lover wouldn’t be? To get started, a few easy ways to incorporate your best friend into your exercise routine are listed below.

1. Try Biking

If you’re looking for a unique way to workout with your dog, try biking! However, don’t jump into this without the right equipment. Make sure you have a reflective t-shirt to wear and reflectors on your bike, especially if you’re going out toward the evening. It’s also crucial to have a leash that’s specifically made to be used while riding a bike. To make sure the experience is even safer, do a few trial runs while riding slow before you move on to doing a faster pace.

2. Dance

You probably know you have some fresh moves on the dance floor, but does your dog? Prove to them you could have been the prom king or queen by turning your living room or backyard into a stage. Turn up the music and both of you will be able to jump around and have some fun while you burn calories. Sure, it might sound a little weird to dance with your dog, but it’s very likely that they’ve already seen you do many other “weird” things in the past!

3. Take Them to Yoga Class

If you thought dancing with your dog was out of your comfort zone, prepare for dog yoga (a.k.a “doga”)! Depending on where you live, there should be at least a few options for classes you can attend with your furry friend. The reviews on this are pretty mixed, as it largely depends on the behavior of your pup. However, if you have a pretty content dog that enjoys being active, this type of exercise is well worth a try.

4. Begin the Morning with Tag or Frisbee

For those who enjoy exercising first thing in the morning, walking or running with your dog is an excellent option. However, if you want to mix things up, tag or Frisbee can be fun alternatives. Both will burn calories for you and energy for your dog, making it beneficial for each of you. What’s even better is that you can do these activities right in your backyard or a local dog park, depending on the space you have available.

5. Try a Daily Workout

Looking for something more traditional you can do in the comfort of your own home? This quick workout is effective and perfect for having fun with your furry friend.

  • Squats: While standing in front of your dog with your legs hip-width apart, hold a bone up above his head with your right hand. When he looks up, squat down and bring the treat under your legs. Repeat while your dog tries to get their treat.
  • Jump Ups: Crouch in front of your pup with a toy in your hands. Once they see what they want, jump up like you’re doing a jumping jack. Go back down into the crouching position and repeat 10 times holding the toy in different hands each time.
  • Planks: Get into plank position while holding a dog toy or treat in your left hand. While still in position, slowly bend your arm across to your right arm while your dog slowly walks after their desired treat. Once they reach it, extend your arm all the way out to the side. Repeat on each side before giving your dog their treat for being so good!

Exercising with your Best Friend

Getting a good workout is 100% possible with your dog, you just have to get creative. Fortunately, the ideas above make it easy and can spark some ideas of your very own. Which will you get started with? Whichever you choose, make sure to practice safety for both of you so exercising together can be an everyday thing.

Filed Under: Blog, Exercises Tagged With: exercise with dog, workout

These 3 Simple Changes Will Maximize Your Fat Loss

3 August, 2016 By admin

Losing weight is something that takes time, whether you’re doing it through diet, exercise, or a combination of both…as well, whether you’re on this journey alone or have a trainer that can guide and support you on your path.

While there’s no way to rush this so it happens overnight, what if there were ways you could maximize your fat loss so your efforts went even further? The good news is that this may be a reality if you’re willing to change a few things about the way you live and workout. If you’re curious about what you can do to get started, keep reading to learn the top three simple changes you can make listed below. They have been effective for helping many people burn more fat and may be helpful for you as well.

motivational fitness quote

1. Work on Building Muscle

Even if aerobic exercise is what you stick with on a daily basis, it’s important to try to fit in some muscle-building workouts as well. Why is this important? Because your body will burn more fat while resting when you have more muscle within it. In fact, studies have shown that hours after you finish a muscle-building workout you burn more calories than you would doing any other type of exercise. What’s even better is the fact that the muscle can help ramp up your metabolism so you continue to burn fat and calories at a faster rate all throughout the day.

To get started with building muscle you don’t have to spend hours at the gym lifting things that are far out of your comfort zone. Instead you can do something like push-ups, pull-ups, or squats so your own body weight provides you with resistance. If you want to stay in the gym and utilize those tools, consider working with a trainer to learn more about lifting weights. They can teach you the basics as well as the proper posture to use while lifting. By incorporating this a few days per week, you’ll likely find that you burn more fat and feel better as well!

2. Monitor Your Heart Rate

When you’re working out, how much attention do you pay to your heart rate? While you might know it’s elevated, it’s unlikely you know how fast it is unless you’re regularly tracking it. The benefit of paying more attention to your heart rate is he fact that you’ll know when you’re in the fat burning zone. To determine when you’re in this zone, it’s beneficial to start with having a heart rate monitor. This makes things a lot easier and takes much of the work out of tracking your own pulse. Once you have this, figure out your max heart rate and fat burning zone, which can be done in the following steps.

Step 1: Calculate 220 – Your Age (for example 220-25 years old is a maximum heart rate of 195)
Step 2: Multiply your max heart rate by .7 to determine the highest your heart rate should go (using the example above, 195 x .7 = 136.5).
Step 3: Multiply your max heart rate by .6 to determine the lowest your heart rate should go (using the example above, 195 x .6 = 117).

Once you have these numbers, you’ll know the range that you have to stay in (which is 117-136 beats per minute using the example above). When you begin working out, track your heart rate to make sure it’s staying within this zone and you’ll be maximizing the amount of fat that you burn. However, watch closely because if you go above this you will only burn off what you’ve recently eaten and if you go under this you will be burning as much fat.

3. Try HIIT

HIIT, otherwise known as high intensity interval training, has become popular with everyday exercisers as well as professional athletes. This is because it’s an effective way of boosting workouts to build endurance, strengthen muscles, and maximize the rate that fat is burned. Before you learn how to do this type of training, it’s important to know that it can help you burn abdominal fat very well if you stick with it. However, most experts recommend that you only do this twice per week in order to allow your body the time it needs to recover.

To get started with this, you’ll need to do short periods of fast-past exercise during your workout. For example, if you were out jogging for an hour, you might want to sprint for 30 seconds every 2 minutes followed by one minute of fast-paced walking. The amount of time that you do your intervals will depend on what you’re comfortable with, but they should become more intense as you become more conditioned in the future. The good news about HIIT is that you can do it with any type of exercise out there, so it’s something you can easily incorporate into your workouts.

Getting Started with Changes

To get started with these changes, start by creating a schedule of workouts that you enjoy doing. For example:

Monday – Treadmill running for 60 minutes with HIIT intervals every 3 minutes
Tuesday – Weights for 30 minutes
Wednesday – Rest Day
Thursday – 1 hour of swimming
Friday – Treadmill running for 60 minutes with HIIT intervals every 3 minutes
Saturday – A long walk with pushups
Sunday – Rest Day

By having a schedule like this, it will be easy to fit in the changes that are listed above. You can change the schedule every week or as you explore different workouts, which means having a lot of flexibility with the way you workout and how you maximize fat loss. Just make sure to track your heart rate with your most intense exercises so you stay within the fat-burning zone and make the most of your workouts.

Maximizing Fat Loss in Daily Life

The three options listed above for helping to maximize fat loss have been found to be effective for many people who exercise and practice healthy eating on a daily basis. However, it’s important to remember that they do not produce pounds and pounds of extra fat loss per day. By having realistic expectations you’ll be able to enjoy your progress and the little boost that these changes may offer. The key is to stick with the exercise and diet that you’ve selected so that even without these changes you’re still working towards a healthier body that’s conditioned and in shape. Also, it’s important to keep in mind that it’s always good to consult with a fitness or personal trainer, as well as your doctor to ensure that whatever plan you implement is done safely.

Filed Under: Blog, Exercises, Healthy Eating, Personal Training, Weight Loss

11 Things That Happen When You Stop Working Out

28 July, 2016 By admin

stressed woman

Getting into the habit of working out on a daily basis can be easy when you find something that you like, whether that’s running, lifting weights, or just walking on the treadmill before work. Making it even better is the rush of energy that’s often experienced after working out, which can help make the habit easier to keep. However, even with as easy as it is to fall into a workout regimen, it can be even easier to fall out of one. Whether this happens because of a busy schedule, change in work, or just an interruption in life, you may find yourself struggling to pick up and go back to where you last started.

Need reasons to get back into the routine you were once passionate about? By learning about what happens to your body when you stop working out, you may be motivated to do just that. Some of the surprising changes that are most worth learning about are conveniently listed below.

1. You May Experience Withdrawal

While most people associate withdrawal symptoms with quitting an addiction such as smoking or drinking, it’s not only attached to those types of health issues. Withdrawal can also be experienced by those who completely stop working out, especially if they were heavy duty exercisers. Although this may sound odd, a study done by the Counselling & Psychological Services Department at the University of California Santa Cruz proved otherwise. They found that individuals who exercised heavily and stopped completely ended up experiencing withdrawals symptoms such as difficulty to sleep, low energy levels, trouble concentrating, and aches and sores.

2. Your Body Will Store Additional Fat

When you stop working out and develop a sedentary lifestyle, your body will not be as conditioned as it was before. Unfortunately this can lead to a weakened body that is much more likely to store fat that would otherwise be burned through working out. If you are trying to lose weight with diet alone, this could make it incredibly difficult.

3. Loss of Muscle

Muscle is something that requires maintenance in order to keep, which means stopping a workout regimen can result in the loss of strength. This observation was found when a study was done by the Faculty of Sport Sciences at the University of Murcia in Spain. When looking at power and endurance athletes, they found that muscle was lost at a faster rate when they stopped working out completely.

4. Slow Metabolism

Working out helps to ramp up metabolism, which is responsible for the amount of calories you burn in a day. Unfortunately this means that if you stop working out completely, your metabolism is likely to slow down quite a bit. If you don’t adjust your calories accordingly, this could lead to rapid weight gain. This has been seen in countless studies that looked at athletes who stopped working out for a certain length of time. In these studies the majority of athletes had a higher body fat percentage by the time the study ended, largely as a result of decreased activity.

5. Your Mood Will Change

Do you notice that you feel good after you workout? This is largely due to the endorphins that are released when you exercise, which are a type of “feel good” hormones released by the brain. While these are less likely to release when you are not exercising, that’s not the only reason why your mood might change. Without exercise your body also won’t get as much oxygen, which can mean it’s not able to suppress chemicals that can make you feel sad or depressed. Unfortunately this can lead to feeling irritable while being gloomy and tired.

6. Your Blood Pressure Will Rise

As soon as you stop working out, your blood pressure is likely to soar. This is especially true when compared to days that you would otherwise work out. This is because as you become sedentary, your blood vessels get used to a slower flow running through them. Just a month later the arteries and veins will begin to stiffen and go back to where they were before you ever exercised in the first place.

7. You’ll Get Tired Quickly

While you might have been able to run miles without losing your breath, once you stop working out, you might get winded just walking up your stairs. This is the result of the amount of oxygen your muscles using decreasing, which is around 20% just 2 weeks after quitting working out.

8. Blood Sugar Increases

Although it’s common for blood sugar to rise after you eat a meal, it normally drops soon after you’re finished. However, as you become more sedentary, your blood sugar levels will continue staying elevated for much longer. Unfortunately this increases your risk of heart disease as well as diabetes, making it even worse for your health.

9. You Won’t Feel Like Yourself

If you’ve ever noticed you don’t feel like your normal self when you don’t workout, that’s because the connection between your muscles and your brain have likely weakened or diminished. This can leave you feeling “off” and is more formally known as neuromuscular adaptations. The good news is that once you get back to exercising regularly, this feeling should go away completely.

10. Reduced Sensitivity to Insulin

As you continue to stay away from the gym your sensitivity to insulin will likely decrease. While this in itself can mean difficulty losing weight it can also lead to high blood pressure, obesity, and even diabetes. If you have an unhealthy diet in addition to not working out, this can create even more health problems, which is why it’s important to watch what you eat while you’re staying out of the gym.

11. Your Joints May Ache

As your muscles begin to degenerate because you haven’t been working to maintain them, your joints and ligaments are likely to ache. This can make everyday tasks a lot more difficult, such as walking to the grocery stores or just doing everyday cleaning around the house. This is even easier to see in individuals who are older, as their muscle degenerates more quickly which makes it much easier to notice joint problems.

Filed Under: Blog, Exercises

Avoid Injury When Working Out for the First Time

13 February, 2016 By Gabriela Cordero

Starting a fitness journey can be filled with excitement and motivation knowing that your health is about to improve. From the brand new gym membership and workout tools to the healthy foods and snacks in your fridge, there are many ways to prepare for this lifestyle change. However, one aspect you might not consider is your ability to actually be more physically active. Most bodies can’t automatically handle an intense change in physical exertion, which is why so many beginners get injured during their first week of exercising.

If you’re ready to start your journey in the safest way possible, then it’s important to take the time to learn how to prepare. All the tips you need to know are listed below to make getting started as simple and easy as possible!

work out injury

Tip 1: Preparation

  • Posture and TechniqueNo matter what type of exercise you’re going to do, it’s important to use the proper posture and techniques. For example, when lifting weights, it’s important to focus on quality rather than quantity. Going too fast, slumping over, or bending the wrong way could all contribute to being injured the first time you work out.
  • ShoesWhether running, lifting weights, or dancing, supportive shoes are incredibly important. Take time to find a pair that fits well without being too tight and make sure they are comfortable. It’s recommended to break in every pair you buy by wearing them a few times before using them to work out.
  • Warm UpMany beginners pull their muscles and exhaust themselves because they don’t warm up before they workout. This could be something as simple as a couple minutes of stretching followed by a short walk to help the body loosen up and prepare for a more intense workout.
  • ClothingWorkout clothing is important because it helps wick away moisture that could cause painful chafing. You don’t have to buy the most expensive clothing brands, but you should have at least one pair of pants/shorts, a top, and a supportive bra (if necessary) to help keep sweat from bothering and harming you during an exercise session.

Tip 2: Get to Know the Gym

There are a lot of ways you can exercise at home, but if you plan on going to the gym, then you should become familiar with it before getting started. Most gym managers will take you through the building when you first get started so you can learn about what different machines do, the rules to use them, and how to avoid injury. However, if you want a more in-depth introduction to the machines and posture needed to use them properly, you should hire a trainer. Even just a day with a professional can teach you a lot of important tips that you can use every time you hit the gym.

Some of the most important things to learn are:

  • Posture
  • Technique
  • Number of reps necessary
  • When a spotter is needed
  • How to clean machines for safety

Tip 3: Start Slow

The excitement of a new lifestyle can make you want to push yourself, but it’s important to ease into working out so you prevent injury. Create a workout plan that allows your body to adjust to the increase of movement. For example, if you were going to start running, you might want to follow a running plan that incorporates jogging and walking in intervals to make things less intense. This is especially true when working with weights, as adding too much can cause great injury.

Another aspect of starting slow is giving yourself time to rest when you’re sore. This doesn’t mean taking a week off, but it does mean allowing a day of rest after a particularly difficult session. The body does a lot of recovery while your rest, which is where it re-builds torn muscle and restores reserves that will get you through your next workout. Make sure to drink a lot of water and eat protein during this time, nutrients in these will help speed up recovery better than junk foods that could potentially slow that recovery process down.

Tip 4: Change Things Up

Varying your workouts might not seem like it’s necessary if you like what you do, but if you’re using the same muscles day after day, you could easily injure yourself. Just a couple of different workouts throughout the week is all you need to help protect your muscles, even if it’s something as simple as swimming instead of running. This may introduce you to a new form of exercise you like as well, so it can pay off in many ways.

Tip 5: Cooling Down

A cool-down might not seem necessary after you’ve worked hard, but it’s important because it helps get your heart rate down. Just a short walk for a few minutes is needed to do this, so it’s something most people can fit into their exercise regimen.

Tip 6: Treat Injuries

Even with extreme diligence it’s not guaranteed that you won’t get hurt while working out. If you do find yourself injured, then remember RICE. This stands for R(rest), I(ice), C(compression), and E(elevation). By doing these things you’ll reduce swelling, prevent the injury from getting worse, and avoid inflammation as well. Think something deeper is going on? Then take time to go to a doctor so they can do a full evaluation. You may have a torn muscle or even sprain that needs to be addressed before you can safely workout again.

Protecting Your Body

Thousands of injuries occur at the gym every year, whether from negligence or improper use of machines. However, if you prepare, learn about working out, and take time to ease into exercise, then you may be able to avoid any injuries to yourself. All of this effort might not seem like it’s necessary, but it is crucial for keeping your body safe. This is especially true if you’re a little bit older since you last worked out, as the body becomes more prone to injury as it ages.

If you’re ready to workout and get in shape, then get started with the tips above! From the proper shoes to stretching before you workout, everything listed is necessary to have a safe jump start to getting fit.

Filed Under: Blog, Exercises

Exercises To Avoid For Women Over 40 And Why

5 December, 2015 By Gabriela Cordero

It is not uncommon in this modern age for many of us to live rather sedentary lifestyles. This is mostly due to the advancements in technology taking away our need to be active. We wake up, sit for our meal, commute to our office, sit at work, commute home again and then spend our evening relaxing after our long day.

The problem is that the human body is essentially designed to be physically active for 12-14 hours of the day. It is this prolonged inactivity that has been linked to many of the common health conditions that we face, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and many types of cancer. This is why incorporating regular exercise into our lifestyle is so important, because keeping our bodies active will not only help prevent disease it will also help keep us independent into our golden years.

senior-woman-exercising

It doesn’t matter if you are male or female, or if you consider yourself young or old, the simple fact is that exercise and keeping active, is integral to good health. Yet not all exercises are ideal for everyone and there are some practices that become less beneficial, or even detrimental, as we enter middle age.

It is an unfortunate fact of life that as we age our bodies slowly start to decline in condition. We no longer build and repair our cells, and body tissue at the rate we once did. Our muscles begin to deteriorate more rapidly after disuse, our bones start to lose their density and our joints become more fragile and prone to damage.

This is not to say that we should stop exercising, on the contrary, exercising is exactly what we need to help fight this aging process, however there are some considerations that us woman should keep in mind.

Understanding The Physical Changes

Even though you may still feel 20 at heart, the body just isn’t in the same condition it used to be by the time you enter your 40’s. Fat seems to make itself more comfortable and becomes harder to shift, especially on the midriff, buttocks and thighs. Our skin doesn’t have the same elasticity it once had. Not only that our muscles tend to waste away quicker than before and our bone density begins to deteriorate.

The onset of menopause in women also brings with it many hormonal changes which also impact upon our physical body. During menopause the hormone levels jump all around the place before dropping quite considerably and this can have a huge impact on your energy levels as well as how you feel within yourself. Another symptom most women experience from the falling levels of oestrogen is pain and deterioration in your muscles and joints. Understanding these changes that occur can give us the advantage when it comes to taking care of ourselves, both emotionally and physically.

Know Your Limitations And Progress At A Safe Pace

Unlike in your 20’s, when pushing yourself hard and quickly only left you sore for a day or so, pushing yourself too hard and fast now will not only take you much longer to heal, it can also potentially cause more serious and longer lasting damage to your muscles, joints and skeletal system. Ensuring that you progress at a safe pace that is appropriate for your fitness level, experience and age is very important. So be kind to yourself, it doesn’t mean you have to stop, just proceed with respect and awareness for your body and know your limitations.

Getting The Right Amount Of Sleep

It may not be that shocking to you to learn that you are no longer able to party all night without some physical repercussions for missing a night’s sleep. Yet even though ensuring you get enough sleep is important for people of all ages, it becomes even more important as we reach our 40s. It is during this ‘sleep’ time that our bodies are actually working to build and repair muscle cells. So if you have been exercising to tone and build strength, you need the sleep to complete the job. Remember though that too much sleep will also have a detrimental effect, leaving you feeling lethargic, dazed and possibly even irritable. So try to find the right amount (usually between 7-9 hours) and aim for that each night.

Excessive Cardio Accelerates Aging

Cardio is great way to burning calories and cut the fat, however studies show that as woman reach their 40’s excessive cardio can actually stress the muscles and encourage muscle breakdown which in turn increases the number of free radicals in the body. It is these unpleasant free radicals that have been linked to the acceleration of the aging process.

So try to mix it up and ensure you are balancing your cardio with some strengthening and muscle building exercises, such as Pilates and light weights.

So What Should We Avoid?

  • Behind the head pull-downs/pull-ups: These exercises place unnecessary stress on the shoulders and neck area, which can cause injury especially in women over 40.
  • Plyometric Training: These explosive energy exercises, such as box jumps, place a huge amount of pressure on the joints and ligaments, so unless your body has been conditioned to this type of movement, they are best to avoid. Step ups and lunges work similar muscles without the jarring strain.
  • Heavy weights: Unless you are an experienced weight lifter, or bodybuilder, then avoiding heavy weights is important. You can gain just as much definition using lighter weights and completing more reps.
  • Leg Extensions Machine: Knees are something that often begins to weaken in middle age and these exercises place a large amount of pressure on the knee cap area. Even with healthy knees, leg extensions can cause gradual wear and tear in women over 40.
  • Overhead Presses: Statistically injuries to the shoulder and rotator cuff are much higher in people 40+, and overhead presses cause tremendous stress in these areas, so they are best to avoid.
  • Sprinting: Again, unless your body has been conditioned to sprinting your whole life, then taking up sprinting in your 40’s is unadvisable. Sprinting places a large amount of stress on the hips, knees and ankle joints, so try power walking, swimming or cycling instead.

Filed Under: Blog, Exercises

Top 10 Benefits Of Working Out At Home

14 June, 2015 By Cecille

You’ve heard plenty of people say exercise is good for you. But do you really have the time to go out, hit the gym and exercise for a few hours during the week? Lots of people, even though they claim they do, don’t have enough time to go to the gym each week. And for every person that does go to the gym each week, there’s just as many people who don’t want to do so.

So there’s got to be an alternative for people who want to exercise without heading out, right? Of course, there are plenty of alternatives. If you’re not in the mood to head out anytime soon, there are plenty of ways to get your day’s worth of exercise right from the comfort of your own home.

Top 10 Benefits Of Working Out At Home

Top 10 Reasons for Working Out At Home

Sure, you can always head to the gym. But, for most people, working out at home provides just as many benefits as any old gym workout.

Did you know that exercising each day give people a lot of health benefits? Well, it’s true. So imagine working out at home and gaining a lot of the health benefits that people gain at the gym. The best part is that it’s way easier to gain those health benefits than most people think.

The benefits of working at home include:

  1. A reduced risk of stroke and heart disease. According to studies, exercising at home each day helps lower your risk of developing a stroke by 27 percent. Exercise also helps strengthen your heart muscle and improves your body’s cholesterol levels.
  2. Better blood pressure. Research data shows that exercise helps reduce the development of high blood pressure by at least 40 percent.
  3. Better aging. Exercising each day helps rejuvenate the body in different ways. A recent study about the effects of exercise on aging revealed that physical activity may help older people become less likely to be disabled.
  4. Less back pain or pain in the body. Daily workouts help build better muscle strength, body endurance, flexibility and even helps improve posture, which has the effect of reducing the amount of pressure on the spine and joints.
  5. Strengthened bones. High-energy workouts actually help strengthen bones, helping them add on mass and become stronger over time. This also helps older people prevent their bones from losing mass as they get older.
  6. Better immunity. Daily workouts really workout the body—it helps the body’s immune system get better at fending off viral and bacterial infections. Workouts help improve cell circulation, which helps the body respond better and faster to infections.
  7. Reduced risk of breast cancer. Women who exercise frequently, according to research, may be able to reduce their risk of developing breast cancer by up to 30 percent. Lower estrogen levels, due to frequent exercise, is cited as a possible reason why that might be the case.
  8. More energy. People who exercise each day have more energy, since it helps reinforce the muscle and improve bodily circulation.
  9. Improved sleeping habits. Many people who exercise gain better sleeping habits due to its regenerative properties for the body.
  10. Better stress management. Daily workouts help promote the release of ‘feel good’ endorphins, which helps make people feel good long after they finish their workout. That alone is a good reason to exercise each day.

The Ideal Home Workout

If you have the time to plan an ideal weekly meal plan, there’s just as much time to plan an ideal home workout.

Believe it or not, it’s pretty simple to plan your own home workout. Many home workouts don’t require equipment, other than a large space where you can safely workout in the comfort of your home. The following home workout plan can become intense enough to give any gym workout a run for its money.

The Ideal Home Workout should be performed in a circuit, meaning that you should do one set of each with rest between exercises. If you can’t finish each set of reps, take your time—you don’t have to rush through it! If you fail during a set, just rest for about 10 to 30 seconds and then continue where you left off.

Each part of the circuit should last for as many repetitions (reps) as mentioned. After you complete each set, rest for about two to three minutes and start the next set of reps. Ultimately, you should repeat each circuit for three to four times or as many time as you can complete within 20 minutes.

Here is the Ideal Home Workout:

  • Bodyweight Squat (Legs) – 20 reps
  • Incline Push-Up (Chest and Deltoids) – 20 reps
  • Hip Thrust (Abs) – 20 reps
  • Walking Lunge (Legs) – 20 reps total; 10 per leg
  • Standard Push-Up (Chest and Deltoids) – 20 reps
  • Crunch (Abs) – 25 reps

Note: As mentioned, you don’t have to do all of the circuits. You can complete one half of the circuits or as many as you can handle. You can even further customize this workout by picking and choosing the circuits you feel best performing each day.

Filed Under: Exercises

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A Toronto personal trainer showing proper technique
A personal trainer showing proper form – Toronto.

For those who are trying to lose weight, tone your body, or have any other fitness goals, one question that you may have is: should you hire a personal trainer? Or will personal training work for you? And, for each person, the answer is going to vary. For starters, you have to know what to look for in a trainer, and what they can help you with, so that you select the right person to work with.

 

There are several factors to consider when you are deciding whether or not to hire a trainer; and, if so, who to work out with for optimal results.

 

Client is accountable to a personal trainerWhat are your trainer’s responsibilities?

If you are considering hiring a personal fitness trainer, you have to understand their responsibilities to you. There are a few things a trainer should do once you hire them; these include:

  1. Assessing your fitness level and capabilities – a good trainer should provide a fitness assessment at the start. Doing this allows the fitness trainer to set a base level for you, to determine your strengths and weaknesses, and to understand what type of training is appropriate for you.
  2. Advising you of the correct method. This can range from how to use equipment, to how to properly do a push up or crunches. Doing this helps develop proper form, but even more important, it limits the potential for injury.
  3. Develop a personalized plan for you based on initial discussions and assessment. As well, the trainer can create a workout plan that you can do on your own, in between sessions.
  4. Motivate, encourage and guide you through your journey.
  5. Help you set realistic and attainable goals so that you don’t get demotivated and give up.

 

A personal trainer can help a client work out properlyWhat are advantages of working with a trainer?

For those who have a set goal in mind, there are a number of benefits to hiring a personal trainer; some of these include:

  • Motivation and constantly being pushed to the hardest levels.
  • They can develop challenging workout routines you could never do on your own.
  • Some will help you with a nutrition plan, and help you make better meal choices to attain your goals.
  • Trainers know how the body works; this means they can push your muscles in a way which will show growth and strength building, in far less time than you could do on your own.

 

The motivation and constant backing alone, are key reasons why clients have hired me.

You not only stay motivated, but when someone is holding you accountable, you are inspired to work harder, and wouldn’t want to disappoint. It’s so much easier to forego exercising when no one is holding you accountable.

 

What are the rates for a personal trainer?What are the rates?

Personal trainer rates vary based on their degree, credentials, how long they have been training, reputation, and even location. Bigger cities tend to cost a higher rate for good trainers, and personal trainers in a high end gym will likely charge more due to the fact that they have more overhead costs.

 

The cost of one-on-one training can range anywhere from $50 to well over $100 an hour. This is what you should expect in a city like Toronto. Anything lower than $50 an hour, you should stay well away from, or question it (perhaps there are hidden costs that you aren’t aware of). Or the trainer is not experienced or have the proper credentials, such as a trainer certification from a recognized organization.

 

However, many trainers will offer some kind of discount if you sign up for multiple sessions. Typically most clients will take advantage of this. Signing up for multiple sessions helps clients commit to a program they’ve already paid for, plus the added benefit of cost savings.

 

Is it worth it to get personal training?Is it worth hiring a personal trainer?

This varies by person. If you are the type of person that needs motivation and is new to working out, a trainer may be a good route; if you like to workout on your own, and are a fitness buff, a trainer isn’t the right choice for you, unless you want to take your fitness to another level. This is when you should look for a specialized trainer focused in a certain discipline. For example, as a personal trainer, it is incumbent on me to keep enhancing my education and experience such as nutritional courses or a specialized field like cross-fit.

 

If you have tried the gym or working out for months on your own, and see no results, a trainer might be what it takes to push you to your desired fitness levels, and help you attain the goals you have set out for yourself. A lot of my clients have the following in common:

 

    • they need to change their lifestyle, yet they have no idea how to start
    • they often don’t have the motivation and they need someone to encourage them
    • they need accountability, and often friends or workout apps or fitness dvd’s can’t give them that
    • they don’t want to get injured and they’re looking for a health and fitness expert who can not only train them but also educate them
    • they’re looking for someone who will be just as invested in achieving their goals just as the clients are
    • they’re afraid – they’re afraid to fail. But some are also afraid to succeed – what would they do with a new healthy body?

 

It’s absolutely natural to feel fear. It’s human nature. Not knowing what lies ahead or where your journey will take you is scary. But my job is to lessen that fear by being right by your side guiding and encouraging you along the way.

 

There are many factors to consider, but I hope that this article has helped you make a decision. It makes me happy that you’re even reading this because it means that you’re ready to make a change.

 

>>Contact me to see how I can help you achieve your health and fitness goals.

 

Motivational Fitness Quote

 

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