Training
Broke Single Mom Fitness workout tips
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I Tried F45 Training
After 18 years of being my own personal trainer, I needed to change things up, challenge myself, and possibly learn new skills, so I tried F45 Training’s 3-day trial. I once relegated group exercise to the realm of those who crave external motivation or peer accountability to show up and workout. My old feelings toward group exercise are perfectly summed up in the introduction of “The Cold Hard Truth About F45 Training” from Dmarge.com, in which the author writes, “I’ve always thought group fitness is a cop-out. Pre-planned intensity and structure may be great for those with no motivation (or the army), but it’s not for me.” Likewise, I viewed…
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Do You Need a Gym for an Effective Workout? – A Fit Mom’s Experience
As a young, broke mom, I worked out at home for five years before ever joining a gym. I developed a six-pack for the first time a month after giving birth to my son, and a few months later, my legs were toned for the first time. I had my first taste of muscle growth and progress with exercise. I developed so much strength and solid conditioning that when I joined the military a year later, I was awarded Top Female Physical Readiness Trainee and Warhawk. I created my own exercise schedule, starting at just three days per week, then I gradually moved up to doing something every day. My…
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Not Ready for a Public Gym? No Problem.
Believe it or not, you don’t have to join a gym to get in shape and stay that way. Before I joined a gym, I exercised in my living room every day for five years. I never wanted membership at a public gym. I can be myself at home and even goof around, which makes for a more enjoyable workout. I also tend to train harder in privacy (grunting and ugly faces of strain are allowed). At a gym, since it’s a public place, some people, like myself, find it uncomfortable, and time doesn’t necessarily make this go away. Thankfully, a public gym membership is optional for many goals. If…
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Updated: The Weight/Body Fat Conundrum
Body weight doesn’t matter, body fat does. Here’s an analogy. Think back to your middle school Earth Science class. Remember when you had to weigh different rocks, and it was shocking to find a small rock that was much heavier than it looked, even heavier than larger rocks? What was your teacher’s explanation? If you don’t recall, here it is: the small rock was more dense than the others; in other words, it had a tightly-compacted atomic structure. Density impacts weight. The more dense something is, the more it weighs. The same is true for muscle versus fat. Muscle is dense and compact. Fat is less dense, but occupies more…
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Why Yoga?
Whether you want to be flexible or not, stretching is essential for everyone of all ages. I obviously learned this when studying to become a personal trainer, but, I admit, I didn’t implement stretching in my routines as much as I was supposed to. However, after eight years of bodybuilding and limited to no focus on stretching, my body eventually screamed for me to become flexible. I had developed a nagging tight hip flexor, tight shoulders, tight hamstrings — everything was tight. And not in a sexy way, but in an injuriously tight muscles sort of way. Overlooking flexibility meant I wasn’t as fit as I appeared to be. To gain more…
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Women’s Beginner Upper Body Strength Workout
Exercise Type: Strength/Resistance Level: Beginner Goal: Muscle development & endurance Baseline set & rep schemes for strength exercise: 8-10 reps – This rep range stimulates muscle growth if performed with a challenging weight. To maximize muscle stimulation, lift a weight or choose a resistance level that is challenging enough that you’re physically unable to perform more than 8-10 reps. 12-15 reps – This rep range builds muscle endurance. Lift a weight or choose a resistance level that enables you to perform at least 12reps. Any reps above 25 are often unnecessary but depend on your physique and performance goals. Reps to failure – Perform an exercise until your form suffers or until performing…
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Memorial Day Workout – Upper Body Adult Gymnastics
Exercise Type: Core/Calisthenics/Gymnastic Strength Level: Beginner to Intermediate Goal: Skill development & muscle retention/gain Warm-up 3.5-minute jog around gym Forward and backward shoulder circles: One set: 20 – 30 circles each way Lightweight, one-arm kettlebell swings: One set: 15 – 20 swings per arm Wrist circles and stretches: Three sets: 20 – 30 circles each way and floor or wall stretches in each direction Total time: approx. 7 minutes Handstands 20 minutes of practice; can include forward rolls, however, the focus is on handstand holds Handstand Eccentric Push-ups (HeSPU) 3 sets to failure or no more than 8 reps each set Muscle-Up Practice on Rings 3 – 4 sets to failure Ring…
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4 Rules to Pull-Up Mastery
Mastering pull-ups is difficult for everyone. Some people even have it on their bucket list. That’s a bit dramatic. But I get it. I felt like I was going to pop a blood vessel when learning the movement. While this exercise is difficult for both men and women, women cite more difficulty with it. Part of this might be a general lack of upper body strength in women, but I think the biggest barrier is a lack of dedication to the exercise. Pull-ups just aren’t a standard “women’s exercise.” Many women may want to do the exercise, but after tasting the difficulty of it (as both genders do), they resign to the…
