Core strength is not just about gaining a six pack, although it can be an added bonus.
Almost all daily activity involves your core muscles to some degree. In fact, the only time your core muscles are completely complacent is when you are laying on your on back. So building good core strength is important.
There are many different ways to train the core, a few examples include:-
Body weighted exercises such as the plank position, where using the core muscles to hold the body in a plank. Levels of resistance include using knees, toes, or raised leg. The plank exercise is great for building core endurance.
Medicine balls can be utilized for added weight to abdominal exercises, such as weighted abdominal twists, sitting on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Holding the medicine ball and keeping your lower body still, twist your body to the right and then to the left.
Fit balls/Swiss balls are also good equipment to help engage core muscles. Fit balls are designed to target the core muscles, just sitting on a fit ball in an upright position works the abdominal area. Abdominal crunches can also be performed on a fit ball to encourage stability while performing the workout.
The main benefits of strengthening your core is the ease of mobility in everyday life and can also help to prevent injuries and spinal problems.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Keep up your fitness during the holidays
In the holiday season it is almost an unspoken rule that unlimited eating, partial workouts and shopping trips take place of your regular routine. This year you have a choice. Follow Connect Fitness’s easy rules to keep up your fitness during the holidays and you will stay active and healthy.
1. Choose one treat – You cannot deny your body the chance to indulge. When arriving at a party choose one treat. Pick something you can only treat yourself with during the holidays and make it good.
2. Control your drinking – Alcohol is dehydrating and an easy way to add more calories onto your daily intake. Drink water throughout the day to maintain hydration and have a glass of water for every alcoholic drink you consume.
3. Eat small meals during the day – Snack on healthy foods like fruit and nuts throughout the day to prevent over eating at the buffet.
4. Eat more vegetables with your meal – Have a larger serve of vegetables instead of rice, bread or stuffing and skip the gravy and dressings. This will help to stop those extra calories being consumed.
5. Exercise and reward yourself – Stay motivated by having an incentive. If you fall off the wagon, don’t beat yourself up. Get back on without missing another second.
6. Alter your exercise program – With help from a personal trainer (included in Connect Fitness membership), you can alter your exercise program to suit your needs to still achieve your health and fitness goals.
There is no reason to let your training and nutrition program spoil your holidays, but there is also no reason to let your holidays spoil your training and nutrition program either.
1. Choose one treat – You cannot deny your body the chance to indulge. When arriving at a party choose one treat. Pick something you can only treat yourself with during the holidays and make it good.
2. Control your drinking – Alcohol is dehydrating and an easy way to add more calories onto your daily intake. Drink water throughout the day to maintain hydration and have a glass of water for every alcoholic drink you consume.
3. Eat small meals during the day – Snack on healthy foods like fruit and nuts throughout the day to prevent over eating at the buffet.
4. Eat more vegetables with your meal – Have a larger serve of vegetables instead of rice, bread or stuffing and skip the gravy and dressings. This will help to stop those extra calories being consumed.
5. Exercise and reward yourself – Stay motivated by having an incentive. If you fall off the wagon, don’t beat yourself up. Get back on without missing another second.
6. Alter your exercise program – With help from a personal trainer (included in Connect Fitness membership), you can alter your exercise program to suit your needs to still achieve your health and fitness goals.
There is no reason to let your training and nutrition program spoil your holidays, but there is also no reason to let your holidays spoil your training and nutrition program either.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Exercise and the Brain
Like muscles, many parts of the brain get a physiological workout during exercise.
Exercise increases blood flow to the brain. The brain then has the power to customize hormone levels; for example the hormone cortisol, which is related to stress, is reduced along with feelings of anger, fatigue and tension. Serotonin and dopamine are chemicals that are released during and after exercise that make us feel calm, happy and euphoric.
The great thing for us is if you do not want to wait for these feelings to come to you, you can bring them on by exercising.
Single bouts of exercise can also reduce anxiety for several hours afterwards.
Low to moderate forms of exercising, for half an hour to an hour three to five times a week, is recommended for brain training.
This training can be variety of activities include joining in on a group fitness class, lifting weights or cardio training (for example walking, cycling or rowing). If you are sweating and starting to breathe heavy you are working hard enough.
Exercise increases blood flow to the brain. The brain then has the power to customize hormone levels; for example the hormone cortisol, which is related to stress, is reduced along with feelings of anger, fatigue and tension. Serotonin and dopamine are chemicals that are released during and after exercise that make us feel calm, happy and euphoric.
The great thing for us is if you do not want to wait for these feelings to come to you, you can bring them on by exercising.
Single bouts of exercise can also reduce anxiety for several hours afterwards.
Low to moderate forms of exercising, for half an hour to an hour three to five times a week, is recommended for brain training.
This training can be variety of activities include joining in on a group fitness class, lifting weights or cardio training (for example walking, cycling or rowing). If you are sweating and starting to breathe heavy you are working hard enough.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Basketball is Back!
It’s time to dust off the Air Jordans and get back on the court! How about taking a play from your favourite basketball team and shooting hoops yourself? It will help get you into shape this spring…before summer starts!
Basketball is an excellent way to burn calories and improve aerobic conditioning when played at a moderate or high intensity. It also helps to build muscle as your body uses dynamic movements to allow you to stop and start quickly with the flow of the game.
Basketball is fast moving and involves a lot of variety of skills including shooting, dribbling, passing, rebounding, defence, trash talking and much more!
The game can be played at various levels, from shooting baskets, to playing one-on-one with someone of equal ability, to playing a rigorous, full-court game. Basketball is good as a team sport or just an individual practice, honing your shooting and agility skills.
A good tip to remember with any aerobic based sport, is a good warm up and cool down routine as it is important to prevent injuries.
Basketball is an excellent way to burn calories and improve aerobic conditioning when played at a moderate or high intensity. It also helps to build muscle as your body uses dynamic movements to allow you to stop and start quickly with the flow of the game.
Basketball is fast moving and involves a lot of variety of skills including shooting, dribbling, passing, rebounding, defence, trash talking and much more!
The game can be played at various levels, from shooting baskets, to playing one-on-one with someone of equal ability, to playing a rigorous, full-court game. Basketball is good as a team sport or just an individual practice, honing your shooting and agility skills.
A good tip to remember with any aerobic based sport, is a good warm up and cool down routine as it is important to prevent injuries.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
New kid on the block – TRX Suspension Training
You may have heard people mentioning the newest technique to hit town, training with a TRX suspension system.
So what is the TRX training system?
Originating in the US, developed by the Navy Seals the TRX Suspension Trainer is the original bodyweight-based training tool that builds strength, balance, flexibility and core strength for people of all fitness levels.
The TRX suspension system makes your workout unique. Not only is each individual's body built a little differently, but we each fill our lives with a mix of physical activities that can require specific training. TRX Suspension Training is versatile and allows you to instantly adjust not only the level of difficulty for each exercise.
In real life, our bodies move to the side, backwards, forwards and diagonally. Shouldn't we train the same way? Unlike traditional weight training that tends to be linear and follow one plane of movement, Suspension Training mimics real life movement. This will bring a muscular balance to your body, increasing performance and helping to prevent injuries.
So whether you’re training for a specific sport, recreation or just looking to change your exercise program why not try incorporating some new elements into your training.
So what is the TRX training system?
Originating in the US, developed by the Navy Seals the TRX Suspension Trainer is the original bodyweight-based training tool that builds strength, balance, flexibility and core strength for people of all fitness levels.
The TRX suspension system makes your workout unique. Not only is each individual's body built a little differently, but we each fill our lives with a mix of physical activities that can require specific training. TRX Suspension Training is versatile and allows you to instantly adjust not only the level of difficulty for each exercise.
In real life, our bodies move to the side, backwards, forwards and diagonally. Shouldn't we train the same way? Unlike traditional weight training that tends to be linear and follow one plane of movement, Suspension Training mimics real life movement. This will bring a muscular balance to your body, increasing performance and helping to prevent injuries.
So whether you’re training for a specific sport, recreation or just looking to change your exercise program why not try incorporating some new elements into your training.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Spring into action with Personal Training
With the weather warming up, it’s time to get your body into action before the summer months are upon us. Trying to lose those extra winter kilos can be tough.
One of the most proven ways to gain results is with the help of a Personal Trainer.
A Personal Trainer can help you to:
Get results faster – working with a personal trainer, provides motivation that exercising alone cannot. Having someone there to help you push through barriers is a great way to ensure you get the most out of your exercise sessions.
Save time - A trainer will design your workouts to be efficient, ensuring you don’t waste time on exercises that will not achieve your goals.
Do what’s right for you – A personal trainer will take into account your individual situation, and work with you to help you not only achieve results but to be able to maintain them in the long term.
Train safely - especially if you have any specific issues like an injury or illness. Working with an experienced trainer (who works with your doctor, of course) can help you find a program to help injuries and avoid any further problems.
Learn the right way – Another benefit of having a professional train you, is the ability to gain their knowledge in correct technique and application of exercises, minimising the risk of injury when training.
Stay motivated - especially if you need some variety in your workouts. A trainer can bring a fresh perspective and new ideas to challenge both your body and your mind.
Challenge your limits & push boundaries – A trainer can motivate you to push past those self-imposed limits, encouraging you to lift heavier, go longer and challenge yourself more than you would on your own.
Train for a specific sport or event - If you're training for a marathon, a golf tournament or some other type of sport or event, an experienced trainer can help you figure out what you need to do to stay strong without taking away from your other training.
One of the most proven ways to gain results is with the help of a Personal Trainer.
A Personal Trainer can help you to:
Get results faster – working with a personal trainer, provides motivation that exercising alone cannot. Having someone there to help you push through barriers is a great way to ensure you get the most out of your exercise sessions.
Save time - A trainer will design your workouts to be efficient, ensuring you don’t waste time on exercises that will not achieve your goals.
Do what’s right for you – A personal trainer will take into account your individual situation, and work with you to help you not only achieve results but to be able to maintain them in the long term.
Train safely - especially if you have any specific issues like an injury or illness. Working with an experienced trainer (who works with your doctor, of course) can help you find a program to help injuries and avoid any further problems.
Learn the right way – Another benefit of having a professional train you, is the ability to gain their knowledge in correct technique and application of exercises, minimising the risk of injury when training.
Stay motivated - especially if you need some variety in your workouts. A trainer can bring a fresh perspective and new ideas to challenge both your body and your mind.
Challenge your limits & push boundaries – A trainer can motivate you to push past those self-imposed limits, encouraging you to lift heavier, go longer and challenge yourself more than you would on your own.
Train for a specific sport or event - If you're training for a marathon, a golf tournament or some other type of sport or event, an experienced trainer can help you figure out what you need to do to stay strong without taking away from your other training.
Friday, September 2, 2011
Discover a new workout with kettlebells!
It seems in fitness training what is old is new again, with the re-introduction of Kettlebells into weight training.. Kettlebells originated in Russian army training in the 1900’s, and were incorporated into US army training when it was found they could not endure as long as their soviet counterparts
So what is a Kettlebell??
A kettlebell is a Russian type of hand weight that is shaped like a big cannonball with a handle. Often made out of pure cast iron, they are available in a wide range of weights and sizes.
Everyone can benefit from a regular kettlebell workout: from those who just want to look and feel good, to elite athletes. Primarily a kettlebell workout will develop your all-important body core – back, hips and trunk. You can also burn fat and exercise your cardio-vascular system.
Kettlebells also enable you to strengthen your arms and legs, as you use your whole body to control the kettlebell.
The overall result will be increased strength, flexibility, timing, muscle tone and general body conditioning. Elite athletes can use advanced exercises and techniques to target various muscle groups and movement patterns.
The kettlebell is very easy to use. You can start off by simply carrying a kettlebell around for a period everyday: lifting it, swinging it, passing it from hand to hand. As your strength and coordination develop you can move on to routines, exercises and heavier weights.
So what is a Kettlebell??
A kettlebell is a Russian type of hand weight that is shaped like a big cannonball with a handle. Often made out of pure cast iron, they are available in a wide range of weights and sizes.
Everyone can benefit from a regular kettlebell workout: from those who just want to look and feel good, to elite athletes. Primarily a kettlebell workout will develop your all-important body core – back, hips and trunk. You can also burn fat and exercise your cardio-vascular system.
Kettlebells also enable you to strengthen your arms and legs, as you use your whole body to control the kettlebell.
The overall result will be increased strength, flexibility, timing, muscle tone and general body conditioning. Elite athletes can use advanced exercises and techniques to target various muscle groups and movement patterns.
The kettlebell is very easy to use. You can start off by simply carrying a kettlebell around for a period everyday: lifting it, swinging it, passing it from hand to hand. As your strength and coordination develop you can move on to routines, exercises and heavier weights.
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