The Lazy Girl’s Guide To Getting Fit
It’s one thing to want to get fit, but it’s a whole other thing to actually do it. Going from couch potato to enthusiastic exerciser takes some serious motivation and a fitness plan that’s easy to follow.
We went to celebrity fitness guru David Kirsch–the man behind the bodies of Heidi Klum and Anne Hathaway–to get his tips for getting your butt off the couch and working out. His simple plan will help you get toned, without having to morph into a total gym rat.
Set Reasonable Goals
The easiest way to discourage yourself is to set an unreasonable goal–there will be no way for you to hit it and you’ll wind up getting frustrated and giving up. Kirsch recommends setting an obtainable goal, such as “I want to lose five pounds,” or “I want to fit into my skinny jeans.” It’s also important to be realistic about your time frame and the amount of exercise you do each day. “Don’t start off at two hours a day–you’ll burn out,” says Kirsch. “If you are not sure what you’re doing, find a good trainer or training material to guide you.”
Movement = Exercise
“You don’t need to go to the gym to exercise,” says Kirsch. The easiest way to start your new fitness routine is to incorporate exercise into your daily routine. “When you get out of bed in the morning, before heading to the shower, do 15 knee bends, 15 lunges and 15 crunches. When you’re making breakfast, do some isometric contractions: squeeze and release your abs, your butt, your thighs,” he says. Get your body moving with a 10 minute express workout–be it yoga or stretching or cardio–every day before work. “If you start that way and build from that, you’re more likely to stick with a program,” says Kirsch.
Find Time For Fitness
Feel like there’s no time in the day to squeeze in exercise? Kirsch says that any exercise is beneficial, no matter how little. “The reality is that our lifestyles are conflicting and everyone has different physical needs for exercise. Ideally, you should be doing an hour of exercise a day, but if you can only find time for 10 minutes, than 10 minutes of focused training beats doing nothing,” he says.
Stay Focused
According to Kirsch, the number one biggest mistake women make while exercising is not focusing on what they are doing. That means no more cell phone, no more magazines and no more TV while you are working out. “You need to make the most of your time at the gym while you are there. Sitting on the treadmill and talking on the phone doesn’t give you the exercise you really need. Whatever you are doing, focus. Connect your brain and your body so you can really focus on what you are trying to accomplish,” he says.
Don’t Makes These Fitness Mistakes!
 DailyMakeover.com from Makeover Solutions, Inc., is the web’s leading beauty information site, providing virtual makeover technology and content for women to create personalized makeovers. DailyMakeover.com’s virtual Makeover Studio enables users to see themselves wearing numerous hairstyles, makeup shades and fashion accessories to create their best makeovers, which can be saved, printed, or emailed. DailyMakeover.com is headquartered in New York City. |
Key Winter Health Tips by Dr. 911, Robert Glatter, MD
Robert Glatter is an attending physician in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan, New York. He also has a medical house call and wellness practice in the city called Dr. 911, which operate 24/7. Dr. Glatter does medical exams for Manhattan filmed movies, is a doctor on Gossip Girl and other television shows on the CW network. Dr. Glatter is on the editorial board of Medscape Emergency Medicine (WebMD), a contributor of NBC and CBS networks, and an active member of children’s foundations like Stop Caid Now and the Worldwide Children Foundation. Here are some of his key tips for maintaining your health during the chilly winter months.
1. Avoid holiday weight gain. Before you start filling your plate at a party, scan the selections to make healthy choices. Even though it is a holiday, the rules should still apply when selecting your meal. Try to choose low fat turkey (white meat), lightly dressed green salads, and plenty of whole grains. Your attention to portion control will help minimize weight gain during the holidays. Always remember to drink plenty of water prior to eating, which limits the amount of calories you consume. It’s unreasonable to completely avoid all sweets, alcoholic beverages, and fatty foods, but it certainly helps to have a sensible plan for eating in a smart, portion controlled, and responsible fashion.
2. Take a vitamin D supplement. Up to 80% of people do not get enough vitamin D, especially due to reduced sunlight during winter days. Studies have demonstrated that if patients increase their intake of vitamin D, they can reduce their risk of cancer and heart disease by up to 25%. Vitamin D specifically helps to reduce risk of breast and colon cancer. When you can’t enough sun, you can also eat foods which are known to be rich in vitamin D. This includes oily fish such as salmon and sardines, or vitamin D fortified foods such as milk, oranges and cereal. The main issue is that it’s difficult to obtain enough vitamin D from these foods to fulfill daily requirements so a supplement of 1,000 units per day would be highly recommended. If you are already taking a multivitamin, you may want to reduce your dose accordingly.
3. Make sure you exercise- even indoors during winter. Walking, using an elliptical trainer or treadmill for at least 30 minutes a day will help to promote blood flow and boost your metabolism during the winter days. Other alternatives can be to practice yoga, utilize resistance bands or routine stretching, to elevate your heart rate and break a sweat.
Fall Tips to Get Fit and Stay In Shape from AS ONE Fitness Trainers
Fall is a great time of year with regard to health and fitness. Hopefully, you have come off of a great summer where the beautiful weather is all the motivation you needed to get into better shape. Now fall will afford you two new reasons to continue on your pursuit for health and fitness.
1) The weather and unique natural beauty of fall make it especially conducive to maintaining all the conditioning gathered from the summer.
2) You’ll want to maintain a head of steam as you head indoors for the coming winter where the short and cold days have sunk many a fitness plan.
To start, keep utilizing the pleasant temperatures and fall foliage changes to keep you outside. Go to the local park and by combining the paths and a little creativity you can design a high intensity circuit that will be fun and challenging.
Try this –
Look for a loop that is from 1-2 miles in length.
Set your timer at two minute intervals, there are many apps you can acquire for free that make this really easy. I use HIIT Intervals on my Android.
Start jogging or walking quickly until the timer goes off. Now for the next two minutes do one of the exercises listed below like walking lunges, once the timer goes off again continue on your path until the next timer sounds at which time you choose another exercise for two minutes, and so on and so on. With just a mile loop you will have created a workout that is challenging, works many different energy systems and lasts from 30-40 minutes in length.
Ten suggested exercises:
1. squats
2. walking lunges
3. pushups
4. situps
5. bear crawls
6. mountain climbers
7. Burpees
8. hill sprints
9. pullups on a tree
10. squat jumps
Try to do the above exercises for the total duration – two minutes will challenge even the most fit. Do one loop or three for an amazing training experience.
Also, to challenge you further pick a weight vest (I like V-Force Vests) to wear while doing the above and take your conditioning to a whole new level.
This is the time to delve into new programs that keep the intensity high and infuse energy into your day and life like AS ONE!
Check out the AS ONE Fitness Program and more tips here.
 George Vafiades has been a Head Coach at TriLife in NYC since 2005, and holds a BS in Anatomy/Physiology from University of Buffalo. George’s professional certifications include USA Triathlon (USAT) Level One, and USA Cycling, Level Three. He also has competed in multiple Ironman and Triathlon competitions.
“One of the rewarding aspects for me as a coach is seeing individuals achieve as a group.” ~ George
Mark Merchant is currently the Director of Training at ALTA Physical Therapy in Manhattan. Mark’s multiple professional designations include: 1) Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (as designated by the National Strength and Conditioning Association) and 2) Performance Enhancement Specialist (as designated by the National Academy of Sports Medicine). “Effective coaching requires the coach to retain a certain degree of supportive tension. AS ONE coaching instills and builds a sense of accountability for those coached.” ~ Mark |
Designer Yigal Azrouel Teams Up with FITiST for a Fashionable Fall
Two things we are all about at PageDaily are fashion and fitness. That’s why we just couldn’t help but share that one of our favorite designers Yigal Azrouel has teamed up with FITiST, a unique new fitness membership plan incorporating multiple studios and classes, to create a “Fit for Fall” plan that’s a great deal. Instead of just having a membership to one gym or many memberships to studios that offer different kind of classes, the invite-only site allows you to manage your memberships to some of New York’s hottest workout destinations on one platform.
With “Fit for Fall” you get 6 Indoor Cycling Classes, 4 Performance Classes and 4 Yoga Classes for a total of 14 classes a month for $350. These are some of Yigal’s fave workouts when he isn’t surfing. Plus, he’s hooking FITiST members up with $100 to spend at his Meatpacking boutique and one of his signature scarves, for free! Stylish perks for staying fit? Yes please!
The Benefits of A Yoga Practice
When you think about why people exercise, a major reason is to reduce stress and to improve their overall health. It is the mindful breathing and single minded focus that takes you into a “flow mentality”. You create an opportunity to escape from your thoughts which will shift your energy and changes your perspective on your life and problems. It’s not that problems go away, you just change the way you look at them. As a dear friend once said to me, “When you move a muscle, you change a thought”.
In yoga, the physical poses are called asanas and these poses can be done in a progression so that even the most inflexible “tin man” can find his way by using various props and modifications. For me, the experience was quite challenging and in some cases helped me to learn how to over come my fears. I remember my first hand stand (at the wall) like it was yesterday!
Practicing yoga will help you to evolve yourself so that other areas of your life will benefit. When you work on your physical challenges be it flexibility, strength or balance, other areas of your life will improve. But, this means checking your ego at the door because you will probably be working on things that you are not very good at initially. Like a chain, you are only as good as your weakest link so your challenges may be more about patience, perseverance and consistency when you start your journey then it will be about how many push ups you can perform in 60 seconds.
Yoga is for life. It is a lifestyle movement program. When you practice yoga, you start to feel movements from the inside out; you don’t “think” about movements, you “feel “them. You stop competing with others in class, you no longer need to see yourself in a mirror and the superficial aspect of exercise becomes less important when compared to the sacredness of your practice and your experience. You will begin to nourish yourself with food more mindfully and you will be more aware of how to incorporate your learning off the mat as well as when you are on your mat. If you can’t make it to a class, try using DVD’s for a home practice. Our Core Fusion Yoga DVD (Buy Now, $9.99) is popular because it is broken down into 10 minute sections, if you have time constraints.
Regardless of your degree of commitment to yoga, be it once a week at home with DVD’s or at our studios practicing with a trained teacher, your benefits will include:
- Stress Reduction
- Mindful Awareness
- Increased Flexibility
- Improved Strength
- Improved Suppleness in your spine
- Better Sex Life
- Better Energy
- Improved overall health and well being
It’s National Yoga Month…Exhale Spa and PageDaily are teaming up to offer you a complimentary yoga class at any Exhale Spa for the rest of September (first-timers only). Mention PageDaily when you make your reservation! Enjoy!
 |
 |
Fred DeVito, Health & Fitness Contributing Editor For over 30 years, Fred DeVito has taught New Yorkers to live healthier, leading fitness classes at the acclaimed Lotte Berk Method Studios, and more recently, at Exhale Spa, where he serves as Executive Vice President of Mind Body Training. With his wife and partner, Elisabeth Halfpapp . . . Read more about Fred DeVito |
Ten Simple Things You Can Do Every Day That Will Improve Your Body Shape for Life
There is no magic secret or miracle pill that will allow you to achieve and maintain a perfect body for life. If there were, we would all have gorgeous bodies, and never have to watch what we eat or run a single lap on the tread mill. As a personal trainer, and the President of Browning’s Fitness Centers, I have trained, or overseen the training of thousands of people who are struggling with their weight and fitness levels. So I can tell you, achieving your ideal body shape takes time, and determination and consistency. And sometimes, it means saying no to things that you would really like to say yes to. There is just no way around that.
But here’s the good news. Getting into shape isn’t a question of skipping breakfast or lunch and starving yourself, or running yourself ragged on the treadmill week. You don’t have to ruin your quality of life just to be fit. Fitness is a state of mind, and getting into shape is about changing how you THINK about the choices you’re making every day. To get you started, here are ten simple things that you can do that will start to shift your mindset, and improve your body shape for life.
1. As much as possible, avoid the high calorie high fat foods that will gather around your middle. Whenever possible try to avoid cheese, chocolate, butter, cream, mayonnaise, and even avocados which are healthy, but can be very fattening in excess.
2. Get in 15 minutes of intense cardio intervals with a 5 minute warm up and a 5 minute cool down. You will be amazed how just 25 minutes of exercise each day will change the way you look and feel. When it comes to exercise, choose quality over quantity. It’s better to do 25 minutes of intense cardio that burns calories and gets your heart rate up, than a two hour walk that will not burn many calories or take the weight off.
3. Remember that your body uses carbohydrates first for energy, then protein, and last of all your body uses fat. So when you’re choosing your food, remember that if you’re a marathon runner, your carbs can come from white bread, potatoes, and pasta, but if you are not in training, your carbs need to come from vegetables.
4. Always keep your portion sizes in mind. All foods have calories, and even too many carrots can make you gain weight. So again, choose quality over quantity when it comes to your calories, and remember to exercise portion control at every meal.
5. Drink lots of water. You need to consume at least 6-8 ounces of water every day in order for your body to work efficiently, filter impurities, and burn more fat. Plus water makes you feel full so that you don’t cheat between meals.
6. The bulk of your food should come from fiber, rather than protein, but remember, even excess vegetables can bloat you and make you feel uncomfortable. Too much of any food is fattening.
7. Be aware of your posture. Stand up straight with your shoulders back, and tucks your abs and your glutes in tight when you walk. Just maintaining good posture alone will lead to a healthier body, and keep you pain free as you get older.
8. Mix up your exercise routines in order to keep your work outs effective. The body becomes more efficient at accomplishing the same movements, and so eventually will no longer challenge you or burn as many calories. So mix it up, run one day, swim another, and spin another. This will ensure that your heart rate in consistently challenged and keep you burning a maximum amount of calories.
9. If you make an unhealthy choice, don’t beat yourself up. Just get back up on the treadmill and start to jog, run, spring or swim again. Guilt is a useless emotion, and will only make it harder to make a healthier choice the next time.
10. Try to eat most of your food by 7 pm. Not only will this improve the quality of your sleep, which is an important component of fitness, but you will burn the calories that you consume before going to bed.
Image Credit: presidentpolls2008.com
|
A former principal with the South African Ballet Theatre, Browning emphasizes the importance of positivity in her dealings with customers. She credits a childhood dance instructor— who “planted the seed” that success as a dancer was more about hard work than innate talent— with her current emphasis on providing clients with cheerleaders of their own. (With this in mind, Brownings Fitness doesn’t offer traditional gym memberships, only private sessions with personal trainers.) Don’t mistake this caring for coddling, though— Browning makes no apologies about the fact that changing one’s body requires effort, and in particular, strength training (something many women mistakenly avoid, afraid it will make them less svelte and more “Schwarzenegger.”) “By building muscle all over and in neglected areas”— the upper body, in the case of many women— “you burn more fat overall” says Browning. Eat well, exercise hard and consistently; the strategy is a simple one, but, if done correctly, nearly foolproof. Offering up her standard—though consistently refreshing— brand of realistic optimism, Mary Ann Browning sums up her philosophy in nine simple words: “If you want to change your life, you can” she states, quite matter-of-factly. No eye rolls on our end. |
Nature As Your Own Gym
Has your workout routine left you in need of some fresh air? Try stepping outside! Read on to learn how to turn any outdoor space into your very own personal gym – open 24 hours and free of charge. All it requires is a touch of imagination, a sprinkle of will power, a dose of desire and a pinch of knowledge.
Let’s break down the key elements involved in creating a safe and effective outdoor workout. The first thing to do before creating your outdoor workout is to choose your workout “goal”. The goal of your workout will then help drive the design of the elements you include. Some possible goals for your workout might be
a) to burn fat – work aerobically
b) to train for power and speed – a sports specific workout
c) to reduce stress – a more meditative – stretch oriented workout
d) overall fitness – a bit of each of the above goals.
Once you have decided on your workout goal it is then important to assess what you have to work with in your given environment. A few general assumptions can always be applied no matter what your geography.
Fixed objects (defined for our purposes here as objects that will not come loose when pressure is applied) – such as trees, sturdy fences, telephone poles, picnic benches, lifeguard stations etc. can always serve as a fixed “anchor” for looping ropes, tying ropes and resistance bands etc. This will allow you to create a sort of cable, pulley type of exercise station. This will be the area where you can do exercises like cable rows, bicep curls, chest presses, wood chop and golf swing drills.
Flat and wide open non-cement surfaces – such as grass, sand, dirt. These surfaces are perfect for jogging, sprint drills, sports drills, plyometrics and lunging.
Flat hard surface – such as pavement, tennis court, cement area. This is a great surface for jumping rope, doing medicine ball drills and footwork drills.
Raised (at least 6” and not more than 18”) and fixed objects – such as benches, steps, picnic tables. Excellent for doing step ups, push ups – incline or decline, abdominal knee-ins, tricep dips.
A staggered line of repeated objects – such as light poles, trash cans, fence posts etc. Excellent to use for doing repeats of an exercise such as sprints, running drills, line drills and more. Two poles or trees in a line can be used to tie off a rope between the length that can be used for over/under drills – common in boxing training, sports training and more.
After you have assessed your area and made decisions about how you will use what you see, it is time to come up with the workout design. Here are the basic guidelines to use to create an effective and “out of the box” type workout. I find that a hybrid workout of the goals I mentioned at the beginning of this article creates the most effective routine. With that in mind, here are some ideas about what to combine for the most complete workout.
The workout should contain a warm up and cool down, five to ten minutes of each – followed by thirty to forty five minutes of your main workout.
Include some resistance exercises for strength and toning – rowing, push ups, bicep curls, tricep dips.
Include some aerobic activity in the workout, i.e., jump rope for three minutes in between a set of rows and push ups. Sprint one direction to a tree and then light jog back to starting point. Repeat several times.
Include some agility and leg/glute work, such as sprint repeats on a flight of outdoor stairs or take two stairs at a time all the way to the top. Walk back down – then repeat.
Include some power work using a hard surface for medicine ball “throw downs” or plyometric drills.
Include a stretching and flexibility element by adding some yoga poses. This can easily lead into your cool down.
Put all that together and you will have created a well rounded, fun and challenging “environmentally” based workout.
 Rebecca Kordecki, aka the “Booty Guru”, is a fitness and lifestyle expert, media personality and creator of the hottest, new core and lower body workout, Booty Slide®. Rebecca and Booty Slide® have been featured on “The Today Show”, “EXTRA”, Channel 11 News and have been written up in such high end periodicals as Vogue, InStyle, Shape, TimeOut NY and Daily Candy amongst others.
Recently named “The Best Personal Trainer” in the Hamptons for 2009, a much coveted and hard to come by title, Rebecca has had a career in fitness for over 17 years. From the East coast to the West coast she has worked with celebrities, high profile executives, professional athletes and others from all walks of life. Her client roster includes such celebrities as Raquel Welch, Hunter Tylo (“The Bold and The Beautiful”), Oliver Stone, Elijah Wood, Rick Fox, Scott Wolf (ABC’s V and Party of Five), Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Kevin Bright (Executive Producer of ”Friends”) and Fortune 500 Company CEO’s and Executives. The Blackwatch Polo team including world famous polo player and the face of Ralph Lauren’s Polo, Nacho Figueras, have hired Rebecca for two seasons in a row. Due to her strong athletic background, Rebecca’s knowledge and understanding of athletic conditioning and strengthening has been a tremendous asset. Rebecca’s clients think of her as their coach, confidant and have often referred to her as an inspiration. Rebecca continues to train clients one on one, as a personal trainer, and while customizing her workout to suit each individual’s needs, she believes in providing a refined and targeted approach for the best results. On a group fitness level, Rebecca’s newest creation, Booty Slide® originated out of her desire to create a quick total body workout for her celeb and VIP clients’ demanding schedules. Booty Slide® can be done almost anywhere and anytime without cumbersome equipment. Weighing under two ounces and fitting in your back pocket is the secret to the most effective, mobile workout in the world, Booty Slide® patented booties and the Booty Slide system! An intense, total body training “system” that focuses on building core strength, increasing cardiovascular fitness all while targeting problem areas; hips, buns and thighs. Ms. Galaxy Title holder and Tri-Fitness finalist, Rebecca has been active in the industry as a fitness trainer, health & fitness Company Ambassador, commercial actress (national commercials), fitness model and spokesperson. Pro Athletes, Celebs, high profile clients all have one thing in common and that is a trainer who provides discipline, results and a focused strategy for achieving their goals. There is a reason, Rebecca was awarded “The Best of The Best” personal trainer for 2009 in the Hamptons. Rebecca has certifications from ACE, ACSM and AFAA. |
There is More to Exercise Than Just Cardio!
As an exercise professional in the fitness industry for almost 30 years, I have seen a lot of fads, trends, and crazes regarding classes, programs, and equipment. From high-impact to low-impact to step to spin; the constant focus on “cardio” has been and still is a very important component in the movement plan of many people. What’s easier than throwing on a pair of sneakers and going for a jog or a brisk walk? The gratification of cardio exercise is almost instant as you work your heart and lungs, challenge your breathing, endurance, break a sweat, and build detoxifying heat. Plus, the activity helps you to reduce your stress and relax.
If you are one who craves a group class rather than the lonely road there are the ever-popular spin classes where you ride a bike with a small group of other determined spinners to see who can go the fastest, ride the hardest, breathe the heaviest, sweat the most, and do it in a club-type setting with great music and atmosphere. Plus, even the most uncoordinated, tight-hamstring, slightly soft male can get on a bike and compete. The ladies are happy because now they can get their guys to accompany them to an event both social and physical: A spin class.
As a teacher who has worked with thousands of students who are on a mission to change their bodies and lives, I can honestly tell you that there is more to fitness than cardio workouts.
Almost like the media scares us into thinking we need flu shots, the public is also greatly misinformed when it comes to types and styles of exercise.
Is there any real need to work our heart muscles to an extreme over a 45-minute period? Does the heart muscle get stronger with such challenge? What are the systemic benefits of regular heart-muscle and cardio challenges like this? Am I healthier? Leaner? More fit? More flexible? Will I have a better chance of living longer because I do regular cardio exercise?
In most cases, the answer to all of these questions is either no, or not necessarily so.
Let’s take a look at what cardio exercise means:
Cardio is short for cardiovascular, which refers to the heart. Cardiovascular exercise, or “aerobics” as it was referred to in the ‘70s, is exercise that raises your heart rate and keeps it elevated for a period of time. The kinds of exercises that are associated with cardiovascular workouts are things like jogging, fast walking, spinning, and swimming, where there is no break in the routine. Exercises that emphasize stretch and strength, like pilates or yoga, are generally not considered cardio exercises, although both of these exercise systems can be performed with a “cardio effect” with the right pace and flow, and can certainly be combined with cardio workouts to great effect. There are more and more hybrid-style classes these days. At Exhale we teach our award-winning Core Fusion Cardio and Core Fusion Boot Camp classes, which combine cardio-type pace and flow with light weights and strengthening moves.
The benefits of cardio workouts
There is a hefty list of health benefits associated with doing cardio exercise. Here are some top reasons to include cardio in your workout routine:
- It strengthens the heart
- It strengthens the lungs and increases lung capacity
- It boosts the metabolism for the hour and helps you burns calories and lose weight
- It helps reduce stress
- It increases energy
- It promotes restful sleep
A true cardio workout is when you are working at around 60 to 75 percent of your maximum heart rate for a minimum of 20 minutes. Simply stated, you should be able to talk while you are working out. If you are too winded to speak comfortably, your heart rate is probably too high and you need to slow down. The fat-burning cycle needs a very specific heart-rate zone, otherwise you won’t burn fat calories and will switch to an anaerobic energy cycle, which is more intramuscular energy supply and results in a different effect.
For the average American, walking is the exercise of choice, and if the walk is brisk and purposeful over time, a person can get the required cardio benefits needed to maximize his or her health. The need to push to extremes with intense cardio does not necessarily give you proportionately greater cardiovascular results in the end. It is the spirit of fun and competition that drives the hard-core runner, spinner, cardio junkie. They love the cardio high from exploring and challenging their limits, but in the end, their net results are no greater than the purposeful power walker who is choosing an activity that is much less stressful on the joints than running or jogging. Eventually, the knee, hip, and ankle joints of the runner could suffer from the pounding effect of the activity. Other forms of cardio exercise, like swimming, begin to make more sense.
What’s important to remember when choosing a movement plan is that the single most important component in fitness to maximize results and create life-enhancing changes is strength training. With a resistance-training program, such as weight lifting, pilates, some forms of yoga, our Core Fusion® classes at Exhale, and other techniques, a person has the potential to increase lean muscle mass. As one ages, the three deficits that grow annually are muscle density, bone density, and muscle elasticity, which reduce our range of motion.
A program that incorporates resistance training will increase muscle density, lean muscle mass, and, most importantly, it will raise your resting metabolic rate, or RMR. This is the rate at which you burn calories round the clock, 24/7, not just the one hour that you are on the bike or going for a run.
By having a body with a high percentage of lean muscle mass, all of your other exercise choices including cardio will be more effective and safer. Muscles support joints, so if muscles are stronger, the joints have more integrity. By incorporating flexibility exercises into your strengthening work, you are promoting suppleness in the body, which is especially important for the muscles that line the spine. As Joseph Pilates once said, “A supple spine is a youthful body,” and in the end, isn’t that why we exercise, to stay youthful, energetic, and vibrant?
You would be wise to make exercise choices that will enhance your lifestyle and make these exercises a part of your lifestyle. Do the exercises that you need to do that will pay off a year from now and should be looked at as an investment. I am talking about the exercises that you know that you need, not necessarily the exercises that you look good doing.
I have trouble getting the competitive male to sometimes take Core Fusion® classes simply because he cannot get into the positions. Hamstrings are too tight, stomach a little too soft, back too tight, but the biggest problem is usually the ego being too big. If there is a will, and humility, a person can start building a physical foundation that simply improves over time. There is not much instant gratification sometimes, but with patience, perseverance, and consistency, it is possible to be in better shape in your 50s than you were in your 20s.
Lifestyle exercise that reduces stress, shapes your muscles, and builds strength and flexibility, all while simultaneously giving you the needed cardio benefits, will go a long way in enhancing your life.
|
|
Fred DeVito, Health & Fitness Contributing Editor For over 30 years, Fred DeVito has taught New Yorkers to live healthier, leading fitness classes at the acclaimed Lotte Berk Method Studios, and more recently, at Exhale Spa, where he serves as Executive Vice President of Mind Body Training. With his wife and partner, Elisabeth Halfpapp . . . Read more about Fred DeVito |
Amazing Exercise Classes in NYC and Tips from Fitness Gurus
There are so many workouts to choose from these days so how do you pick the best one for you? If working out feels like a huge chore, then you have not found the right one. Exercise should be fun and exhilarating and the endorphin release is a natural high (I always joke that it keeps me out of therapy). My associate Caitlin and I recently tried four new workouts in NYC that we think are worth sharing. Try them all one time for FREE and see what works for you! If you don’t live in NY, read below for great tips from some of the best fitness experts and ideas of how you can do some of these exercises at home.
xx Melissa
As One: Group Workout to Accelerate your Metabolism and Burn Fat
As One Fitness is probably one of the toughest workouts I have experienced–it pushed me to reach my physical potential through a variety of group exercises that use a combination of external resistance apparatus such as sand bags, ropes, and the AK27 bench (this is a bench with a heavy weight at the end where you hold it in your hands on one side and then do a series of killer squats). After a series of warm-up exercises and stretches, we began the routine followed by a run up and down several flights of steps which reminded me of my Radu days. The workout was founded by two of the best personal trainers and triathlon coaches, Mark Merchant and George Vafiades. Clients of As One include top media personalities, professional athletes, and Fortune 500 executives.
Our co-ed group consisted of about ten people who were all different fitness levels from beginner to triathlete. Although the workout was extremely challenging, I found that Mark and George push you to be YOUR personal best. Here’s the skinny:
• The intense workout is 75 minutes and scalable to any level
• It is only recommended that you do this routine 2x weekly so muscles can repair
• The systematic and unique class regimen guarantees results while utilizing the intimate and energizing team support system from which tri-athletes benefit
• As One promises that with regular work-outs, you create lean muscle, increase your metabolism and lose weight!
As One
1841 Broadway (at Columbus Circle)
Suite 713
New York, NY 10023
(917) 362-3909
For pricing and class schedule, visit www.as1effect.com
Mention PageDaily for one complimentary class!
If you don’t live in NYC and unable to try the classes, we asked George to give us his tips and suggestions to make sure you are putting intensity into your training:
1. Use a timer – pick four exercises and a full body movement (jumping jacks, burpees, etc.) and do one after another for a set time. Start with 10 minutes and build up to 30 minutes. This way the progression is built in and it is very clear you are doing more and more from workout to workout.
2. Schedule 15 minutes of stairs everyday – there are stairs everywhere so put on your sneakers and go! Do the stairs faster, add squats on every floor, grab a dumbbell… the options are endless to constantly challenge yourself.
3. Sometimes it’s hard to motivate when traveling and using the hotel gym so pick 5 exercises that you can do (cable curl, pushups, ab board, etc.) and create a countdown. Start with ten repetitions and go through one round and then do a 2 minute interval on the bike. Next do 9 reps of each followed by 2 minutes on the bike, etc. until you get to 1 rep of each.
4. Squat! You cannot get into great shape without squatting. Do lots of them with weight or without. Switch it around and be creative but squat! No other exercise activates more muscle groups, challenges the cardio-vascular/respiratory system and stimulates the endocrine system like the squat.
5. There can be no cop outs! You need to train regularly. Goals will not be met if you are constantly giving yourself days off. Every once in awhile that is fine, but keep yourself on track to be physically active, excited about doing, and never utter the words, “I’m too tired”. Being “tired” is a most often a state of mind– and a self fulfilling prophecy. Say it and you are. Don’t say it and see what you experience.
Amplitude Vibrations Studio: The Next Big Workout Trend is Good Vibrations
Want a workout that tones your body with no weights, no impact, and you don’t even have to wear shoes? No it’s not yoga, it’s vibrations, and did we mention it only takes 20 minutes? “This is a game changer,” says co-owner and trainer David Newman. First it was spinning, then Zumba, and now vibrations is set to be next big trend in exercise. Vibration training is unlike anything I’ve ever tried and perfect for the busy NYC woman who can’t fit in an hour plus to work out. It involves doing simple exercises you already know how to do but on a vibration machine
Amplitude Vibrations Studio
261 East 78th Street
New York, NY 10075
(646) 692-9317
For pricing and class schedule, visit www.amplitudevibration.com
Mention PageDaily for one complimentary class!
Figure 4 at Pure Yoga: Ballet meets Yoga
When I walked into the calming, zen environment of Pure Yoga on New York’s Upper West Side, I had no idea of the butt-kicking workout I was in for. I was told to bring ballet shoes for Kate Albarelli’s new “Figure 4” class, so I assumed this would be cake for me, having practiced both ballet and yoga (I was in for a big surprise). Kate, a dancer with 15 years of professional ballet and dance company experience created this challenging and effective class–a mix of isometric exercises, ballet and yoga.
Moving through the exercises using my own body weight as the primary form of resistance made me feel the burn. I worked muscles I thought didn’t exist. The 60-minute class covers it all…arms, abs, thighs, butt, calves and even your hip flexors. We started off at the ballet barre with a ball between our legs to work the inner thighs and then moved into a variety of floor exercises including the dreaded plank pose. Kate has great energy and plays amazing music so it motivated me to make it through this complete body workout!
Here are Kate’s tips regarding her Figure 4 exercises
(some of them can be done from home):
1. In order to get the best and most effective workout, all ranges of movement must be utilized within the given exercise. This means that isometric (small) movement, full range movement, and medium sized movement are all required in order to workout muscle length, the insertion of the muscles, and the slow/fast twitch muscles. An example of this would be “fitness second position”. Standing at a wall, take feet wide, toes turned out. Bend down until your hips are almost parallel to your knees. Pulse (small, isometric movement) for 20 counts. Stay in your original bent knee position, then, take a medium range, by lowering down and up a few inches, a little slower than before. Try 10 of those. Finally, employ full range movement by bending deeply and straightening all the way 10 times. Finish with your original pulses. Now all points along the muscle have been targeted.
2. In order to keep the BEST knee health, body alignment and posture is of paramount importance. Knees should always point over the 3rd toe, whether your legs are turned out or parallel. If not, too much strain on the knee will occur and injury is inevitable. When in class, look down and make sure that when you bend your knees, they are always bent over the middle of your foot (3rd toe).
3. While performing planks or push-ups, always keep your chin up enough to place a tennis ball underneath it. By keeping your chin up (not too low or too high), you create a straight line down the back of your neck, which keeps your postural alignment correct and your position the most optimal. This makes things more difficult, but much more natural and healthy for the body.
Pure East
203 E. 86th St. at 3rd Ave.
(212) 360-1888
Pure West
204 W. 77th St. at Amsterdam Ave.
(212) 877-2025
http://pureyoga.com/
Mention PageDaily for one complimentary class!
Read about Exhale Spa’s NEW Boot camp class
Mention PageDaily for one complimentary class (only applies if you are first timer to Exhale)!
Bikini Blaster Plan with Core Fusion Boot Camp Moves
It’s that time of the year: you shed your winter layers and suddenly notice your muscles again – or rather, the lack thereof! The tee shirts and shorts aren’t looking quite as you’d like (and forget about that swimsuit). No need to panic – there’s still time to get in shape for summer…but you need to start now!
No more procrastinating. From this moment forward, every morsel of food that you consume counts as calories going in – and every step that you consciously take (forgoing the escalator for the stairs) counts as calories going out. At the end of the day, it’s simple math: over consume and you gain weight. Over exert and you lose weight.
Once you shift to choosing your calories wisely, it’s time to implement a series of strengthening and toning exercises. I want to share some of the most fun, challenging, and muscle-burning moves from our Core Fusion Boot Camp class at exhale (also found on the Core Fusion Boot Camp DVD). This series will jump start your fitness routine and get you on the path of exerting energy through challenging movements. Your muscles will start to become stronger and in the process become shapelier. Lean muscle is what burns those calories. So get started today!
Core Fusion Boot Camp Workout for Bikini Blaster Results!
You can do this Core Fusion Boot Camp Workout 2 to 3 times per week. The classes use a Core Ball, but you can switch in any ball—volleyball, soccer ball, kickball, beach ball—that you have available. It just needs to be able to support your bodyweight for pushups. You’ll also need a 5-to-8 pound dumbbell for the lifting moves.
Single Leg Pulse
Targets: Shoulders, abs, butt, legs
Stand on right leg with left leg held out in front of you. Hold the ball or weight with arms extended directly in front of you at chest height. Bend right leg slightly lowering your body 2-3 inches, then straighten the leg and return to standing. Do 20 pulses in this style. Switch legs and repeat.
Single Leg Squat and Leap
Targets: Shoulders, obliques, butt, legs
Stand with your legs wider than shoulder width, toes turned out slightly. Hold the ball or weight overhead slightly in front of your forehead, elbows partially bent. Squat down until you can touch the ball to the floor in between your feet – then spring up to the right, extending the ball over head as the left foot leaves the floor. Return the ball to the floor between your feet and then spring up to the left, extending the ball overhead until the right foot leaves the floor. Twist from your trunk as you leap to activate the oblique abdominal muscles. Do 10 reps. Repeat a second set.
Uneven Pushup
Targets: Chest, triceps, abs
Get in full pushup position with your right palm on the ground and your left palm on top of the ball. Make sure your left elbow is directly over your left wrist – the body should form a straight line from head to heels. (Beginners can do a modified pushup position with knees on the ground.) Bend elbows and lower yourself toward the ground – then straighten arms and return to starting position. Do 10 reps. Switch sides, repeat.
Oblique Trunk Twister with weights in the Curl Position
Targets: the full abdominal wall with emphasis on the obliques, the inner thighs.
Start by sitting on the ground with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Place the ball between your inner-thighs and hold there. Holding a 2-pound weight in each hand, roll slowly down to your waist, vertebrae by vertebrae. Bring fists together near the breast bone. Rotate trunk from side to side to work the oblique muscles. Do 10 reps. Repeat 2 sets.
Pretzel Position
Targets chest, biceps, abs, hips, butt
Sit on ground with left knee bent in front of your left hip, right knee bent and positioned behind your right hip. Rotate right hip forward so that the right ankle is higher than the right knee. Place ball on ground in front of your left leg to get started for the basic position. The next, more advanced level is to press into ball with palms at chest level, shoulders down, elbows out. Lift bent right leg a few inches off ground, then press right leg back. Be sure to keep the right ankle higher than the knee and the right knee behind the right hip. If you can’t lift the right knee in the beginning, just slide it along the floor, working to keep the ankle higher than the knee. Do 2 sets of push backs. A second variation is to keep the same position and lift the right knee up just enough to clear the floor. Do 2 sets of 20 lifts. Switch legs in between sets.
|
 |
Fred DeVito, Health & Fitness Contributing Editor For over 30 years, Fred DeVito has taught New Yorkers to live healthier, leading fitness classes at the acclaimed Lotte Berk Method Studios, and more recently, at Exhale Spa, where he serves as Executive Vice President of Mind Body Training. With his wife and partner, Elisabeth Halfpapp . . . Read more about Fred DeVito |
