C’mon Really how good are Body Weight Exercises?
As a Personal Trainer I get asked all the time by busy folks what they can do when they can’t get to my Studio or to the Gym in order to keep up their fitness program. Like them you may have the same question. Fortunately, there’s great equipment that can provide a full-body workout, and it won’t cost you a thing. Wondering what this magic solution is? Just take a look in the mirror and Boom, there it all is!
Yep, Body weight exercises, which rely solely on your body’s own mass to provide resistance, are growing in popularity and were even named an “emerging trend” in fitness by the American College of Sports Medicine. Best of all, they can get your entire body toned without the need for laying your hand on any fitness equipment.
What Is Body Weight Exercise?
Despite the American College of Sports Medicine recommending that adults perform strength training exercises at least two days per week. Only 21.9% of men and 17.5% of women say that they reach this goal. I truly believe trying body weight exercise is a great way to get started or help in maintaining strength training to meet physical fitness goals.
So what, exactly, is body weight exercise? Simply put, this form of exercise uses the body — rather than free weights or cable machines — for resistance. In fact, you’ve likely performed body weight exercises without even knowing it. Take crunches, for example. A typical crunch requires you to use your abdominal muscles to work against the resistance provided by the weight of your torso. Thus, without using any additional equipment, you can strengthen muscles using just the resistance from your body.
How Does Body Weight Exercise Improve Strength and Muscle Tone?
Seasoned gym-goers sometimes scoff at the notion that body weight exercises can be effective in building strength and toning muscles. They think something so simple couldn’t possibly be as good as hours spent in the free weights section. However, variations on traditional exercises allow a person to exert additional energy and build muscle mass.
In general, increasing the number of repetitions performed will improve endurance. To build strength, it’s important to increase the intensity of the exercise. One great way to do this is to decrease leverage; for example, lying on an incline bench makes it more difficult to perform crunches. Additionally, working at the ends of the typical range of motion effectively builds strength. Try slowing down your crunches, focusing on exerting your abs throughout the full range of motion — particularly at the end of each crunch — to improve muscle tone.
Benefits of Body Weight Exercise
Of course, the best benefit of body weight exercise is that it works. This form of exercise hasn’t surged in popularity for nothing, and it offers several other great benefits:
- It’s free. Perhaps the biggest draw for money-conscious exercise enthusiasts is that these exercises are free to perform. After all, you’re already carrying your body weight through the world. Why not put it to use for your fitness and health?
- Increased flexibility. Strength training exercises often come with tight muscles and inflexibility. As most body weight activities encourage use of a full range of motion, this improves joint movement and general flexibility.
- Better balance. Body weight exercises rely on the typical movements of the human body, which often engage core muscles. This leads to improved balance and better body awareness.
- They’re safe at any age. Injury is one of the most common reasons that people quit their strength training regimens. Additionally, middle-aged and older adults are often intimidated by strength training. Because they wrongfully think that it will result in injury. Although it’s certainly possible to overdo it with body weight exercises, they are unlikely to lead to the types of injuries often seen with other noninstructed weightlifting activities. In fact, physical therapists often recommend body weight exercises for rehabilitation following sports- or exercise-related injuries.
- For the exercise excuse-makers among us, “I didn’t make it to the gym” doesn’t cut it anymore. At home? In the office? On the road? It’s still possible to find time for a fast workout that targets the entire body.
- Compound movements. Unlike certain machine- or free weight-based exercises that target specific muscle groups, body weight exercises often require compound movements that engage numerous muscle groups. Compound movements are great for building strength and improving general physical performance.
For instance here are two Body Weight Exercises to Target the Whole Body
- Push-ups
Push-ups may seem like a beginner move, but they remain one of the most powerful body weight exercises to improve upper body strength. It primarily target the pectoral muscles (chest), triceps, and deltoids (shoulders). However, they also engage the abdominal muscles, building your core strength.
To complete a push-up with proper form, begin with your hands beneath your shoulders with fingers facing forward. Gently lower yourself, keeping the head, neck, and back straight, until your upper arms are parallel with the ground. Then, using the chest muscles, push upward to return to the starting position.
If you’re a beginner, try starting with your knees resting on the floor, which reduces the body weight needed to perform the exercise. Alternatively, standing on the floor leaning forward with hands on a couch or countertop is another great move for beginners. In contrast, those who want to make push-ups more challenging may consider placing their feet on top of a small box. This change in elevation requires more force to achieve the push-up motion.
- Body Weight Squat
The body weight squat is a fantastic exercise to target the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes (they also engage the calves, abs, and back to a lesser extent). Begin by standing with feet shoulder width apart. Being careful not to let the knees extend past the toes, sit back until your thighs are roughly parallel to the floor. Push upward, engaging your leg muscles to return to the starting position. Repeat for 3 sets of 10.
More advanced exercise buffs may want to challenge their lower body with jump squats. From the lowered position of a regular squat, jump explosively into the air. This variation on the squat builds leg strength and overall power. In addition, you can do the exercises in an alternating manner, i.e. a cycle of 10 Push-ups and then 10 Squats with a 10-30 second rest between cycles going back and forth for 3 to 5 sets. Also a quick note, the tempo should be 1 second up and 3 seconds down, you can use a 2 up and a 4 count down. In the beginning you may only be able to complete one cycle, and as your fitness level increases you will be able to add in additional reps and cycles as this occurs.
Something else you should consider doing is utilizing these types of exercises while at work. Many of us sit for way to long of a period of time. By the way, are you aware that after only 2 hours of sitting our most crucial fat burning enzyme “Lipase” is down regulated? Yep, not cool, and in order to keep its level up regulated and your metabolism chugging along all you have to do is get up out of that chair every 25-45 minutes and do about 10-15 body weight squats, or 10-15 push ups maybe off the side of your desk, then Bam, you will have kept your lipase and fitness level up. Think about it for a sec, at the end of the day you may have completed perhaps 30-50 Squats and 30-50 Push ups, not to bad and pretty cool as well. When you add this in to your daily activities and build it into a habit, then when you are able to get back into the Gym for a good solid workout you will be in much better condition to do so as well as to getting a much Bigger bang out of the time spent there! Cool, eh? I’d have to say way!
I would love to hear your thoughts, so please leave a comment below.
If you live or work in SW Houston then give me a call and I’ll hook you up with 4 free sessions to get you started on the path to a longer healthier life: 832.500.5459
What’s the deal about Greek yogurt?
Hey Gang, thought I stop in with a post about the benefits of Greek yogurt. It is one of my fav’s especially in the morning with my breakfast and as an additive to my Protein shakes.
I’d have to say there’s always room in your diet for another super food. Greek yogurt may just be the next one to try. Whether you are looking to support your healthy lifestyle or lose a little
weight, this nutrient-dense food can provide a variety of health benefits. Eat it plain, with fruit,as a base for dips and dressings, or as a substitute for sour cream and butter in baked goods and other recipes. Go ahead and read on to find out all about the health benefits you can get from Greek yogurt, which by the way I find to be creamier than regular yogurt, as well as its ability to add to your arsenal for short-Term and Long-Term Weight Control. Nice, right?
If you’re like millions of other Americans, you want to know what you can eat to lose weight without starving yourself or drinking processed diet shakes instead of real food. Well, Greek
yogurt can help you out. It is low in carbs, with just 9 grams per cup, so it’s not likely to pack onthe pounds. The thick texture is satisfying, making you feel as though you are eating a treat and not depriving yourself.
Plus, Greek yogurt gives you the protein punch that’s good for losing weight because it reduces your hunger. Each cup has 22 grams of protein, or about twice as much as regular yogurt. The protein in yogurt also lowers its glycemic index so your blood sugar levels don’t swing wildly and make you feel famished. In addition, the extra protein can help you maintain your lean muscle mass so you burn more calories at rest.
Improved Heart Health
Greek yogurt can help protect against the number one killer in the U.S.: heart disease. Choosing a high-protein diet and limiting foods such as pasta, baked goods, and potatoes can improve your heart health. For example, a high-protein diet can lower your triglyceride levels and “bad” LDL cholesterol levels. On top of that, a high-protein diet may also lower diabetes risk.
More Favorable Balance of Gut Bacteria
Trillions of bacteria live in your gut, and many of them are good for you. These are just some of their possible benefits.
• Reduced bloating and gas.
• Lower risk for obesity.
• Decreased risk of diabetes.
• Improved bowel regularity.
Where does Greek yogurt come in? It’s a source of probiotics, or the healthy bacteria that live in your gut. Edmond Huang, a biologist at University of California, Berkeley, says, “Get the right type [of bacteria] in your gut and, depending on your condition, you may begin to see improvements in a matter of days or weeks.”
Greek yogurt’s benefits do not stop there. It is a great source of calcium, which you need for strong bones. Plus, it provides B vitamins and may be fortified with vitamin D. Choose it often to get all of this superfood’s benefits!
Here’s how I like to use GreekYogurt. The first way I use it is in the morning with some cinnamon sprinkled in along with a bit of fruit. Another way I use it is to put a dollop of yogurt and a spoon of almond butter into my night time Protein shakes to slow the absorption as well as to give it a really nice thick creamy consistency, Yum!
If you live or work in SW Houston then give me a call and I’ll hook you up with 4 free sessions to get you started on the path to a longer healthier life: 832.500.5459
Your Holiday Survival Guide
It’s here – whether you’re ready or not. Just look at the seasonal shelves in your favorite store. Retailers like to call it ‘holiday season’ but let’s be more accurate. So here is Your Holiday Survival Guide
Weight Gain season begins now and runs straight through New Year’s.
The next two months will bring ample opportunity for you to expand your waistline. Of course the choice is yours.
Why discuss it now and not mid way through December? Because now is your opportunity to plan for the weeks ahead. Once the craziness begins, you’ll be too busy to put a plan into action.
So let’s take this moment of clarity, this calm before the storm, to outline a two-part plan that will save your waist from unwanted holiday inches.
Part One: Your Exercise Plan.
Exercise is the first thing people cut when they get busy, and the holiday season is notorious for empty gyms. This year do something different-obligate yourself to exercise. Promising to yourself won’t do it, you need to promise to others so that you won’t drop the ball.
* Sign up to work with a fitness expert – This is the perfect solution for consistent, challenging and effective workouts. I’ll give you the attention and assistance that you need to power through the holidays in better shape than ever – talk about motivating!
* Join a class – You won’t be as effective exercising on your own during the busy holiday season, so join a class for accountability. Find something challenging that gets your heart rate elevated and uses strength training.
* Get a serious exercise buddy – Some friends can be an awesome help while others end up pulling you down. When looking for an exercise buddy consider the following questions:
– Do they share your fitness goals?
– Are they fairly encouraging?
– Do they give up easily?
– Are they at your fitness level?
Part Two: Your Diet Plan.
The holidays offer ample opportunities to indulge, so you need to hammer down some guidelines before hitting that buffet line. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t indulge in any seasonal treats, but use moderation. Don’t use the holidays as an excuse to eat until the point of being uncomfortable – will you really miss that bloated feeling? Decide which treats to cut out this year.
Don’t bring edible treats to the office or to parties. You know that the leftovers will come home and you’ll end up eating far more than your share. This year do everyone a favor by not gifting fattening treats.
When faced with a buffet line, load your plate first with greens, vegetables and lean meats before breads and heavier foods. Also drink water with your meal and keep alcoholic beverages to a 2-drink maximum.
Beware of holiday drinks – most are brimming with calories. Hot drinks from coffee shops, cocktails at parties and creamy eggnog are all very enjoyable and all filled with empty calories. Stick with hot tea or unsweetened coffee.
Everywhere you go during the holiday season brings you face-to-face with a plate of sweets. To avoid being a bore but without adding inches to your waist, try the one treat rule. Each time you’re in a social situation that involves sweets just eat one, and enjoy your treat slowly.
You don’t have to gain weight this holiday season. The key is your mindset.
If you approach the holidays with the mindset of, ‘I deserve to indulge and I shouldn’t have to exercise’ then you’ll enter 2015 a few pounds heavier, a little less healthy, and with lower energy than ever before.
I believe that you deserve better. I believe that you should enter 2015 in better shape than you are today, healthier than you’ve been in a long time, and with more energy than you thought possible.
I’m here to help – call or email to set up your fitness consultation with me. I’d love to show you how to transform your body over the weeks to come.
Guarantee Your Success
The quickest, easiest way to guarantee that you’ll meet your fitness and weight loss goals is to work one-on-one with a qualified fitness professional.
You’ll be held accountable with your workouts and you’ll be instructed properly and shown techniques and strategies that will expedite your results.
Call or email today and get a 7-week head start on your New Year’s Resolution. Imagine all of the progress that we will make together in 7 full weeks! You will enter 2015 looking and feeling like a whole new you.
If you live or work in SW Houston then give me a call and I’ll hook you up with 4 free sessions to get you started on the path to a longer healthier life: 832.500.5459
Topic: Your Holiday Survival Guide
Lana’s Shchi
Okay everyone, I have something really cool for you. First though let me stop for a sec to say, as many of you know I got married this last September and I was kind of a bad boy around all the festivities with my diet plan.
Yeah yeah, I know I know, I’m the Trainer right? Well, we are human too. Yes, and I added a bit of weight during a 3 week or so spree.yikes! Well, my Brand new wife Lana who happens to be Russian told me not to worry
because she would make me some “Shchi.” “Shchi?” I asked?” “Yes, Shchi, “she said. I asked, “what is Shchi?” Then she said, “it is Shchi and it will help you to lose those new pounds you are so worried about.” I shook my head,
shrugged my shoulders and said, “okay Baby bring that Shchi on.”
Now here is the cool part, that Shchi stuff really helped me out, Hecks Becks, I lost about 6 Lbs in just around a week! Know what else? The stuff is darn good tasting too!
Okay okay, I bet all of you are wondering what the devil Shchi is, right? Well, I got my sweet wife Lana to do a little write up on what it is and most importantly how to make it.
So, here is what she gave me and now here it is for you:
Ingredients:
(4-6 servings)
- beef on the bone (brisket, shank) – 700-900 g (for the broth: 3 liters of water, 1 onion, 1 carrot)
- cabbage – 200-300 g,
- Potatoes – 2-4 pcs,
- Onions – 1 pcs
- Carrot – 1,
- fresh tomatoes – 1-2 pieces (or 1 tablespoon of tomato sauce)
- parsley and dill – a big bunch,
- bay leaf – 2 units,
- allspice pepper – 3 pcs,
- Olive oil – 3 tablespoons
- salt,
- freshly ground pepper
Cooking instructions:
Wash the meat, put in a pot, cover with cold water and bring to a boil.
Carefully remove the foam, in a saucepan put peeled onion and carrot.
Again bring to a boil, reduce heat to almost boiling broth, and cook the meat about 2-3 hours until it is tender.
Add salt, remove onion and carrot and discard them.
Advice. Check the readiness of meat with a fork or knife. If the knife comes into the meat with virtually no resistance – the meat is ready.
Remove the meat from the pan, cool, separate from the bones and cut into small pieces.
Meat broth through folded in several layers of cheesecloth and pour into a clean pan (get about 2 liters of broth).
Wash potatoes, peel and cut into strips or cubes.
Wash cabbage, cut the stalks and finely chop or cut into squares.
Add potatoes to the broth.
Then put the shredded cabbage and sliced meats.
Bring to a boil and cook for about 15-20 minutes (potatoes and cabbage should be soft).
Advice. If you are using the young cabbage, it is possible to put in 5-10 minutes after the potatoes, as it cooks much faster, as opposed to winter varieties which need a long time to simmer to complete softness.
Onion peel and finely chop.
Wash carrot, peel and cut into small cubes.
In a frying pan heat the oil, put the carrots and fry, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes.
Add the onion, a little salt and fry with carrots until tender, on low or medium heat, about 5-7 minutes.
Roasted vegetables put in a pot of soup, add the bay leaf, peppercorns, and then stir the soup to simmer for about 10 minutes to all tastes connected.
Wash and chop the greens.
Wash tomatoes and cut into small pieces.
Tip # 1: With tomatoes is desirable to remove the skin. To do this, on the part of the stalk to make the cross-cut and drop the tomatoes in boiling water for 1 minute, then immediately shift into ice water. After that, the skin can be easily removed.
Tip 2: Instead of fresh tomatoes, you can add the tomato sauce. The sauce is added at the end of frying onions and carrots and stewed for 2-3 minutes with the vegetables.
Add tomatoes to the soup, stir and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Putting greens, stir, if necessary, to taste, salt and pepper and remove the soup from the heat.
Cover the pan with a lid and let stand for about 15 minutes before serving.
Serve the soup with sour cream (also you can add finely chopped garlic and fresh dill and parsley or selentro).
Enjoy your meal!
If you live or work in SW Houston then give me a call and I’ll hook you up with 4 free sessions to get you started on the path to a longer healthier life: 832.500.5459
The Love of Avocados
Man, do I ever love avocados!! Besides their great flavor, here are some good reasons you should love them too!
This fruit, yes I did say fruit, does contain a good amount of fat. However do not let that dissuade you from understanding it’s amazing amount of nutrients. To begin with, the fats contained in an avocado are what are called healthy fats. Healthy fats decrease the level of bad cholesterol in your blood. Invariably, this lowers the amount of stroke and heart disease just by eating them.
But more importantly, it contains a decent amount of protein compared to other fruits. It’s low in sugar, is a great source of potassium, vitamin K, B5,B6,B9 and E. Not to mention almost half of the daily recommended amount of dietary fiber. All in one average sized avocado! Amazing right??
But the benefits don’t just stop at the amount of vitamins the Avocado has. I mentioned earlier about the way they can lower the risk of heart disease but I didn’t mention that they can lower the risk of diabetes. They have been proven to improve overall diet quality, nutrition intake and reduce risk of metabolic syndrome. All of which can lead to a lower chance of diabetes.
In addition, there is no cure for cancer as of yet but Avocados are rich in phytochemicals which are primarily used to prevent the onset of cancer. The Avocado has been analyzed and has been found to have a combination of many different members of the phytochemical family and can be used in being a strong diet prevention method.
Lower cholesterol, diet stability, lesser threat of diabetes and chock full of vitamins; the avocado is truly a powerhouse when it comes to a smart diet or for general well being. Hopefully you can start loving them as much as I do! I usually have either one half of a large or one whole Avacado for breakfast, yum, what a way to start the morning!
If you live or work in SW Houston then give me a call and I’ll hook you up with 4 free sessions to get you started on the path to a longer healthier life: 832.500.5459
Banana: A Miracle Fruit
Don’t we all go a little bananas sometimes? Well, here’s a few facts why it isn’t a bad thing to do so!
We all know that bananas are an important source of potassium. But did you also know that it’s an important source of B6, B12, Fiber, and lots of other essential minerals?
Not to mention, the amount of carbohydrates, protein and just raw energy that the banana possess. It rockets up to the number one food amongst athletes. Studies have shown that, on average, eating just two of the yellow fruit can provide enough sustainable energy for a heavy 90 minute workout!
But that isn’t where this miracle fruit stops. Oh no, when bananas get going they really get going. They have been proven to help with PMS as the B6 within it helps regulate glucose levels which affect mood swings. Trying to quit smoking? Well, you’re in luck! The B6 and B12 in the fruit help curb those nicotine withdrawal symptoms. So now you’re probably thinking, Ron, there’s no way this fruit has that many uses all stored inside that yellow shell. Well, you’d be wrong as this is merely the tip of the iceberg so to say.
Just recently, the USDA has approved banana companies to advertise their product as being able to efficiently reduce blood pressure and the risk of stroke! Studies have shown that the fruit’s high potassium levels have been proven to be sufficient in scale to lower blood pressure dramatically.
The effects don’t stop there either. Many studies from Harvard, the USDA, and various other sources have proven that bananas aid in: improving brain activity, relief of constipation and the symptoms of a hangover. It also helps in increasing iron in the body to help with anemia. It soothes heartburn, avoid morning sickness and even used topically can lower the swelling and inflammation from a mosquito bite!
This glorious golden panacea of the fruit world should not be underestimated. Sorry apples, but perhaps it’s time to change the old adage to “a banana a day keeps the doctor away”!
If you live or work in SW Houston then give me a call. I’ll hook you up with 4 free sessions to get you started on the path to longer healthier life: 832.500.5459
Are eggs good for you?
Hi everyone, just thought I would put up some info on eggs. What I find is that there seems to be so much confusion these days around them. Also it’s one item my clients ask me about all the time as well.
Well allow me to diffuse some of the confusion immediately, They are good for you. No matter how the USDA or other food organizations decide to spin it for the month, eggs will always be a great source of protein, good fats and healthy cholesterol.
To begin, eggs are among the most nutritious foods on the planet! One whole egg contains vitamin A, B5, B12, B2, Selenium and trace amounts of a lot more nutrients. In fact, eggs contain a little bit of almost every nutrient that we need to continue living!
They average about 77 calories, 6g of protein and 5g of healthy fat making them a great filler for your diet if you are missing just a small amount of calories from breakfast or at dinner.
But the main concern I hear the most is, what about the cholesterol? Yes, it is true that eggs are high in cholesterol. However, not all cholesterol will actually raise your levels. Did you know that your liver pumps out cholesterol every single day? In fact, if we eat an egg, the liver produces just enough to match it’s current allocation. For the most part, the huge majority of people will see no increase in cholesterol levels by eating an egg unless they over consume. As for the minority, they will see an increase but they are already labeled as “hyper responders”. They have an acute metabolic reaction to this and other items being introduced into their diet.
I’m sure you’ve heard of good cholesterol when talking about eggs and that is exactly what they have. High density lipoprotein is what this is commonly called and eggs are a great source of this. HDL is often found to reduce risk of many diseases including those of the heart.
I could go on and on about how amazing eggs are. Fried, poached, boiled, scrambled, yum! There are so many reasons to eat eggs and the best thing about it is that they are delicious and you don’t have to choke them down to receive the healthy benefits.
So the next time someone decides to tell you that eggs are bad for you, give them a little enlightening and enjoy your breakfast!
If you live or work in SW Houston then give me a call and I’ll hook you up with 4 free sessions to get you started on the path to a longer healthier life: 832.500.5459
Ron Russell and The Body Master
“1. Please provide a bio-where you grew up, educational background and any influential forces in your life that lead you in the direction of health and wellness.
I grew up in Houston Texas and began a career at a very young age in the Construction Industry Through hard work and ambition, I managed to pull myself up rung by rung until I found myself running several construction related companies.
As you can imagine, there’s a lot of stress associated with becoming an executive, To lower my stress levels and maintain an even keel, I began working out at the Gym. Soon I was going to the Gym six days a week and at times even going back for a second daily workout. As I continued to train, I found myself getting very serious about learning nutrition and how it affects the body; also how by proper nutrient manipulation in ones diet you could make significant changes in body composition as well. In addition, I looked at how the Bodybuilding world has many of the same goals of normal people, i.e. fat reduction, strength gain, and muscle protection.
As I gained more and more knowledge I found that many times in the Gym, people would approach me for help in either their diet or around some aspect of their workout. Whenever this happened, I really enjoyed sharing with others to help them perform better. After a few years I found the stressful construction management gig along with a significant down turn in the market had become absolutely unbearable, However the working out and helping others in the Gym was really quite enjoyable and was where I found not only my stress relief, but most of my happiness as well. After a period of soul searching, I decided to find a way to jettison the stressful vocation and turn my avocation into my vocation.
I wanted to be in a position where I could share my knowledge and help others achieve and live a healthier lifestyle where they could accomplish their fitness goals. In order to make this happen, I first sought out the necessary Education, developed my skill set, and then set out to create a place where I could remove as many of the obstacles and negatives found in the usual Health Club and bring in as many positives as possible.
Today when you come to my Studio, you will find this has definitely been accomplished at The Body Master Fitness Studio. Now I am totally dedicated to teaching clients proper nutrition, how to set up a healthy diet, best ways to lose weight, how to gain strength, create a healthy lifestyle, and for those that need it help them to rehab an injury and get them back to normal living. All of this is done utilizing whatever techniques and modalities necessary to help my clients accomplish their goals.
Furthermore, I am a voracious reader and continuously study and research the best methods to help my Clients. In addition I send out a Newsletter each week with a good helpful article along with a Fitness tip and a healthy recipe to boot.
2.When did The Body Master open in Houston?
January 1996
3. Tell me about your philosophy in terms of health, weight management, fitness, etc. This can be your mission statement that you share with your clients and staff.
Short version: My philosophy is to meet people where they are on the fitness continuum and help them reach further than they ever expected to be.
Longer version:
In 1996, I decided to give the average populous an alternative to the typical gym setting and formed the Body Master Fitness Studio. A place where one would feel comfortable in a non-threatening environment without any of the usual club hassles and be able to learn how to develop a healthy lifestyle.
My philosophy is that it is important to meet people where they are in life on the fitness continuum. For instance, I would never take a person in their fifties through a workout tailored more for a twenty year old and visa versus. Additionally, I utilize different methods for every diet or fitness situation. I may use Weight training with free weights and machines with one Client and Exertubes with another, or even a combination of all of them. Sometimes, I even use the pool for their training. Mentioning this, one area of training that I really like is Aquatic training out in my pool. I find that my Clients get into it and enjoy themselves so much they don’t even realize how hard they are working until they get out and gravity hits them. This harder workout of course heightens the results quite a bit as well.
I really feel like my style of training up to this point has helped a good amount of people reach their fitness and health goals and ultimately find a little bit more happiness. And isn’t that really what personal training is supposed to be all about anyway?
4. I believe you added another personal trainer to your company. Can you please introduce him into the article so I can share your words with fellow Texans.
At the moment, I am actually the only personal trainer and I take care of every client personally. They each receive the highest form of attention from me and I push them to be better with each visit. Needless to say, my days are fairly busy. The person being mentioned however is my son and I am hoping he will be returning in the not to distant future.
5. What do you believe is your cutting edge in the personal fitness arena? What sets you apart from other practices similar to yours in the Houston area?
I can offer a clean private environment as well as a homey feel that allows my Clients to relax and not worry about prying and judging eyes. Usually, when you are comfortable enough, you will work harder as you’re not feeling self conscious about how you look while lifting weights or during any other exercise. I think it’s important to want to work out and busy gyms really can be a bit intimidating and can have you not wanting to stay longer than you have to or maybe even not long enough to complete a good workout
6. Who are your customers? Demographics, age range, male/ female ratio, etc.
My demographic ranges wildly. I get quite a few guys who come in trying to bulk up or lose weight and tone up as well as women who wish to do the same. Ratio wise, I would say about 2 women to every 1 guy. As for the ages, I have a couple of teens at the moment and the oldest Client is 84, and I truly have every age in between.
7. Do you only hold one on one sessions or do you also offer group lessons? Please elaborate.
I definitely offer group sessions. Again, going back to the feeling of comfort, working out with someone you know definitely helps keep you going at it. Currently, I have a mother and son group session and they go at it together for some real solid training. I also have a Father son team and some couples as well. Another group consists of a few women who enjoy working out doing their strength session in the pool. Anyway, I offer multiple varieties and create specific work out plans to manage the increase in numbers. I think it really makes the workouts more energetic and personal whenever you are able to do it with family or friends.
8. I see that you offer Personal Training, Stress Boxing, Nutritional Guidance and Post Rehabilitative Training… Please elaborate on each category and tell the readers what each area consists of so they understand your services well…
To begin, my personal training is exactly as it sounds, training of the person. I don’t stop at just exercise however and I do continue to offer diet and other supplemental information all along the way as they traverse the fitness continuum to help them understand how to live a healthy and happy life. Within personal training, I also offer weight training, diet help, strength training, functional conditioning, and much more. Personal training is a fairly broad term but my goal is to help you hit your health goals no matter what they are.
One area that many Clients seem to enjoy is the Stress Boxing I offer. In this world today people have a heck of a lot of stress in their lives and getting an opportunity to knock something about really relieves their pent up stress and besides it is a lot of fun as well.
9. I believe your web page said that you are one of the few personal trainers in Houston certified as a rehab exercise specialist. Please explain what a RES is and why did you decide to become certified in that field? Stress this and highlight this area as much as possible since this is relevant to our readers as well as the fact that it appears to be a part of your marketing edge.
To obtain the best results when working with anyone recovering from an injury or from surgery, my goal is not to only rehab the affected area, but also to work on their entire body holistically. I believe in doing this because there is a cross-over effect that can be beneficial in expediting the healing process.
Unfortunately, it has been my experience that when a person is going through the Rehab process in a PT setting the majority focus seems to be on the affected area. My understanding is the Therapist are regulated in such a way as to only be able to operate in this manner and only give a small portion of their time to the rest of the body. Therefore, when I see someone who has come in after completing their PT, I immediately begin to work their whole body with whatever tools that would be best for their particular situation as well as to continue the Rehab process of their effected area.
As an example, I had a Client who showed up on crutches after ACL Surgery on his knee. He was not allowed to put any more than 125 lbs of pressure on it when he arrived at the Studio. The weight limitation was prescribed by his Doctor and his weight at the time was a sloppy 285 Lbs. Yes all on a man that is 6 foot 2 inches in height as well.
Within 3 months he was back to riding his bicycle and scuba diving and then in six months his weight was down at a fighting weight of 215 lbs. Additionally, he was doing 60 miles a day by that time on his bike and doing one heck of a lot of Diving to boot which is his absolute passion. This is what I mean about getting a person back to their life and doing it in a holistic manner.
Truly I have many more stories like the previous one. In fact I currently have a 75 year old Client that just had knee replacement surgery in September who I am doing pool sessions with and he is doing wonderfully at this point and another Client who is recovering from a stroke as well.
10. Please add in any helpful hints on how to get through the holidays without worrying about over-eating. Anything that you can share with the readers is greatly appreciated.
Most people out there will tell you to work in moderation or even to abstain from the delicious food and drink that encompass the holidays. However my main advice is to stay focused.
When I say this, I mean to focus on your health goals and keep them in mind as you take that sip of egg nog that you know you wouldn’t have any other time of the year. The holidays is a great excuse to be merry and engorge but if you can keep your focus and fitness goal in mind, keeping off that holiday weight will be easy as pie.
A few easy ways to keep that focus is to:
1. increase the amount of workouts you do per week. If you do 2 workouts, try doing three instead. If you do 0, try adding one in. Having any kind of physical activity really pushes you to remember what your goals are. And with the extra workout, you’ll notice a change that may make you want to avoid a snack or two to keep your figure.
2.Try to keep to a sleep schedule! It’s amazing how many people forget how beneficial sleep is for its restorative properties as well as its ability to keep your body running correctly. Not to mention, in terms of focus, a sleepy person is more likely to not be able to see things as clearly as a well rested person. Not to mention, it has been shown that when we do not get enough rest our cortisol levels will go up which causes additional fat storage, and can also lead to other health issues as well. Bottom-line when you get enough rest this will put your body into a routine that can make it run much smoother.
3. When you know you are going to a Holiday party or related event where there will be high fat foods and the like try eating a good healthy meal just prior to going to help you in making better choices and to not over indulge as well.
4. Try to stay away from alcohol if at all possible. If you find that you are not able to not drink, and then do so as little as you can when you do.
5. Finally, involve your family! Holidays are all about family so why not use them as a support team? Ask your spouse, significant other, or a friend for some moral support when you need to stay focused. Have them remind you of how healthy and good you have been looking lately to reinvigorate your drive to push through the holidays and come out the other side without gaining anything more than a new pair of socks you never knew you wanted!
11. I see that you have several testimonies. If you can get two of your clients to give you permission to use their first and last name, I would love to include 2 of the testimonials for sure. Please let me know which ones I can have the “green light” on.
Andron Smith and Marsha Turny.
12. What are your short term goals? Long term goals?
My goal is to continue to help people live a healthy lifestyle as long as I physically can continue to do so. So as it stands for the time being, my plan is that I will work with my Clients in my Studio and also to help more and more people via the Web as well, then when I can’t continue to physically do the work, I will be still helping people none the less.
13. At the end of the article, we have a For More Information section. Please include address, phone number, website, facebook and any other form of social media you actively engage in.
The Body Master Fitness Studio
7814 Nairn St
Houston Tx 77074
713-773-0077
Http://www.TheBodyMaster.com
Http://www.Facebook.com/TheBodyMaster
Http://www.Linkedin.com
If you live or work in SW Houston then give me a call and I’ll hook you up with 4 free sessions to get you started on the path to a longer healthier life: 832.500.5459
Power Oatmeal Recipe
Enjoy this simple Power Oatmeal Recipe from this month’s Body Master Newsletter:
This oatmeal is packing a powerful ingredient – protein. Mix a scoop of your favorite protein powder into your oatmeal to transform it into a quick and healthy breakfast. Servings: 1
So here’s what you need…
1/2 cup whole grain oats
1 cup water
dash of salt
1 scoop high quality protein
1 tablespoon chopped macadamia nuts
1 tablespoon golden raisins
Mix the oats together with water and salt in a microwave safe bowl. Then microwave on high for 2 to 4 minutes.
Stir in protein then top with nuts and raisins.
Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 325 calories, 7g fat, 41.7g carbohydrate, 10.2g fiber, and 25.7g protein.
If you live or work in SW Houston then give me a call and I’ll hook you up with 4 free sessions to get you started on the path to a longer healthier life: 832.500.5459
YES! Contact me today to schedule a FREE no obligation consultation and trial workout.
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