Category: Exercise Ideas

Take a Vacation with the Abs Expert!

Feb 13, 2011

Scott Colby is known as "The Abs Expert" on the webOne of my fitness colleagues, Scott Colby ( known worldwide as The Abs Expert), is coming to California! He’s hosting one of his Fitness Adventures in the Wine Country. Wow! This is an amazing opportunity! Scott is a well -educated, warm and caring fitness professional. After spending a week with him, you’ll be motivated, informed and energized to take your fitness to a whole new level!

How would you like to take a break from your frenzied work week and spend few days with a fitness expert hiking, biking, horseback riding and wine tasting???

All your meals will be cooked for you from fresh, local ingredients.

All your activities will be planned for you (and yes, I understand there is some spa time in the adventure as well).

Scott’s California Adventure will take place March 28th through April 2nd, 2011.

This would be a fabulous getaway with a few friends!

Here are some highlights of Scott’s California Fitness Adventure:

• Cycling through the valleys of world-famous vineyards

• Wine tasting!! Hundreds of wineries line your cycling route

• Seriously good food inspired by local vintages and fresh California ingredients

• Daily morning boot camps on the beach with Scott

• Pampering at an award-winning spa

This adventure is open to men and women of all fitness levels, however spots are being snatched up quickly, so you’ll need to book soon.


Committed to your fitness success,

Becky

P.S. Not only will Scott Colby be hosting a California Adventure, but he’s got Adventure trips in Colorado and Vermont as well! Click here to learn about all his 2011 Fitness Adventures: www.FitnessAdventuresUSA.com

Got Knee Pain While you Hike? Try Trekking Poles!

Feb 13, 2011

Rick Deutsch, "Mr HalfDome" uses trekking poles on his hikesToday I’ve got a real treat for you–a guest post by author and adventure travel afficionado, Rick Deutsch (also known as “Mr. Half Dome”).

Rick has hiked all the way up to the top of Yosemite’s Half Dome over 20 times. He’s been a featured destination speaker on hiking and walking for over 5 different cruise lines.

I’m a big advocate of active weekends, getting outdoors, and enjoying the beautiful surroundings of the Bay Area. We know that walking hills is a great form of exercise. Below Rick tells us about how we can use trekking poles to improve our fitness and our upper body strength during an outdoor hike.

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The Bay area has some of the most picturesque hiking trails in the world. The mountains surrounding the Santa Clara Valley offer many opportunities for hikers. Even if you are fit, your knees may cause you problems while hiking. Your treks downhill will test your meddle. There is not a whole lot you can do to strengthen the cartilage in your knees – yet your knees are critical to slowing you down.

Trekking poles can help with balance on hikes“Trekking poles” or “hiking poles” are ski pole-like aids worth your consideration. By using a pair of specialized poles instead of a single walking stick, you’ll feel a sense of increased stability, balance and support for your knees. If you hike without poles, you will notice that blood pools at the ends of your arms giving you “sausage fingers.” This does not occur when using poles because you are pumping blood actively with each step.

The advent of aluminum and composite materials such as carbon fiber allows manufacturers to bring lightweight poles with increased strength to the market. Most poles are less than 8-ounces each. A German company, LEKI, makes adjustable length hiking poles. This simple innovation allows you to use the poles at an optimum length for your height and for the terrain you are traversing. While the pole length is important, the wrist strap is key. By utilizing a wrist strap, your body weight is supported by the strap and not your wrist. This can prevent possible wrist pain after long hours of hiking.

Learning how to use poles optimally is easy, but often not intuitive. Optimal use enables you to achieve the many benefits. These benefits include improved balance, confidence, endurance, posture and upper body strength.

Downhill is where the poles earn their keep. Four “legs” will keep you from slipping, but most importantly the poles will absorb the downhill stoppingenergy. The tips of good poles are carbide steel and will grip into trails. You can also put rubber tips on them to reduce noise or protect sensitive surfaces.

Pole technique is important. The primary benefit during level walking is stability. When going uphill, the poles should be shortened to maintain the 90-degree angle. Keep them behind you and drag them lightly then push the tips into the ground to assist in propelling you forward. You will find that about 5% of the work is transferred from your lower body to your upper body muscles. You will feel a glow first in your triceps – that means they are doing the job. Walk with a reciprocal gait (opposite arm/leg swings) and you will get into a rhythm. I see many people bringing the poles in front of them and tapping them as they walk through them. There’s not much benefit to this technique.

Long hikes with a pack are much easier with poles as they help distribute some of the weight off your back. To go ultra-light, you can use your poles as tent supports and even a fishing rod. They are handy for hanging up wet clothing at the end of a hard day. Trekking poles are also very handy when fording streams. It’s easy to step on rocks while using the poles to securely grab the bottom as you walk across. You can cross a low flowing river while wearing river sandals and facing up stream with the poles in front to maintain balance as you move sideways. An added benefit to poles that is not publicized is that you have some level of protection in case of a run-in with dogs, snakes, spiders and other animals (or bad people). Available attachments include a device for turning your pole into a mono-pod for stable photo

If you are doing a hike that temporarily does not require the poles, they can be telescoped down and put into your backpack or attached with Velcro straps to your fanny pack. This is my method when ascending the Half Dome cables.

Trekking poles have become standard equipment for me whether hauling a pack on the Yosemite High Sierra Camps loop or on a local training hike. If you’re looking to increase your stability and improve your balance while hiking, it might be time to look into a pair of trekking poles!

Some Inspiration from “Ben” and lifeSport Boot Camp in San Jose

Sep 21, 2010

I got a newsletter from a fellow fitness pro today, and he always finds the coolest videos to share.  Today’s video was especially cool and very inspirational, and I wanted to share it with you.

As a San Jose personal trainer for over 25 years, I’ve worked with many people who are trying to lose excess body fat, tone their muscles and improve their health.  For some people, the changes that need to be made come easily.  For others, it can be harder to make sustained lifestyle changes in order to see dramatic results.

The video below shows you the dramatic results that are possible with determination, consistency and support.  It’s obvious that Ben, the young man in the video, had determination, but I also suspect his life changing results came with consistency (in nutrition as well as exercise ) and support.  It’s hard to make dramatic lifestyle changes alone—but the WILL to do it has to start with you.

Clearly, Ben has changed his life for the better.  As he says himself, he’s HAPPY now (as a mom, that part got me choked up a bit!).  Taking the emotion out of it and looking at this from a completely clinical perspective, he’s added years and quality to his life (he’s decreased his risk factors for stroke, heart disease and Type 2 diabetes).

If you’ve hit a road block in your fitness or weight loss program, watch this video.

It might just be the inspiration you need.

In our boot camps in San Jose, Campbell and Los Gatos, my instructors and I work hard to provide you with consistency and support.

If you can supply the will and determination, we’d make a great team :-).

Committed to your success,

Becky

P.S. If you need professional support to reach your fitness goals, we’d love to invite you enjoy a one week FREE trial at one of our fitness boot camps in San Jose, Campbell or Los Gatos.  Visit our boot camp webpage to request your free trial:  www.lifesportbootcamp.com

Boot Camp in San Jose Shows You How to Get More Results in Less Time!

Aug 27, 2010

It seems everybody is crazy busy these days.  It’s no wonder that many people say the one reason they don’t exercise is because they don’t have time.

We’re helping people crush that  “I have no time” excuse at our fitness boot camps in San Jose, Los Gatos and Campbell.  We’re showing people how to maximize every minute in their workouts and get MORE results in LESS time than “traditional” workouts at the gym. Many people still hang on to the notion that you need to do hours of cardio workouts every week on top of hours of weight lifting at the gym in order lose weight and be fit. Nope.  Recent research proves otherwise.

Recent studies have found that “metabolic” training, or combining strength and cardiovascular exercises together in a circuit format, are very effective for fat loss.  Studies have also found that interval training (combining periods of high intensity exercise with segments of lower intensity exercise), is very effective for fat loss and muscle preservation.

The cool thing about these types of workouts is that they’re typically SHORTER workouts than the traditional gym workout during which a person does a cardio workout for 30-60 minutes followed by a strength training workout for another 30-45 minutes.  I’m “Crazy Busy” just like everyone else in Silicon Valley.  If I can work out and get the results I want in LESS time, I’m all for it!

What does a “metabolic” workout look like?  Well, the sky is the limit, but here are a couple of examples from some of our recent workouts:

At our boot camp in Downtown San Jose we created of circuit of jump  squats, push ups, hopping through an agility ladder, standing rows and alternating lunges.  We did the exercises at each station for 50 seconds, took a rest for 10 seconds, and the moved on to the next station.  We did this circuit for three rounds.This workout developed upper and lower body strength, lower body power and cardiovascular fitness–in a FRACTION of the time of a typical workout at the gym.

Next week at our evening boot camp in Los Gatos, we’ll put our campers through an obstacle course during which they’ll lunge, jump, push things, pull things, and step up on things while they move around the park we use.  It’s a full body workout that combines strength work, cardiovascular conditioning and includes functional movements (squatting, stepping, pulling, pushing) that we do as humans in every day life.  This type of a workout burns massive calories, boosts our metabolism for hours after the workout and helps us perform and move better on a daily basis.

Aside from the physical benefits that interval training affords us, creating the variety that we do in all our boot camps in the Bay Area keeps the FUN in fitness.

Now, if you like running on a treadmill for an hour, or doing a little “aerobic magazine reading” on the elliptical, well that’s fine.  But if you’re trying to boost your metabolism, shed some body fat, and maximize every moment of your workout, give metabolic training a try!

Want to experience a non-gym workout?  Try a lifeSport Fitness boot camp in San Jose, Los Gatos or Campbell today!

Not sure if boot camp is for you?  To request  a FREE one-week trial, please log on to: http://www.lifesportbootcamp.com

Committed to your fitness success,

Becky

Four Tips for Maintaining Your Motivation to Work Out

May 07, 2010

I think the “How do I stay motivated to exercise?” question is probably one of the top 5 questions every fitness professional is asked time and time again.  I will admit that as a personal trainer in San Jose for over 25 years, I have answered this question many different ways.  It’s not that I’m changing my mind or philosophy—it’s that what  motivates an individual to exercise (or do anything, for that matter) is  unique to their personality.  Every client may get a different answer based on what I know about them, how they think, and what’s  important to them.  We’re all motivated in different ways by different things, but I’ll share with you here some ideas that might help you discover what motivates you.

If you’re searching for ways to help motivate yourself to stick with a regular exercise program, a great first step is to ask yourself why you want to exercise in the first place!  Is it to look better?  Feel better? Lose weight?  Decrease your back pain?  Because your doctor told you to?  Because you’re paying for a gym membership you don’t use? What’s your “WHY”? Write it down.  Look at it.  Is it important?  Does it move you?  If it doesn’t–there’s the reason you’re not exercising regularly :-).

Let’s assume you’ve got at least one important reason why you want to exercise regularly, and it really does move you. Write it down and  post it somewhere where you can see it.  If it’s at the top of your mind, it’s more likely to move you to action.

Next, you need to figure out what inspires you. This is where it gets tricky. You really need to put some thought into this.  Some of us are inspired by recognition, some by money, some by social connections/relationships, and some by achievement/accomplishment.  What inspires YOU?  If you can figure this out, you’re that much closer to harnessing what may motivate you to keep exercising.  Finding your “why” and understanding what inspires you to do things are the first two steps toward maintaining the motivation to exercise.

Once  you’ve found your “why” and you’ve done a little self-discovery to understand what inspires you, put into play some processes that will boost your motivation.  Here are a few ideas:

1). If social support and connections are important, consider getting an exercise buddy, joining a  club (running, rowing, fencing–whatever your thing is!),  or maybe joining my fitness boot camp in San Jose (yeah, you knew I was going to have to throw in a boot camp plug somewhere!),

2). If recognition is important to you, tell friends and family about your fitness goals and what you plan to achieve.  Take “before” pictures and measurements, and set goals for what you want to achieve for your “after” photos.  There’s nothing like a little social accountability to keep you focused on your goal!

3). If a sense of accomplishment inspires you , sign up for a footrace or another athletic event for which you must train or practice.   Having a race or event date is a fabulous way to remain focused on a goal.  At this time of year, there are dozens of 5k, 10k, 1/2 marathons and marathons  you can enter.  How about a triathlon?  A bike race?  Here in Silicon Valley, the sky is the limit.   Sign up for something!

4).  If money is important to you, consider making a bet with someone.  In order to win, you have to accomplish a fitness goal or perhaps work out a certain number of time per week for a certain length of time. It’s that old accountability thing, combined with something that motivates you to take action— money.  Another way you could use money as motivation is to put a few bucks in jar each time you work out.  After a few months, you’ll be able to treat yourself to some little luxury (maybe some spa  treatments or new workout gear!).

In a perfect world, we’d all have the motivation to work out without having to put  “carrots” in front of ourselves.  But, the world isn’t perfect, and neither are we.  Sometimes we all need a kick in the pants to exercise more, eat a little better and take better care of ourselves.

Hopefully one of these tips will be the kick in the pants you need help you maintain your motivation to work out.

If you have found certain things that help you maintain your motivation to exercise, share them by posting a comment!

Committed to your fitness success,

Becky

How To Build The Ultimate Circuit Training Workout For Rapid Fat Loss

Nov 24, 2009

In the past, the cornerstone of most resistance training workouts has been performing exercises in a straight set format. Essentially, this means you perform a certain number of reps for a certain number of sets of  a given exercise, and then you rest anywhere from 30 seconds to five minutes based on your training goals before repeating this set/rep combo again. This is actually a traditional body builder program.  There’s nothing really wrong with it, and most “regular” folks you see at the gym are doing just this type of a program.  If they’ve got 60-90 minutes to get their strength workout and their cardiovascular training in,  and they’re getting the results they want, well then, they should probably keep doing what they’re doing!  However, there is a quicker way to get a great workout in.

A much more effective and time-efficient approach to ordering your exercises is utilizing the alternating set format. Here you’ll perform one exercise, rest for a very short period of time, then perform another non-competing exercise, rest for a short period of time, and so forth. Alternating sets allow you to work different areas of your body when you would otherwise be resting with the straight set format. Plus, by working another area of your body with a non-competing exercise you allow your body to recover from the previous exercise(s). The result is improved training economy and density: more work accomplished in less time, the cornerstone of any sound fat loss program.

There are several ways to perform alternating sets outlined below:

1.)   Supersets: Alternate between two different non-competing exercises (e.g. upper body and lower body such as push-ups and lunges). I really like this format and use it for my personal training customers in San Jose, as well as for many of my own workouts.

2.)   Trisets: Alternate between three different exercises (e.g. push, pull, and lower body such as push-ups, rows, and lunges).

3.)   Circuits: Alternate between four or more different exercises

Though supersets and trisets are excellent alternating set options, I believe circuit training is by the far the best option for time-crunched recreational exercisers who want to boost their metabolism and decrease body fat . That’s one reason why we  incorporate a strength/cardio circuit into about 90% of our monthly bootcamp workouts in San Jose and Los Gatos.  They incinerate calories, as well as develop lean muscle and cardiovascular endurance.

Here’s an example of a 6 station cardio/strength circuit:

Exercise#1- Jump rope

Exercise#2- Dips

Exercise#3- High knee jog in place

Exercise#4- Pull-ups  (if you don’t have a pull up bar, you can do an inverted row at home by putting a broomstick across two chairs)

Exercise#5- Fast lateral shuffle

Exercise#6:  Push ups

Exercise at each station for 1 minute, and take a 10-15 second recovery break between each station.  At the cardio stations (1, 3, and 5) you’ll go “all out” for one minute.  At the strength stations (2,4, and 6), perform sets of 8-12 repetitions of the exercise, and then take a brief rest.  Beginners might get in 2 sets, advanced folks might get in 4 sets during the 60 second time frame (due to less rest time).

Perform this circuit up to four times for an excellent fat burning workout.

The key to creating the optimal hormonal environment for fat loss is to perform each exercise with maximal intensity while separated by brief rest periods in order to accumulate a high volume of total body work in the shortest amount of time possible. Circuit training provides for the best of both worlds and is thus simply unmatched for simultaneously maximizing fat loss and lean muscle gain.

When you’re short on time (and who isn’t these days!), nothing beats a high intensity circuit training workout.

Committed to your success,

Becky

Lose Weight in San Jose with a New Thanksgiving Fitness Tradition

Nov 19, 2009

So many people associate Thanksgiving Day (one of my favorite holidays, by the way) with weight gain.  It’s just ONE day, people!

Yes, a lot of us eat more than we should on Thanksgiving (this San Jose fitness professional included).  And, yes, overeating is not healthy.  But again, I say—it’s just ONE day! Let it go.  Enjoy the day. Eat some of the foods you enjoy.  Spend time with people you love.  Be thankful you have legs that get you where you want to go and a heart that is pumping blood to the muscles in your legs.

That said, I do have a challenge for you:  If you don’t do this already, begin a tradition of doing some sort of healthy activity on Thankgiving Day. Your body will thank you for it, and my guess is, you’re going to have some fun doing it!

When I was a kid, my family  and I spent many of our Thanksgiving celebrations with another family  in Palo Alto. Although dinner at our friends’ home was a formal affair, we’d arrive at their home early in the afternoon in our jeans and tennies and head out to the hills around Stanford University for a  walk in the hills. The air was usually chilly and brisk, and we’d have tons of fun running around and laughing. I always enjoyed that part of the day.

Fast forward to today, and my husband, kids and I have created our own traditions.  I now cook the Thanksgiving meal, but I plan my cooking  chores so that I have time to go to the gym or do a quick interval workout at a local track with my dog.  The rest of my family heads out to Willow Glen High School for the annual family “Turkey Bowl”.  Organized by a brother-in-law, this is a traditional (almost) touch foot ball game with about 20 friends and family members ranging in age from about 8 to 50. I usually head over to the game after my workout to get a few pictures.  It’s a fun time and so far, nobody has ended up in the ER (a few of the more “seasoned” athletes have ended up on ice for a few days, though).

Here’s the point:  Yes, Thanksgiving is all about the food. But, how about organizing some sort of traditional activity that your whole family can do? We have some great venues her in San Jose for  outdoor leisure activities whether you’re a recovering couch potato or a seasoned athlete.  Those who don’t want to move too vigorously might enjoy  a walk around Discovery Meadow or Christmas in the Park.  Athletic types could play a few games of tennis at Willow Street Park.  The competitive types could run or walk the Applied Materials Silicon Valley Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning.

We all have choices in how we spend our time.  I believe that Thanksgiving is all about good food, friends and family.  There’s absolutely no reason that some physical activity can’t be part of the equation—even if you’re the cook, like me.

Do you have a Thanksgiving family tradition that involves a healthy activity?  Share it here in the comments section!

My best to you and yours this Thanksgiving.

Becky

How Do You Get Rid of “Love Handles”?

Oct 25, 2009

Well, it’s not by doing tons of abdominal crunches.  Sorry. Don’t shoot the messenger!

“Love handles”, those little rolls of fat at your waistline, are often the last thing to go when you’re on a fat loss program.  As I’ve mentioned before at this blog, WHERE you hold your body fat is determined in large part by your genetics. However, HOW MUCH body fat you have is almost a direct correlation to to how you live your life:  your calorie intake, your exercise activities, and even your choices of exercise activities.

If you’re battling with your love handles–or you’re struggling to lose your last 5-10 pounds, here are some ideas that will help you win the battle:

–Replace some of your longer, moderate intensity cardio workouts with shorter, high intensity interval training workouts. You’ll burn more calories in an interval training workout and you’ll also stoke your metabolism to burn more calories for a few hours after your workout it over.  Some studies have shown that high intensity interval training may help reduce abdominal obesity.

-Decrease  your consumption of sugary treats and beverages. We’re not sure why, but there seems to be a correlation between  high sugar consumption and fat accumulation in the belly.  This is the one time where genetics isn’t the only thing putting stored fat around your waistline!  So, cut down on added sugar wherever possible.  If you want to take it a step further, cut down on processed carbohydrates in general (white bread, white rice, cakes, cookies, etc.) , and switch to whole grain carbohydrates eaten in moderation.

-Strength train. And, no, I’m not talking dozens of side bends (spot reducing doesn’t work, remember??).  I advocate strength training for lots of reasons.  With regard to the “love handles” issue, my reason is this:  Regular strength training (done right)  increases your resting metabolic rate over time.   Choose exercises that work several muscle groups/joints at a time like squats, lunges, deadlifts, push ups and pull ups.  Lift or push enough weight so that your muscles become extremely fatigued.  This creates “protein turnover”, or muscle rebuilding.  This protein turnover stuff requires energy  (calories) and results in more muscle mass over time.

-Make sure the fat you add to your diet is good fat.  Choose monounsaturated fats such as olive oil, nut butters, and canola oil as your sources of added at.  Mono-unsaturated fats are heart healthy fats.  Some studies have shown that consumption of mono-unsaturated fats decreases abdominal obesity in individuals who carry excess fat in their bellies.

-Add in two more servings of vegetables every day. Okay, so I’m fibbing a little bit here.  I don’t know of any studies that have shown eating more veggies every day will decrease the size of your love handles.  However, most of us don’t eat enough veggies.  Chances are, if you add in two more servings of veggies every day, you may decrease your consumption of some not-so-good for you foods.  In addition, by eating more veggies you’ll increase your vitamin and mineral intake and your fiber intake for the day.  All good things to do for your body.

I could probably add another 3-5 bullet points here, but let’s keep it at a manageable five for now.

The bottom line is this:  You CAN decrease the size of your love handles.  Side bends and ab crunches won’t do it.  A slightly negative energy balance (fewer calories IN than OUT), good food, and smart exercise WILL get you there.

Have you decreased the size of your love handles recently?  Please share your success here by leaving a comment!

Committed to your success,

Becky

Weekend Workout for San Jose and Campbell Boot Camps

Jul 31, 2009

July was a great month at our San Jose and Campbell boot camps.  Thanks so much for being a part of them! Please remember to fill out your feedback forms. We really do read them.  In fact, you received an email recently that highlights some pricing options we’re test driving in August. This is a result of customer feedback.

I’ve uploaded a weekend workout for you.  This workout combines short bursts of high intensity cardio work with some full body strength exercises.  When you’re short on time, this is a great workout format.

After a good warm up, perform the cardio intervals for 60-120 seconds at a high intensity (how long you go depends on your fitness level).  Perform 15 repetitions of the strength moves, or as many as you can up to fifteen. Complete the circuit 3-5 times.

The video is only 2 1/2 minutes long, but in case you can’t wait for it to load, here it is in writing:

Jump Rope

“Spiderman” push ups (Beginners:  do these on your knees)

Fast lateral shuffles

Bulgarian Split Squats (15 on each side)

“Quick feet”

Inverted row** (Beginners:  bend your knees)

**If you can’t set this up at home, do triceps dips. Dips work different muscles, but it’s something you can do at  home with no equipment.

If you need some visual aides (and you want to see how “Noah the Wonder Dog” gets into nearly every dang frame of the video) here ya go………….

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruVfHcBXuoc[/youtube]

Don’t forget to cool down, stretch, and drink water after your workout.

A special challenge to anyone who is currently enrolled in an August boot camp:  The first two campers to post a comment here that they have completed the workout win a Prograde Craver! .  In your comment, tell me how  many rounds you did and how long it took you.  Cravers delivered to camp next week :-).

Have  great weekend!

Becky

Here’s How You Can Burn More Calories Per Workout!

Jun 02, 2009

Grab your mp3 during your cardio workouts and crank up the tunes!  Yep, that’s right.  Music may help you burn more calories when  during cardio workouts (or interval cardio workouts, if you’re a follower of my recommendations).  A recent study has shown that when exercisers listened to up-tempo music they worked out at a harder intensity and burned more calories.  So, if you’re not currently listening to music during your workouts, try some high octane,  up-tempo music during your next cardio workout.

Thanks to everyone who turned in an evaluation form at camp last month.  Seems you guys want some more music variety.  Truth be told, I was told by my Willow Glen campers this morning (my “Fit and  Fabulous over 40 ” group) that I’ve gotta quit it with the oldies!  Ok, Ok, I’ve heard ya.  I’ll be bustin’ out the rap music on Thursday ;-).

So, campers, what DO you want to hear at  your camp???  Jackie and I will be happy to make custom playlists of the stuff you want to hear—but you need to let us know what  you want!  So, let’s hear it here in the comments section.  What specific songs?  Specific artists?  Music genres? 

Leave a comment in the comment section located below and give us your music ideas.  

Let’s burn some serious calories this month at camp!

Committed to your success,

Becky