Blog Archives
31 Days of Motivation: No Regrets
We’ve all done it – those moments we realize we coulda, woulda, shoulda. So, how can we improve? Next time we make a decision, we ask ourself “Could I? Would I? Should I?”
Making NO Decision is Still Making A Decision
I think many of us are not making bad decisions as much as we are making NO decisions. If we stop to think about what we are doing, we typically know the right thing to do. However, most of the time, we rush into things or live on the fly, without stopping to ask ourself if we are making the best decision. Every time I ask myself “could I, would I, should I?”, I make MUCH better decisions – purposeful decisions, instead of impulse decisions.
Even the smallest decisions are decisions we can regret. From whether we should run or not (Spoiler Alert: The answer is almost always yes) or we should eat “this or that”, sometimes we just need to stop and really think about what we are doing. If we are honest with ourselves. We’ll make more decisions we can be proud of – and less decisions we regret.
Nothing Changes If Nothing Changes
Here is a simple concept: “Nothing changes if nothing changes”. WOW! What a revelation! I’m sure you already knew that, but I bet you haven’t always practiced what you’ve known. We complain about so many things in our life, yet many of us do nothing to make them better. Our job frustrates us, but we don’t work to improve it or find another job. Our marriage can be a mess, but we are too busy to get the help we need to fix it. Or, our weight is out of control, and we just keep doing what we always do, hoping someday it will change. How retarded is that?
I believe many of us get caught in this vicious cycle because we let our life direct us, instead of us directing our life. We live in survival mode, paycheck to paycheck, day to day, always thinking “if I can just get through this, I will..”. I’ve got news for you. You will never “get through this”. Sure, you might get through this particular trial, this season, this certain difficulty or this day, but as soon as you get through “this”, there will always be another “this” waiting for you.
What are you waiting for?
You have a decision to make. You can keep waiting for a better time to work on the things you know you need to be working on, and live in denial, waiting for life to be easier and your schedule to open up so you can make your dreams come true. OR, you can accept the fact that there is no good time to get healthy, get your life right, fix a relationship or get a better job. Honestly, NOW is the ONLY time that is right.
Believe me, I know. I have put off friendships, vacations, family, marriage, kids and many other opportunities for YEARS, under the assumption that there would be a “better time”. Now, I am 41 years old and I realize that time will NEVER come.
Procrastination: The thief of dreams
• If I want more time with the ones I love,
I can’t wait for time to open up, I have to open my time up.
• If I want to lose weight and get in better shape,
I can’t wait for the right time to work on it, I have to work on making the right time to do it.
• If I want to make more money or get a better job,
I can’t hope someone notices & values me, I have to work hard to be noticed & valued.
• If I want a better marriage,
I can’t wait for a magical moment, I have to create magical moments.
• If I want to get my life on the right track,
I can’t wait for my life to straighten out before I start working on it, I have to work on it (while it’s completely a mess) to begin straightening it out.
Our life will NEVER change unless we change it. What are some of the things you want to change? Are you doing what you need to do to make those changes? If not, you are wasting precious time. You don’t have to wait for change – make it.
Today’s Fitness Mantra:
What’s Black and Blue, and Knobby all Over? The Newest, Toughest, Craziest Shoe to Hit the Ground
If you own a truck or a jeep, and you want to go in the mud, you put big knobby tires on it. So, why not put big knobby tread on your feet? Right? Well, that’s what Reebok is saying – and I’m digging it!
I was checking out the new ATV 19+ all-terrain tennis shoe from Reebok and saw this video (below) with MMA fighter, Rampage Jackson (who also played Mr. T in the movie remake of the A-Team). I have to admit, Reebok surprised me by using one of the toughest fighters to launch this new futuristic looking shoe. But, hey, I guess a tough guy for a tough shoe does make sense. But an even bigger surprise was their humorous approach to market this shoe.
Instead of going with the traditional serious “I’m a tough athlete who trains harder than you” approach, showing a celeb athlete do things we can’t even do in our dreams (much less real life), they took the fun approach – and it was totally refreshing. Way to go Reebok for making fitness fun. Thank you Rampage (and “rock boy”) for giving us a laugh. Good stuff! :)
I look forward to trying out this shoe! While the big lugs look a bit crazy, I’m just a little crazy too! Mud, gravel, rain, snow, grass, rocks, sand, woods – here I come!
What do you think? Would you wear this shoe?
30 Days of Motivation: No Gym, No Problem
Since I have many new followers, I wanted to pull out one of my favorite workouts to share with you. Many people tell me they either workout at home, or they travel a lot and have to workout on the road. Well, if you thought not being a member to a gym was a good excuse, it’s not! Although a gym can definitely boost results and give you more tools to help you reach your goal, you most definitely can do some serious damage at home – just with your body weight. Here is a workout that demonstrates how 4 simple exercises can kick your butt. Enjoy!!
Click on the workout below to view the matching video with Steve.
Get more of these workouts at http://www.DoBCx.com. View this workout at http://goo.gl/j26k8.
30 Days of Motivation: Quit Quitting
This was a mantra Steve just created and, I loved it so much, I just HAD to put it in my 30 days of motivation. Be encouraged! If you are tempted to give up, remember this mantra. Plus, you’ll never regret trying, but you will always regret quitting.
#getafterit this weekend!
30 Days of Motivation: Your Grass Could Be Greener Too
When I was growing up, I always said “the grass may be greener on the other side, but it still has to be mowed”. I have no idea what made me think of that, but I remember as a kid knowing that just because something looked better didn’t mean it didn’t require work.
Like our yard, our body is a direct reflection of how well we take care of it. We can nourish it, sculpt it, cut away dead grap, get rid of the garbage and maintain it to look exactly how we want it to look. OR, we can ignore it and let it grow out of control, unshapely and malnourished.
Next time you see a physique you like (like this smoking hot mystery chick I found), remember you could most likely look like that too if you took as good of care of your body as they did.
:)
50 Go-To Exercises for Your Gym Routine
It’s easy to walk into a gym like ours and completely be overwhelmed with equipment. To be honest, it would even intimidate me if I was seeing it for the first time. As a result, many members don’t venture out much. They just use what they know – no matter how little that is. So, it’s time to start working out with more purpose, so you can get the best results possible.
In Tuesday’s blog, “How to Set an Effective Workout Schedule” I talk about varies ways to break up body parts so you can design a workout based on your schedule. Well, as promised, today I will be giving you a hit list of exercises you can use in your routine.
First, in this list, I categorize exercises by body part, with the largest muscle groups first. When you are lifting weights, you don’t want to work your small muscle groups before you work your large muscle groups – because your small muscles will be too tired to lift the heavier weight required to work the larger ones. Large muscle groups include chest, back and legs. Small muscle groups typically refer to all your arm muscles.
Next, you’ll notice that in each group, I first list one exercise that doesn’t require equipment (if possible). I also list alternative machines or tools to help you find what works with what you have access to. Now realize, there are SOOOO many more, but these 50+ exercises are the most common – and good for starting a beginner to even advanced routine.
If you are doing a full-body workout, you may only choose 2-3 exercises per body part, and only do 2-3 sets of each (depending on your time). If you are working out several times a week, and breaking up body parts more, you may do all the exercises in each specific body group for that day for 3-5 sets to add intensity, and extend the length of your workout.
Lastly, rest time is super important. You can take a very basic workout and majorly boost intensity if you reduce your rest time. We use the GymBoss Interval Timers (set at 30 seconds on and 30 seconds off) at our club so our members are being pushed to work hard and rest little.
So that brings me to reps. You can do 12-15 reps for upper body and 15-20 reps for lower body OR you can use the interval timer to go as hard and fast as possible and not even worry about counting. Just remember, if you could do a few more reps, you likely need to up your weight.
Top 50 Exercises:
OK, so here you go! Here are 50 different exercises mentioned below with some tips to help you design your workout schedule. (PS: It’s actually more than 50 exercises, but TOP 50 sounded better than Top 51. Ha!)
CHEST:
Push Ups
Barbell or dumbbell Bench Press (flat bench)
Incline Dumbbell or Machine Chest Press
Dumbbell Fly (Pec Dec Machine or Cable Crossovers)
Do at least 1 pree & 1 fly
BACK:
Pull Ups or Assisted Pull Ups
Wide Grip Lat Pull Downs (preferably with wide bar)
Seated Row Machine
Bent Over Row (dumbbells or barbell)
Do at least 1 wide grip & 1 close grip.
LEGS:
Squats (Air Squat or Barbell Squat, hits all muscles)
Leg Press Machine (hits all muscles)
Walking Lunges (dumbbells, quads and glutes)
Leg Extension Machine (hits quads)
Leg Curl Machine (prone/lying, seated and/or standing, hamstrings)
Straight Leg Deadlifts (Dumbbells or Barbells, for hamstrings)
Weighted Calf Raises (or Calf Raise Machine)
Do at least 1 exercise per body part (quads, hams, glutes)
SHOULDERS:
Handstand Push Up or Pike Press
Military Press with Barbell or Shoulder Press Machine
Arnold Presses or Shoulder press with dumbbells
Upright Rows
Lateral Raises
Rear Delt Raise (or Reverse Fly or Reverse Pec Dec Machine)
Do at least 1 press, 1 raise (front or lateral) and the rear raise.
TRICEPS:
Dips (or Bench Dips)
Tricep Pullovers (with dumbbell or curl bar)
Tricep Press (on cable with bar, V handle or rope)
Tricep Kickbacks
Do at least 2 exercises.
BICEPS:
(Equipment needed)
Straight Bar Curl
Preacher Curl or Bicep Curl Macine
Dumbbell Curl
Concentration Curls
Do at least 2 exercises.
ABS:
Traditional Sit Ups
Crunches
Weighted Crunches
Bicycle Crunches
Leg Raises or Hanging Knee Raise (advanced) for lower abs
Oblique Crunch (sides/obliques)
Choose 2-3 exercises.
LOW BACK & CORE:
Plank
Side Plank
Back Extension or Ham/Glute Developer Machine
(PS – I don’t like the way this exercises is demonstrated, but it can give you an idea)
Choose at least one.
Remember to read: “How to Set an Effective Workout Schedule” for help on scheduling your workout schedule for the week.
Have fun, train with confidence & #getafterit!
30 Days of Motivation: It’s Time to Get Energized!
One common excuse for not working out is “I’m too tired” or “I just don’t have enough energy”. Well, I have news for you, you will always be tired, and have no energy, unless you start working out. You reap what you sow.
Have you heard it takes money to make money? This same principle applies to fitness too. Well it takes energy to make more energy. And, also like money, if you do a whole lot of nothing, you get a whole lot of nothing (no energy).
People who workout often times find that they are busier, and do even more than they did when they didn’t workout. Why? Because they now have the energy to do more. They have the energy to be more productive and they have the energy to go to the gym after a long hard day at work. BUT, they had to start somewhere – and I’m sure, before they got all that energy, they too were tired and unmotivated.
If you want an active life, you need to get more active! #getafterit
30 Days of Motivation: What is Your Decision?
Not deciding to make a decision to get fit is making the decision to stay the same today. The problem is, as each day passes, you continue to get more and more out of shape – as well as waste valuable time you could be making progress. Unfortunately, if you don’t make a decision to start today, six months from now you will look back and realize how far you would have gotten if you just had acted on your desire to change your life today.
The decision you make today is not just about what you are doing within this 24 hour period – it’s what you are STARTING, and how your decision will impact your future.
Don’t make decisions (or NOT make decisions) you will regret later. Make yourself proud.
30 Days of Motivation: How to Set an Effective Workout Schedule
As one of our members came in to the club today, I asked her “what are you training today?” She said she didn’t know yet. Although this member knew what she was doing and could easily come up with a good workout, it made me think of all the people who drive all the way from work to the gym without even the slightest consideration of what they are going to do once they get there.
“If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.“
How can you succeed without a plan? How motivated could you possibly be to go to the gym if you have no idea what you are going to do when you get there? You need a plan!
The problem is, many people don’t know HOW to plan an effective workout program. They don’t know what muscles to work, and how often to train. So, I decided to post a few examples to beginners with scheduling an effective workout routine. But before I share those, here are a few tips! NOTE: There are a ton of great variations, but the following workout schedules are just a few ideas to help give you some ideas.
5 Weight Training Tips
TIP #1: Save your small muscle groups (like arms) for the last part of the week, and do your large muscle groups (like chest, back or legs) for the first of the week.
TIP #2: You need at least one day of rest before working the same body part.
TIP #3: You can do abs everyday, but weighted abs will require a day of rest, just like other weight training.
TIP #4: Try to workout every body part twice a week.
TIP #5: Just because you are sore, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t workout. If you are still sore from an earlier workout, the best thing to do is stay active. Either do a light workout, or do some cardio – and drink lots of water to help flush out the toxins. Whatever you do, don’t stay still. It will only make it worse.
Sample Workout Schedules:
3 Days a Week Beginner Workout
If you only have 3 days a week, then make the best of it with this simple full-body workout.
Do a full-body workout three days a week, like Monday, Wednesday, Friday. For example, a body toning class is a great choice for a beginner because you’ll learn a ton of moves in class from a pro. Local Vero Beach peeps, try Paula‘s FIRM body toning classes or MaxFit classes at Max Fitness. Even Shannon‘s Power yoga class is a great one to strengthen your body and tone up.
4 Days a Week Option 1 Beginner
Monday: Upper Body
Tuesday: Lower Body
Thursday: Upper Body
Friday: Lower Body
4 Days a Week Option 2 Advanced
Monday: Chest, Triceps
Tuesday: Back and Biceps
Wednesday: Legs and Shoulders
Thursday: Abs and Cardio
5 Days a Week
Monday: Chest & Abs
Tuesday: Back
Wednesday: Legs
Thursday: Shoulders
Friday: Arms
5 Days a Week
Monday: Chest & Back
Tuesday: Legs
Wednesday: Shoulders
Thursday: Arms
Friday: Light Full Body Functional Workout (Multi-joint movement like squat press, overhead walking lunges, push-ups, pull-ups, etc. Be sure to subscribe to get more on this topic!
Tomorrow I will give you a list of the most common and reliable exercises to include in your routine. We’ll keep it simple, but I promise, it will be effective!
NOTE: Max Members have access to over 100 different workout routines. Just ask our staff to help you choose a workout to follow!
