Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Keeping the Workouts Going




Consistency may be the most vital part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. There are so many excuses we can give ourselves each day to not work out. I hate to say it, but most of those excuses are the result of us being lazy and not prioritizing the time in our day. However, for the days when "something comes up"  and the time budgeted for the gym is lost, that doesn't mean you have to give up on physical activity all together. Here is a quick routine that can be done at home, no weights, no machines, just you... and maybe some good music.


The circuit should take any where from 5 - 8 minutes. If you would like a more advanced challenge, try each exercise for the longer duration provided. These exercises require the body to work in full. There is an emphasis on core, and the idea is to get your heart rate up by executing each exercise quick with only 15-30 seconds rest in between.

It is recommended to do each circuit 3 times, but feel free to do more!!! It all depends on your schedule.

Remember.. the goal is to keep your body moving. Not every workout is going to be a killer, and conversely, they aren't always going to be easy. It's more important that your body is physically challenged throughout your week and life. Any workout is better than no workout!!

At Home Routine

plank 30-60 sec
bridges- 30-60 sec
mountain climbers- 45-90 sec
jumping jacks- 90 - 120 sec
bicycle kicks- 45- 60 sec
superman- 30 - 45 sec
pushups - 45- 60 sec






Plank


Bridges

Mountain Climbers


Bicycle Kicks


Jumping Jacks

Superman




If you have any questions about the routine or want some more at-home exercises feel free top post a comment or email us at Info@PriorityFitnessTraining.com

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

New Year Reso-huh?

It's been over 6 weeks since most of us have decided to change our old habits, adapt new ones, and transition the year of 2009 into a new beginning. The gyms were packed, the effort was through the roof, the plan was in action. Our ambition was inspiring, unfortunately it was also unrealistic. That brings us to today. The local Y has slowed down, the cardio machines in gyms aren’t as packed, and the winter hibernation is in effect until warmer weather.

Why did we stop?!? Maybe it’s because living a healthy lifestyle is not a sprint… It’s a long distance race that requires gradual increases in intensity and duration. Every step forward should be manageable and realistic. Most New Year resolutions consist of such harsh lifestyle changes, that they turn into “resolution sprints”. Typically, the end result is burning ourselves out as we drop everything dissatisfied.

It’s not too late to hop back in the saddle! Give yourself a quick flashback of how you felt Jan 1. What were your goals? Was it working out 5 days a week? Eating 5-6 small meals a day? Most importantly, think about the result of your goal. Maybe intensifying your workout sessions will help you get that 6-pack you always wanted. Perhaps increasing your meal frequency will help you lose the 10 lbs that has been haunting you for the past 3 years. Think about the big picture and make that your new “resolution”. Want to gain some muscle? If you’re working out only 2 times a week, set a date to add a 3rd time. Once that is manageable, set a new date for a 4th time. Maybe you’ll make it to your original New Year resolution of training 5 days a week. Even if you don’t, you’ll still be taking steps forward (rather than an original leap that was unreachable!). Instead of waiting for the summer or spring to exercise or eat right, you will be more active and can continue the consistent lifestyle changes that are already in progress.

So try this new technique out. Make a backwards calendar. Start with your desired goal and write down (on paper!) a realistic date of when you want to accomplish it. Now you can start working backwards by setting more dates of smaller goals that will help reach your initial one. Does it make sense? Is it realistic? Be honest with yourself and double check to see if the progression is at the right rate for you. It doesn’t matter if your final goal takes weeks or months. As long as you are doing something and are taking strives toward where you want to be…. it’s worth it. There’s an old quote that somebody once told me. “It means nothing unless we act upon it”. Think about it. Make this year’s goal worth something….

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Welcome to the first Priority Fitness Blog- Benjamin Kessel, Co-Founder

Welcome to my first blog! On behalf of myself and Priority Fitness, the objective of these posts is not to reinvent the wheel of fitness. Today, fitness is such a strong element in our lives, and is represented (or misrepresented) in the media through supplements, fad diets, "health" magazines, and so much more. Some of that stuff is great, however, there are plenty of things that I, as a trainer, find myself questioning... Why not write blogs about it?!? I hope that everybody who reads this blog (and the many more to come!) can look at fitness in a different light... maybe even learn some cool new things too. I encourage as much feedback as possible. This blog is for everybody, so feel free to follow up!