Many people struggle to find the motivation to exercise. Whether they are conscious of their capability, in need of peer pressure, or just haven’t found a workout that suits them, getting to the gym can be a battle. A new group fitness app, so appropriately named Gritness, is working to help make fitness more of a fun and interactive experience. The app allows you to search by location and the type of exercise you are seeking to find fitness options around you. Exercises vary from running, cycling, climbing and even fitness facilities in the area. You can see what other groups have formed in your area or you can start your own and other app users can join you. This app is a great way for people to learn more about the fitness opportunities near them as well as a way to meet new people with similar goals who can motivate and encourage you to reach your full potential. The app has gone global so even when you are on vacation you can use the app to find physical activities that you can enjoy in a new place with new people, so no excuses!
Most people who focus on healthy eating and exercise do so with the intention of achieving a happier and healthier self. We tend to want to find the fastest and easiest solution to have the body we are proud to flaunt on the beach, however dedication to dieting and fitness is time consuming and often costly. So it is not uncommon for people to focus more on one method for a healthier lifestyle. Therefore it is important to consider whether one method is more significant in achieving a healthier body and mind. Often people who dedicate themselves to dieting will see lower body mass than people who focus solely on fitness, however this does not mean that they are in better shape. While dieting will help reduce fat and calorie intake, exercise helps to burn these undesirables while also building muscle which in turn will add to the body mass. Exercise alone will not give you the body image you are seeking. The individuals who select fitness as their path to slim down and shape up often will focus less on what they are eating because they often justify the calories with the workout they did that day. However it is very unlikely that a person has enough time in the day to burn off all the calories that they take in. So if you are looking to lose pounds quickly dieting will help you achieve that but if you are looking to gain more definition and have a toned physique then emphasis on fitness is necessary. Of course a balance of both is the ideal option and will help you reach become in better shape as well as healthier and less at risk for disease. But if you find that time and money is restricting you and you have to limit your abilities then make sure you know what your goal is and choose the method that will best help you to reach that.
In order to gain the most from a work out it is essential to try to maintain your target heart rate. The target heart rate is the number of heart beats per minute you should achieve while exercising. Each person’s target heart rate helps to determine their fitness level and by keeping their target heart rate in check a person is able to avoid under or over training, both of which severely effects the quality of the work out. Under-training happens when a person’s heart rate is too low which results in a low intensity work out. If a person is not working to their body’s potential, there is no way they can burn enough calories to result in weight loss nor can they get up the endurance to build strength. Individuals who under-train will take significantly longer to see the results they desire.
Over-training can be just as dangerous. People who exceed their target heart rate are pushing themselves past their body’s fitness level, which can lead to dehydration putting you at risk for dizziness and possible fainting. If a person consistently over-trains they are at risk for infection or chronic pain.
The best way to avoid either of these scenarios is to continuously monitor your heart rate throughout a work out. Start each work out with some form of cardio and work your way up to your target heart rate. The treadmill, elliptical and the bike are all great examples of how to do this and they often have a sensor that will determine your heart rate for you making it that much easier to track. Constant motion during a workout will keep your heart rate at the optimal level. One small adjustment to your workout that will help keep you moving and your heart rate up is to do a 3 set rotation of a few different exercises doing only one rep at a time. This way you break up reps by walking from one exercise to the next which keeps you active rather than pausing in place and allowing your heart rate to drop. No matter what method you use, make sure to monitor your heart rate to gain the most out of your work out!
In the past few years CrossFit, Tough Mudders and Warrior Dashes have inspired people to become more active. Now you can have a front row seat to watch as people who have dedicated themselves to fitness compete. The National Pro Grid League is a league made up of eight charter member teams one of which is Boston Iron. These teams will compete in front of a paying audience at an event called Grid where they will complete isolated exercises and varied activities such as rope climbing and box jumps. The Boston Iron is kicking off the competition at Tsongas Center in Lowell against the Miami Surge this Sunday and the outcome is still unpredictable. General admission cost is $25 and front row seats are $75. The CrossFit Games attracted a large crowd and ESPN coverage however the National Pro Grid League is still unsure they can convince people to pay to watch people work out. The popularity of CrossFit Games does show some promise for Grid because there are great similarities between the two, however Grid is structured differently enough to ensure a unique experience for the audience. Grid has 11 events over the course of two hours in a smaller venue than the CrossFit games. These events will be more frequent and therefore will help functional fitness competitions integrate into the sports entertainment world rather than being a once a year event.
Monitor Your Heart Rate to Make the Most of a Workout
Measuring your heart rate during a workout is a great way to know if you are challenging yourself at the right intensity.Do you measure your heart rate when you exercise? I think you should.
Your heart rate gives you valuable feedback to know when exercise is too challenging or not challenging enough. When you set out to do a “cardio” workout, you are trying to exercise your heart at an appropriate intensity to make it stronger and reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.
How do you measure your heart rate? Most cardio machines measure your heart rate via metal handles. My experience is that if your heart rate shows up on the machine and remains steady, then the readout is usually accurate. If your machine has trouble displaying your heartrate, or you will be exercising without a machine, you can get a heart rate monitor for your wrist or chest which will display on a compatible watch. Smartphones have great apps and accessories to measure workout intensity, too.
What’s my target heart rate? Well, how old are you? The maximum rate your heart beats can be calculated as 220 minus your age in years. For example, the max heart rate of a 40-year-old is 220-40 or 180 beats/min.Those new to exercise should target a heartrate equal to 60-70 percent of their maximum. For the 40-year-old this is 108-126 bpm. More experienced exercisers can target 75-85 percent of their maximum, now 135-153 bpm for the 40-year-old. If the 40-year-old experienced person sees a heart rate of 110, they can probably increase their workout intensity. If they see a heart rate of 165, they can slow down. Either way, the heart rate information helps.
Give it a try! at if you have any questions.
How to relieve a lot of pain with two simple tools
Learn about two inexpensive tools to help you relieve many times of pain. Most people have some kind of muscular pain from time to time. At our studio, the most common types we see are sciatic low back pain, upper back pain, and knee and hip pain. Clients thank us all the time for introducing them to two simple tools: a foam roller and lacrosse ball for relief. With both tools, the user uses their own body weight to move the tool to an area of tenderness, and then rolls slowly back and forth to loosen the muscle. Over time, the pain can be greatly reduced. The proper term for how they work is called Myofascial release, or trigger points. These tools can be purchased at any sporting goods store, and are inexpensive. To see examples of how to use the roller, google “foam roll exercises”. For more questions and guidance using these tools, call me at BodyScapes at 508 358-9160 or email me at estutman@one2onebodyscapes.com