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Category: Training

Four Advantages to Ditching the Straight Bar

September 14, 2022
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| Categories: Exercise, fitness, Strength, Training

1) Better Core Stability, Less Lower Back, Hip & Knee Stress For starters, the safety bar sits a bit higher than a standard bar and the camber pushes you forward, forcing you to fight to stay upright. Therefore, you will be a bit more upright than a high-bar squat and a lot more upright than a low-bar squat. Generally speaking, the more upright your torso is, the less pressure is placed on your lower back. And with the safety bar, the pressure will be displaced more towards your glutes and quads without putting your lower back in a tough spot.

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Seven Keys to a Successful Home Workout Program

April 7, 2020
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| Categories: Training, Workout

Recently, we have all found ourselves in a new and uncomfortable situation.  We have lost many aspects of our daily lives that we have taken for granted.  We no longer have the ability to sit and reflect in coffee shops.  We can’t turn to movie theatres or go out with friends to stave off the encroaching negativity.  We are in a time where many of the traditional outlets for our anxieties and our fears are not accessible.  Instead, many of us find ourselves with nothing but time to think about the things that we don’t have right now.  The things

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Primal Movement Flow

April 2, 2020
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| Categories: Athlete, Core, Exercise, fitness, Health Tips, Training

Primal Movement Flow is a combination of primitive movement patterns like hinging, crawling, squatting, lunging, rolling in all possible directions and connecting them by using transition movements. The end result is a flow of challenging body weight exercises/moves that are fun and enhance every aspect of fitness. This includes improvements in mobility of the joints, strength, endurance, power, balance, cardiovascular, the list goes on and on. Primal movements are early building blocks for every move we make in our daily lives, and being able to perform them well, will keep our bodies up to date and fight back some of

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Why trainers focus on the butt

November 5, 2019
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| Categories: Exercise, fitness, Training, Weight Training

Why do trainers like myself always incorporate Glute (aka Gluteus Maximus aka the Butt) work into our exercise programs?  Simply put, it’s the biggest muscle in the body and it anchors all hip and core activation for lower body movement.  It's also a key factor in lower body stabilization for upper body movement.  Once of my favorite sayings is “you can’t fire a cannon from a canoe” which is a simple way of saying proximal stability creates distal mobility. If your core, hips and lower body are not stable, you can’t effectively move your upper body. Again, your butt is

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How to be successful at the gym, Part 2: Work with a Trainer

October 1, 2019
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| Categories: Exercise, fitness, Training

It’s crucial that beginners work with a trainer. They should be assessed by a fitness professional to address their weaknesses and foundation work, such as stabilization and mobility, are incorporated for them to have a good base to build a strong body. They’ll also become more familiar with exercising and will learn skills that are needed in order to perform exercises correctly, with good form, progress and guidance. People who work with a trainer are most likely to get better, faster results because they have someone who holds them accountable and the programs are designed specifically to the clients needs

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Are Morning or Evening Workouts more Efficient for Weight Loss/Muscle Gain

June 3, 2019
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| Categories: Exercise, Training, Weight Loss, Workout, Workout Tips

There has been a long debate between morning and evening workouts: which one helps you burn fat and build more muscle? Some people claim that morning workouts burn the most fat and evening workouts build more muscle, but is this accurate? The truth is the best and most efficient workout is the one that you actually complete…period. Whether it’s morning, afternoon or evening, the time of day you get to the gym should really depend on practicality. For example, when do you typically have free time? What is your sleep schedule like? Is your goal to de-stress or energize yourself?

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Maximum health benefits in minimal time

May 30, 2019
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| Categories: Cardio, Exercise, Health and Fitness, Health Tips, Training

High intensity interval training involves short bouts of vigorous exercise (where your heart rate reaches 80% of its maximal capacity) followed by low intensity recovery periods (such as walking or stretching). Your heart rate has achieved 80% of its maximal capacity when you cannot speak more than a word or two without pausing to gulp air. We all know this feeling and generally try to avoid it because of the discomfort. In HIIT training, such discomfort is sought out in a controlled manner, leading to improved heart health. Short bouts of more intense running, jumping, or weight lifting will increase

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Why EVERYONE Should do Pilates

January 23, 2019
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| Categories: Core, Exercise, fitness, Fitness Class, Health and Fitness, Motivation, Strength, Training, Weight Loss, Workout

Hello, Maria Barry here! As most of you probably know, I am the Pure Pilates and Group Fitness Manager at Commonwealth Sports Club, Boston. Over the last 20 years of teaching strength, cardio, yoga and barre classes, I realized there was one common factor preventing me from injury: the core strength I’ve developed from Pilates training. After speaking with clients, friends and members, all of whom work out in many different ways, I have put together a list of the top reasons to practice Pilates studio equipment and Pilates mat. 1.       It’s exercise while you’re laying down AND a great workout!

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Why you should try a Spartan Race this summer

April 22, 2017
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| Categories: Challenge, strength training, Training

What the heck is a Spartan Race, and why should I try one this summer?? I’m glad you asked. A Spartan Race is Reebok’s obstacle course race, similar to a Tough Mudder or Warrior Dash. They range from 3 miles to marathon distance, depending on your level of running fitness and how much you want to challenge yourself. Each Spartan race course features 20-30 creative obstacles that will challenge your strength and endurance in a really fun way. (more…)

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