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Posts Tagged ‘interval’

Look behind the door with the great big “X” at The Sweatbox

Tuesday, February 5th, 2013

If you’re in the Decatur, Georgia area you’ve driven by it a million times – you know that giant garage door marked with a glowing-hot “X”? And, if you’re like me, you’ve wondered exactly what goes on behind it.

I thought I might find something worth of an “X” rating (you know what I mean), and when I figured out this was the home of The Sweatbox Decatur, I was expecting just-another-workout-place.

Wrong, wrong, wrong, y’all.

Instead, what I found was The Sweatbox Decatur. It’s different from the moment you set foot in the (regular-size) door, which reminds you to check your excuses there.

Here are 5 of my favorite ways The Sweatbox is different – breaking barriers and shattering assumptions:

It looks different. Outside and inside, this is obviously a place you come to “do the work.” It has everything you need, and it’s still minimal. (See the first clip below, at 0:07.)
It’s creative. How many ways can you think of to use a milk crate, a two-by-four, or a PVC pipe in your workout? The Sweatbox will show you. (See first clip, at 2:21.)
You’re not in it alone. Sure, you’ll get the space you need when you’re in your “zone,” but the trainers are keeping a close eye on you. And the other clients are part of your team – no one gets left behind here. (See the second clip below, at 3:14.)
It’s for EVERYbody. You don’t have to be an Ironman already to work out here – but you might be one after, and you’ll probably train with a few. The Sweatbox trainers are experts in adapting exercise to work for everyone from beginners to elite athletes. They’re going to push you TO your limit, but never past it into the danger zone. (Second clip, 3:01.)
It’s rowdy. These people laugh a damn lot! Observing a group workout was more like watching a bunch of friends get together where there just happened to be giant tires and iron weights. It was nothing like a typical class at Gym-O-Rama . (See first clip, at 2:14.)

Here’s the first clip: The Sweatbox Workout

Here are 5 things you can learn from these reels – even if you’re outside Atlanta and can’t make it to The Sweatbox:

You don’t need a gym to work out. (See the second clip, at 0:37.)
You can get past your fear – and turn it into confidence instead. (See second clip, at 2:43.)
Exercise does as much to tone up your mental state as it does for your outer body. (See second clip, at 2:19.)
Working out with someone more experienced doesn’t have to make you feel bad. It can be motivating to notice they have to stop and catch their breath sometimes, too! (Second clip, 1:00.) And working out WITH your trainer is a whole new dynamic that can help you get to your own next level. (Second clip, 3:50.)
It should be FUN! You might hate it while you’re doing it, but you should be able to look back and know you enjoyed it. Muhammad Ali once said “I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.’” (See both clips, all.)

Here’s the second clip: The Sweatbox Client Reflections

So, what’s stopping you? Get over to The Sweatbox now, while they’re offering a free one-month membership to ClickAClass.com readers.

And if you’re outside Atlanta, take a little bit of the Sweatbox attitude with you wherever you work out: ALL SWEAT, NO REGRET.

What have you learned from these videos — something you can use in your own workouts?

What did you think of what you saw?

Tags: beast, cardio, crossfit, Decatur, exercise, fit, fitness, Georgia, health, interval, lift, lose, loss, Micah Hayes, resistance, rope, run, shape, Sweatbox, training, weight, weights, workout
Posted in Health and Fitness, Reviews, Workout Routines | 12 Comments »

A million things that work and only one that won’t.

Wednesday, October 17th, 2012

Let me break it on down for y’all:

There are a million (or more!) ways to lose weight and gain better health. Every individual in the world can have his or her own personalized way of doing it. There’s no single system or shake or pill or gadget or exercise or diet that will work for everyone — there’s no “magic bullet.”*

But there IS one and only one way to stay at the exact level of fitness you feel today: do nothing.

And by the way, if you’re looking to lower your fitness level a notch or two, doing nothing will work for that, too.

If you’re going to change, you must MAKE a change. You have to do something.

You have to do something.

You have to do something.

You have to do something.

You have to do something.

(Get the point here?)

So start where you are. Shuffle the deck and pick a proverbial card — doesn’t matter which one.

And just for accountability’s sake, drop us a line below to let us know what action you’re taking. We’ll hold you to it (in the friendliest way, of course)!

* (This might sound contradictory to one one of my previous posts, but if you read that one, you’ll see that it isn’t.)

Tags: cardio, change, diet, exercise, fitness, health, interval, lose, loss, pounds, resistance, strength, weight, workout
Posted in Health and Fitness | 8 Comments »

8 Quick Ways to Feel Healthier, Look Hotter

Tuesday, October 2nd, 2012

You know by now that one of my favorite things is to break down fitness into bite-size chunks that make sense in an average daily life. So much of what’s out there is way too complicated, or far too faddish, or just plain wackadoo. “Average life” is busy enough — throw a family into the mix, and things can sometimes get way too hectic to count grams of carbs or anything else.

So, here are 8 fast, simple ways to begin today getting healthier on the inside and hotter on the outside! Don’t feel you have to tackle all 8 at once — try adding just one a week to your usual routine.

Start now, and within 3 weeks, you’ll realize significant changes in your health and well-being.

These are in no particular order — feel free to pick and choose. Consider starting with either the easiest (if you have a tough time getting started on things) or the hardest (if your challenge is sticking with a new habit).

Fill 2/3 of each meal plate with vegetables and/or fruits — I’m talking about the real, unprocessed stuff y’all. Applesauce and broccoli Rice-A-Roni don’t count.
Eat as many different colors (of real food, not dyes) as you can each day. Keep track of your ‘rainbow’ with markers in a calendar.
Reserve meat as a condiment or side item, and shift it out of the “main event” spotlight. When you’re ready, skip meat altogether at some meals.
Have fish twice a week. Whatever you enjoy will work; check the Georgia Aquarium’s handy wallet guide to safe fish, or the EWG’s recommendations on the healthiest (and potentially dangerous) varieties.
Eat whole grains, especially ancient grains like quinoa, spelt, amaranth, etc.
Nix factory foods. If it had to be in a factory, it’s probably not the best food for you. (Here’s an earlier post referencing the same rule and others.)
Limit alcohol to a maximum of 1 drink per day (for women) or 2 per day (for men). Better yet, save it for just a few times a week, if at all.
HIIT it! That is, add High Intensity Interval Training to your workouts*. Check this post on Tabata training, this guest post from Todd Hancock at MODO Fitness, or this one on getting off the couch and into a run.

Obviously, this could be a much longer list — there are all kinds of other ideas that can improve your health. I’m suggesting these are some of the highest-impact, simplest ways to add healthy habits to your daily life without taking out much else.

What do you think?

Which one will you choose first?

Which would you most likely suggest to a loved one?

Tags: Atlanta, calories, cardio, class, click, ClickAClass, covington, diet, eat, exercise, fish, fitness, fitter, food, fruit, Georgia, grain, health, healthier, interval, jessica, Jessica Covington, lose, loss, meat, pounds, resisstance, seafood, strategies, strength, techniques, tips, train, tricks, vegetable, weight, wellness, workout
Posted in Family, Health and Fitness, Workout Routines | 14 Comments »

How To Get Off The Couch & Start Running

Tuesday, September 4th, 2012

Maybe it’s just me, but autumn seems to be the season of 5k’s, at least in the Southeast. And I read recently that September is the new January — a time to revisit goals and go at them again with renewed vigor.

I’m all for that!

Let’s jump right in, with a plan for learning (or RE-learning) how to run. First up: hire a coach like Sherry Oswalt at DivasRun, if you can. There are lots of do-it-yourself resources as well — places like Coolrunning‘s Couch to 5k Plan or Active.com have well-written plans. Don’t be afraid of going it alone — as the Bioenergetics and Human Performance Research Group at the University of Exeter in England recently learned, you CAN teach yourself to run and improve on your own. The New York Times wrote a great article about it here.

My advice* is to start small with interval training, and work up.

Tabata intervals are a great beginning — they’re short enough that anyone can do them but they pack one hell of a cardiovascular punch — check out this post on how to train Tabata-style and this one on intervals for new moms.

I also recommend getting social with your runs.

That can be something as simple as going for a run with a friend — or as high-tech as joining the online community at cMEcompete. Support is a key factor in continuing any workout program, so make sure you include others.

Speaking of including others, how about those kiddos? Get the whole family in on the action, for lots of reasons. It’s good for them! It’s good for you! It sets a great example for lifelong health! Kids can start just about the same way you do — try playing age-appropriate games in a Tabata format. Preschoolers can jump FAST for 20 seconds and rest for 10….can you keep up? Grade schoolers can sprint like crazy for 20-on and 10-off….can you beat them?

So, tell me: what are your fitness goals — is running included? How will you start?

*Who am I to give advice? Good question. I’m a double ACE-certified fitness professional (Group Exercise and Lifestyle-Weight Management Coaching) with 20+ years of experience. I’m a self-taught runner — started around age 34, after many years of thinking that I “couldn’t” run because my feet splayed out duck-style from so many years of ballet. And, just because I can’t get enough of this stuff, I’m specialty-certified in Muscle Management, Holistic Fitness, Perinatal Fitness, Golf Conditioning, Sports Nutrition, and soon to be certified in Youth Fitness.

(Phew! Yeah, I’m a bit of a fitness freak. I’m ok with that.)

Tags: 10k, 5k, begin, cardio, children, couch, exercise, family, fitness, health, interval, kids, new, potato, race, run, running, start, Tabata, train, workout
Posted in Health and Fitness | 14 Comments »

Slow-Go Cardio = No Go Weight Loss

Tuesday, July 31st, 2012

Big difference, right? Want to know how he got there? Read on, in this guest post from Todd Hancock, CFT at www.MODOFitness.com.

Slow-go Cardio is NOT the way to go

Do you want to lose fat and save time? Routinely, we hear from new members that losing fat and getting into shape are their two main goals. We do help them achieve these goals and in doing so we give them back 2-3 hours of time each week. That’s right, reach your goal in less time than you’d imagine and make it permanent. What would you do with 2 or 3 extra hours per week?

Have your attention yet? This post will explain why MODO Fitness trains the way we do — and why you should too.

I believe there should be a beginner’s course in every gym to educate people on the proper way to exercise and design a program that is right for them but $40 a month gets you a card to swipe at the door but not much else in most gyms. You should invest in yourself by hiring a trainer from time to time to insure you are on the right program and working safely leading to a healthier and happier fitness program. Three sets of ten with free weights is not right for everyone, nor is one hour on a treadmill or elliptical. To get in shape and stay fit, it takes a change in diet and variations in your exercise program. 6-packs are made in the kitchen. Unfortunately, over the last few years I’ve seen that in general, many people are still stuck doing long duration, low-intensity cardiovascular exercise to lose weight and get fit— yikes!

Here’s the deal: if you’re looking to achieve maximal benefit from the time you put into your workouts, long duration “slow-go” cardio is NOT the way to go, and for many reasons. Here is a list of why slow-go does not work put together by another trainer and I couldn’t agree with it more.

Top 5 reasons why slow-go cardio takes too long and people don’t see results.

1. Minimal calories burned — 45 minutes on the treadmill may burn a whopping 300 calories if you’re lucky, the equivalent of ONE TENTH of a pound of fat. Exercise ten hours a week and you might just lose a pound! An interval training session can deliver upwards of 750 calories in the same period of time.

Which brings us to the next point:

2. Way too much time involved — I don’t know about you, but I don’t have hours and hours of my time to pour into working out each week. In fact, very rarely do I ever a couple hours of exercise weekly, and you know what? That’s ALL you need. In fact, research has shown that anything more than 90 mins a week may be detrimental!

Beyond that, slow-go cardio is:

3. BORING as heck — Sitting on an exercise bike staring at the wall in front of me for 45-60 minutes? No thanks, I’ll take 40 minutes of exercise 4 days a week instead.

But perhaps even worse is the fact that slow-go cardio provides:

4. No prolonged metabolic benefit — Did you know that with higher intensity exercise it is possible to continue to burn calories for up to 48 hours post workout? It’s true. It’s often referred to as the after-burn effect. But you know what else is true? Long duration, low intensity cardio provides virtually NO prolonged elevation in metabolism. In fact, with slow-go cardio, metabolism returns to baseline almost IMMEDIATELY following the exercise session.

And finally, the reason that trumps all the others:

5. Minimal fat loss — Minimal calories burned during the session and virtually no additional calories burned afterward = minimal, if any fat loss results. And let’s be honest, the only reason anyone is doing cardio is for the “result”.

In closing if slow-go cardio isn’t a great solution, what is? Tabata and High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) are the best ways to get fit, shred fat and give you a more permanent result than anything you can do. Mix it up and challenge yourself to try something new next month. We specialize in timed training and deliver results that will last for a lifetime with less time and effort. If you are stuck in a rut or ready to get fit fast, raise the intensity and lower the time of your workouts. When done correctly, you will shed fat, save time and live the healthy life you deserve to live.

If you have any questions or are interested in a 3 week trial for $47? Go to www.modofitness.com and sign up today!

Committed to your success,

Todd Hancock, CFT
MODO Fitness
404-731-3319
todd@modofitness.com
www.MODOFitness.com
Facebook.com/modofitness
Facebook.com/toddhancock

At MODO Fitness we specialize in weight-free workouts that get results fast. Ask how to get your $47 trial started. By empowering the small muscle groups you build long, lean muscles leaving your body looking more toned and fit in half the time of other types of workouts.

Tags: aerobic, calorie, cardio, exercise, fat, fitness, health, heart, high, intensity, interval, lose, loss, metabolic, metabolism, slim, Tabata, training, weight, wellness, workout
Posted in Health and Fitness | 16 Comments »

The Ups and Downs of Dropping Baby Weight: Interval Training for New Moms

Wednesday, April 11th, 2012

Most of us can’t quite jump back into our old workout routine after a baby arrives. In fact, many of us don’t even have “an old workout,” but everyone wants to lose the weight that pregnancy adds.

To ease back into a good routine or to begin a new one, the first step is always to consult with your health care provider. Once you have her go-ahead, you can get started with a quick interval series that is challenging but achievable even when you’re still measuring Baby’s age in weeks.

The idea behind interval training is twofold: first, alternating periods of hard work with a more moderate pace helps you keep going. Second, the up-and-down rhythm created trains your heart to recover quickly from its overdrive mode, leading to greater overall cardiovascular health.

Training with a heart rate monitor is an easy way to track your exercise, but it’s easier and lower-tech to simply gauge your Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE). On a scale of 1-10, 1 marks the effort you’d expend to lounge on the sofa and 10 equals running up Everest at your top speed.

First Step: Up and Down Intervals

If you have a steep hill nearby, you have an automatic interval tool at your disposal and you won’t even need a timer! Warm up first by walking uphill at an RPE of about 3-4 and downhill at the same rate; repeat for a total warm-up time of 5 minutes. To begin your interval workout, walk uphill at a moderate pace (at least a 5-6 on your RPE scale) and walk quickly or jog downhill (around a 7-8 RPE). Repeat as your energy and schedule allow, and be sure to cool down at the end by walking at least 3 minutes at about a 3-4 RPE. Going uphill, maintain good form by keeping your hips tucked under your ribs; think about leading from the hips, keeping the shoulders back, and rolling through the entire foot to propel yourself up the hill. Heading down, the tendency – especially when jogging – is to lean back, but to avoid knee strain, aim instead to be upright as you coast down.

Using a flat outdoor area, a stopwatch comes in handy. Warming up, walk at a steady pace of 3-4 for at least 5 minutes. Then, begin your intervals by using a 1:1 ratio. Walk very quickly or jog (7-8 RPE) for 1 minute, then walk or jog at a 4-5 RPE for 1 minute. Alternate your 1-minute intervals for as long as your workout schedule allows, and follow with a cool down by walking at a 3-4 pace for 3 minutes or more.

If you are Supermom and can actually make it to the gym, you can use a treadmill to simulate either the hills or the timed examples.

Second Step: Turn on the Turbo

The example of Up and Down Intervals shows a walking workout; once you’re ready to progress, add jogging intervals as indicated. In the flat-surface example, you could also change the ratio of your workout from 1:1 to 2:1 (2 minutes of hard work and 1 minute of recovery), advancing later to 3:2, then 3:1 and so on.

Pyramid Intervals

The pyramids weren’t built in a day, and it will likely take some time to build enough strength for this format as well. When the Up and Down Intervals have become less challenging, try the Pyramid. In this format, the challenging intervals become longer in the span of one workout. Warm up for at least 5 minutes (a 3-4 pace). Your first work interval, at about a 6, lasts 1 minute; follow with a 1-minute recovery at a 4-5 RPE. For the second interval, work for 2 minutes and recover for 1. Next, work for 3 minutes and recover for 1. Continue lengthening the hard-work phase until you feel exhaustion coming on, then do a 5-minute recovery cycle. Gauge how you feel at the end of that long recovery, and begin again if you feel up to it.

Intervals are a great way to ease into a challenging workout when time is limited. Using our own perceptions of work and exhaustion keeps even those of us with Type-A tendencies within a safe range while building up cardiovascular endurance. And if you need another reason to give intervals a try, here’s one of the best: you can bring that fabulous little one along in the stroller, and begin teaching great health habits by example from the very beginning.

Tags: baby, cardio, deliver, fitness, health, interval, lose, loss, mother, motherhood, physical, pregnant, training, weight
Posted in Family, Health and Fitness, Workout Routines | 14 Comments »

4 Fitness “Fails” to Avoid

Tuesday, March 13th, 2012

A quick one today, folks, since ClickAClass business is hopping! But this came to me this morning, when I had to skip my workout because of timing. I almost made three out of these four fitness “fails” — and I want to spare you from the same!

Do not — I repeat, DO NOT — fall victim to any of the following insidious words from the couch-potato lurking secretly inside us all:

1. “Are you kidding? You just ate a doughnut. A doughnut!! The damage is done for today. Scrap the veggies and lean protein — just eat whatever junk you want today and start over tomorrow.”

—–> You may have eaten the doughnut (and if you did, I hope you ate it slowly and truly enjoyed every crumb!), but that doesn’t mean the whole day is lost. As my favorite business coach, Erika Lyremark, likes to say: “Every decision moves you forward or backward. Choose.” Ate a doughnut? Fine — have a smoothie while you walk around the block a few times for lunch. It’s springtime now – -spring forward!

2. “One little cookie won’t matter. It’s no big deal. You’ll make up for it later. C’mon…all the cool kids are eating them.”

—–> While it’s true that one small cookie may not carry a great caloric whopping, it’s what happens in your mind afterward that does. Reference #1 above. It’s human nature to have the harmless little cookie and make a devil’s deal to shave off the extra calories from a later meal — and it’s also human nature to forget all about your deal and eat the same amount you normally would. Blame human nature again (or maybe just American nature) when you forget all about exercise as an offset to those extra calories. For some reason, we get stuck in the mind-loop of thinking that only what we eat makes a difference to our weight and overall health. There is another way, folks.

3. “Your kids aren’t really watching you or paying attention to your relationship with food, exercise and good health. They’ll do as you say, of course, not as you do.”

—–> Cue that depressing game-show buzzer here that says “WRONG!” Children begin absorbing information about the world from day one. They watch you like a hawk, even when you don’t realize it, and they internalize the behaviors you model for them. Concerned about girls and eating disorders? Worried that boys are packing on too many pounds with too much screen time? The good news is that you can change that — the change starts with your own behavior.

4. “Oh, forget it. You’ve only got 20 minutes, tops, for a workout. It’s not even worthwhile.”

—–> Game show buzzer again, please! This is so far off the mark that it’s laughable. Here’s a challenge: for 10 minutes, do 20 reps each of

squat jumps
v-ups (like a situp, but you end in a V position, hinged at and balancing on your hips)
burpees or even mountain climbers

Ha! That’s a full-body cardio workout in 10 minutes, right? Think what you can do with 20 minutes! Tabata training is another excellent way to pack a cardio killer into a very short time.

So, which 3 of the 4 do you think I heard from my inner couch potato this morning?

(And, P.S. — I did manage to squeeze in my workout later in the day, mainly by playing wicked games of chase with the kids!)

Go do it — kick some potatoes off the couch!

Tags: cardio, children, diet, eating right, exercise, family, fitness, health, interval, kids, moms, mothers, nutrition, resistance, Tabata, workout
Posted in Health and Fitness | 14 Comments »