Archive for the 'Future Fitness Programs & Classes' Category

Star Power Gains New Meaning with Piloxing

Published on April 30, 2012 in Fit News and Future Fitness Programs & Classes. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Working out typically isn’t associated with glamour. But a new regime is gaining enthusiasts on a daily basis thanks in part to its Hollywood star power. Piloxing is a combination of Pilates and boxing moves created by celebrity trainer Viveca Jensen, whose clients include Hilary Duff, Vanessa Hudgens and Alexis Bledel. It is the first program that combines the muscle sculpting of Pilates, the strengthening and cardio of boxing and the sensuality of dance into a high-energy interval workout. Because each discipline is rooted in core-centered technique, their fusion perfectly complements each other.

Jensen developed the workout for women to improve overall strength and flexibility without building bulk, and gain the following benefits:

• Firmer, flatter abdominals

• Toned thighs and buttocks

• Increases in strength and flexibility

• A leaner profile with improved posture

• Improved energy levels

Piloxing training is in a class format, led by an instructor. This ensures that proper technique is taught and used, as well as creates a fun, social environment that makes participants look forward to their next session. Classes are structured into an interval format because studies show that interval training burns the most calories and is the most effective method of improving cardiovascular health.

Piloxing incorporates the use of ½-pound weighted gloves developed specifically for the program, which adds additional muscular and cardio benefits to the workout. The program also encourages barefoot training, which can improve posture, balance and stamina while preventing injuries. Increases in arch flexibility and range of motion in the ankle – and a stronger foot overall – are among the other benefits attributed to barefoot training.

So if you’ve always wondered how your favorite celebrities get their lean, toned red carpet-ready figure (without surgical intervention), check out a Piloxing class at your nearest Future Fitness Center and gain some star power for yourself!

Get Fit for Success

Published on April 26, 2012 in Fit News, Future Fitness Programs & Classes and Healthy Steps for Fitness. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

You’ve heard of dressing for success, but do you know that succeeding at work depends a great deal upon your level of health and fitness? According to experts, looking the part of a go-getter helps only to a certain point. The real key to career achievement is the mind-body balance that exercise and a healthy lifestyle bring about – especially for those who work at a desk.

Initially, it may not be clear why an office worker needs to be as fit as someone whose job involves intense, sustained physical activity. However, performance psychologist Jim Loehr has a good explanation in his book, The Power of Full Engagement.

According to Loehr, “The importance of physical energy seems obvious for athletes, construction workers, and farmers. Because the rest of us are evaluated more by what we do with our minds than with our bodies, we tend to discount the role that physical energy plays in performance. In most jobs, the physical body has been completely cut off from the performance equation.

“In reality, physical energy is the most fundamental source of fuel, even if our work is almost completely sedentary. It not only lies at the heart of alertness and vitality but also affects our ability to manage our emotions, sustain concentration, think creatively, and even maintain our commitment to whatever mission we are on.”

Also on board with this observation is Keld Jensen, international authority on corporate communications and negotiations. Jensen explored the connection between health and fitness and performance on the job in a recent article on forbes.com.

Jensen calls the connection BQ, or body intelligence, which reflects what you know about your body, how you feel about it and take care of it. BQ is the third element of what he claims are the three aspects of achieving success that are even more important than your IQ – with the other two being EQ (emotional intelligence – your ability to connect with others) and MQ (moral intelligence – your trustworthiness and reliability).

As Jensen wrote, “Your body is constantly telling you things; are you listening to the signals or ignoring them? Are you eating energy-giving or energy-draining foods on a daily basis? Are you getting enough rest? Do you exercise and take care of your body? It may seem like these matters are unrelated to business performance, but your body intelligence absolutely affects your work because it largely determines your feelings, thoughts, self-confidence, state of mind, and energy level.”

Jensen’s advice is as follows: “At least once a day, listen to the messages your body is sending you about your health. Actively monitor these signals instead of going on autopilot. Good nutrition, regular exercise, and adequate rest are all key aspects of having a high BQ. Monitoring your weight, practicing moderation with alcohol, and making sure you have down time can dramatically benefit the functioning of your brain and the way you perform at work.”

What being fit can do for your performance – the proof is in the numbers:

  • A Purdue University study of 80 executives found that those who exercised improved their ability to make complex decisions by 70 percent, as compared with non-exercisers.
  • NASA found that participants in their corporate exercise program experienced improved stamina, work performance, enhanced concentration and decision-making powers. Among them, 40 percent reported sounder sleep, 60 percent were successful at weight loss, 50 percent said they paid more attention to their diets, and many reported quitting or cutting down on smoking.
  • The Canada Life Assurance Company reported that 47 percent of participants in their fitness program were more alert, had better rapport with co-workers and supervisors, and enjoyed work more than those who did not participate. Of the participants, 63 percent indicated that they were more relaxed, more patient, and less tired during the workday.

So now when you think of dressing for success, include workout gear in your wardrobe – and wear it in good health at your nearby Future Fitness Center!

 

Amp Up Your Workout with Tabata

Published on April 17, 2012 in Future Fitness Programs & Classes and Healthy Steps for Fitness. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Ready for a fast and furious workout? Try Tabata! This high-intensity training protocol was developed to deliver a complete, effective aerobic (cardiovascular) and anaerobic (muscular) workout in just four minutes!

The protocol was created by Dr. Izumi Tabata and a team of researchers from the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Tokyo for Japan’s Olympic speed-skating team. Their groundbreaking 1996 study, published in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports & Exercise, provided evidence concerning the dramatic physiological benefits of high-intensity interval training (HIIT).

Dr. Tabata conducted tests on two groups of athletes. One group used moderate intensity interval training for one hour, five days a week for six weeks; the other used high-intensity interval training four days a week for a total of six weeks, with each session lasting four minutes: 20 seconds of intense training and 10 seconds of rest.

After the six-week test period, Dr. Tabata noted that the group that used moderate intensity training showed a significant increase in the aerobic system, but the anaerobic system gained little or no results at all. However, subjects in the second group showed a 28% increase in anaerobic capacity, along with a 14% increase in their ability to consume oxygen (V02Max).

These remarkable results were witnessed in athletes who presumably were already at their peak fitness level. The conclusion was that just four minutes of what is now known as Tabata interval training could do more to boost aerobic and anaerobic capacity than an hour of endurance exercise.

Tabata training follows the good doctor’s protocol, consisting of 20 seconds of maximum intensity exercise, followed by 10 seconds of rest, for a total of eight cycles. Exercises must involve the large muscle groups to achieve the full anaerobic benefit. In addition to the amazing results Tabata makes possible, the protocol continues to gain popularity because of the brief amount of time required.

If Tabata sounds like the extra edge you’ve been looking for, talk with our Tabata instructor to see if you’re at the right level of fitness to add this concentrated workout to your regime. If so, you’ll learn the safe, correct way to do the exercises and make sure you get the maximum results!

 

Making an Informed Commitment to Healthy Nutrition

Published on April 11, 2012 in Fit News, Future Fitness Programs & Classes and Healthy Steps for Fitness. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Good nutrition is essential to achieving optimal fitness. While this may seem obvious, how many of us really keep track of what we eat on a daily basis? A recent scientific study and a recent controversy have put the importance of knowing the nutritional value of our food at the center of national attention.

Published in the journal Public Health Nutrition, the study shows that regularly eating fast food – such as pizza, hamburgers and hot dogs – is linked to an increased risk of depression. The study, which was conducted by researchers from the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and the University of Granada, also implicates doughnuts, croissants and other commercial baked goods.

“The more fast food you consume, the greater the risk of depression,” Almudena Sanchez-Villegas, lead author of the study, said in a statement.

The study has sparked debate about the cause-and-effect of the fast food/depression link. Other researchers have suggested that eating a regular diet of fast foods is a symptom, rather than cause, of clinical depression.

“Higher intake of fast food may very well increase risks of depression by causing poor health in general,” said Dr. David Katz, director of Yale University’s Prevention Research Center in New Haven, Conn. “But depression may also increase fast food intake. We use the term ‘comfort food’ for a reason. It can help alleviate stress, anxiety, and depression. So it may be that people with depression are turning to [fast food] for relief.”

Enter the controversy: pink slime.

Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver is among food activists who have criticized the use of what they’ve dubbed “pink slime,” a filler produced by treating finely ground beef scraps with ammonia hydroxide to kill bacteria. The infamous name was prompted by the filler’s unnatural-looking bubble gum pink color and slick texture.

In the food processing industry, the filler is known as Lean Finely Textured Beef (LFTB). It’s made from scraps of beef simmered at low heat and spun at high speed to remove the fat, then spritzed with ammonia. It is then sold and used to “beef up” ground meat, allowing hamburger lovers to indulge while keeping prices low.

Some people say it’s mainly a matter of semantics. After all, “lean, finely textured beef” sounds like a good thing. Except for the ammonia. Still, the shock expressed by consumers suggests that few people are aware of the ingredients and nutritional value of their food.

What to do? Becoming informed about what and how to eat to achieve a healthy lifestyle is the responsibility of each of us. Whether fast food’s relationship to depression is cause or effect, making it the mainstay of your diet isn’t beneficial on any level. As for what may be in some fast foods, choosing food that’s as fresh and unprocessed as possible – whenever possible – reduces the chance of being unpleasantly surprised when the next food scandal breaks.

Fortunately, members of Future Fitness have an additional advantage in making a commitment to healthy eating: free nutritional counseling. So be aware of what you’re eating, and keep informed. And if you’re a Future Fitness member, schedule a session with one of our nutritional counselors today!

 

Yoga – An Ancient Path to Modern Fitness

Published on March 30, 2012 in Future Fitness Programs & Classes. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Yoga has been practiced for more than 5,000 years, so despite its current popularity, it’s hardly a faddish fitness trend. The many real, ongoing benefits yoga provide account for this remarkable longevity.

At yoga’s basic level is the premise that body, mind and spirit are one. Practicing yoga helps you become more aware of your body’s posture, alignment and patterns of movement. It makes the body more flexible and helps you manage stress with a sense of calm assurance. Many who have practiced yoga over the long term report feeling more connected to others and having a higher sense of purpose in life. All are among the reasons people start practicing yoga – to be more physically fit, energetic, content and peaceful.

Also, new research suggests a regular practice of yoga may lower an inflammatory protein that is linked to aging and stress. The study, done by Ohio State University researchers and reported in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine, showed that women who routinely practiced yoga had lower amounts of the cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) in their blood.

The women also showed smaller increases in IL-6 after stressful experiences than did women who were the same age and weight but who were not yoga practitioners. IL-6 is an important part of the body’s inflammatory response and has been implicated in heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, arthritis and a host of other age-related debilitating diseases.

While the popular assumption about yoga is that it is the only form of exercise its practitioners engage in, yoga can be an enjoyable supplement to your regular fitness routine. It has many styles, forms and intensities, but most people can benefit from any style of yoga – it’s all about your personal preferences.

Despite the numerous videos and books offering yoga instruction, however, don’t try learning it on your own. Work with an experienced and credentialed instructor to learn the proper way to perform the exercises and avoid injury. Also, know your limits and stay within them. Before beginning any type of yoga, ask the instructor about its physical demands to be sure it’s suitable for you.

All Future Fitness locations offer classes in five different yoga styles. These styles range from being appropriate for all fitness levels to recommended only for those who have already achieved a high fitness level and are longer-term yoga practitioners. Every class is led by experienced instructors who can help motivated members get the most out of each session. Classes also offer a sense of camaraderie, which increases the feeling of overall well-being.

So invest in a yoga mat and check out a class! You may find the piece of the fitness puzzle – and the peace of mind – you’ve been looking for.