Tag Archive for 'future fitness'

Have You Noticed Some People Find Spinning Classes Addictive?

Published on March 6, 2013 in Future Fitness Programs & Classes. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , .

Spinning ClassSpinning offers a great cardiovascular workout and has even played an important part in lifestyle changes that has resulted in men and women loosing large amounts of excess weight. Read on to understand why this exercise class is loved by so many.

Unlike stationary bikes of years ago, spinning developed as a class in which certified spinners taught routines ranging from strength and endurance training to calorie burning sessions. Spinning is a cardiovascular cycling workout on a stationary bike on which the tension can be increased, decreased, mileage and lapsed time is kept by a small computer, and calories burned and heart rate can be tracked.

Participating in Spinning classes can have a positive effect on your health and lifestyle. Below are the top seven benefits. Click here to visit the Spinning section of our website.

Burn Baby Burn
Once you get accustomed to the work out watch the pounds begin to melt away fast. A good thirty minute workout on a Spinning Cycle can burn as much as 500 calories. 50 minutes or longer workouts can burn from 800 to 1,000 calories.
Heart Health
There are aerobic benefits of Spinning. Planned Spinning programs include both endurance and cardiovascular training during the workout. During classes you may be asked to break your steady pace and speed up to increase your heart rate.
Move at Your Own Pace
The amount of resistance you apply, as you gain strength and endurance is up to you. While instructors recommend a speed, you don’t feel out of place for not knowing a routine. No one really knows what level at which you are working, so you are free to move at your own pace.
Time Goes by Quick
On the spinning bike, the challenge is constantly changing. As you work through each level you tend to lose track of time.
Low Bearing
Spinning keeps the pressure off of your knees and feet. It is also a good workout for those who cannot use the treadmill or elliptical because of arthritis.
Group Training
Whether you are a beginner or an exercise pro Spinning classes keep everyone together, with each individual working equally as hard at their own level. Spinning together also gives you the opportunity to encourage others.
Mental Toughness
Spinning does two things mentally. Helps you push through difficult times – through hill climbs and push through endurance training. Spinning also helps develop a positive, “can do” attitude.

Consult a Spinning trainer before beginning a class. It is recommend to participate in Spinning no more than three or four days a week.

Which Yoga Class Is Right For You?

Published on February 20, 2013 in Future Fitness Programs & Classes. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

Interested in yoga but not quite sure where to start? Whether you’re looking to increase strength and flexibility, boost your overall athletic performance, or simply reduce stress and enhance your mental fitness, yoga can be extremely effective for all types of bodies and abilities. But not every style of yoga is the same. Before you hit the mat, consider what yoga style is right for you. After reading this blog post, if you are still unsure? Click here to sign up for a free class to help you decide which one is best for you.

There are actually hundreds of styles of yoga, ranging in difficulty from very easy to very advanced, however, most Westernized styles center upon the broad classification of Hatha yoga. Generally speaking Hatha yoga involves performing a series of poses (or asanas) and breathing techniques.

Each of the following yoga practices shares roots in Hatha yoga and a common focus on awareness, relaxation and conscious breathing — yet each follows its own unique yoga path:

Sivananda Yoga
Sivananda yoga integrates many forms of yoga, including elements of traditional Hatha yoga. More than just a series of poses, Sivananda weaves a five-point philosophy into every class: asanas (proper exercise), pranayama (proper breathing), savasana (relaxation), a vegetarian diet, and positive thinking.

Recommended for:
Yogis of ages and abilities who are interested in mastering a familiar series of poses and wish to emphasize vitality and overall well-being.

Related Future Fitness Group Exercise Class:
Traditional Yoga or Yoga Stretch

Ashtanga Yoga
A dynamic and vigorous form of yoga, Ashtanga emphasizes flexibility, strength and endurance. Also known as vinyasa or power yoga, it is an intense workout that uses heat to cleanse the body toxins, align bone structure, and purify the nervous system. Students perform a variety of asanas interspersed with “sun salutations” (set sequence of poses executed rapidly). The emphasis in Ashtanga yoga is flexibility, strength and endurance.

Recommended for:
Fit and flexible yogis seeking physical and spiritual gains from yoga and enjoy fluid routines that link poses in rapid succession. It’s also great for athletes who participate in other more rigorous forms of fitness who may benefit from balancing their regular routines with increased flexibility.

Related Future Fitness Group Exercise Class:
Yoga Endurance or Budokon

Kundalini Yoga
Also called the “yoga of awareness,” Kundalini is derived from the Indian word kundal, which means, “lock of hair from the beloved.” Kundalini yoga practice aims to develop awareness, consciousness and spiritual strength through a vigorous series of poses, chanting and meditation. It employs several forms of breathing techniques to clear the system and allow energy to flow into the “chakras,” or energy centers located in the body.

Recommended for:
Yogis who are interested in more than simply a form of exercise, but also an awareness that touches all aspects of one’s life.

Related Future Fitness Group Exercise Class:
Traditional Yoga or Yoga Strength

Still unsure? Click here to sign up for a free class to help you decide which one is best for you.

Fitness Trends for 2013

Published on November 12, 2012 in Fit News, Future Fitness Programs & Classes and Healthy Steps for Fitness. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Experts in every industry and field are predicting the hot trends they see taking shape for 2013. Speaking of “taking shape,” the physical fitness industry is no exception. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) has released its list of the top 10 fitness trends for 2013. They are as follows:

1. Educated, certified and experienced fitness professionals. For the sixth consecutive year, the trend in professionally qualified fitness instructors and trainers tops the list. The number of fitness professionals who attain accredited education and certification programs continues to increase, providing better results for those they instruct and train.

2. Strength training. This holds the number two spot for the second year in a row. Research now indicates that strength training also benefits the brain (refer to previous blog post) as well as the body.

3. Body weight training. Even when you can hit the gym, doing push-ups, crunches and other exercises that don’t require equipment is a great way to keep fit and toned. And when you can’t, body weight training keeps you from falling into a slump.

4. Children and obesity-related exercise. Programs designed to promote physical fitness and good nutrition among children will continue to increase. Sedentary activities and a steady diet of fast food are the main culprits contributing to the childhood obesity epidemic.

5. Exercise and weight loss. More and more people are beginning to understand that being thin isn’t necessarily synonymous with being healthy. Fitness programs that emphasize a balance of exercise and good diet choices to reach and maintain a healthy weight will continue to increase in popularity.

6. Fitness programs for older adults. With longer lifespans comes the risk of physical decline. Continuing their generation’s passion for personal independence, baby boomers will increasingly take to the gym to remain healthy and mobile as they age.

7. Personal training. An increasing number of companies and communities are promoting wellness programs that include personal trainers. Future Fitness provides one-on-one sessions with a personal trainer to members.

8. Functional fitness. Typically designed for older adults, these programs incorporate everyday activities that involve strength training to improve balance and coordination.

9. Core training. Strengthening core muscles improves the body’s overall stability, making programs emphasizing core muscle development popular among all age groups and workout disciplines.

10. Group personal training. Sort of an oxymoron, but small group classes led by a personal trainer for such regimes as boot camps will continue to trend.

Whatever trend may apply to you, fitness is never a fad! Future Fitness can help you make 2013 your best year yet!

 

Research Discovers that Exercises Builds the Brain: “Musclehead” Takes on New Meaning!

Published on November 7, 2012 in Fit News, Future Fitness Programs & Classes and Healthy Steps for Fitness. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

We all know that exercise builds muscles, but newly released scientific research indicates that it may also build the brain – literally! A team at the University of Edinburgh followed more than 600 people who were 70 years old at the time the study began. The subjects provided details on their daily physical, mental and social activities.

Three years later, using imaging scans, the scientists found that the subjects who engaged in the most physical exercise had less shrinkage and damage in the brain’s white matter – the “wiring” of the brain’s communication system. The relationship remained even after factoring for such variables as age, health, social class and I.Q.

The study, reported in the journal Neurology, also indicated that exercise had a more positive effect in preventing brain shrinkage than engagement in mentally stimulating activities or having an active social life. While the authors of the study couldn’t rule out the possibility that people with less brain deterioration were just more likely to be physically active, they said that based on their findings, they would recommend that people take up physical exercise whatever their age.

If you’re already keeping your brain toned and pumped, you’re ahead of the game! If you’re looking for a fitness program that will be fun, challenging and beneficial – regardless of your age or fitness level – spend some time learning about all the great classes and programs Future Fitness offers. We now have something to improve every brain as well as every body!

 

Common Sense Exercise Tips

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

If you’re considering starting a workout routine and have reached this blog for some advice, congratulations! If you’ve recently joined Future Fitness and want to be sure you have every advantage in keeping your commitment to a healthy lifestyle, here are five simple tips:

1. Consult a fitness professional – Have a professional assessment to determine what types of exercise will be most beneficial. You may learn that following a program based on aerobics or resistance training will get you where you want to go. You’ll also learn the areas in which you need the most attention, and how to avoid injury.

Future Fitness provides free sessions with a personal trainer, plus the industry’s leading instructors for all classes and programs. You can begin your program with complete confidence that you’ll enjoy the maximum benefits – as long as you follow the subsequent tips!

2. Follow an effective exercise routine – The American Council on Exercise (ACE) surveyed 1,000 ACE-certified personal trainers about the best techniques to get fit. They recommended a combination of strength training to help tone the entire body, interval training and cardio/aerobic exercise.

3. Choose a fitness regime you enjoy – Don’t take up a program that you’ll approach like a chore, or a fad workout that’s getting all the media buzz (unless you find that it really is a good program for you, and not just the celebrity who made it famous). For example, spinning may appeal more to you than walking on a treadmill (or vice versa).

Future Fitness members have an advantage in being able to take free demos of classes and programs, and in discussing the range of activities they like with instructors who can recommend the appropriate exercises.

4. Set realistic goals and be patient – If you’ve been a long-term couch potato, don’t expect to see a new slimmer, toned and ripped “you” in a few weeks. Trying to do too much too soon sets you up for injury and/or a lot of frustration. Either way, you’re more likely to give up.

Also, don’t strive for perfection or a goal that’s improbable based upon your physical limitations (which we all have). Talk with your instructor or trainer about your fitness goals, and the process involved in reaching them.

5. Be consistent – Achieving physical fitness is a process, and progress is made in increments. Schedule a regular time (at least three times weekly) for your workout. No matter how good your program, you won’t get results unless you do it consistently.