Personal Trainer NYC | Free Fitness Blogs

Contrary to popular opinion creating a home gym to workout in, is neither too intimidating nor too costly. You can create a very effective gym in your own home without investing in a health club membership.

An effective home gym simply requires a little bit of planning. You don’t need fancy fitness equipment that may not change with your fitness level. To avoid having a basement filled with expensive dust-collecting equipment, keep these points in mind when making a purchase:

1) What are your fitness goals?

2) How often will you use the equipment?

3) Will the equipment meet your needs as you need more challenge?

4) Does the equipment offer enough variations in use?

5) How much can you afford?

Once you have answered all of these questions then you are ready to make some purchases. How much you can afford to spend is going to dictate what you can get right away. Don’t get discouraged. You can always start off small and add pieces as you go! For as little as $100, you can have a very effective total strength training home gym. Even for as little as $35, you can create an effective workout that will tone your entire body.

For building muscles and/or toning-up you can choose from free weights, resistance bands, benches and even no-equipment. For cardiovascular improvements (e.g. running, walking, etc), there are even more options. They range from treadmills, to elliptical trainers, to bikes and beyond.

Here are several recommendations based on costs and needs, along with benefits of the exercise equipment. Hopefully this will make your decision-making easier.

If you want to create a gym that will provide you with a total body workout (cardio, strength and flexibility) and you have a budget of at least $2000, consider the following recommendations:

- Treadmill - A great option for cardiovascular equipment because it can be used for running and walking. Plus, workouts can continually be varied based on speed, incline, even direction. And, it easily progresses as your fitness level improves.

- Full dumbbell set with weights ranging from 5 pounds to 50+ pounds. - Great for light toning, to intermediate strength training to building muscles. Less expensive than big bulky machines and provides more variety in workouts.

- Fitness Ball - Provides exercise options for toning, strengthening and stretching.

- Resistance Band - Provides another option for strength training. Can alternate use with free weights for a great challenge that will help prevent plateaus.

- Step Bench - Can be used for both cardio workouts and strength training workouts.

If you want a home gym specifically for building muscles (or just can’t afford cardio equipment), and can afford at least $100, consider the following recommendations:

- Dumbbell set

- Fitness Ball

- Resistance Band

- Jump Rope - Offers very challenging cardiovascular fitness workouts at a very low price.

If you want a total body home gym but can only afford less than $100, consider the following recommendations:

- Three dumbbells sizes (e.g. 5, 10 and 15 pounds)

- Resistance Band

- Jump Rope

If you are limited to purchasing just one very affordable piece of equipment, consider buying a pair of 10 or 15lb rubber dumbells first. With one moderately heavy pair of dumbells you can get an upper body workout, a lower body workout, very challenging abdominal workout and, for just around $50.

There are a lot of options available for creating a home gym that will meet your individual needs and will provide a lot of workout variety. Even on the tightest budget, you can still make a purchase that will be invaluable in helping you get more fit and healthy. And, you’ll enjoy all the benefits of working out at home.

Some of the benefits of working out out at home are:

- No driving to and from a fitness club

- No waiting in line to use equipment

- Workout on your own schedule, rather than when the health club is open

- No expensive monthly membership fees or long-term contracts

Of course, you will need to know how to use your home equipment or you will have to be willing to learn. But, it’s not difficult. Most equipment will come with basic instructions and a few sample exercises. You may want to enlist the help of a professional personal trainer to provide additional exercise options and guidance that will ensure that you get the most out of your fitness equipment through every fitness stage of development.

Part One

Could anything be harder than the proverbial: “Reducing your waistline and toning your abdominal region”? People spend thousands of dollars chasing the “SIX PACK”. Regular requests asking for advice and quick fixes to remedy the age-old “body fat around the waistline” and creating a “firm toned midsection” has lead to much discussion with clients about the elusive 6-pack.

The Hard AB Truth!

It doesn’t matter how many crunches you do, or what new machine you use, or what new exercise fad you’re following - If you don’t reduce your body fat you will never see strong toned abdominals.

Spot Reduction - A Big Lie!

You cannot spot reduce. You cannot just exercise one body part and expect to see a whole new look. Achieving a six pack and muscle tone in the abdominal area is a lot more involved. I can show you how to create that slim and toned waistline by following a few simple trainer tips and hints.

My In-Box Screams 6-Pack Abs Please!

Emails of desperation flood my inbox….with requests like “I just can’t lose this last two inches off my belly, isn’t there one exercise to fix this?” Or “I have my high school reunion coming up and I MUST fit into this dress, can I take Dexatrim and do crunches….will that make me lose 5 lbs around my middle within the next 6 weeks?”

Let’s get REAL - Don’t Rely On Gimmicks!

If gimmicks worked, I’d be out of a job, and I wouldn’t be getting these emails now would I? If it sounds too good to be true, then it IS too good to be true. Nothing but consistent, regular exercise and training will give you 6-pack abdominals. Stop hiding form the truth, there’s no way out of hard work. Look at a toned midsection as a reward you can show off!

Firming Your Abs vs Reducing Waistline Body Fat

Now you know the only way to trim your waistline is to reduce your body fat - you’re probably wondering….NOW what? First you need to realise that a slim waist doesn’t necessarily mean that you have a toned midsection that screams ‘washboard!’ Firming up your abdominal area also requires crunches or some kind of resistance program. Many men and women do have smaller waists or flat stomachs, but still lack the desired tone and firmness. Time to get busy with some resistance training. More on this in part 2.

Fitness isn’t complicated but, it’s easy to make mistakes. Lack of proper technique training or rushing to get the workout completed means details can get lost in the sauce. Over time fitness mistakes can build up, and lead to injuries or at the very least be counter-productive to your workout goals.

Here are some common mistakes and how to avoid them. These tips will help ensure your workout time is effective and help prevent injuries.

1. Freaking Out About The Scale
Your weight is not a reflection of your body composition, meaning lean muscle to fat ratio. We all know if we’re out of shape, but let your ability to do 50 pushups dictate the shape you’re in and how you feel about it.

2. Wasting Gym Time
It’s not osmosis. Just showing up at the gym is not going to help you get more fit. Enjoy your exercise time but make sure that the focus remains on moving around more than standing around. If you’re not sweating you’re not doing anything worthwhile.

3. Unrealistic Expectations
Newbies to fitness usually are not realistic with goal setting. It didn’t take 30 days to get in the shape you’re in, did it? Okay then. Also, DO NOT GO EVERY DAY. Give it REAL time. Get expert help, it’s worth what you’ll save in possibly wasting a gym membership if you get frustrated and quit, or worse…. you get injured.

4. Not Eating Enough Protein
Eating too many carbs overloads your system with sugar, which gets stored as bodyfat. The right balance of protein fills you up longer, takes longer to digest, and delivers a steady stream of nutrients into your system. If you get tired every day in the late afternoon, you’re eating too many carbs.

5. Not Drinking Enough Water
Drink 16 ounces for every hour of exercise you complete. That’s on top of the standard 8 glasses per day. You don’t have to pass out to be walking around dehydrated.

6. Eating Too Little
Not eating enough can be worse than eating too much. When the body is not fed properly it goes into a starvation mode. Meals every 4-5 hours keeps your blood sugar stable and keeps the metabolism running properly. Just be sure to control portion size. Do not skip breakfast! EVER!

One of the most common fitness questions this time of year is “How can I get my stomach in shape for swimsuit season?” Most people believe that the quick route to 6-pack abs is hundreds of sit-ups or abdominal crunches. And, yeah…you’ll need to get started on that, hundred(s) are a MINIMUM number :)

The reality is that even if you do crunches every day you aren’t guaranteed to get the stomach of your dreams. Getting defined abs requires much more work than just abdominal crunches. Plus, as far as stomach exercises go, sit-ups are passe and crunches alone won’t be your salvation.

The basics to seeing your abdominals is removing wha covers them up: body fat. So the key to sexy abs is losing body fat. And, the key to reducing body fat is a comprehensive fitness program consisting of cardiovascular and strength training, combined with a good healthy diet. Sorry, that’s the truth! Good examples of cardio exercises are: walking, swimming, aerobics, and jogging. Strength training can be done with dumbbells, resistance bands or your own body weight.

Traditional crunches can be a part of your abdominal training, but shouldn’t be the only part. To most effectively work your stomach, think about adding rotational work. Rotation exercises are those that include twisting-type motions. Regular crunches do not fall into the rotational category because you simply lift your body straight up and down.

To most effectively train your abs, incorporating a lot of variety is key. Do this by including different positions and equipment. This will allow your muscles to be challenged continually, which is what makes them stronger and more defined. There are hundreds of different ways to work your abs, including exercises on your side, on a ball, hanging from a straight bar, etc.

Remember the importance of form. Correct form when performing abdominal exercises, increases the effectiveness and prevents injury. Tips for correct form include:

- Don’t pull your head

- Keep your belly button pulled down toward the navel

Here are two basic exercises: if you start working out today, you can show-off sexy toned abs in time for summer!

Basic Crunch: Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Place your hands lightly on your forehead. Using your abdominal muscles pull your navel down, lift your shoulders a few inches off the ground, pause briefly and return to start position.

Oblique Twist With Ball: Begin by sitting on the ball. Walk feet forward until ball is resting under your back, with your back parallel to the floor. Place hands lightly on the forehead. Using your abdominal muscles slowly pull your navel down lifting your shoulder blades off of the ball and rotate left shoulder toward right hip. Return to center position and repeat then switch sides.

Maintain your form and perform each exercise for the duration that your form remains controlled. The second you lose control of your form, rest, and then give it another shot - you’ll be summer ready in no time!

‘Toning’ and/or Building Muscle

Clients usually specify a goal when they meet with a fitness trainer. One question I usually ask is whether he or she wants to “tone” or to “build” muscle. Usually, but not always, women want to “tone,” while men want to “build.”

Toning IS building muscle. In most common use, the term “toned” pertains to the appearance of the muscle under the skin. A toned body implies a lean, firm body, low in body fat and showing muscle definition. ‘Building’ muscle usually means, the (eek!) bodybuilder’s look.

Perception is funny, isn’t it? The same basic process is necessary whether you want to tone or build muscle or whether you want to shape particular body parts or increase strength. All of these goals involve progressive resistance training.

Progressive Resistance Training = Lifting!

Progressive resistance training utilizes resistance (free weights, machines, cables, bands, bodyweight) until the muscle or group of muscles are fatigued. Each training session, the intensity should be increased slightly by decreasing the rest time between sets, or by increasing the resistance. Gradually your muscles adapt and grow thereby becoming stronger. This process is vital for your workout program to be effective.

Progressive resistance training methods have been successfully used over the decades by bodybuilders, weightlifters, and athletes. These are tried and true training methods that have produced steady gains in muscle size and strength, all while lowering the risk of injury. Most personal fitness trainers use this training method. They will start you off with resistance commensurate to your current fitness level and most know just how much more to add to the workouts with each session, based upon your performance.

Weight Training = Progressive Resistance Training

Since almost all resistance training involves weights, it is also called weight training. It is also commonly known as ‘anaerobic’ exercise. (The muscle movement doesn’t rely on oxygen for fuel.) Weight training is used not only for toning and bodybuilding, is also used for sport-specific training, and for injury rehab. Each of these applications utilizes weight training in a different way.

Overload = Stress Adaptation

Muscle growth, also referred to as hypertrophy, occurs when the muscle is forced to move weight that’s greater than the muscle is normally accustomed to moving. Usually called “overloading” the muscle, the muscle responds by getting bigger and stronger to handle the new load. This is “stress adaptation”.

When all or most of the muscle fibers are worn out, the muscle is unable to continue moving the resistance. This is called muscle fatigue or muscular failure. Good personal trainers make sure that clients at intermediate and advanced levels achieve the right amount of muscle fatigue… even working beyond muscular failure, if the the timing is appropriate when training.

Basic Reps and Sets

All exercises are done in a series of repetitions, or “reps.” Every time a movement is completed a rep is in the bank! A number of repetitions done in continual motion is called a “set.” More sets = harder workout.

Muscle Contractions = Iso-what?

In addition to concentric (positive) and eccentric (negative) movements the other types of muscle contractions are isometric, isotonic, and isokinetic. Let’s keep this simple:

- Isometric is a static (no movement, but holding) contraction.

- Isotonic contraction occurs when resistance is constant, but speed varies during exercise performance.

- Isokinetic is contraction where speed is constant and the resistance changes.

Genetics - Don’t Hate The Messenger!

Let’s also point out that we’re all born with a genetic blueprint that determines what we’ll look like for the most part. Including the skeletal and muscular structure as well as our ability to lose or retain body fat. Looking at your family will give you alot of information! Some people gain muscle very easily Others struggle hard to add a centimeter to their biceps and vice versa.

We can’t change basic genetic makeup. But we can work hard to utilize it’s full potential. In fact it’s your duty to explore and develop your full potential. You will get out of a weight training program EXACTLY what you put into it. A personal fitness trainer is there to point you in the right direction and give you the knowledge you need to achieve your goals.

Benefits of Weight Training ROCK!

In addition to the aesthetic changes to your body, confidence in your new-found strength, weight training has many other benefits like: increased bone density, improved endurance for sports performance, strengthening of ligaments and tendons, more efficient metabolism, lowered risk of injury and improved functional ability that spills over into many other areas of your life.

The bottom line is there’s no reason NOT to strength train. Now get to it!

Getting Leaner = Getting in Shape

Getting in shape is about looking better and more importantly, feeling better. It may help you to think in terms of “losing fat” instead of “losing weight.” This means changing your body’s muscle to fat composition ratio so that you have less fat and more muscle. Since muscle weighs more than fat, losing weight (by what you see on the scale) should not be the sole measurement of your progress. How your body looks, how your clothes fit and how you feel are all great benchmarks of success. Six pack abs are only accomplished by building the abdominal muscles and then losing the fat that covers them up.

Fat Burning and Aerobics
A proper diet helps to increase calorie burning by boosting the metabolism, a process which is accelerated as you develop lean muscle. They go hand in hand. An aerobic exercise program burns fat and increases that metabolic rate by making that newly developed lean muscle move around more! Usually done on a stairmaster, stationery bicycle, treadmill, elliptical machine or by jogging outdoors; the goal is to maintain cardiovascular activity for a minimum of 40 minutes. Which brings us to….

Calorie Loss = Fat Loss
The basis for body fat loss is expending more calories in exercise than you take in through eating and drinking. 3500 calories equals one pound of fat. The reverse is also true. Using 3500 calories will cause a reduction of one pound of fat. Therefore, to effectively lose fat, you must restrict your calorie intake (not too much!) and increase your calorie output.

High Protein, Low Carb
A personal trainers can design a diet and nutritional plan that will give you just the right amount of calories to accomplish your goals. A strategic diet and nutrition plan will consist of foods that provide the proper nutrients so that you become healthier, more energetic, and more able to shape up effectively through muscle toning or body building….all while losing fat. High protein, low carbohydrate, moderate to low fat diets with plenty of vegetables done in small frequent meals are generally recommended to attain any long term reliable fitness results.

Spot Reduction of Fat - HA!
When embarking upon a fat loss program that spot reduction of fat is not possible. It never was possible, and it will never be possible. Research shows that the first gained, and usually the largest, fat deposit is the last place that our bodies lose fat from. So if you’re sporting a spare tire around your mid-section or saddle bags on your thighs, that will likely be the last place you lose from. Sticking with it is the the ONLY way to lose it forever. A good personal fitness trainer can also provide motivation and create a balanced program that helps power you through a a long term goal.

Obesity - We’re Fat
The number of Americans who are obese, is on the rise. This disease, affects more than 50 million people in this country. Just watching enough Discovery Health Channel can show you this in real time! Health risks from obesity include, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, gallbladder disease, and prostate, colon and breast cancer. The fight against fat is not an easy one, especially for chronically affected people. It is a life-long, tough battle. There is no question that the development of healthy eating and an active fitness lifestyle is a cornerstone in winning this fight. Expert fitness trainers usually have a great deal of experience working with people in this group. If necessary they work with a client’s physician and develop a program centered around restructuring lifestyle while helping to provide the necessary impetus for its success.

There are many great reasons for getting in shape, and now you know that looking good and feeling better are definitely goals worth sweating for!