Posts

3 Reasons to STEP IT Up

Step aerobics routines caught on in the 80s as part of the aerobics craze, but still prevail as popular, complete full-body workouts.

If you’re unfamiliar with what these workouts entail, STEP typically features choreographed movements accompanied to music on a raised platform.

You might be wondering: what’s so great about this exercise routine? Well, three things.

1. Cardio. Upgrade your cardio, which translates to calories torched and fat burned. The physical benefits of cardio exercise are plentiful, including reduced risk of heart disease and osteoporosis, improved blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels and heart function, and enhanced muscle mass.

2. Strength. Boost your lower and upper body strength, plus muscular endurance – all of which helps in the development of stronger bones, better balance, and more effectiveness in managing your body’s weight.

3. Coordination. Improve your movement patterns to optimize your performance in a sport or other Greenville athletic club activity, create greater grace and better posture in your body, and ease mechanical stress that generates pain.

Greenville Gym offers STEP classes for all levels. For the beginner or intermediate stepper, join STEP extraordinaire Jessica for a fun-filled, hour-long STEP IT routine. And when/if you want to switch things up, the Greenville health center offers Zumba and Cycle group classes, both of which deliver similar benefits and results!

 

/by
,

10 Yoga Poses for IT Band Problems & Pains

If you’ve been doing a substantial amount of heavy and intense running, deadlifts, squats, or cycling at the Pivotal Fitness Greenville gym and feel some lateral knee pain, your IT band(s) may need some serious TLC.

Iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS) is a frequent injury to the knee that is most often associated with running, cycling, hiking, or weight-lifting (especially squats). This pain usually presents as a stinging sensation just above the knee and can persist during and after activity. No good.

IT band problems and pain usually result from poor training habits, body abnormalities or alignment issues in the legs and feet, and/or muscle imbalances. Foam rolling, RICE (rest, ice, compression, and elevation), massage, and proper footwear, are all great methods to relieve and prevent IT band problems and pain. But wait…there’s yet another way to rescue your IT bands.

Yoga!

If you’re a gym-enthusiast, athlete, or runner with IT band problems you will definitely benefit from the following yoga poses – poses that you should definitely incorporate into your warm-up and/or cool down routines at the Pivotal Fitness Greenville gym. Some of these poses are more accessible than others. Just play around with them mindfully to see which ones work for you, following the instruction of these yoga videos. Remember: Never force yourself into a pose. Never! Approach each pose consciously and gently.

All of these poses may be practiced pre-workout or post-workout at the Pivotal Fitness Greenville gym.

  1. Cow-Face Pose
  2. Pigeon Pose
  3. Double Pigeon Pose
  4. Revolved Triangle
  5. Half Lord of the Fishes Twist
  6. Reclining Twists
  7. Low Lunge
  8. Low Lunge With Twist
  9. Squat (Garland Pose)
  10. Dancer Pose

Practice yoga to prevent IT band issues from arising or to find relief from a current case of ITBS. Correct abnormalities and misalignments in the body. Boost your strength to correct muscle imbalances.

If you want to dive even deeper into a yoga practice, keep in mind that we offer yoga classes at the Pivotal Fitness Greenville athletic club.

/1 Comment/by
,

Monday WOD (Workout of the Day)

Next time you hit up the Pivotal Fitness Greenville gym, your goal will be to make love to the squat rack. Yeah…you heard me right.

Here’s one solid, squat rack WOD for you to tackle and tear up:

  • 30x Back Squat
  • 15x Push Press
  • 10x Pull Ups
  • 20x Front Squat
  • 15x Push Press
  • 10x Pull Ups
  • 10x Overhead Squat
  • 15x Push Press
  • 10x Pull Ups

Don’t have the slightest clue about these various squats? Don’t know how to properly perform a back squat, front squat, overhead squat, or push press? No worries. YouTube to the rescue!

Tune into these YouTube videos with one of my favorite fitness inspirations, Elliott Hulse – a pro strongman and strength coach – to master the front squat.

Click here to learn the correct form. After you’ve mastered that, check out Elliot’s video for a juicy tip to make your front squat that much stronger. Oh yeah.

Next, to master the back squat, check out this CrossFit back squat demo.

To learn the overhead squat, click here for a CrossFit overview of overhead squat basics.

Finally, receive detailed instruction for the push press in this CrossFit push press video.

It’s incredibly important to learn the correct technique and form before you crank out this squat rack workout at the Pivotal Fitness Greenville gym. Get real familiar with the proper movements to avoid uncomfortable sensations in the body, pain, and potential injury.

In terms of weight, keep it light to start. If you don’t know where you are at for weight, consult a Pivotal Fitness Greenville gym personal trainer. For all fitness related questions, don’t hesitate to ask our athletic trainers and health specialists. The fitness team at the Pivotal Fitness Greenville athletic club is here to help you!

Don’t fear the squat rack. Make it your friend. Get intimate with it. Make love to it.

/by
,

A Fitness Myth Debunked

Countless myths are constantly circulating with regards to fitness, health, and weight loss. There’s one in particular that I would like to debunk…

Myth: Weight training makes women look bulky.

Many women shy away from weight training because they are under the impression that they’ll end up expanding instead of leaning down.

Sure, if you’re a woman abusing steroids.

The truth is, to be bulky and appear manly you have to be producing lots of testosterone. The average man produces 10 times more testosterone than the average female. So, unless you are popping steroids, fear not morphing into a man. You will retain your womanly physique if you lift weights, all the while gaining muscle and loosing fat.

Lots of women also believe that the key to weight loss is loads of cardio. Wrong. While cardio is beneficial to your health, you have to be careful because lots of cardio will result in loss of muscle. Loss of muscle makes it that much harder to stay fit and keep the weight off. As you shed fat and muscle simultaneously, you weaken your digestive fire. Less muscle, then, correlates to a lower metabolism. No good.

So, what’s the best weight loss solution?

You may not want to hear this: Diet is first and foremost the most important component in cutting fat. Second to diet is a solid weight training program. Cardio comes in last. In fact, it’s not even necessary to kill yourself with cardio. Clean eating combined with weight (or strength) training creates a highly effective fat loss package all on its own, sans cardio.

So, it’s always odd to me to see so many people (especially women) killing themselves with cardio and avoiding lifting. While a cardio craze may yield temporary weight loss results, it’s not effective for sustained weight loss. To sustain, you must watch what you put in your body and boost your strength.

Next time you are at the Pivotal Fitness Greenville gym opt for a weight training routine over cardio. Maybe even consult a Greenville gym personal trainer to help you design a customized diet plan and weight training program.

Shift your perspective and make strength and diet a priority to realize true, lasting weight loss results.

/by

New Year Countdown: Burpee Challenge

Happy New Year’s Eve to all of you Pivotal Fitness Greenville gym enthusiasts! In celebration of the impending New Year, I would like to share a burpee challenge inspired by trainers at Rise Above Fitness. I’ve tweaked the burpee challenge a bit to observe the lucky number 13. Run through this challenge to continually remind yourself that 2012 is soon to be a period of the past. Goodbye 2012. Enter, now, the year of 2013.

Complete this brutal burpee challenge to start off the New Year with a bang and detox from all of the holiday indulgences you ingested. This burpee challenge is an opportunity for you to kill two birds with one stone: To (1) cleanse and (2) commemorate the New Year.

Before you give this challenge a whirl, retrieve a timer to record the amount of time it takes you to brave this burpee routine at the Pivotal Fitness Greenville gym.

For this challenge you will need a weight bench, a pair of dumbbells, and a wall ball. Consult trainers at the Pivotal Fitness Greenville gym if you have questions concerning the exercise equipment.

2013 Burpee Challenge:

  • 13 Box Jump Burpees
  • 113 Double Unders
  • 13 Burpee Curl Presses
  • 113 Double Unders
  • 13 Ball Slam Burpees
  • 113 Double Unders

Give it a go. Push your limits. Sweat out the sweets and stagnation of the holiday season. Set the New Year on fire with a fierce Pivotal Fitness Greenville gym session.

Disclaimer: You will most likely feel a bit sore starting off the New Year upon completion of this challenge. That’s a good thing! It means your muscles got some sweet action. It means you are starting off the New Year boosting your strength and supporting your health. Props to you!

Enjoy your final day of 2012. Make your last workout of 2012 at the Pivotal Fitness Greenville gym count.

Finally, may you enjoy an abundance of health and strength in 2013!

/by
,

10 Yoga Poses for Core Strength

The holidays have this sneaky way of adding excess adipose tissue to the belly region. All of the various seductive sweets really start stacking up after heavy, regular indulgence. That’s why it is incredibly important to stick to structure and pledge to discipline. Sure, this is the time of the year to be merry – to party, to indulge, and to unwind. Yet, you don’t have to completely lose yourself and stall (even backslide) on your fitness progress. If you want to maintain your current core strength and continue advancing, you must hit up the Pivotal Fitness Greenville gym regularly and vigorously.

There are several yoga poses that, if practiced regularly, will keep your core strong, solid and toned. These poses are highly accessible and work all muscles of the core. Most core exercises only target the superficial muscles of the stomach (the 6-pack abs). These exercises, rather, target all layers – even the deepest layer – of your core. These deeper muscles are very important for balance.

Incorporate the following core yoga poses into your Pivotal Fitness Greenville gym routine at least 3 times per week for results.

Plank Pose

  1. Plank Pose (Hold 2 minutes)
  2. Down Dog (Hold 2 minutes)
  3. Dolphin Plank Pose (Hold 2 minutes)
  4. Dolphin Pose (Hold 2 minutes)
  5. Boat Pose (Hold 2 minutes)
  6. Half Boat Pose (Hold 1 to 2 minutes)
  7. Side Plank (Hold 1 to 2 minutes each side)
  8. Forearm Side Plank (Hold 1 to 2 minutes each side)
  9. Chaturanga (4-limbed Pose) Push Ups (5 to 10 repeats)
  10. Cat/Cow Exercises – Massage the internal organs of the belly and experience a sweet release in your spine. Do as many as you wish!

A fit core will support you in many ways. Yes, you’ll look good in a bikini. That’s not the only bonus, though. A fit core prevents lower pack pain and injury. A powerful core supports balance and allows you to exercise with less effort and more ease. A strong core cultivates stronger and more confident posture. Knowing this should definitely inspire you to give your center of gravity some extra attention.

A strong core is very empowering, creating outer and inner strength. To sculpt and strengthen your center, mix in a bit of yoga in your Pivotal Fitness Greenville gym routine.

Photo Credit: Image via Denice Lindell

/by

A Simple, Stimulating Circuit Challenge

‘Tis the season for feasting, indulging, and carbohydrate overload. If you’re already feeling the sluggish aftermath of excess carbohydrate consumption, it might be time to surrender the sweets and sweat out the accumulating impurities.

Yes, put down your gingerbread cookies, peppermint truffles, fruitcake or whatever your seasonal weakness is and get yourself to the Pivotal Fitness Greenville gym immediately. It’s time to get down with a simple, yet stimulating circuit routine, inspired by Krissy Mae Cags, creator of BAMFit and a Rise Above Fitness trainer.

This circuit will be super effective if you keep up the pace. Remain active and really push yourself during your time at the Pivotal Fitness Greenville athletic club.

Okay, here we go. Are you ready? Yeah, you are!

Circuit Challenge:

  • 5 V-Ups
  • 10 Push ups
  • 15 Box Jumps
  • 20 Weighted Walking Lunges
  • 25 Kettlebell swings
  • 400M Run

Circuit Training

Running through this circuit routine once would be far too easy. That’s why you’ll challenge yourself to run through it 5 times! I said it would be simple. I never said it would be easy!

If you want to realize results, you have to challenge yourself. What’s more, if you’re going to indulge heavily in holiday pleasures, you must be willing to train hard – to put in lots of gym time and lots of sweat.

Don’t let this holiday season break your fitness routine and hinder your goals. Stick to structure. Create a Pivotal Fitness Greenville gym routine. Commit to clean eating 6 days a week and reserve one day per week for indulgences. I can’t emphasize this enough: Restriction is not healthy. Restriction will definitely result in a massive splurge at some point. That’s why it’s more effective to strategically incorporate your splurges so they don’t get in the way of your fitness intentions. Remember: Moderation in all things.

Enjoy your circuit training workout at the Pivotal Fitness Greenville gym. Most importantly, enjoy a happy, health-conscious holiday season!

Photo Credit: By Krissy Mae Cags via Instagram

/by
,

Two Ferocious Chest and Back Circuits

Next time you are at the Pivotal Fitness Greenville gym, destroy yourself with these killer chest and back circuits inspired by fitness innovators and educators Krissy Cags and Travis Baker.

First, enjoy this dirty, giant set of fortifying chest and back exercises:

  • Incline Barbell Press x 12 reps
  • Pull Up x 12 reps
  • Flat Bench Press x 12 reps
  • Bent Over Row x 12 reps
  • Dip x 12 reps
  • Reverse Grip Chin Up x 12 reps
  • Push-ups x 12 reps

Repeat this circuit 5 times, resting 45 seconds between rounds. Ouch.

Not going to lie, this will hurt. You’ll immediately feel like you put on some extra pounds of muscle after manning your way through this circuit beast. What’s more, you’ll definitely feel this one the next day. That’s a good thing! It means you successfully worked those chest and back muscles. It means you are moving forward, tackling your Greenville gym fitness goals and creating your best you.

To add more brutality to the fitness mix, here is a further series of exercises you can perform at the Pivotal Fitness Greenville gym to fire up the muscles of the chest, back, and more. Get ready and pumped to slam, swing, and slam some more.

Slam. Swing. Slam. via Krissy Mae Cags Webstagram

  • Rope Slams
  • Kettlebell Swings
  • Ball Slams

Fun, right? Right. You definitely gotta muster up some enthusiasm for this set!

Perform exercises as repeats of 40-30-20-10-20-30-40. That’s 40 of each exercise, 30 of each, 20 of each, and so on. We’ve got plenty of exercise equipment at the Pivotal Fitness Greenville gym. However, if you can’t find some of the equipment necessary, ask a trainer or staff member at the Pivotal Fitness Greenville athletic club to help steer you in the right direction or modify the exercise. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

What’s the hold up? Transport yourself to the Pivotal Fitness Greenville gym. Suffer the burn. Generate a sweat. Strengthen and sculpt those chest and back muscles. Meet your fitness goals. Create your best version of you.

Kill it.

/by
,

Butts and Guts Challenge

I am about to propose a serious challenge for you to master next time you are working out at the Pivotal Fitness Greenville athletic club. Actually, challenge is an understatement in this fitness scenario. This “challenge” may be better described as a murderous, muscle-frying fight. One of my fitness gurus, Krissy M. Cags, is, again, setting the bar pretty high here; maybe, even, a bit too high. You gotta aim high, though, right? Right.

There is always room for advancement in your fitness regimen at the Pivotal Fitness Greenville gym. There is NEVER room for boredom or stagnation. If you think your workout at the Pivotal Fitness Greenville gym needs a significant boost, here it is in the form of an energizing 1K exercise experiment.

This set of exercises is pretty simple, actually. The exercises are very straightforward. No funny business here. Yet, don’t get too excited or smug. I said simple. I never said easy.

Allow me to lay it out for you.

First, get in a short, cardio warm-up of 10 to 20 minutes tops. Then, here goes…

  1. Sit-up to Bridge Exercise – 1000
  2. Atomic Sit-ups – 1000

Yeah, that’s right. 1K of each exercise. Do it in whatever order you wish. Just do it!

If you are anything like me, you may prefer to ease your way into things. 1000 of each exercise may be a bit much right off the bat. I’d start out with 250. Then, jack it up to 500. Then, 750. Finally, 1000. See that? Baby steps.

Spice up your Pivotal Fitness Greenville gym time with this crazy challenge once per week. By all means, up the ante to twice (or more) per week if you’re a super hero.

The bad news? This will kill. The good news? You are well on your way to stronger, more defined abs and glutes.

Fight for 1K victory at the Pivotal Fitness Greenville athletic club. Go all the way to 1K!

/by

Secrets of Navy Seal Strength

Desire Navy Seal status strength? Well, it’s your lucky day. I’m about to unleash a circuit training routine that Navy Seals use for cardiovascular and strength conditioning and endurance building. Practice this circuit when you’re kicking it at the Pivotal Fitness Greenville athletic club. If you can make it through this, you are one mean, physical engine. If you can’t finish it all, no worries. You must start somewhere.

Here she is: 13 grueling exercises for you to master at the Pivotal Fitness Greenville gym. If you practice this routine twice weekly, it’ll yield impressive, fortifying results. This is a circuit, so start from exercise #1 and continue through the exercises until you reach #13. Then, repeat again…and again. Some of the exercises call for 5 repeats, while others only 3 or 4. As you will soon discover, the intensity tapers off towards the end, so you’ll land smoothly.

  1. Push-ups :: 35 x 5 reps
  2. Sit-ups :: 40 x 4 reps
  3. Dips :: 30 x 4 reps
  4. Swimmers :: 15 x 3 reps
  5. Hanging Knee-ups :: 15 x 3 reps
  6. Hanging Obliques :: 15 x 3 reps
  7. Body Builders :: 15 x 3 reps
  8. Breast Stroke :: 20 x 3 reps
  9. Squats :: 30 x 3 reps
  10. Lunges :: 30 x 3 reps
  11. Pull-ups :: 15 x 4 reps
  12. Wide grip pull-ups :: 15 x 4 reps
  13. Close grip pull-ups :: 15 x 4 reps

Whew. That’s no joke.

If you’re in topnotch shape, you should be able to get through this circuit routine in roughly 45 minutes. Take your time, though. No one at the Pivotal Fitness Greenville gym expects you to be a hero. There’s no set time limit. Just keep moving! Try your best to make it through the entire circuit regardless of how long it takes you.

As you continue to practice this circuit, you’ll find yourself working your way through it faster. Most importantly, you’ll realize increased endurance, enhanced muscle tone, and greater cardio power.

Enjoy!

/by