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7 Tips for Weight-Lifting Newbies

Are you a weight lifting newbie at the Pivotal Fitness Greenville athletic club? If so, explore these weight lifting tips to better approach this awesome form of exercise. Build strength. Increase power. Sculpt and tone your body. Plus, better support your Pivotal Fitness Greenville gym activities and other physical endeavors.

  1. Don’t be intimidated. Weight lifting, contrary to popular thought, is an accessible exercise. All the heavy lifting beasts you may witness didn’t start out that way. Lifting is a mindful progression. It’s important to add weight gradually and place the emphasis more on technique. That way, you’ll avoid potential injuries and set up a strong foundation.
  2. Form first. As mentioned, your primary focus should be on establishing proper form before you start packing on the weight.
  3. Light weights, more reps. Again, this is to avoid injury and to practice safe, aligned technique.
  4. Find a place to lift comfortably. Don’t lift in congested areas if it is going to make you feel intimated, uncomfortable, or overwhelmed. Find a corner to avoid distractions. Also, try coming to the Pivotal Fitness Greenville health center at off peak hours.
  5. Drop the excuses. Resist the urge to create cop-outs. Sure, there will be days when you are low on energy, stressed, sore, or exceptionally busy. Those are the days when you should really commit to hit the gym. Weight lifting boosts energy and speeds up recovery, so it will actually benefit you to keep up with your progress even on days where you feel off.
  6. Find a weight lifting partner. Find a trusted partner to challenge and inspire you – someone who keeps pushing you and relentlessly supports you.
  7. Consult a Pivotal Fitness Greenville gym trainer. For weight lifting newbies, this can be incredibly helpful. You’ll learn the ropes faster under a trained professional. Plus, you’ll have someone there along the way motivating and challenging you.

 

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10 Pointers to Prep for the Gym

  1. Nourish. Eat three balanced meals per day. Make your first meal of the day rich with protein (at least 30g). Select carbs that are low on the glycemic index. Choose healthy fats. Avoid drinking your calories. Drink lots of water. You know the drill.
  2. Work out on off times. There’s nothing more irritating than hitting a crowded gym with nothing available. Try to hit the Pivotal Fitness Greenville athletic club at non-peak hours to avoid the crowds and distractions.
  3. Purchase a heart rate monitor. Heart rate monitors are more accurate in calculating the amount of calories burned compared to machines. Purchase one of these to get a true reading.
  4. Consult Pivotal Fitness Greenville gym trainers. Need guidance? Don’t hesitate to ask our crew!
  5. Inhale. Exhale. Repeat. Breathe through your workouts. Cultivate a steady, rhythmic breath. Less thinking, more breathing.
  6. Build strength. Don’t fear lifting! Building strength is far more important in terms of fat loss than cardio. The next best thing to strength training is maintaining a balanced, healthy diet. So, choose foods that support you and your workouts.
  7. Work with a personal trainer. If you need more one-on-one assistance, set up a few sessions with our Pivotal Fitness Greenville gym personal trainers.
  8. Strike a balance between effort and ease. Know when to push through it, and know when to back off. Sometimes pain does not equal gain. Listen up to your body’s needs.
  9. Sport wicking wear. Sweaty, sticky gym clothes can be uncomfortable and distracting. Avoid this phenomenon and select wicking wear. This material breathes beautifully and prevents sweat build-up. Plus, it prevents skin irritation and breakouts.
  10. Limit pre and post-workout treats. Don’t overdo it on the snacks. Try to get all of your fuel from your daily 3 balanced meals, but if you must, opt for a snack that is high in protein and not too carb heavy. Be judicious. Nut and nut butters are excellent in moderation. Wash down your treats with lots of water.
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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.

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7 Simple Fat Loss Wins

Diet is just as important (even more important) as the time and sweat you put in at the Pivotal Fitness Greenville gym. For increased and sustained fat loss, diet is key. Fortunately, there are some simple dietary (and lifestyle) changes that you can implement to engender impressive, fat loss results. These tips, combined with an effective workout routine at the Pivotal Fitness Greenville gym, will score you major fat loss wins.

  1. Eat Breakfast – Within 30 minutes of rising, consume 30g of protein. My 30g breakfast of choice consists of 2 eggs, 2-4 pieces of bacon, ½ cup of legumes (usually red lentils or black beans), and sautéed spinach. If you’re in hurry, whip up a protein shake. This is an awesome way to kick-start your day and ward off potential cravings.
  2. Drink More Water – Keep your liver happy. When your liver is dehydrated, it does not metabolize fat as effectively. So, keep hydrating!
  3. Eat More Protein – I can’t stress this enough. Get at least 20g of protein per meal. At breakfast, this is especially important.
  4. Drink Green Tea – Green tea has fat burning properties as well as caffeine for energy. Studies also indicate that it is a good post-workout beverage.
  5. Don’t Drink Your Calories – Just stick to water, unsweetened tea, or black coffee. 1-2 glass of red wine per day, you may be happy to learn, is also allowed. No juice. No soda. No cocktails. No beer. If you have to ask, it probably isn’t allowed (unless it’s your cheat day, of course!).
  6. Walk There – I’ve made a habit of walking places even when it is more convenient to drive or rely on public transportation. Walking is good, low impact cardio and, also, very meditative. It’s an awesome way to clear the cobwebs!
  7. Choose High Protein Snacks – If snacking is just something you can’t rule out, turn to snacks high in protein: Raw, organic nut butters, nuts, cottage cheese, etc.

Sure, there’s a bunch of additional techniques and life changes you can explore further to promote rapid and sustained fat loss. These tips, however, are among the simple.

These changes, though simple, are not easy. It may be hard for you to forgo on soda or give up your sugary snacks. These tips, though simple, require discipline just like your Pivotal Fitness Greenville gym workouts require discipline. It’s amazing, however, how a few simple changes can create meaningful and lasting results.

For more fat loss tips and nutritional guidance, consult the team of personal trainers at the Pivotal Fitness Greenville athletic club.

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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.

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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!

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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.

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An Argument for Light Weights

A few weeks ago, we talked about lifting weights as a means for toning up at our Greenville gym. More recently, the “Journal of Applied Physiology” weighed in with its own interesting findings about the usefulness of light weights. It concluded that working out with lighter weights was less intimidating, less risky and just as effective in terms of muscle growth as working out with heavy weights over time.

The study had young men perform resistance training with varying weights over a period of ten weeks to see if the results differed. The results showed that a person might only be able to go through a few reps with a very heavy weight, and they can perform much longer with a set of lighter weights. Because working out with weights is effective when a person uses them to the point of fatigue, it might make sense for some adults to hit that point later with lighter strain along the way than pushing themselves straight to the max. Plus, some people might be intimidated by bigger weight ranges and refrain from working out with weights altogether.

Commonly using heavy weights can also cause muscle and joint strain in the long-term, and that risk is diminished with lighter weights. And those pushing themselves to achieve more with a heavier weight may stray from proper form more commonly than those using a simpler routine. Overall, the impact of light weights in a regular fitness regimen can be dramatically better for a person’s physique in the long run than higher weights.

This research just goes to show that it’s not just about showing off and achieving great strides. Don’t overexert yourself or set unrealistic goals. It’s all about honesty, moderation and confidence. Don’t be afraid to come into the gym with moderate goals. Don’t compare yourself to the bodybuilder with the huge biceps standing next to you. If you psych yourself out – or worse, quit because you think you can’t do some huge workout task – then it won’t benefit anyone. And remember, you come in here to feel good about yourself!

The key is to commit to a regular routine, set realistic limits and stay motivated. If you can only do a small amount of work at a time, come in more days of the week. If you can only handle light weights, you can do more sets. There’s no single way to work out – ask our highly trained staff and personal trainers how you can define and meet limits that work for you in order to get fit and attain your ideal body.

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Learning to Run – Part 1

When newcomers join our Greenville gym, we like to ask about their aspirations. One tangible goal for many is learning how to run. Of course, we all know how to run, or move faster than walking on our own power; but in this case, it means running for a sustained period with the technique necessary to optimize the experience for your body, weight and health. The first effort toward that end is often training to complete a 5K.

The first thing that new runners need to understand is that it’s all about the journey, not the destination. A starting point for training isn’t to sign up to run a 5K in a few months. Working under that kind of pressure and with a fixed time frame to achieve the goal can be detrimental to motivation and progress rather than encouraging it. In fact, some people in various stages of health conditions may not ever be able to complete this type of run, which equates to more than three miles at a go. But with this goal in mind, our Greenville personal trainers can help you develop the mindset and regimen to get your body in shape for the endeavor.

The very first step is building up your muscles and getting in shape for running. You can’t just start out of the gate as a runner without any former exercise routine in place. You have to walk on the treadmill before you can run. You’ll want to focus on a gym workout routine that helps you strengthen your core, tone your muscles and build up endurance. Pivotal Fitness Greenville members should also ask about our nutrition consultations to learn what foods and supplements can aid your health and body strength from the inside out to help you meet your running goals.

Check back next week for the beginners’ running tips you need to train for your 5K.

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Greenville Personal Training

According to the latest study by the National Weight Control Registry, individuals need more than just diet and exercise to stay in shape. One of the critical elements of health and fitness that’s often overlooked is the need for social support. At Pivotal Fitness’ Greenville gym, you can meet with a personal trainer for regular, one-on-one sessions that exclusively focus on you and your unique workout needs.

Personal trainers not only tell you which activities to perform each week and teach you the best ways to execute each exercise. They also provide support, encouragement—and sometimes the firm, honest feedback that you need to meet your strength and weight-loss goals. Feeling like you’re not alone as you work on attaining your best body is paramount to long-lasting success.

Pivotal Fitness’ Greenville health club offers a range of services and plans that come with personal training. Options fall into three main categories:

  • VIP Series
  • Traditional Series
  • Buddy Training

And all new members receive one free training session with a personal trainer to talk about your goals. You can target that one spot on your body you’ve always wished was more tone, seek overall muscle conditioning or simply kick up your metabolism to have your body always working for you–even when you’re not working out. Our Greenville personal trainers can also talk with you about nutrition and help you institute daily dietary practices into your own life to complement all the hard work you do at the gym.

Learn more about Pivotal Fitness Greenville – Personal Training.

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