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Why It’s Okay to Pig Out on Thanksgiving

It’s okay to indulge, even overindulge, once good ol’ Turkey Day comes ‘round. Cheat meals – even full-on cheat days – are good for the body and even more satisfying to the brain.

Restricting, psychologically speaking, just isn’t going to work in the long-term. Eventually, no matter your willpower, you will cave to temptation. You’ll scoop away at that pint of ice cream. You’ll feast on that fried chicken. You’ll pop open that bag of potato chips. Whatever the temptation, it’ll reel you in eventually. It’s okay. In fact, it’s even better than okay. It can be good for you, if done properly.

Food, even the junk, can be enjoyed without damaging your physique or putting a dent in your health and wellness goals at the Greenville sports club. Really? Yes. Really. It’s simple. The trick is scheduling these indulgences into your Greenville gym plan, either at one cheat meal or cheat day per week.

According to health guru, Tim Ferriss, there are two reasons why you should most definitely “cheat” on your Greenville athletic club routine.

  1. If you don’t allow for indulgences, you’ll go mental. The mind naturally wants what it can’t have. When you do allow for a cheat day/meal once per week, it’s easier to keep temptation at bay because eventually, you know you’ll be able to have whatever it is that you want. It promotes peace of mind, focus and healthy eating for the rest of the week.
  2. Your body actually benefits from a weekly cheat day/meal. Without it, your body will enter starvation mode. NOT GOOD. “Cheating” on your Greenville health center routine keeps you out of this state and actually supports fat loss.

Yeah, it might sound too good to be true, but it’s truly not. Sure, there are some caveats. To get the best experience from your Turkey Day cheating, read up on the important dos and don’ts in this post: The Ultimate Guide to the 4 Hour Body Cheat Day (www.slowcarbfoodie.com).

Cut your brain and body a break this holiday season, and schedule Turkey Day as a guilt-free cheat day. Get it out of your system so you can eat well (and have zero desire for those leftovers) and optimize your Greenville health club training.

Looking for an easy-does-it workout this holiday season? Greenville yoga is where it’s at, offering a great counter to the stress of the season. Contact us for the Yoga Greenville class schedule.

 

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Standard or Sumo Deadlift?

Not so sure which deadlift to incorporate into your Greenville health center weight training routine?

The answer to whether you select the sumo deadlift or conventional deadlift is: it all depends.

Both are good. Both emphasize your backside. But often, one works better for your particular body composition. It all depends on your level of flexibility, as well as your torso and limb length.

For those of average to short height, the standard deadlift generally works better.

For the long torso and/or long-limbed folk, the sumo is often better.

If you’re of the long-limbed, long torso category, the sumo lowers your center of balance and shortens the range of motion by widening your stance. This makes it more suitable because you don’t have to worry about your knees getting in the way on the way up as they are out to the side, which lends more efficiency to the movement.

Also, if you have lower back issues (or a tight lower back), the traditional deadlift, which requires you bend over more, may cause some lower back flare-ups. If that’s the case, the sumo is probably your best bet, as it’s more upright and easier to keep your spine long.

To really determine which one you should go with, try experimenting with both variations.

Be sure you practice your deadlift – sumo or standard – with good form. If you aren’t sure, seek the guidance of a Greenville gym trainer to learn how to execute proper technique before incorporating the movement into your Greenville sports club routine. There are so many benefits to this movement, including planting more muscle on your whole body, but without good technique you won’t get all of the benefits deadlifts have to offer. Plus, you will be more likely to suffer an injury.

Be smart! Be safe!

Have questions regarding the Greenville health club personal training service? Call (864) 292-8875 or email info@greenvillegym.com.

 

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Simple Tips for Lifters with Lower Back Concerns

Do you want to get into a weight lifting program at the Greenville sports club, but hesitate because you are concerned that you might be susceptible to lower back flare ups?

It’s a valid concern.

To better ensure that your lower back stays safe, here’s five simple tips to put into practice if/when you start a weight lifting program at the Greenville Gym:

  1. Substitute the traditional deadlift with a sumo deadlift. The wider the stance, the less intense on the lower back.
  2. Elevate your heels. This puts more emphasis on your knees, taking the stress off of your hips and lower back. Either invest in weight lifting shoes or lift your heels on weights.
  3. Invoke the mantra: slow and steady. More times than not, it’s adding on too much weight too quickly that leads to lower back pain or injury. Be smart: add weight on very slowly and steadily over time. Use an app like Strong Lifts to strategically guide and monitor your progress.
  4. Do abdominal work to support your posture. A strong core helps to support and stabilize the spine, especially the lower back, during any lift. Practice planks on plank on planks…to really fortify your abdominal strength. To boost your core strength even more, test out a Greenville yoga class. Vinyasa always delivers a hefty serving of core.
  5. Practice lightweight good mornings. Lightly weighted good mornings will help to strengthen your lumbar spine to help fix any underlying weaknesses that may be contributing to the lower back pain.

Do you have any additional tips and tricks for keeping the lower back safe and sound for a lifting session? Please share/comment below!

For more weight lifting tips and tricks, consider signing up for the expertise of a Greenville health club personal trainer. In fact, if new to the Greenville athletic club, you are gifted a free initial personal training session so you can test it out.

For more information on personal training and more, contact the Greenville gym.

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5 Reasons to Take a “Spin”

If you want a motivating workout at the Greenville Gym, check out our “spin” on indoor cycling.

Here’s 5 reasons why you should put on your athletic shoes and get pedaling:

  1. Low-impact. This cardio workout is low-impact, so it’s very suitable for those who want to counter higher-impact exercises (like running) or for those who have joint pain or problems. Because it’s low-impact, it’s also a very accessible form of cardio exercise for all shapes, sizes, and ages. The Greenville health center comes equipped with top-notch stationary bikes that are fully customizable and adjustable. You can adjust the tension or resistance on the bike depending on your fitness level and how intense you want your workout to be.
  2. Strengthen your lower body like whoa. Cycling is bound to boost your lower body strength, including your gluteus maximus, hamstrings, calves, and quadriceps.
  3. Strengthen all over. If you think you’re only in for a leg workout, think again. Indoor cycling delivers a full-body workout that will not only define and lean out your legs, but sculpt and strengthen your body all over.
  4. Torch calories. During an hour-long indoor cycling session at the Greenville athletic club, you can burn upwards of 700 – 800 calories, which is comparable to 15 to 20 miles of bike riding. Cycling is a great way to burn fat and lose weight, get back in shape and stay in shape.
  5. Boost energy and cardio health! Taking a Greenville health club indoor cycling class can boost your energy levels. Depending on how fast you pedal and the amount of resistance you have on the bike, your heart and lungs will benefit, too.

The Greenville sports club offers indoor cycling routines of varying levels and lengths to align with your level of fitness. If you want more information, don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re here to help!

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3 Quick Routines to Train Your Core

Got core?

If you’re seeking exercises to both strengthen and sculpt your abs, consider yoga your core-boosting solution.

That means skip the old school sit-ups and step away from the ab machine.

Step on to the yoga mat, instead. You (and your midsection) won’t be disappointed. Yoga delivers a complete core workout, effectively targeting all layers of the abs: the rectus abdominis, the obliques (internal and external), and the transversus abdominis (the deepest layer of ab muscle).

Here’s 3 powerful core exercises you can do pre or post-workout at the Greenville athletic club or even, mix into your regular workouts or HIIT routines. Bonus: All exercises also promote greater upper body strength, so you can show off some toned triceps to match that tight tummy.

  1. Core Sequence Using Plank Pose: Plank pose is the Holy Grail of core exercises. Incorporate this plank routine into your Greenville health club workout, do it post-run or cardio session, or add it into the middle of your yoga practice. Whenever, wherever.
  2. Core Strengthening Series: Strengthen your abdominus rectus (the six pack abs) in this core sequence. This sequence is best if practiced after your Greenville sports club workout. Sprinkle it into your cool down routine.
  3. 5 Yoga-Inspired Core Exercises: Challenge your abs from all directions. Two of the exercises in this free online yoga video use weights, but they can be done with or without them. We suggest you accept the challenge and grab a pair of light hand weights.

All yoga is beneficial for the core. To enhance your core intelligence, support and strength even more, we suggest you try out a Greenville yoga class. Choose a more vigorous style, such as Vinyasa, to really get an adequate fix of abdominal work. Visit the Greenville gym website to learn more about our yoga class schedule and styles.

 

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3 Reasons to Make Greenville Your Local Gym

Choosing your local gym spot can be a tough settlement. We all want a good deal. We all want the most bang for our buck. And we all want a gym that takes the stress out of working out.

Not to brag or anything, but the services offered here at Greenville gym are unparalleled. If you’re looking for a fitness club in Greenville, here’s 3 reasons to choose our gym as your local sweat spot:

  1. Solo + Group Options: Do you operate as a lone wolf? Or do you need the energy of a pack to get moving? Either way, you’re covered at the Greenville athletic club. For the do-it-yourself folks, step into our state-of-the-art cardio center and/or advanced strength-training area. Here, you’ll find everything you need to carry out your personal Greenville health club routine. For those that need more of a group environment to get motivated, choose from hundreds of class options every month to sweat, strengthen, and surpass your training expectations.
  2. Childcare Services: Work out with peace of mind. Keep your kids occupied and entertained while you train hard! Greenville health center offers free childcare for children that are 6 weeks through 6 years. Your kids will receive plenty of attention from our trusted staff members. What’s more, children 6 through 12 are eligible to participate in our Pivotal KidZONE program, which offers programmed activities available every evening from 4-8pm. Greenville sports club child activities include yoga, speed training, gymnastics, functional classes, and more!
  3. Nutritional Center: Our high-end nutritional center is truly something special. Complete with Good to Go fresh fruits, veggies, and other food items, we make it easy to train hard and eat well. Support yourself to vibrant health and grab a Good to Go snack post-workout.

Start your FREE 30-day membership now!

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Why You Should Try HIIT: 5 Reasons

HIIT has its perks. Sure, it’s not for everyone, but if you’re short on time and of the type that gets easily bored with exercise, this method of working out might appeal.

The perks…

  • Make the most of your time.
    We don’t want you to be a slave to the Greenville athletic club. Get in and out with the same, if not better, results…all in just 30 minutes or less of HIIT!
  • Get more fat-burning bang for your bod.
    Minimize the work. Maximize the results. There’s something to be said for training smart over hard. Working smarter (and harder!) during a shorter window of time will promote more calorie burning than a prolonged, plain-jane workout, and will also continue to torch calories up to 24 hours after you leave the Greenville health center.
  • Boost your heart health.
    Take your heart rate to the max – the anaerobic zone – to greatly boost your heart health. Disclaimer: Don’t over do it. If you’re a newbie to HIIT, ease in. Don’t attempt to go all out at the get-go as this might place too much stress on your heart. Build up to your max mindfully. As always, consult your doc before embarking on an intense HIIT routine or class at the Greenville Gym.
  • Keep fitness fresh and fun.
    Do you dread long, laborious, cardio-in-place experiences? HIIT might be your solution. Mix in lots of different exercises and movements to leave no time for idle thought or distraction. Switch it up each workout. The sky’s the limit with HIIT.
  • Get speedy. Get strong. Get stamina.
    These fast and furious workouts will increase your speediness, stamina, and strength. Just give it two weeks. You’ll see.

Ready to start HIIT? The Greenville sports club offers many group fitness classes that incorporate HIIT. Not into group classes? Not to worry. We also have public training areas, complete with all the space and equipment you could possibly need, to run through your own HIIT routine. Check out the Greenville health club options to see what works for you!

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The Best Weightlifting App

If you’re looking for the best weightlifting app to track your Greenville Gym weight training workouts and boost your strength, the STRONGLIFTS 5X5 app is where it’s at! Available for download on all iPhone/iPod and most Android devices, this app boasts a bounty of easy-to-use features that even the most novice of weightlifters can get behind. And the fact that it’s both free to download and free of ads is a major bonus!

Mehdi, founder of StrongLifts, lists the following app features:

  • “Track how many reps and sets you did with a simple tap so you never forget it again
  • Timer shows how long you’ve rested, and how long you should to get your next set
  • Automatically increase weight by 2.5kg/5lb each workout (customize in settings)
  • Auto-alternate workouts A/B so you know which exercise to do each workout
  • Automatically repeat the weight if you fail to get five reps on every set
  • Automatically deload if you fail three sets in a row on an exercise
  • And a lot more like kg/lb version, notes, calendar, history, etc.” 

If you want to start weightlifting or just create more structure in your training at the Greenville athletic club, StrongLifts 5×5 is both a highly rated and highly recommended tool. It most definitely warrants a download. And it most definitely manifests muscle-building results (Follow StrongLifts on Twitter).

Plus, the Greenville health club has everything you could possibly need to complete this routine in the Advanced Training Area of the gym. If you need a little extra help with the lifts in this program, don’t hesitate to reach out to a Greenville sports club trainer. For those totally new to lifting, a weightlifting coach, at least initially, is strongly urged to ensure your technique is solid and safe.

Happy Lifting!

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3 Reasons to Visit the Greenville Gym Nutrition Center

Transforming your body not only requires an effective exercise program, but healthy eating as well. In fact, diet is the most  important element when it comes to weight loss and maintenance.

Here at the Greenville health center, we take a gentle approach to change. Our philosophy is to continually upgrade your daily eating to be healthier and healthier over time instead of making extreme changes that won’t be sustainable. Miracles don’t happen overnight. It’s a series of small wins that add up to real change.

Greenville Gym offers nutritional and weight loss counseling from certified experts that can help you create a complete nutrition program to complement your fitness, sports performance, and/or weight loss goals. If you haven’t yet already, here’s 3 reasons to consider seeing a Greenville health club nutritionist.

  1. Information Overload/Confusion
    Since the information on nutrition is constantly changing and contradicting itself, we layout the basic guidelines to help you make decisions that ensure your body is getting complete nutrition and fulfillment.
  2. New Health Concerns
    Do you have a new health concern with nutritional implications, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or food allergies? This can be overwhelming and uneasy to navigate, as you’re left wondering which foods are on or off the menu. A visit to an educated nutritionist will help optimize your diet for your particular medical issue.
  3. Stuck in a Rut
    A nutritionist can anticipate your pitfalls, plan your meals, monitor progress through weekly check-ins, and boost motivation when you’re stuck in a rut.

Plus, as a bonus, our high-end nutrition center offers Good to Go fresh fruits, veggies, and foods. Support yourself to vibrant health and grab a Good to Go snack to re-energize post-workout! Next time you’re at the Greenville sports club, pay the Nutritional Center a visit to learn more about our wellness services and solutions!

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Top 3 Fitness Inspirations

If I had to pick the top health and fitness inspirations, these three would be it. They’ve all put in years, if not decades, of work. They’ve tested. They’ve re-tested. And finally, they’ve developed mastery of not only their craft, but their teachings and delivery of information.

  • Tim Ferriss. Fast track your weight loss with the slow carb diet. No, this isn’t some atkins diet knock off. This is a healthy diet for those who really need to shed excess pounds or for those who aren’t too jazzed on putting in a lot of time at the Greenville athletic club, but still want to maintain a sculpted, lean physique. In his book, the 4 Hour Body, you’ll learn a lot more about how to effectively manage your efforts to maximize your gym results. If you are a serious athlete or lifter, slow carb probably isn’t an optimal diet plan for you. Tim gets into that in the book. He also presents lots of great exercises and therapeutics that you can perform at the Greenville health club.
  • Krissy Mae Cagney. If you want access to many FREE HIIT and metabolic circuit workouts, head over to Krissy Mae Cagney’s Facebook, where she posts new workouts several times per week and other valuable health and wellness information and inspiration. She’s no nonsense and knows a tank load when it comes to dieting and working out. She also offers multiple training/nutrition plans on her website. Check them out if you need more structure in your Greenville sports club routine. Greenville Gym has all of the tools you’ll need to follow through with these programs.
  • Kino MacGregor. This one’s for all the yogis or potential yogis out there. No one knows yoga like Kino. To build more strength, core intelligence, and confidence in super difficult postures, Kino is your girl. Not a yoga fanatic? That’s no problem. Kino instructs to all levels. The bulk of her teachings are on her YouTube channel. You can also find full-length classes with her on YogaVibes.com. If you’re interested in starting a yoga practice, check out our Greenville yoga options!
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