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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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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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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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8 Simple & Strengthening Yoga Poses for Gym Enthusiasts

Amidst your strenuous workout routine at the Pivotal Fitness Greenville gym, you probably don’t feel like you have adequate time and energy to get in that yoga or Pilates class that you have been pondering. That’s cool. I feel you. We can’t do it all. The good news: You don’t have to get in a full-blown yoga class to reap the powerful benefits of a yoga practice. Pivotal Fitness Greenville gym does, however, offer yoga and Pilates in the mind and body room. So, if a full-blown class is what your heart desires, we’ve got you covered. If not, get wild with this handful of highly accessible, total-body strengthening, and core-enhancing yoga poses while you’re working it at the Pivotal Fitness Greenville athletic club.

  1. High Plank
  2. Low Plank (Plank on forearms)
  3. Side Plank (Each side on forearm or arm extended)
  4. Downward Facing Dog (To amplify Down Dog, try bending your elbows at about 45 degrees so that they are hovering right above the ground)
  5. Dolphin (Downward Dog on forearms with option for Dolphin push-ups)
  6. Crescent Lunge (Each side)
  7. Boat Pose
  8. Bridge Pose

You can sprinkle these poses into your circuit-training regimen or practice them as a sequence post-workout. Hold each pose for 30 seconds to one minute. If you find this too easy, set your timer for 2 minutes per pose. The more the merrier. Also, after you have practiced these very fortifying postures, it’s nice to enjoy a few restorative poses to relax, cool down, and reboot the system. Try Child’s Pose and/or Butterfly Pose to experience a juicy stretch and release.

See that? Your Greenville yoga doesn’t have to be so hard to get in. Just hop on an exercise mat post sweat session, cycle through a few poses, and there you have it. Boom. Yoga made easy for Greenville gym going enthusiasts!

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Gym Etiquette – Part 1

Even if you’re listening to your music with your headphones, getting in the zone and working out in your own little world, it’s still important to remember that the Pivotal Fitness Greenville gym is a common space. You’re surrounded by other people who are members as well, and there’s certain ways you can use the equipment and interact with others to ensure that everyone around you is having a comfortable, quality experience.

Here are some general workout etiquette tips that can help you avoid any awkward looks from your fellow fitness fans the next time you come in to get your gym groove on:

  1. Don’t talk on your cell phone. Inside a gym isn’t the place to catch up with your friends and family. People often complain about others being on their phone in the middle of the room. You can step outside or even visit the locker rooms if there’s a call you have to make. In a pinch, keep it short and quiet. This rule also goes for in-person gym convos: Think of your fellow guests and use an indoor voice.
  1. Communicate politely with other members. Like at home or in the workplace, good communication skills are important at a health club. If someone’s waiting for the treadmill, pop out your earbuds and let them know when you think you’ll be done. You can ask someone to show you how to use the equipment they were just using (though it’s better to ask the staff). Or you might just want to say “hello” and “excuse me” in a respectful way that doesn’t invade anyone’s space or be unwelcome when someone might look like they’re enjoying solitude.
  1. Put everything back where you found it. One of the most frustrating things, no matter where you are, is looking for something where you know it should be or where you found it last time – but now it’s gone. Everyone will have a more efficient and enjoyable gym experience if they can find the weights, balls, mats and other accessories right where they’re supposed to be. If you’re not sure where something goes because you found it out of place, don’t hesitate to ask a friendly Greenville athletics club staff member!
  1. Wipe down the equipment. Gyms all have their own official policies about this, but as a general rule of thumb it’s a good idea to assume that the next person to touch the machine you were just dripping on would appreciate a little wipe-down with a clean towel before you move on.

Check back next week for even more great tips!

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New Year’s Resolutions You Can Keep

It’s that time of year again – time to make your resolutions for the New Year. For many people, at least one of the goals on their list will include getting in shape or losing weight. In fact, that’s one of the most popular resolutions across the board, coming in at No. 1 on many surveys next to saving money and similar financial concerns.

It’s not that people have a problem with evaluating their life and honestly targeting areas that need improvement. The usual complication comes from following through with plans to integrate nutrition and workouts into an established lifestyle. So how can you buckle down this year and achieve your wellness goals?

  1. Set realistic goals. It’s extremely important to specify what you hope to accomplish so that you can measure your success. A nebulous definition of success leaves room for excuses and discouragement. But when you have a concrete goal and can see yourself getting closer to it and progressing, it’s a powerful motivator to keep going. That’s also why it’s a good reason to delineate several smaller goals leading up to the ultimate one – like losing two pounds per week rather than 20 pounds in six months. And hitting the gym isn’t always about losing weight. For many people, the end goal involves lowering medical bills and increasing their overall lifespan. These goals are harder to measure; instead you can fulfill plans like going to the gym three times a week.
  2. Think positively. Your own mindset can make or break you when it comes to achieving New Year’s resolutions. In December, we’re all very confident about our ability to fulfill our promises. This ambition is very important when it comes to pushing yourself forward every week. Instead of making a list of your goals, you can write notes to yourself for each month of 2012, encouraging your future self to keep going and reminding yourself of all the reasons it’s important to you. Contain and keep hold of that enthusiasm to succeed all year round. There is no motivational tool that works as well as your own conviction.
  3. Get a gym membership. It’s much easier to stay on track when you have a prefixed membership to a health club. You benefit from knowledgeable staff, including class instructors and personal trainers. You can make friends and workout partners to form a community of encouragement and support. Plus, you have access to all the equipment and instruction you need to hit any goal, from a certain weight to a certain way you want to feel about yourself. By joining Pivotal Fitness Greenville gym, you’re on the road to reaching your resolutions in the New Year.
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Ladies-Only Gym

Did you know that our Pivotal Fitness Greenville gym has an exclusive area just for females? That’s right; available through a private entrance, this section offers 4,000 square feet of space with weights, cardiovascular machines and other equipment that’s either especially suited for a woman’s workout routine or simply more popular with our female gym-goers than our men. It’s everything you need to work out distraction-free!

What are the benefits of a ladies-only gym? Well, many women prefer to work out in an area where they don’t feel judged by how they look to men. It provides them with a sense of empowerment, and enables them to let loose. No makeup necessary, cute gym clothes are optional—and you can always leave your body-consciousness at the door. It’s just about focusing on you, surrounded by other ladies who would like to do the same. Many times, women are much more productive and satisfied when working out only with their female gym-goers.

You can access the ladies-only gym with a standard membership. There is no specific membership just to the women’s gym, and you can partake of all other Pivotal Fitness benefits, classes and equipment anytime you’d like. We listen to what Greenville residents really want from their community gym. It’s just another way we stand out from the crowd to serve our members.

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Weight Lifting Helps You Slim Down

Many people, men and women alike, resist the notion that weight lifting is a critical component in a weight loss program. Somewhere along the way they got the notion that weight lifting adds bulk when it can actually help you slim down. Here are the top reasons you should add weight lifting to your fitness routine:

1. Weight lifting burns fat. By including weight lifting in your workout routine you are building muscle which burns fat so you increase your metabolism and burn more calories throughout the day, even when you are not working out!

2. Weight lifting maintains muscle. If you are combining cardiovascular exercise with a low-calorie diet you are probably losing muscle as well as fat, decreasing your metabolism and making it more difficult to lose weight.

3. You will feel stronger and more toned. By doing the right exercises you will quickly see results as your body parts become leaner and more toned. If you are not experienced with weight lifting and don’t know what exercises to do, hire a Pivotal Fitness personal trainer to get you on the right path.

4. Your energy will increase. Increasing your muscle mass will not only increase your metabolic rate and help you shed pounds, but you will also start to gain more energy, increasing your quality of life!

If you want to lose weight or get in better shape, weight lifting is a must. At the Pivotal Fitness Greenville health club we can help you get on the road to meeting your goals with tips like these. Our personal trainers and fitness specialists are experts in health and fitness and can help you change your life.

If you are not already a member of our Pivotal Fitness Greenville gym come in today to get a free 7 day pass.

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