Crossroads Fitness Blog

 Developed by the Navy’s elite special operations forces, suspension training offers body weight exercises that develop balance, flexibility, strength and core stability.  

Suspension training equipment consists of straps securely anchored to a bar.  The straps can be adjusted to accommodate an individual’s height as well as different exercises. 

Suspension training offers advantages over traditional weight training — using barbells and dumbbells, for instance — in that the  training systems use little equipment and are portable. Exercises aren’t performed on the ground, which provides a level of instability. Core muscles must be engaged while using the trainer.

The major benefit to suspension training, though, is its suitability for all levels of fitness. You’re able to adjust the difficulty of each exercise merely by changing the position of your body. If you’re doing a bicep curls, for example, a more upright position allows for an easier workout. If you move your feet away so your body is in a more horizontal position, more exertion will be required to pull you up into a bicep curl.

A variety of exercises can be performed on a suspension trainer. By learning just a few of the hundreds of different positions, you can enjoy a total body workout.

That’s why all four branches of the military as well as some of the top athletes all use suspension trainers in their fitness programs. Quick read more or view full article Drew Brees, the former New Orleans Saints quarterback, endorsed TRX suspension trainers and incorporated it into his workout program.

According to personal trainers, yet another benefit of suspension training is that it can be used to take pressure off joints when performing such exercises as squats and lunges. By having straps to hold on to, clients can get into a deep squat or lunge and then more easily come up.

Suspension trainers are portable and easy to install on your own. But having a personal trainer show you the exercises using proper form and assist you in getting into position helps you obtain the maximum benefit from exercises while reducing the risk of injury. Learning what positions and exercises work what muscles will help you reach your strength training goals.

While there are many ways to get fit, suspension training offers a powerful and successful tool. Learning to leverage your body weight with gravity creates a unique fitness experience. 

We all want a high quality of life and independent living. Consistent strength training offers a path to that goal.  

Did you know adults lose 5 to 7 pounds of muscle mass every decade after age 20? Strength training is important for everyone at every age. For most of us, it’s about creating muscle that not only helps us look better, but also provides life-changing benefits.

Let’s back up a bit and review some anatomy. There are more than 600 muscles in the human body.  These muscles do everything from pump blood to kick soccer balls. They’re a type of elastic tissue that resembles a rubber band and are made up of thousands of small fibers.  There are different kinds of muscles, but we’ll concentrate on skeletal muscles. These are the muscles that work with bones to give you motion and power.

There are some amazing benefits to lifting weights. There’s a direct link between strength training and weight control and loss. When you increase muscle mass, your metabolic rate increases. Even after lifting weights, your muscles keep working and burn more calories.  Other health benefits include an increase in bone density that decreases the risk of osteoporosis, lower blood pressure and slower aging.

Not only does strength training help tone muscles to provide a fitter, healthy looking body, it also improves posture. Quick read more or view full article Everyday activities become easier through increased balance, coordination and stability. When you think about getting in and out of a car, reaching for an item on the top shelf of a grocery aisle or pushing a lawnmower, all these tasks depend on a strong muscular system.

Strength training can be performed in a variety of ways. Examples include circuit machines, free weights, functional fitness, resistance bands and strength classes.

Circuit machines enable you to work different muscle groups, adjusting the machines and weight to fit your body and strength level. It could be helpful to work with a trainer to make sure you use the proper form and appropriate weight.  

Free weights are just that — individual hand weights or weight bars you can lift in a number of ways.You could use hand weights for bicep curls or shoulder presses.

Functional fitness involves training that mimics everyday movements using different types of equipment or body weight for resistance. 

Resistance bands engage your muscles in both directions — the pull and release. The amount of resistance varies with the type of band and how it’s used.  

Structured fitness classes — including Bodypump, Pilates and Yoga — engage and strengthen your muscles.

Consistency is the most important aspect of strength training. Aim for two to three times a week, resting for 48 hours between workouts to allow your muscles to heal.  Include upper body, lower body and core exercises to work your entire body.  

Remember to always check with your doctor before beginning any exercise program.  

We all strive to achieve quality of life. It’s never too late to begin strength training. Every one of us at any age needs to work on increasing muscle mass and bone density.  Strength training offers many benefits in promoting a healthy and independent lifestyle.

Think of the movements you go through every day: getting into and out of your car, reaching for an item on the top shelf at the grocery store or bending down to pick up a child. Most of the time, we don’t even think about these movements — until, that is, we can’t do them with ease.

This is where functional fitness exercises can help by training your muscles to handle everyday activities efficiently and safely.

Functional fitness training has become popular in training regimens. Personal trainers include this type of training in their client workouts. These types of exercises train your muscles to work together to simulate common movements. This is different from conventional strength training and working on isolated muscle groups.

Working a combination of muscle groups — your upper and lower body, for example — at the same time could duplicate the movement you make while lifting something off the floor. The exercise that might be performed for this movement would include a squat and then a bicep curl.

The body can perform seven basics movements: gait, hinge, lunge, pull, push, squat and rotate. All exercises constitute variations on these movements. In performing these movements, you’ll exercise all the major muscle groups of your body.

Functional fitness exercises concentrate not only on upper and lower muscle groups, but also the core muscles in your middle from Quick read more or view full article your chest to your pelvic bone. By strengthening core muscles, you gain flexibility and stability. As your core strengthens, your balance and posture improve. Strong core muscles reduce injuries, promote stability and improve overall health.

Functional fitness exercises are low impact and can be performed by almost everyone, from beginners to athletes. Step-ups and lunges focus on balance. Try a lunge where you step back instead of forward with hand weights. Develop core strength by performing sit-ups with a medicine ball you move from side to side.

Use such props as weights, kettle bells, fitness balls and aerobic steps. Many exercises can be performed without equipment, though, using only the resistance of your body weight.

Athletes often use these multi-joint and multi-muscle exercises are also used by athletes. Sports specific training can benefit from functional training as well.

Personal trainers often use a Bosu — both sides utilized — ball, which is rounded on one side and flat on the other. If you stand on the flat side, you must engage your core to retain balance. Moving a weighted medicine ball from one side of your body to the other while standing on the ball simulates the movement in a golf swing. This can be used for many other sports as well, such as basketball and hockey.

Functional fitness training offers numerous benefits.  Think of it as life training that creates a balance between your muscles and prepares you for your daily real life activities.

Variety is the spice of life. There’s some truth to the statement. You get stuck in your daily routine and complete many tasks without thinking about them. You eat at the same time, go to work at the same time and take out the garbage on the same day.

Think about your fitness routine. Are you doing the same exercises, going to the same class, walking on the same treadmill or lifting the same weight for every workout?  Maybe it’s time to change that routine.

Adding a little spice could turn what’s become a boring fitness routine into something more exciting and motivating.   Sometimes you hear the words “change” or “different” and associate them with “new” and “uncomfortable.” As creatures of habit, it’s okay to like your comfort zone with its familiar surroundings, people and activities.

Although doing exactly the same thing over and over might be comforting, it also could have drawbacks. Without variety, things can get pretty boring. It’s important to spice it up a bit.

Consider, for example, cross training. Cross training is simply combining two or more types of physical activities and offers one way to create the change you might need.

There are numerous benefits to adding cross training to your fitness routine. First and foremost is motivation. Keeping interested and motivated to exercise is an important piece. If Quick read more or view full article you don’t enjoy it, you won’t do it.

Cross training can help you burn more calories by exercising regularly and using different muscle groups. You reduce the risk of injury by doing a variety of exercises — performing a high-impact sport like running one day followed by a yoga or Pilates class the next day, for example.

It’s simple to create a varied exercise program. Plan a complete workout that includes the three areas of physical activity: cardiovascular, strength and flexibility. Under each area, write down activities you like to do or would like to try. Some activities fit under more than one area.

Cardiovascular activities include jumping rope, riding a bike, running and walking the dog. Activities that build strength include everything from lifting weights and push-ups to yard work. Activities that promote flexibility include stretching and yoga.

Changing a routine can be beneficial in not only reducing boredom, but also increasing fitness. Our bodies are adaptive and grow accustomed to an exercise.
It becomes difficult to make changes in our bodies once they’ve adapted to a specific fitness routine. Because of this adaptive nature, it’s important to keep our bodies guessing by mixing up the exercises we perform.

How do you change your workouts? Try something new. Often times we get our minds set on what we think we can do instead of what we really could do if we tried.
If there’s a favorite exercise machine you use often and don’t want to give up, try changing the intensity, speed or grade. By gradually changing how hard you work, you’ll keep your workout challenging. Remember, though: When changing up your workout routine, don’t hesitate to ask for help.

Once you choose your activities, schedule them. Allow for variety and flexibility. Experiment with different activities to find out what really interests you.

Continue to enjoy your favorite activities, but challenge yourself to try something new. Spice it up.