Fitness Together Brecksville

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

The Importance of Stretching in Cold Weather

The Importance of Stretching in Cold Weather

Dec 16, 2015

Everyone understands how important it is to stretch before any exercise. Now that its winter, it’s really important to remember to stretch, especially if you still crave that outdoor run or workout routine. When it’s cold, your muscles tend to tighten, which makes them more prone to injury.

Warm up Before Stretching

In warm weather, you probably stretch before doing any exercise. You have to do things slightly different in cold weather. Stretching a cold muscle can result in pulling or straining your muscles because they’re tight. In cold weather, start with a light activity such as walking, jogging or shuffling to get your blood flowing through your body and to your muscles. This will help warm and loosen your muscles.

Dynamic Stretching

Dynamic stretching is key to your winter workouts. When it’s cold, and you’ve got your blood flowing from your brief warm up, keep it going with dynamic stretching rather than static stretching. The repetitive moves like arm circles and leg raises help keep your blood flowing while loosening your muscles. Never underestimate the power of a one-minute jumping jack or jump rope session to get your body going.

During the Workout

Remember it’s important that you keep your blood flowing and your muscles warm, if there’s ever an extended pause in your workout, keep moving by doing some more dynamic stretching exercises or even jogging in place. With cold temperatures, it does not take a lot for your muscles to tighten up; keep them warm to avoid getting injured.

Cool Down

Although the temperature is cold, it’s still important to cool down your body properly. Incorporate static stretching in your cool down to help slow your heart rate and relax your muscles. A static stretch after your workout will improve range of motion and flexibility for future workouts.

If you love to get outside to run or workout, don’t let the cold temperatures slow you down. Just make sure that you properly stretch your muscles to help you avoid any unwanted injuries. Talk to a personal trainer to learn more about dynamic stretching and exactly how to stretch in cold weather.

Your local Fitness Together^® trainer will help make sure that you’re stretching properly and which stretches will benefit you most. Keep in mind that at Fitness Together in Brecksville we offer private 45 minute private stretching sessions with our Stretch Your Limits Program. If you don’t have a personal trainer and want one, find one now at www.fitnesstogether.com.

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Holiday Gift Ideas for a Fitness Beginner

Trainer Tuesdays

Welcome back to the weekly edition on Trainer Tuesdays. Make sure to check in at our blog every Tuesday evening to learn the expertise of our great staff. Aside from being fantastic exercise coaches, they are also extremely knowledgeable in many aspects of health and fitness; so, it's time that you get to know them a little better! Each week, we will post a frequently asked, or sometimes just a fun fitness related question followed by the answers of each of the trainers at Fitness Together Brecksville.

What is a Good Holiday Gift Idea for Someone who has Just Started to Make Fitness a Priority in Their Life?

www.fitnesstogether.com/brecksville/jumpstart

Justin Traft: So what's a good gift for a person in your life who is recently making fitness a priority? Two things come to mind. One of the hottest things on the market right now-- a fit bit. Can't go wrong-- it tracks their heart rate, steps, calories burned and even how many stairs they have climbed throughout the day. These are great to help keep them motivated and on top of their fitness. Secondly, a personal training package is a great way to keep them striding for their goals and let them know that you truly care about their health and fitness. Plus, by doing so you’re helping them exercise safely and within their zone with a certified professional personal trainer.

Adam Teplitz: The holidays are quickly approaching. If you know someone who has just begun a fitness regimen, here are a few gift ideas to help them jump start their routine:

Vertical Runner in Brecksville can help you find the perfect fit

1) Running Shoes. A pair of comfortable running shoes are a great motivator for sticking to a cardio routine. (Check out Vertical Runner right here in Brecksville)

2) Fitbit. It's the new craze and with good reason. It monitors everything from your steps to your sleep quality. Tracking progress is a great way to ensure goals are reached.

3) Stability Ball, resistance band or medicine balls. All of these are perfect for beginners.

These are just a few fitness essentials to help a friend jump start their fitness resolution.

Movband is a trendsetter for Corporate Fitness

Kelly Bailey: There are tons of great gifts you could potentially buy for someone just getting into fitness. For the new gym-goer, I think a giftcard for personal training sessions is a great idea because it will help them get started safely and learn correct exercise form. If buying gift cards is not your thing, I love the wearable tech devices that available these days, like Fitbit (or check out some wearable tech devices from Movable right here in Brecksville) Getting healthy is about so much more than just working out for 45 minutes, three days per week. It's about moving more in general, and the wearable tech devices really help you get honest about yourself and how much you're moving or sitting during the day.

Michael Roberto: Here are a few gift ideas to get someone you know or love that made fitness a new priority in their life.

-Athletic gear (shirts, pants, shoes, etc.)

-A fitness tracker to keep them more motivated

-Organic or whole foods if they're making healthier eating habits

-A gym membership or gift certificate for personal training sessions.

These are only a few ideas, as the world of fitness is ever expanding and never ending.

Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Relieve Holiday Stress at the Gym!

How to Relieve Holiday Stress with a Trip to the Gym

Are you feeling stressed this holiday season? If so, you’re not alone; the holidays can be tough with gifts, budget, time and holiday guests. How do you deal with the stress? Do you get a massage, go for a walk or maybe you hit the gym? There are many ways that exercising can help relieve the holiday tension.

Your Body Systems will Work Together

When you’re stressed your various body systems (cardiovascular, nervous, respiratory, muscular, etc.), need to work together for you to respond well to stress. Exercising forces the systems to work efficiently together. When you’re working on all cylinders, you’ll feel less tense and be a more efficient, more effective version of yourself.

You’ll Feel Happier

When you exercise your body releases natural pain killers. These chemicals give you a natural feeling of happiness. Burning off your stress through a good workout will have you feeling happier.

Socializing

If you hit the gym, you will most likely socialize with others, especially if you’re in a small group session or with a trainer. Working out around different people will help lighten your mood and make you happier. It will help you forget about what’s bothering for you.

You’ll Sleep Better

The holidays are a hectic time when it comes to schedules. Your calendar fills up fast with visitors, holiday parties and family obligations — and that’s on top of work. Busy schedules can lead to a lack of sleep which leads to more stress and anxiety. Stress and anxiety lead to less sleep; it’s a vicious cycle. By hitting the gym for regular workouts, your body will break that cycle and help engage a positive cycle. This will help you sleep better and be less stressed.

The holidays are supposed to be the happiest time of the year. Don’t let stress overcome the season, if you need relief, get to the gym. A Fitness Together^® personal trainer will help you with individual workouts that are designed to meet your goals. If you don’t have a personal trainer, you can find one at www.fitnesstogether.com/brecksville.