Every boot camper comes with different fitness level. After your Fitness Assessments you will know in what level you should be in order to get the best benefits from our fitness boot camp class.
Fitness Boot Camp for Beginners: In this level we practice basic exercises with medium-to-low intensity. This makes it ideal for any person with limited or no exercise experience. Fitness Boot Camp for Intermediates: In this level we practice more complex exercises at a medium-to-high intensity. This category is ideal for every person that wishes to be involved in an elevated physical challenge in a short period of time.
Written by Nicole Nichols, B.S. & Certified Fitness Instructor
First of all, are you sore from strength training, or from cardio? Are you new to either of these types of exercise? It’s common for beginners to experience muscle soreness that lasts for a week or two. Yes, you should keep working out even though you are sore, but there is more to it than that.
Muscle soreness has two primary causes. The first soreness you experience happens during your workout (“the burn”) and should subside within a couple of hours. This is caused by lactic acid production. When you are training and your muscles are not getting enough oxygen (anaerobic glycolysis), lactic acid builds up. You can break down lactic acid by continuing to move and by doing light aerobic exercise (such as walking) after your workout. This is why cool-downs are so important, especially for beginners. The longer you cool down, the faster that lactic acid will be broken up and removed from the body.
The type of muscle soreness you are experiencing, up to a day or two (and sometimes even three) after your workout is known as DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness). DOMS is caused by microscopic tears inside the muscles, resulting from weight-training or fully exhausting the muscles during cardio. This is normal. Again, beginners will be more sore and usually for longer, but if you really worked as hard as you should have during a weight-lifting session, you should be somewhat sore for the next day or two.
This is where rest comes in. You absolutely must rest the muscles you worked for 1-2 days after a workout. Take at least one day off between sessions, and if you are still very sore, take 2 days off. (This means from lifting, not from all exercise such as cardio). If you don’t let your muscles recover and repair, they will continue to break down and you will actually get weaker.
To help prevent soreness in the future, and alleviate some of it now, be sure to:
1. Always warm-up for 5-10 minutes and cool-down for at least 5 minutes
2. STRETCH!! Stretch after a warm-up, during your workout, and after you are done. Only stretch when your muscles are already warm from some kind of light activity.
3. Stay active. The more your muscles move, the faster they remove that lactic acid build-up.
Consuming fewer calories is often the most effective way to lose weight. Still, an increase in physical activity is an important part of any weight-loss program. And walking is a great way to get started. For motivation, do the math: To lose 1 pound, you must burn 3,500 calories. If you cut 250 calories from your daily diet, you could lose that pound in about two weeks. If you add 30 minutes of brisk walking to your daily routine, you could burn another 150 calories a day. Make that 60 minutes of brisk walking and you could burn about 300 calories a day. Of course, the more you walk and the quicker the pace, the more calories you’ll burn. Keep it up and you’ll walk your way to a healthy weight. Better yet, walking can help you keep the weight off for good.
The information about not eating after a workout is completely wrong. Every responsible source in bodybuilding and athletics recommends that you eat after training, and preferably within 45 minutes (maybe up to 60) after a workout. This period, known as the golden hour, is when the muscles absorb the most nutrients and when glycogen, an energy reserve in your muscles, is replaced most efficiently. The actual composition of the post-workout meal is a matter of some debate; for optimal glycogen replacement, most people recommend carbohydrates, but a certain amount of protein (at least 10 percent of the meal) is needed for muscle repair and growth.
I think the above recommendation is a good general guideline for athletes, but for weight management you probably have to go higher in protein and lower in carbs. You don’t have to eat a big meal, but you should eat something after training. Lots of people get good results with a small, high-protein shake — just beware of the extremely high sugar and carb content of juice-based smoothies. Experiment with the amount of food or drink and with the proportions of carbs, protein and fat to find out what works best for you.
Perhaps what the trainers at your gym are trying to emphasize is the need to moderate carbohydrate intake in a weight-loss program. They correctly want to see you become a “better butter burner,” that is, someone whose metabolism burns fat faster and more efficiently. That is best accomplished by eating a nutritionally dense, low-calorie diet that offers a balance of protein, high-quality fat and the right kind of carbohydrates. This will keep your hormones balanced and your fat-burning machinery working optimally. I agree that you shouldn’t load up on carbs and fat after a workout, but the idea of not eating anything at all for two hours after working out is balderdash.
While on a weight lifting program, the right hormones (testosterone) are necessary in order to bulk up. Women’s testosterone levels are much lower than men’s, so in most cases, they are not capable of building large muscles. In fact, since muscle takes up less room than fat, women tend to lose inches when they strength train. So in addition to the physical benefits (increased metabolism, decreased risk of osteoporosis, increased strength), strength training will help you slim down too! Women, in fact, are more likely to tone up from strength training rather than bulk up. Research shows that women can add up to 30% lean muscle and end up looking thinner, feeling stronger and being firmer.
Our society and pop culture seem to associate weight training with oversized muscles, but that’s just one avenue, which is extremely difficult for most people (including men) to achieve.
Women with an intense fear of becoming large (likely due to these images and myths) as a result of weight training are at a disadvantage when it comes to their health. The problem most women run into isn’t building too much muscle, but not building enough. This sets them up for increased risk of osteoporosis later in life, as well as a reduction in muscle mass of about 2-5% per year, which has an adverse affect on metabolism (and can result in weight gain).
I tell you what.. If I had a dollar for every time I heard that question I would be a rich man for sure. Here we go;
The best exercise for the stomach is one that may surprise you. It’s not the traditional sit-up or ab crunch. It’s not leg thrusts or trunk twists either. Before you go out and buy the Gut Buster 5000, you should know that the best exercise you can do for your stomach won’t cost you a thing.
All you need are your two feet because the best exercise that I’m talking about is none other than walking or jogging. If you’ve found that your stomach is a little more flabbier than it used to be, it’s likely there are other parts of your body that have unwanted weight attached. It’s just that the stomach is often times the most noticeable.
Your body cannot just eliminate fat in one area. So if you are trying to crunch your way to a flatter stomach without exercising the rest of your body and reducing your fat intake, you’ll never see results.
Start by doing cardio exercises to get that heart rate up and boost your metabolism. A good fast-paced walk or jog three times per week is a great way to accomplish this or sign up for my Boot Camp class and I guaranty you that you are going to lose size from your stomach 100%.
Cardiovascular training is anything that gets your heart pumping at an elevated speed. This includes walking, jogging, bikeriding, swimming, playing sports, roller skating … you get the idea! Cardiovascular training is used to burn calories and to improve one’s overall conditioning.
Why should I train my cardiovascular system?
Walking, jogging, biking … they all seems to take so much effort! Why should I make myself do these when I don’t enjoy them? While cardiovascular training may seem like a chore, you will be more than willing to hop on a treadmill after reading the following benefits to cardiovascular training!
Weight Loss
Probably the most cherished side effect of cardiovascular training is losing those unwanted pounds! Since your body’s decision to store fat is based on the equation of Energy In vs. Energy Out, the more Energy Out that you have the less energy you will have to store on your waist, hips and thighs.
Conditioning
When was the last time you got winded walking up a flight of stairs? Not the greatest feeling was it? When you are wheezing and clutching your side ache, you know without a shadow of a doubt that you are out of shape! When you train your cardiovascular system you will begin to find that you don’t lose your breath as easily under strenuous activity. Your heart becomes conditioned to pump faster on demand without sending you into a wheezing fit. Your heart is the most important muscle in your body, and if you want to enjoy the new body you are about to create, then wouldn’t you want to have a healthy heart along with it? I know of two heart surgeons who would agree with me.
Disease Prevention
Heart attack, stroke, hypertension, and diabetes are just a few of the diseases that you would be defending yourself against with cardiovascular training. By losing excess weight and conditioning your body, you arm your body against these and many other ailments.
Here’s the article that you’ve been waiting for – everything you need to know to shape up your booty for swimsuit season.
Don’t allow past failures get you down. It can be frustrating waiting for results, but by a combination of cardio exercises, a healthy diet, and the right resistance workouts targeted for the butt and thighs, you will reach your goal.
Here are the essential exercises that target your gluteal muscles to give it the shape and tone you desire.
Exercise 1: Hip Lift
A great exercise to work your flute muscles is the hip lift. To do this exercise, lie on the floor with your back flat, knees bent, and feet resting on the ground. While keeping your arms at your sides on the floor, lift your bottom and lower back off of the floor. Hold for a few seconds, and then slowly lower yourself. Repeat. To work your muscles even more, lift a leg in the air when you raise your bottom off the ground. Lower yourself and then repeat, lifting the other leg.
Exercise 2: Leg Lift
To do a leg lift, lie on your side and prop yourself up on your elbow. Raise your top leg slowly into the air, as high as you can, so your legs make a “V” shape. Hold for a few seconds, and then slowly lower your leg. Repeat 10 times, turn onto the other side, and lift the other leg.
Exercise 3: Banded Shuffle
This is a great exercise to get your heart pumping and work your butt. To do this exercise, you’ll need an elastic sports band. Stand up straight with your legs hip-width apart and tie the band around your lower legs. Squat down until your thighs are parallel to the floor, your back is straight, and your abdominals are tight. While in this squatting position, take several steps to the left, then several to the right. You may need to use your arms for balance, but your butt muscles should feel a workout.
Exercise 4: Plie Squat
Another form of squat is the plie squat. If you don’t have an elastic band, this is the exercise to add definition and shape to your butt. Start by standing with your legs slightly more than shoulder-width apart and your toes pointed out to the sides. This is what ballerinas call the plie position. For balance, hold your arms in front of you. While keeping your back straight, slowly squat to the ground until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Hold this for five seconds and stand back up. Repeat 10 times.
Exercise 5: Lunge
A fifth exercise that targets the muscles of your butt, thighs, and hips is the lunge. Putting one foot out in front of the other, lower your body toward the ground, keeping your abdominals tight and your torso straight. Lower until the front knee is bent at 90 degrees and not extended past your toes. Stand back up and then extend the opposite leg and bend. Perform 10 repetitions. For an increased workout, hold dumbbells in each hand.
Lunges exercise Miami Fitness
Exercise 6: Run or Walk
Running or walking outside or on the treadmill are other great exercises that work your butt while giving you a cardio workout to burn fat at the same time. Make it your goal to exercise 30 to 45 minutes at least three times a week, including walking or running each time.
Burn, Baby, Burn! These exercises are excellent ways to burn extra fat off your butt while adding the definition you desire. Not used to working your gluteal muscles? You’ll definitely feel the burn the first few days, but the end result will be worth the effort!
If you’re serious about transforming your body then call or email today to set up a consultation with me. Together we will create the perfect program that will quickly get you into the body that you deserve.
Don’t wait – call or email today to get started.
No More Excuses
Your excuses for being out-of-shape are getting old. An excuse takes less immediate effort than an action, but in the long run the action taker always has the advantage.
Don’t skip out on your responsibilities with excuses, instead expect more from yourself.
Focus on the big reason why you are losing the weight. Make a list of the benefits you’ll enjoy once you achieve your goal, and read them first thing each morning.
Remember that you can only have two things in life: excuses or results. Which do you want?
Don’t allow excuses to ruin your life any longer.
Breakfast Bird Nests
You know that curbing your carbs will help you lose weight and tone up, so try this low carb breakfast. It’s a great way to eat some veggies with breakfast. Servings: 4
optional dash of salt (added salt is not in nutritional analysis)
dash of pepper
4 organic, omega-3, free range eggs
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Wash tomatoes, slice off the tops and scoop out the insides. Place tomatoes on a pan, and bake for 5 minutes.
In a skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add garlic. Add onion. Add chopped bacon. Saute for 5 minutes, until mostly cooked. Add the spices and mix well.
Turn oven to broil.
Fill each tomato with the bacon mixture, leaving about 1/2 inch of space at the top of each tomato. Crack an egg into each tomato then sprinkle with oregano. Place in the oven under broiler for 5 minutes. Remove from oven once the top has set, and you’ll have perfectly done over easy eggs.
For well done eggs: change oven temperature back to 400 degrees F, and continue to bake for an additional 10 minutes.
Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 98 calories, 5g fat, 162mg sodium, 3g carbohydrate, .6g fiber, and 9g protein.
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Weight loss should be the result of healthier eating and exercise habits. Participants are on the honor system and should participate in a healthy and fair manner.
Prohibited:
• Diet pills (herbal or prescription appetite suppressants, metabolism enhancers, etc.)
• Water pills (diuretics) unless prescribed for a medical condition such as high blood pressure
• Laxatives and colonics.
Suggested Criteria for “Winning”:
– Weight loss challenge: “Winners” are determined by percentage of total weight loss. This is a fairer comparison than total pounds lost since heavier persons can safely lose weight more rapidly. A healthy rate of loss is 1% of beginning weight per week. So, a person weighing 280 pounds can lose 2-3 pounds per week while a person weighing 180 pounds would be expected to lose no more than 1-2 pounds per week.
Example calculation:
1. beginning weight – ending weight = pounds lost
2. (pounds lost ÷ beginning weight) X 100 = percent weight lost
Weight Check Record Form
PARTICIPANT’S NAME WEIGHT
PRE POST CHANGE % LOST
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2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
• Week # 1. Taking a picture of and weighing each person (Th. July 8th. and Sa. 10) before
Boot Camp class.
• Week # 4. weigh (Th. July 29nd and Sa.31st.) before Boot Camp class.
• Week # 6. Picture and weigh (Th. August 12nd and Sa. 14) before Boot Camp class.
Here you have three tips to achieve your weight loss gols
1. Nutrition = What you eat, when you eat it, and how much you eat)
2. Cardiovascular Training =Working out your heart – and burning calories)
3. Resistance Training = Including Weight training with free weights
The following three tips are going to dive into each topic in depth and give you all the “gems” you need to effectively reach your fitness goals.
