Monday, September 29, 2008
The Park Vs The Stadium
Walking... how many of us actually view it as a form of exercise or just merely an action of 'transporting' ourselves from one place to another? Exercising... what comes to mind is something vigorous like a jog or aerobics, right? Very often we forget walking is considered as a form of exercise too! It's time to change that mindset and start moving. You have to start somewhere.
In the recent months we have been doing walks & jogs at the stadium and parks.
Somehow, fatigue doesn't quite set in so quickly walking in the park as compared to jogging or brisk walking round the track at the stadium! Maybe it is the fresh air and shade that the trees offer or it may just be all in the mind. But, it is definitely less monotonous and less boring walking in the park. And most parks these days have distance indicators too for the serious fitness enthusiasts.
Most importantly, select the place, be it the stadium or park which 'motivates' you and your friends just that little bit more. Remember, keep moving!
Karen blogged at 10:50 AM
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Basic Cardio, Partner Resistance and Tons of Fun!
Yesterday's workout was primarily Experiential PT,
a whole new level of fun for the participants.
Equipment required:
1. Jogging Shoes
2. Short Towel
3. Exercise Mats (if you're particular about comfort and cleanliness)
4. A friend
We jogged as long as we could around bishan park,
and when the out-of-breathless kicks in,
we continued moving by brisk walking.
Just one round around the park took around 30minute.
An active effort to correct the jogging / walking gait was introduced to ensure maximal efficiency in the movement itself and possibly correct the muscle imbalance.
Fitness is about balance as well!! Next up, was the upper body and core strengthening program to balance up the lower limbs workout (from the jogging / brisk walking).
The basic
calisthenic exercises were executed, namely:
1. Bench Step Ups
2. Push ups
3. Crunches
Participants did 2 sets of 10 repetitions each but you could adjust this if you're of a higher fitness level.
The Fun part of the entire workout, came from the partner resistance exercises.
We started out with assisted back stretch where participants sits facing each other,
pulling the other person's towards themselves. This stretches the back substantially and prepares the participants for the workout to come.
Partner Resistance Workout:1. Seated Tug-O-WarThis exercise aims at activating the back and the biceps through the pulling action of the exercise. Participants can opt to tie 2 stopper knot at the end of the towel to prevent slipping through loss of grip and believe me, this is really good fun!!
2. Seated Shoulder PressesAs the exercise implies, the workout trains the shoulder. Have your partner stand behind yourself (while you're seated on the floor) and have him/her resist your attempt to push your arms towards the sky. Moderate the resistance to ensure a good workout.
3. Seated Back CurlsPosition yourself such that you sit back to back with your partner, feet's flat on the ground for support. Attempt to push the other party by Flexing your back, sucking your tummy in at the same time to activate the entire core. You can also do this workout against the wall.
All the above partner-resisted workouts gives you more benefit than conventional exercises and her are some that i can think of:
1. You'll have lots of Fun with your friends while attempting the exercises
2. You get twice the workout benefit through eccentric contractions
(where your muscles stretches and contracts simultaneously)3. You won't require specialized equipments
4. You can attempt this workout anywhere and everywhere
5. You'll get a good workout and achieve fitness in the process
Remember, Fitness is not just physical!! Having fun, building relationships and learning from the activities completes the idea of "Holistic Fitness".
Are you ready for Holistic Fitness??But then again, which part of the workout contributed to the fact that it was experiential PT??
Its the learning portion of the exercises.
Challenging the participants to analyse the workout that they just did, getting them to think a notch more in-depth about the benefits of the workout, the muscles used, and the purpose of the activity made the activity more meaningful than anything else!!
In the long run, such learning aims to shape the lifestyle of the participants and create a sustainable Fitness Lifestyle, one of which will be great!!
Are you ready to experience the difference??Labels: experiential, Fun PT, Holistic Fitness, Lifestyle, partner resistant
Josh 97330703 blogged at 1:49 PM
Monday, September 22, 2008
Aqua Jog
On Saturday, we introduced aqua jog to our friends.
You may be wondering; now what is aqua jog??
Well, its simply running in the water!!
This time round, we're doing it in a waist deep pool, covering 20 laps in the introductory session.
Sounds Easy?? Wait till you try it!!
Now, what's so good about Water-Based Activities??
Why do we recommend it??
Here's the reasons:
1. They are great fun!! Think about all the water splashing and the laughs you can have when you perform such workouts with your friends, and isn't fitness suppose to be fun??
2. Water-based workout alleviate the stress on your joints (knees and Back)Formally designed as a form of re-habitation workouts, it is adopted by many for the wonder benefit of cross training while minimizing injury. The buoyancy in the water will minimise impacts otherwise experienced from runs!!
3. It gives you resistance training without equipments.The water can be a suitable resistance for your workout. This resistance strengthen the participants of aqua aerobics exercises without the use of any equipment.
4. You get a good cardio-vascular training.Well, running in water is the same as running, only that it most probably is better!!
The water pressure that your body experiences, makes your heart work harder to deliver blood to the different parts of your body and boy, that makes for a real good workout!!
5. Cool workout?Being in the water is cooling!! It allows participants to attempt workouts even in the hottest of the days and yet, minimises the probably of injury due to the heat!! This is especially applicable in a tropical country like Singapore, and what better way to get a beautiful, healthy Tann while having Fun and achieving Fitness??
6. Social / Family pro workout!!Kids love the water, people love to have fun, and what better way to build your relationships and achieve fitness simultaneously than through such fun activities!! you probably could use the kids as your resistance as well!!
PS: Social Fitness is as important as Physical Fitness!!So, what are you waiting for?? Have a splashing good time with your friends and family!!Let us know if you need additional tips on water workouts and we'll be happy to share!!
Labels: aqua aerobic, aqua jogging, cool workout, minimize injury, resistance training
Josh 97330703 blogged at 11:12 PM
Sunday, September 14, 2008
What Do You Think?
We are kinda wondering;
about your fitness pursuits!!
1. Do you think that your workout is fun??
2. Do you enjoy being around people??
3. Do you ever think that you can achieve more??
4. Are your PT engaging you enough??
Do let us know of your opinions!!t-shirt design!!
1. Do you like to design??
2. Would you like to see your design on people??
we are calling all members to come out with a t-shirt design for training-buddy!!
selected designs will be printed on t-shirts and if your design is chosen,
you'd get a couple of the t-shirts to keep!!
you'd also see these t-shirts on our members as well!!
Send us your deign now!!Labels: Fun, opinions, t-shirts design, workouts
Josh 97330703 blogged at 11:35 AM
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Tuesday Night Workout
Walking can be monotonous,
but it is the start of your fitness regime!
It can be compared to the pillars of the buildings,
the deeper you pile it into the ground,
the stronger your foundation.
Only through a strong foundation,
can you build a strong home;
Only through strong foundation,
can you progress in your fitness pursuit without injury risks!
there is the saying:
slow and steady,
win the race.
Here, all that we ask of you,
is to exercise patience.
I can assure you this;
We will get there soon!
When we brisk-walk, remember to swing your arms!
This simple action, will increase your energy expenditure!
We executed a 45min Brisk Walk routine,
followed by simple 2 sets of calisthenic exercises.
The exercises are as followed:
1. Push-ups
(working the triceps, chest and the core muscles)
2. Crunches
(working the upper abdominal)
3. Steps Routine
(stepping up and down of a mildly elevated platform)
These are simple exercises to jump start your body's metabolic system.
Simple exercises that can be done without equipments,
simple routines that can be executed in any location.
Your small step towards your Fitness Objectives!These little adjustments, will serve you well in the long run!
They will shape your Habits and Become Your culture!
Try These:
1. Be more aware of your posture, actively imagine that you are pushing your abdominal towards your back. You can imagine a magnet pulling your Abs in!
(By doing so, you will be working your Core Muscles even when you are seated down!)2. Replace your seat in the office with a Gym ball.
(This will ensure that you do not fall asleep in the comfort of your office, while working your core muscles throughout the day)3. Place your mouse closer to the rear of the table.
(This corrects your seating posture)Such subtle changes will become the pillars, necessary for your fitness pursuits!Why not make the change Today!
Josh 97330703 blogged at 11:54 PM
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Move Your Way To Fitness!!
My friend asked me if walking helped for weight loss,
so here's my response!
For starters,
essentially just getting yourself to move is gonna benefit you!
They don't say "some exercise is better than no exercise" for nothing.
To make sense of what this means to all people,
I'd say "vary the intensity and duration"
this is what works for people from all fitness level!
Remember,
to achieve fitness benefits for weight loss,
you must first decide that you want to do it!
and you do so,
by taking your first step.
When you choose a fitness program,
consider the following:
F-requency
I-ntensity
T-ype of exercise
T-ime for your exercise
The frequency recommendation for people on weight loss walking programs can be as often as daily as it is a low impact workout.
However, if you are already at the running stages of your regime,
try not to exceed 3 times weekly.
Alternatively, you can substitute your run with steps machine, cycling or aqua jogging to alleviate the impact on your joints.
Having a training-buddy is also beneficial.
You will be more motivated by each other and hence will be able to achieve better results.
It works on your Social Fitness as well, so why not?
Try doing some weights training every alternate days as well.
It will serve to strengthen you for more rigorous and challenging tasks that comes later in your fitness program!
(Your body weight will be substantial resistance in the starting stage, so try calisthenic exercises if you do not have access to gyms!)So friends,
make your decision to start moving today!
Labels: cycling, jogging, Move, results, Walks, weight loss
Josh 97330703 blogged at 12:37 PM
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Walk In The Park
Sounds simple??
Fitness really is simple...
Its as simple as grabbing a few friends,
and taking a stroll in the parks...
Walking around,
looking at the different trees,
the signboards,
the birds and the animals...
Taking a break,
and enjoying companionship with your friends
while you explore places that you probably wouldn't have gone...
This
Saturday's session was a simple 45 min stroll...
a simple stroll that will bring you closer to nature,
closer to your friends,
closer to family...
Enjoy your walk in the park!!
Labels: family, Fitness, friends, parks, simple, Walks
Josh 97330703 blogged at 9:12 PM
Training-Buddy
