Empower Personal Training
Posts Tagged ‘personal training’
Get Fit For Golf!
Thursday, March 17, 2011The weather is changing and the clubs are now ready to come out of hibernation. The only question is whether or not your swing is ready? Empower is here to help, even if you are already taking golf lessons. Empowerís Get Fit for Golf Clinic can help you improve your body specifically for the game. This will not be the culmination of general golf exercises you could get anywhere but instead a 4 part clinic that will help you better understand the swing and target your individual needs. Specifically, we will focus on all things relating to improving your golf performance.
Often overlooked by many golfers is the importance of stability throughout the entire body for generating consistent power and accuracy. In the first session, we will begin addressing these issues through postural analysis and preparatory exercises that will help you before every round you play. Session two will expand on these concepts by integrating mobility and strength training in order to improve energy transfer to the ball. The importance of coordinating movement for efficient power utilization is addressed in session three. Conditioning drills will also be incorporated to help you resist fatigue and stay consistent on the back nine. Finally, the fourth session will focus on how you can specifically continue to progress your game while reaffirming your understanding of exercises taught in previous sessions.
The clinic starts 6:30pm, April 5th at the studio.
Chris Lathrop
BS, ACE-CPT, Personal Trainer
Chris is a Certified Personal Trainer through (ACE) the American Council on Exercise. In 2010 he received a Bachelorís degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, majoring in Kinesiology with a concentration in Fitness Leadership. He spent his senior year working with individuals suffering from chronic back pain and studied the effects of strength training on Parkinsonís disease for his capstone project.Before joining the Empower team, Chris gained extensive practical knowledge prescribing exercise to adults over 50 in the UNCG HOPE (Helping Older Participants Exercise) Program as well as training a variety of individuals at DownTown Fitness in Greensboro. His diverse experiences have given him a greater understanding of the ever evolving dynamic between our physical and psychological selves. These experiences have led Chris to use a variety of different approaches to help clients stay active and reach their goals.
Super Saturday
Monday, February 14, 2011On Saturday February 5th 2011, Empower Personal Training held their first ever Superbowl boot camp. We had originally planned a flag football game at Forrest Hills park, but it was canceled due to extreme weather conditions. However, that didn’t stop our brave athletes from getting up early on a Saturday morning for some hard work here in the studio. Check out a clip of the boot camp workout, which was led by Tom Stafford.
Never fear though, we hope to get everyone together for a make up football game in the near future.
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1840963113685&comments
Lift Weight to Lose Weight…and Jack LaLanne
Thursday, January 27, 2011Many people today believe that the most effective (and often only) prescription for weight loss is cardiovascular exercise.
“Yep, just hop on the treadmill for 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week and you will be slim in no time. Watch your diet a little, but it’s really all in the cardio. Oh, and don’t worry so much about strength training…it’s overrated and plus it will bulk you up!”
I’ve heard comments like these over the years. Is it true though? Is this how you really lose weight and keep it off?
Not really. There’s a lot more to it than that.
Having a good grip on one’s nutrition has to be the primary component in weight loss. After all, when you really get down to it, weight maintenance is essentially a calories in versus calories out equation. You can do all of the exercise you want, but if you go out and have a super sized double whopper combo with extra seasoned fries right after, then it’s going to be extremely difficult to get your weight where you want it. If you skip breakfast it’s also going to be hard. If you go long periods during the day without eating or if you have really big meals late at night, it’s also going to be difficult. Nutrition is often the the forgotten part of the weight loss equation when it should really be the centerpiece.
However, what if you are following a sound nutritional program? Does that mean that cardiovascular exercise is the best form of exercise to support your improved nutritional habits and increase your weight management success? Well, the research that is out now will tell you that this is probably true. There’s no way to argue the benefits of cardiovascular training in weight management. Continuous aerobic exercise that is done at a moderate or vigorous intensity does burn calories. Hormonal adaptations to aerobic training also make you more effective at using fat as an energy source. It’s been known for years. BUT, I’m going to argue that doing something else in conjunction with cardiovascular exercise is going to be even better. And that, my friends, is resistance training. You may liken it to adding a couple slices of pepperoni to a meatball sub. It’s still great without, but with it added in…man, what an awesome sandwich! I realize that meatball subs and weight loss don’t mesh that well in the same topic, but work with me here. Plus, I’m starving. But I digress…
Back to the topic at hand. There are many benefits to incorporating strength training into one’s exercise routine to make it well balanced and more effective in weight management.
Check out a snippet from a review on an American College of Sports Medicine research article regarding lifting weight to lose weight.
“Sure, aerobic exercise burns calories, but the bodyís metabolism quickly returns to pre-exercise levels, usually within 30 minutes or so. Resistance training, according to the researchers at Johns Hopkins University, leads to increased calorie burning for up to two hours after the workout is over. Carol A. Binzen and colleagues recruited 10 moderately trained women to perform three sets of 10 exercises at 10-repetition maximum with a one-minute rest period between each set. Researchers found that fat oxidation was significantly higher after the strength-training session.
Unfortunately, because weight training often results in a corresponding increase in weight due to increased muscle mass, many women abandon their strength-training efforts, opting instead for strictly cardiovascular activities. However, researchers suggest combining aerobic exercise with regular strength training for maximum benefit.”
Link to article here
Here’s another interesting point to ponder for the sport science junkies out there. Many people don’t realize that during weight loss, one’s resting energy expenditure (REE) often decreases. Resting energy expenditure basically represents the number of calories you burn in a 24 hour period if you were just sitting around on the couch (thus at rest). Basically, the reason why REE drops is because you are smaller than you once were, with less mass around to burn calories. With a lower daily energy expenditure, the same diet that contributed to weight loss success in the past, may not be as effective in the future. However, research has shown that resistance training helps to maintain or even increase REE as one loses weight. By helping to preserve muscle mass (which is more metabolically active than fat mass), you increase the amount of calories that your body burns per day and this can help you to keep weight off in the long run.
For more information on this phenomenon, check out this article, entitled Resistance training conserves fat-free mass and resting energy expenditure following weight loss.
mmm good. Although, it would be better with pepperoni!
Finally, on a sad note, Jack LaLanne passed away this week at the ripe old age of 96. For those of you who don’t know, Jack was a huge pioneer in the fitness industry. He swam the length the the golden gate bridge underwater, did 1000 push ups in under 20 minutes, towed 65 tug boats filled with pulpwood, and performed many other amazing fitness feats during his life. To put it simply, this guy was a beast. He also helped develop many pieces of exercise equipment that are still in use today. Check out this link to learn more about Jack and what he accomplished during his lifetime.
All in a day's work!
Jamie Ives, MA, CSCS
Jamie has several years of experience in the fitness industry, working with clients of various ages, ability levels, and health conditions. He enjoys using his knowledge as well as his experience in exercise prescription and program design to help each of his clients reach their individual wellness goals and improve their quality of life. For more information about Empower Personal Training, please call (919) 401-8024
Decathlon update # 3
Friday, October 29, 2010This week is the final week of the 2010 Empower Personal Training Decathlon. Check that, we are actually down to the final days of the challenge…just two more days of competition to go! The event this year has been entertaining and competitive to say the least. Being challenged to reach personal records in each event has brought out the best in everyone, and this has been reflected in some of the off the charts numbers that have been posted . Clients are coming in regularly to try to better their scores in hopes of reaching the top 3. Our faceoff event has been moved to Saturday, November 13th, @ 1pm. If you are not one of the top 3 male and female contestents participating, why not come on out and watch them perform some pretty awesome feats? Once again, congratulations to everyone who has made this year’s Decathlon such a big success.
Week 4 leaders
Dynamax Ball Slam Relay: Women (Grace Couchman ñ48.00 seconds) : Men (Jimbo Huckabeeñ39.94 seconds)
Medicine Ball Shuttle Chase: Women (Mary Sampsonñ 34.22 seconds) : Men (Jimbo Huckabeeñ 30.78 seconds)
Prone Plank: Women (Mary Sampsonñ 5:32:00) : Men (George Livanos ñ 5:05)
Slosh Pipe Hold: Women (Catherine Constantinouñ 8:31:79) : Men (George Livanos ñ 6:30)
Farmerís Walk: Women (Grace Couchman ñ 12 laps) : Men (Ward Flintomñ 13 laps)
Sled Drive : Women (Grace Couchman ñ 7:31 seconds) : Men (John Burkert ñ 10:72 seconds)
Push-Ups: (90 seconds) : Women (Jami Norris ñ 78) : Men (John Burkertñ 76)
Supine Row: (90 seconds): Women ( Jami Norris ñ 85) : Men (Ward Flintom ñ 58)
1000 meter row: Women (Mary Sampson ñ 3:50:00) : Men (Gene Oddone ñ 3:26:00)
2 mile bike: Women (Mary Sampson ñ 5:45): Men (Gene Oddone ñ 4:40)
Clip of Aaron doing the medicine ball shuttle chase
Jamie Ives MA, CSCS, Master Trainer
Jamie has several years of experience in the fitness industry, working with clients of various ages, ability levels, and health conditions. He enjoys using his knowledge as well as his experience in exercise prescription and program design to help each of his clients reach their individual wellness goals and improve their quality of life. For more information about Empower Personal Training, please call (919) 401-8024.
Decathlon Updates
Wednesday, October 13, 2010It’s hard to believe, but we are already well into the 2nd week of our Decathlon Challenge. So far it has been a great event, and we have seen a number of amazing athletic feats. Competitors are tackling everything from the Dynamax ball slam relay to the 1000 meter row and everything in between. I think it would be an understatement to say that this year’s challenge has become quite the competition as well, as clients are coming in every day to check who’s in the lead in the various events. The month of October serves as a qualifying month, and the top 3 male and female participants will compete in a final showdown on Saturday, November 6th. It should be a wild and fun ride. Here are a few updates so far on the top performers in each event. I’ve also included a brief video of one of our brave decathletes, Ward Flintom, as he tackles a few of this year’s events. Currently, he leads all decathletes in the slam relay and supine row. Great work!
Current Leaders
Dynamax Ball Slam Relay: Women (Grace Couchman – 51 seconds) : Men (Ward Flintom – 46.5 seconds)
Medicine Ball Shuttle Chase: Women (Grace Couchman – 36 seconds) : Men (John Burkert – 36.66 seconds)
Prone Plank: Women (Anne Skye – 5:10:26) : Men (George Livanos – 5:05)
Slosh Pipe Hold: Women (Mary Sampson – 8:02:08) : Men (George Livanos – 6:01)
Farmer’s Walk: Women (Grace Couchman – 12 laps) : Men (John Burkert – 11 laps)
Sled Drive : Women (Grace Couchman – 7:31 seconds) : Men (John Burkert – 10:72 seconds)
Push-Ups: (90 seconds) : Women (Jami Norris – 78) : Men (John Burkert – 70)
Supine Row: (90 seconds): Women ( Jami Norris – 79) : Men (Ward Flintom – 58)
1000 meter row: Women (Mary Sampson – 3:50:00) : Men (Gene Oddone – 3:26:00)
2 mile bike: Women (Mary Sampson – 5:45): Men (Gene Oddone – 5:09)
Video of Ward (link)
Jamie Ives MA, CSCS, Master Trainer
Jamie has several years of experience in the fitness industry, working with clients of various ages, ability levels, and health conditions. He enjoys using his knowledge as well as his experience in exercise prescription and program design to help each of his clients reach their individual wellness goals and improve their quality of life. For more information about Empower Personal Training, please call (919) 401-8024.
