Workouts with a partner

There are many times a client will come to me and request that they train with another at the same time. For one it is much cheaper for each to train this way plus it gives the added benefit of having each other push each other. I personally love training two for ones as we call it in the biz.

One of the first things that comes up though is how can I get two different people to train the same even though they possibly are at different fitness levels.

Well, it is pretty easy actually. I formulate a fitness program that allows each of them to “need” the other for most exercises. Let me explain.

Lets take a real world situation of a program I just designed for a couple at Bayshore.

SPECS:
1) They well both around the same age.
2) It was a man and his wife.
3) They both were super-charged in starting their program.
4) The both agreed to workout together.

Here is an example of some of the exercises I had them do together.
1) Partner pushups where each partner claps the opposite hands of their partner when they come up from the pushup.
2) Medicine ball ab lifts. One partner does an AB crunch while throwing the medicine ball to their partner. Then the partner throws it back to them when they are about to descend.
3) Flexibility ball knockouts. One partner holds a flexibility ball while the other try’s to knock it out of their hands. It sounds silly but if you have never tried this it is so intense.
4) Hand presses while your partner provides resistance.

Though there were a few others I hope you get my point. Many exercises can become partner required if you think them out. And the benefit of working with another could really blast your workouts and take them to another level.

I have only touched upon the workout philosophy of partners. Other times I will create programs for partners that require super-setting and pyramiding type workouts. The possibilities are really endless.

If you can get another person to workout with you and you incorporate the “need” for each other. Not only will you see amazing results you will also start to rely on each other for that needed push to make you stick with it.

As always - I am available for personal training either in person (if in NJ) or over the web. If you feel you have stalled in your pursuit of fitness and need some expert knowledge to get you on track reach out to me.

Regards,

Eddie Camaroto CPT
Perfect You LLC

Exercise theme for June

The next fitness theme will be working out with someone and the last article of the month will be how to incorporate exercises that have mutliple moves to work multiple body areas at the same time.

As always - I am available for personal training either in person (if in NJ) or over the web. If you feel you have stalled in your pursuit of fitness and need some expert knowledge to get you on track reach out to me.

Regards,

Eddie Camaroto CPT
Perfect You LLC

TV workout

Workouts while watching TV

On my final article for this month’s theme I wanted to talk about how to squeeze in some precious exercising while watching TV.

The average commercial break for most TV shows that run one hour is 12 minutes (about 4 minutes each 15 minute mark). That gives plenty of opportunity for some circuit training during those breaks.

So here is a simplified workout to get you further in your fitness needs.

I have broken up the workout into three parts to capitalize on the three 4 minute breaks.

First commercial (there is no break between exercises): LOWER BODY WORK
1) 25 squats.
2) 20 lunges.
3) 50 calf raises on one foot.
4) 20 leg planks off of the couch.

Second commercial (there is no break between exercises): CORE AND BACK WORK
1) 20 Bird/dogs.
2) 25 bicycles on the ground while moving your elbow to opposite leg.
3) Inner/Outer Oblique rise while on your side.
4) Cobra off floor.

Third commercial (there is no break between exercises): UPPER BODY WORK
1) 25 pushups.
2) 20 dips off of a chair.
3) 25 side planks with twist.
4) 20 punches into a cushion.

During just one 1-hour TV show you can get a total body workout minus the cardio. Hard to give excuses when you can do this and still appear lazy or relaxed.

I realize that some of you may have no idea what some of these exercises mean or how to do them. If you would like clarification just reach out to me and I will describe more in detail.

As always - I am available for personal training either in person (if in NJ) or over the web. If you feel you have stalled in your pursuit of fitness and need some expert knowledge to get you on track reach out to me.

Regards,

Eddie Camaroto CPT

Perfect You LLC

Workouts for the seasons

This week I thought I would show you the creative side of workouts. I have devised a few fun things to do for each season. Though you may never have realized that these things produce fitness they do indeed. Hope you enjoy.

Winter:
1) Go build a snowman. Rolling a big ball of snow till it collects more and more snow is an incredible lower AND upper body workout. Plus you will burn an estimated 280 calories.
2) Do some snow shoveling for an hour and you will burn an estimated 400 calories.
3) Make some snow angels for an hour and you will burn an estimated 218 calories.
4) Best yet have a snowball fight and you will burn a whopping estimated 318 calories per hour plus let out some stress.

Spring:
1) Do some light yard work or gardening and you will burn an estimated 250 calories per hour.
2) Go for a nice bike ride at a moderate pace and you will burn an estimated 238 calories per hour.
3) If you are a golfer go play a round of golf and carry your own clubs to spark an estimated 265 calories per hour.
4) Pick your favorite trail or mountain path and go hiking for an estimated and whopping 380 calories per hour.

Summer:
1) Go for a refreshing swim and you will burn an estimated 413 calories per hour.
2) Go for an intense jog and you will burn an estimated 472 calories per hour.
3) Head down to the basketball courts and dribble your way to an estimated 472 calories per hour.
4) Take your usual aerobic routine outside and let the sun shine on you. Doing so will burn an estimated 413 calories.

Fall:
1) Go for a walk in your community and admire the beauty of nature and the colored leaves. All while burning an estimated 240 calories per hour.
2) Rake up some of those leaves for an hour and you will burn an estimated 218 calories per hour.
3) If you clean out your own gutters from all those leaves for an hour you will burn an estimated 250 calories.
4) And if you are trying to get in the last few lawn mows of the year take heart that you will burn an estimated 202 calories per hour.

All of the items above do indeed burn calories but they also get work your body in different ways that is great for fitness.

I am sure you can think of much more items that should be on this list. I have provided just a sampling. Be creative in your exercise approach and you will never get bored and you will always be at the top of your game.

Note: Most of the calories were calculated using the following profile:
135 pound female age 35 and five foot five. They were provided for example only. Your profile may be more or less then my example.

P.S. for the romantics out there squeeze in a minute kiss here and there and you will burn an estimated 26 calories. J

As always - I am available for personal training either in person (if in NJ) or over the web. If you feel you have stalled in your pursuit of fitness and need some expert knowledge to get you on track reach out to me.

Regards,

Eddie Camaroto CPT
Perfect You LLC

Working out while sick. Good thing or bad thing?

On our road to greater fitness and health sometimes we become hard-core in our training philosophy. We don’t miss a day, utilize every opportunity to bring fitness into our lives and get stressed whenever anything gets in the way of us doing our daily workout.

But even the fittest of us are going to get sick once in a while. Thank goodness that the fitter and healthier we get the less downtime from a sickness we realize.

But, the golden rule of exercising while your sick is pretty straight forward. If you only have mild symptoms and you generally fill good then exercising while sick will actually boost your immune system and help you fight off your ills. But if you are felling pretty bad then exercising will weaken your immune system and make your illness possibly last longer.

But for some of us, we get scared that maybe we will lose all those results that we have gained while we take a few days or week off. Take solace, it is actually a GOOD thing to skip a week every now and then as long as you exercise regularly. In fact it is actually a GREAT thing to reach your maximum potential.

In my personal training business I usually give my clients off a week for every three months they work with me (depending on hard I have been working them). Not only do they see it as a reward for their progress but it also makes them stronger and fitter by resting their muscles and allowing their bodies a full recovery week to reach their potential. There is proven science behind the rest a week every now and then.

Some of my clients are ultra hard-core and will never take off no matter what I say to them. For them I do a high repetition and easy workout. We move the muscles in a less stressed way and work on proper technique for the week instead. They still receive most of the benefits and their body recovers nicely for it.

So my expert advice to you is if you are sick and need to take off for a week – do it. Your body may just surprise you and be even stronger when you return.

As always - I am available for personal training either in person (if in NJ) or over the web. If you feel you have stalled in your pursuit of fitness and need some expert knowledge to get you on track reach out to me.

Regards,

Eddie Camaroto CPT
Perfect You LLC

Simple exercises to do on the job

Hello, what if you are a workaholic and are finding it hard to get to the gym and by the time you do get home at night you are exhausted.

Maybe the following advice will help you. Try some of the following exercise and cardio movements at work. They are all simple, easy, and beneficial to do. And all except the walking ones can be done during a simple 15-minute break during your busy day.

1) Do some old-fashioned push-ups. They are a good core and upper body workout.
2) Do some squats for a great lower body workout.
3) Do some one leg calf raises for some calf work.
4) Do some rotating side planks for arm and core work.
5) Do some isometric holds for various parts of the body. CAUTION – IF YOU HAVE ANY BLOOD PRESSURE ISSUES DO NOT DO ISOMETRICS HOLDS. ISOMETRICS CAN RAISE THE BLOOD PRESSURE TO DANGEROUS LEVELS IN CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS – ESPECIALLY THE ELDERELY!
6) For some quick cardio find some stairs and walk them up and down for a few minutes.
7) For a greater cardio experience go for a walk around your office/campus or take a walk outside during your lunch break.
8) If your job has a gym on site or there is a gym close by – utilize it.

So even though we all think there is no time for fitness I hope I have shown you that doing these simple tips during your day can go a far way in making you feel better, be more fit, and hopefully relieve some of your stress. I had jobs where I worked 15 hours a day and still found simple 15 minute blocks of time to get healthier – you should be able to.

As always - I am available for personal training either in person (if in NJ) or over the web. If you feel you have stalled in your pursuit of fitness and need some expert knowledge to get you on track reach out to me.

Regards,

Eddie Camaroto CPT
Perfect You LLC