Exercise Articles

Exercise 101: Best Belly-Busting Exercises

When most people begin their weight loss journey, they want to start with that stubborn belly fat. So, crunches – and lots of them – is the workout routine for you, right? Wrong! In fact, spot reduction in exercise simply doesn’t exist. Instead, trainers suggest these core-focused exercises that will help combat fat throughout your body resulting in less belly fat.

Burpees – this exercise works your core, chest, shoulders, lats, triceps, and quads. Great all-around exercise.

Mountain climbers – like burpees, this moving plank exercise works out a ton of different muscles.

Turkish Get-up – this 200-year-old exercise involves a kettle ball and is great for burning belly fat and conditioning your whole body.

Fitness for All September Squats: 30-Day Squat Challenge

It’s the start of a new month and that means a new monthly challenge. This month we focus on building that leg and core strength with September Squats!

This 30-day challenge will have you squatting your way through the month of September. 

Day 1: 50 squats

Day 2: 55 squats

Day 3: 60 squats

Day 4: REST

Day 5: 70 squats

Day 6: 75 squats

Day 7: 80 squats

Day 8: REST

Day 9: 100 squats

Day 10: 105 squats

Day 11: 110 squats

Day 12: REST

Day 13: 130 squats

Day 14: 135 squats

Day 15: 140 squats

Day 16: REST

Day 17: 150 squats

Day 18: 155 squats

Day 19: 160 squats

Day 20: REST

Day 21: 180 squats

Day 22: 185 squats

Day 23: 190 squats

Day 24: REST

Day 25: 220 squats

Day 26: 225 squats

Day 27: 230 squats

Day 28: REST

Day 29: 240 squats

Day 30: 250 squats

Fitness for All Awesome Abs: August Abs Challenge

Even though summer is almost over, there is still time to get those fabulous abs. 

Follow this 31-day workout to start building those abdominal muscles today!

Day 1: 20 crunches

Day 2: 25 crunches

Day 3: 30 crunches plus a 30-second plank

Day 4: 35 crunches

Day 5: 40 crunches

Day 6: 45 crunches plus 2- 30-second planks

Day 7: 50 crunches

Day 8: 55 crunches

Day 9: 60 crunches plus 3- 30-second planks

Day 10: REST

Day 11: 65 crunches

Day 12: 70 crunches plus 2- 45-second planks

Day 13: 75 crunches

Day 14: 80 crunches

Day 15: 85 crunches plus 3- 45-second planks

Day 16: 90 crunches

Day 17: 95 crunches

Day 18: 100 crunches plus 1- 60-second plank

Day 19: REST

Day 20: 85 crunches

Day 21: 80 crunches plus 2- 60-second planks

Day 22: 75 crunches

Day 23: 70 crunches

Day 24: 65 crunches plus 3- 60-second planks

Day 25: 80 crunches

Day 26: 85 crunches

Day 27: 80 crunches plus 2- 60-second planks

Day 28: 85 crunches

Day 29: 90 crunches

Day 30: 95 crunches plus 5- 60-second planks

Day 31: 105 crunches

Fitness for All National Bike Month- Biking for Beginners

It’s National Bike Month and who wouldn’t want to hop on a bicycle and relive the days of their youth?

While biking is a great way to fit in your cardio during the summer months, there are some mistakes that beginner bikers should avoid before they get out on the open road.

Some of those mistakes include:

• Seat is too low – if you are experiencing pain in your knees while biking, then your seat may be too low. At the right seat height, your knee should be slightly bent at the bottom of your pedal stroke.
• Assume you need the “best gear” – you don’t need the best of the best to enjoy a bike ride for exercise. Start small and get the fancy gear as you ride more.
• Not maintaining your bike – just like your car needs a tune-up every so often, so does your bike. Routine maintenance will not only save you money at the bike shop but will prolong the life of your bike.
• Too much too soon – one of the biggest injuries on a bike comes from trying to go longer and faster than you should. Build up slowly, ease into it and give your body time to adjust to this new workout.
• Not bringing along a spare or patch kit – flat tires happen, more often than you think. Always be prepared for the inevitable!
• Not using your gears – gears are your best friends when you are tackling hills or when you are speeding along a long stretch. Practice makes perfect when it comes to figuring out when to shift.