Gymfusion's Blog

Step One – A Gym Membership

gymfusion — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 05:03:31 +0000

Before getting started on a workout routine I’ll need a place to workout. At this time of year you can’t turn around without being bombarded with some health club offering you some unbelievably low rate to join. The only problem is every other coach potato is being exposed to the same offers. How to separate the wheat from the chaff?

One thing I know for sure is that I want flexibility. I want to be able to workout whenever I want. A lot of these special deals have serious restrictions on the hours/days you can use the gym. With my schedule that won’t work. I want to be able to workout whenever I want.

Secondly, I commute a pretty long way to work every day and I’d like to be able to work out sometimes close to home and other times close to my office. A large chain that has locations both places would work but in my case there isn’t one. I know that some clubs offer reciprocity between various clubs but I know you have to call ahead and it is limited to how many times you can do it. I know that would be a serious impediment to my workouts.

Thirdly, I travel for work often. I’d love to be able to have a membership that I could use wherever I am. Hotel gyms are all the same, a few weight machines, maybe a treadmill and an exercise bike. If I want to keep up a healthy lifestyle I’ll need to be able to perform my workouts wherever I am with the full compliment of equipment that I am used to.

Lastly, I get bored EASILY. I know that if I do the same routine or even workout at the same place for too long I’ll get bored. I need variety in my workout and the best way to do that is to change the “scenery” associated with my workout.

After weighing all that I got a gym membership that met all my needs. Now I need to come up with a workout routine and diet.

New Years Fitness Resolution

gymfusion — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 04:48:31 +0000

It’s that time of year again when many of us drag our bloated bodies back into the gym in the hopes of carrying out the timeless new years resolution to get back in shape. In the spirit of this timeless tradition I have decided to chronicle one man’s journey back to fitness.

I hope to catalogue EVERYTHING that I eat, all the exercise/workouts I conduct, and even which Tucson gyms I work out in.

My goals are simple, get back in shape and hopefully maybe inspire some others along the way. Tomorrow I’ll post my initial weight and measurements.

Are Personal Trainers Worth the Expense?

gymfusion — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 05:50:58 +0000

Are personal trainers worth the added expense? A recent study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research says that personal training does make a difference compared to working out alone. The study was conducted on 46 women who were currently training in a health club for at least three months. Half of the women had been training with a personal trainer for at least three months, while the other half of the women were working out on their own. The study found that women who had worked with a personal trainer used higher weights on the leg press, chest press, leg extension, and seated row. This added “intensity” to their workouts. Furthermore, the women who had worked with a personal trainer also used a greater variety of gym equipment than the women who did not work with a personal trainer. This variety tended to give a higher quality workout by working the muscles at different angles and through different ranges of motion. Lastly, women that worked with a personal trainer were far less likely to skip a workout than those who were working out alone. By having to keep appointments with a trainer, these women were more likely to stick to a workout regimen. All of these things added up to the group working out with personal trainers reaching their fitness goals much faster than those working out alone.

Get Fit Fast!

gymfusion — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 05:24:38 +0000

According to the American Council on Exercise (ACE) abbreviated fitness programs are just as effective as hours spent plodding away at the gym. Research by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) has suggested that often people who plod away for lengthy periods on exercise equipment are clocking up “dead miles”. In its guidelines, the ACSM says that 30 minutes of high-intensity exercise (that’s 80 per cent of your maximum aerobic capacity, a level at which you would be puffing and sweating) is as good as an hour at a workload of 60 per cent. In this type of “express workout”, the body is pushed outside its comfort zone with interval training — typically 30-second bursts of intense activity to raise the heart rate to 75 per cent of its maximum, followed by a short recovery period. When it comes to getting more fit there are two basic options: to increase the duration or to raise the intensity. For anyone who doesn’t have hours to kill, a shorter, sharper session can yield the same or better results in about half the time.

Smaller Gyms Score Big

gymfusion — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 08:49:59 +0000

A recent Consumer Reports survey found that consumers are more satisfied with smaller independent or local gyms than the larger national chains. Respondents cited overcrowding, problems with contracts or fees, and poorer cleanliness as problems with the larger chains. The full report on health clubs is available in the February 2008 issue of Consumer Reports.

Can’t Find a Gym on the Road

gymfusion — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 08:09:42 +0000

Sometimes whle traveling despite your good intentions there just isn’t a gym available. Try finding a Nautilus machine while hiking the Grand Canyon. Fear not the following workout can be done just about anywhere and still give you a good pump. And since the only equipment you need is your own body try forgetting to pack that!

Bodyweight Workouts

Bodyweight Squats – stand with feet between hip and shoulder width apart. Push hips back and down like you were going to sit in a chair. Once you reach average chair height, return to standing. Feel free to raise your arms out in front of you for balance as you complete the movement.

Modified Push-ups – to modify a push-up, lean on a raised surface so that your shoulders are above your hips, but your body is still in a straight line. The higher the surface, the easier the push-ups will be. Look for tables, chairs, countertops, etc. for modifications.

Planks – Lie face down to start. Then lift your body up so that your weight is supported on your forearms and your toes, with your body as straight as possible. Brace your abdominals (hold them tight like if someone was going to hit you in the stomach) and squeeze your glutes (butt muscles). Do not let your lower back arch excessively. This should look like upper push-up position only with your arms bent and your forearms on the floor. Hold for time.

Squat Thrusts – stand with feet hips width apart. Squat down and reach your hands to the floor in front of you. Let your weight rest on your hands and kick your legs back so you end up in a push-up position. Jump your legs back to your hands and stand up.

Leg Lift Holds – Lie on your back and lift your legs up to a 90 degree angle at the hip. Lower your legs, keeping your abdominal muscles tight, until you start to feel your lower back come off the floor. Stop here, press your back onto the floor, and hold for time.

That’s it. Now you never have a reason to miss a workout while traveling. This is a great workout and it can be completed anywhere.

Stay Fit on the Road

gymfusion — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 07:13:00 +0000

While traveling it is often difficult to maintain your workout schedule. Fitness expert Lisa Wheeler says that when it comes to sticking to your workout routine on the road the devil is in the details.

“When we travel, we have to plan our schedule, meetings, transportation and clothes ahead of time, and we really have to do the same with our fitness regimen,” Wheeler says.

Call ahead and make sure your hotel has a workout room. Also inquire about nearby fitness clubs that might offer a class you’d like or research any possible scenic running trails. Most importantly schedule your exercise ahead of time. It’s best to workout in the morning if possible since that minimizes the possibility of being “distracted” by other endeavors and will help you perform better all day.

Many gyms will offer a day rate to travelers or even check with your home gym for any reciprocity agreements that might have with gyms in your intended destination. For frequent travelers a GymFusion membership makes finding and working out at a suitable gym a snap.

Tucson’s Changing Gym Landscape

gymfusion — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 06:56:26 +0000

The latest trend is putting the personal in personal training as more and more studios pop up open strictly for clients who just want to get into the gym without waiting for equipment or feeling overwhelmed by not knowing what to do. Personal training studios aren’t a new phenomenon, but are recently becoming more popular as people are realizing the benefits of one-on-one training. Other benefits include not having to pay a monthly membership fee.

This trend has come to Tucson and is slowly remaking the local health club scene. These personal training studios offer outstanding amenities, less crowding, and a premium on personal attention. From Performance at McMahon’s to Marcel’s Total Fitness client’s looking to avoid crowds and get personal attention from in house personal trainers should be sure to check out these two excellent clubs. Either of these clubs will help you achieve your fitness goals.

Welcome

gymfusion — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 06:29:01 +0000

Welcome to the blog for GymFusion, the home of Any Gym, Any Time, One Membership.