5 Common Mistakes Women Make in The Gym

Many of my female clients are gym members who have been working out for years, but are no longer seeing results or are just plain bored and frustrated. They are dedicated individuals who enjoy the benefits of exercise, but are ready to throw in the towel because they are either gaining weight, losing function or just feeling stagnant.

It comes as no surprise to me  because I often view them in the gym and understand why they aren’t meeting their fitness goals or seeing further improvement. There are some common mistakes among woman (trust me men are not excluded from this) that are made when it comes to working out, which can lead to these discouraging scenarios.

Are you making any one of these common mistakes?

1. Focusing too much attention or cardiovascular/cardio training- this builds muscle endurance and burns calories, but isn’t the most effective way to build the lean tissue needed to support optimal body composition

2. Not putting enough intensity into their workouts- I don’t know if it’s fear, habit, stubbornness or just a combination of all three, but women need to up their workout intensity to burn more calories, improve their fitness levels and provide overload and progression to their current workout routines. This applies to cardio and strength routines!

3. Still doing 100’s of reps of exercises to spot reduce- spot reduction can only happen via plastic surgery. Weight loss will happen all over the body with a combination of cardio, strength and good eating habits. Doing 100 leg lifts per leg every day is called muscle endurance training and will not make the fatty tissue on top disappear.

4. Skipping exercises that work major muscle groups- they don’t like to work their back, but love to work their legs so they skip all the back exercises in the circuit, or just do the ones they like. This alone can lead to a screaming case of muscle imbalance, which can increase the risk of injury. You’ve got to train the entire body, front to back, side to side, deep and superficial!

5. Going back to old habits- doing the same routines for 20 years is will lead to plateauing (no longer seeing results or change). This is why it is so important to work with a certified professional to help you change up your routines, keep you fresh, improve your fitness levels and prevent overuse injuries and boredom.

Notice a trend in any of these habits? Do you do one, a couple or all of them?  It’s all fixable! Making a change to just one fo these common mistakes will certainly give you some results and encourage you to start fixing the others. After all, aren’t results what you’re after?

Keep it fresh- Amy

PS- 5 common mistakes men make in the gym is coming later this week

PPS- A more in depth article will follow both blog posts

Are You Summer Ready?

AAHHHH bikini season. It’s here already and I’m sure some people are thinking they should have been doing a little bit more to prepare for baring the flesh for all the world to see. It’s OK, you’re not alone! Although the sun is up and shining bright, you can still get yourself beach body ready if you take the following suggestions to heart:

Bikini Ready?

1. Move your body- like yesterday!
Seriously- everyone should be doing something that gets their heart rate up at least *30 minutes per day to a point you can tell your exercising. If you begin doing this today, you can expect to see weight loss with each passing week. *Can break this up into 10 minutes bouts throughout the day

2. Cut it out- all white sugars, flours and artificial ingredients.
Not only do they offer little to no nutritional value, but they lead to inflammatory responses in the gut, on the skin and in other bodily systems. They contain empty, less than optimal calories and most people eat more than they should; which leads to extra weight in unwelcome places. Instead choose whole grain, organic (whenever possible) and pure ingredients that haven’t been hydrogenated, refined or processed. These foods contain optimal nutrition for your body, plus more fiber to keep you fuller longer and less likely to fill up on junk foods. Pay attention to what you eat and READ your food labels!

3. Get some iron- lifts weights.
Strength training all your major muscle groups is a critical element to building lean tissue and keeping the body revved up and burning more calories at rest. Think of this: a pound of muscle can burn 50 calories per hour, while a pound of fat is 2-3 calories per hour. HMMM? Not too hard to figure out is it. More muscle is brought to you by strength training!!!

4. Watch the liquids- they have calories
Yes, juice, lattes, iced teas and alcoholic beverages contain calories. They add up quickly, too. Two beers can easily add up to an extra 300 calories, and you can double that if your indulging in one of those fancy umbrella drinks that include fruits juices and a few shots of liquor. If you’re trying to lose weight then watch those liquid calories and stick to plain water to quench your thirst.

5. Spray it on- self tanner
I’ve heard this quote over and over again from my client’s, friends and family members, “Tan fat looks better than white fat!” I don’t necessarily agree with them, but I do support the use of self tanners. They are a safe way to build a bronzed body -minus the sun exposure- and if it makes somebody feel more comfortable in their skin and willing to come out and play in the summer, then so be it. Spray, rub or dust it on!

Summer ready? Maybe not, but you still have time to get there. Get moving, watch what you eat and drink, lift some weights by joining a fitness boot camp or class this summer and spray on some self tanner.

Let’s all embrace what we got and enjoy the long, summer nights, bountiful fruit season, family, friends, sprinklers at the occasional smore. Now get out there and move it!

Here’s to a healthy, happy summer-
Amy

The Snotty Instructor + A Few Other Tips About the Fitness Industry

Inspiration comes in many forms for me. Mostly from my students, clients and fellow fitness friends. I observe, listen, make mental notes in my head and of course will share my opinion at the drop of a hat if I’m allowed. I realize people don’t agree on everything, but I do know that if you don’t speak your mind and let people know how you feel about issues you really lose the option to be argumentative about it later.

Today’s inspiration came from a couple of sources: a regular student who takes classes from many yoga instructors at the gym and the lovely (all rules of sarcasm apply in the word lovely) gentleman who works out regularly in the weight room. Both of these circumstances had me frustrated and compelled to yell at the top of my lungs. Of course, I didn’t. I observed, listened and decided to blog my thoughts and share a few inside tips regarding fitness industry professionalism.

Teaching is an art!

Inspiration one-The Yoga Participant
Chatting up class today one of the participants shared her recent visit to a well-known San Fransisco yoga studio (which I will never speak highly of again after hearing her story). The instructor referred to her in the middle of class as the “person who needed more yoga training.” These are actually nicer words than she described to me. Additionally, this yoga teacher asked where the student was taking classes back home, then laughed when he found out! So yoga-like, too don’t you think? Pompous, rude, snotty, arrogant all come to mind when I even conceive the thought of this dear person being treated so unprofessionally by a so-called certified instructor. The thought of being so inconsiderate to a guest in my class is mind-numbing. This is absolutely not acceptable by any means! This just screams DIVA to me.

Inspiration two- The Weight Room Patron
I call him, “I wear my sunglasses man” because he wears his shades to work out in. Ridiculous because we don’t have a retractable roof, nor is the lighting all that bright. He has obviously dabbled in bodybuilding as he is built like one: shorter, packed on muscle, little body fat. Genetics, sport specific training and his diet keep him this way. Because he looks muscular people assume he has some knowledge about fitness and many will try to work out with him so they can look like him. He is not a certified fitness professional, he does not give proper advice and he practices OLD school training protocols. Nothing I’ve seen him do or offer to people remotely represents the fitness industry today. I won’t even go into detail about his narcissistic behaviors when it comes to utilizing the equipment and sharing space with others. Mr. “I wear my sunglasses at..” is a far cry from a trained professional, rather he plays one on TV with poor scripting.

So wear does all this inspiration lead me? Guidelines and tips of course on how to choose a properly trained fitness professional whether it be a group exercise instructor (yoga, pilates, cycling, kickboxing or whatever) or professional trainer. How does the consumer know they are getting the real deal or the make believe version. Let me enlighten you with the following:

A professional instructor should always:
1. Facilitate- be able to accommodate class members with enough equipment and space
2. Anticipate- be aware of class participants at all times and offer modifications to movements, suggestions or other options for all levels irregardless of format.
3. Motivate- keep the class moving with appropriate movements for the format, speak with a positive tone without ridiculing or pointing out participants, encourage everyone to work at their own level, and offer plenty of positive feedback
4. Educate- stay informed by attending continuing education sessions, implement the information into their curriculum and be aware of current fitness guidelines and research.
5. Be professional and courteous to all participants, regulars, visitors and newcomers alike
6. Hold a certification from an accredited organization such as ACE, AFAA or ACSM

All professional fitness trainers should:
1. Hold a certification from an accredited organization such as ACE, ASCM, NSCA, NASM or other. *Important mention-although bodybuilding & sport experience is great it does not relate to all the job responsibilities of personal training. We do more than teach exercises to clients!
2. Have a minimum of 200 hours of training and/or practicum and/or degree in exercise science or related field
3. Hold specialty certifications and training for formats such as yoga, pilates, cycling or other specialties *same goes for instructors
4. Maintain their certifications by attending continuing education workshops
5. Be not only a physical role model, but also a health and fitness educational resource for clients
6. A professional trainer is not your workout buddy, but your coach, confidant and butt-kicker!!

These guidelines and tips are essential traits and qualities that every fitness professional should possess. Although each trainer or instructor will have their own individual personality traits, it is critical that they are able to support their clients and participants with not only a sound background of training, education and experience, but also compassion, dedication, enthusiasm and patience. Really, would you want it any differently?

If nothing else, just remember to stay away from the snotty instructors and second guess any information you get from somebody who needs to wear sunglasses into the weight room. Just because somebody can lift a whole bunch of weight doesn’t make them a personal trainer!!

Always observing and listening..
Amy