Which Is Better: Long, Low Intensity Cardio Routines or High Intensity Interval Training?

The fitness industry and health professionals are always coming up with the best ways to lose weight, get a flat stomach and build muscle. We all know that for many years cardio has been at the top of the list in helping people burn fat and lose those excess pounds. For the past few years, most fitness professionals recommended performing long periods of less intense forms of cardio, such as walking on the treadmill for an hour or so. However, after years and years of performing these types of exercises, many people were not getting the results that they wanted, which lead to the fitness industry reevaluating the best way to lose weight.

Fat burning potential

For the last couple of years, health professionals have been telling us to perform long periods of low intensity cardio to lose weight. They based this theory on the idea that since we burn primarily fat while doing low intensity exercise and end up burning mostly carbs while performing high intensity exercises, we would lose more weight with the longer less intense form of cardio. However, when people were not achieving the results that they wanted, the professionals decided to take another look. What they found was that high intensity cardio was actually more effective at burning fat than longer less intense periods of cardio. They discovered that if you are not using carbs for energy then your fat cells are not able to take advantage of the energy pathways that carbs use, which means that you are unable to burn them. Therefore, you need to do some sort of high intensity exercise to allow your body the opportunity to burn fat.

Which is better

Most of us would believe that if high intensity cardio burns more fat, then that is all we should be doing. However, in your quest to lose weight and become healthier, it may not as simple as choosing one form of exercise over the other. There are many different benefits associated with each type of exercise, and you should make room for both types in your fitness routine in order to get the optimal results. Long periods of less intense cardio has been shown to reduce your triglyceride levels and increase your good cholesterol levels. It has also been shown to help improve the effectiveness of insulin to do its job and helps to eliminate glucose from your blood. So, while performing long periods of low intensity cardio may not help you lose the weight you want, it can benefit you in the long run.

It may not be as easy as deciding on one type of exercise over the other. You should never limit your fitness routines this way. There should always be room for multiple types of exercises in your fitness routine. Do not be afraid to add some variety to your workout to get the best results. By doing different types of exercises you can easily spice up your fitness routine and stave off boredom, which can have you looking forward to your next workout.

– See more at: http://www.9round.com/blog/which-is-better-long-low-intensity-cardio-routines-or-high-intensity-interval-training/

How to Improve Your Core

We all want a strong core, and we know that it is important to work on building our core. Core exercises should be an important part of our everyday fitness routine, but how do we know if our core strengthening exercises are working? It may be difficult to tell if you are using these muscles in your fitness routine, and it may take a while to notice your improvements, especially since your core muscles stabilize and help improve other movements but are not necessarily a primary component of these movements. Here we will take a look at what exactly makes up your core muscles and how to appropriately and effectively workout these muscles.

What makes up your core

Your core is basically the muscles in your midsection that support and stabilize your body. It is not just your abs. There is so much more involved in your core than just your abs. It includes all your muscles besides those found in your arms and legs, and they are incorporated in almost every movement of your body. They can stabilize movements, transfer movements and even, at certain times, start these movements. When used properly your core muscles will help maintain your posture and form and can help to lessen any aches and pains in your body. However, the real problem with working out these muscles is ensuring that we are actively using them in our workout, which can be difficult because most of the time they are not the muscles primarily responsible for our movements.

How to effectively workout your core

When we think of core exercises, we immediately go to crunches. However, this type of exercise is only working out one section of your core. Crunches would not be enough on its own, so if you are looking for a way to strengthen your core in only one exercise, this would not be a good choice. Instead you want to look for exercises that make your core hold your body stable, while also working out different areas of your body. There are many options out there. You could incorporate different types of planking into your fitness routine such as the front plank and side planks. You could also opt for the all encompassing burpee that has most of us cheering at its name, or mountain climbers would be another great exercise to strengthen your core. As long as the exercise you are doing is relying on your core muscles to properly perform it, then you are engaging and strengthening those muscles.

Remember, you can have all the strong core muscles in the world, but if you want to be able to SEE them, you have to eat right and eat right consistently! Abs are made in the kitchen!

It is important to build your core in order to give your body a proper and effective support system. This means that you should ensure that you are actively working out your core during each and every one of your fitness routines. It is best to use different types of exercises to get some variations on your movements and give your core the ability to work different ways and to incorporate different muscles within your core. Remember it is not just those abs that need an effective workout.

– See more at: http://www.9round.com/blog/how-to-improve-your-core/

5 Tips to Make Your Workout a Little Easier

It can be difficult to find a workout routine you can easily stick with. You can find a number of reasons to go to the gym, but you really only need one excuse to skip it. So, with all the temptations out there to keep you from the gym, how can you ensure that you will find a workout that you can stick with? Here we have gathered a few tips that you can use to help tackle a lot of the more common excuses many of us find to avoid the gym. So, take a look and see if you would benefit from trying a few of these tips in your daily routine.

1. Always have a packed and ready gym bag. One of the most common excuses to skip the gym is not having enough time, and it can take a while to pack your gym bag if you wait until the last second. However, if you already have a packed and ready gym bag, all you have to do is grab it and run out the door. This can save many of us some crucial time and allow us to fit in that otherwise impossible workout.

2. Pick a gym close to you. This can also help with the not enough time excuse. If you live near your gym or pass it on your daily commute, then you are more likely to find a way to squeeze in a quick workout, and it is a lot less likely that you can easily ignore the gym if you pass by it everyday. So, location can be a key factor in sticking to your fitness routine.

3. Workout on the way home. For many of us, a morning workout is just not happening. An alternative method is to go straight to the gym after work. The key to this method is, going straight there. Don’t run any errands or go home because the likelihood of making it to the gym gets less and less likely the more distracted you get! Eat a healthy snack about 30 minutes before leaving work so that you aren’t empty of energy and hit that workout hard. Then you can go home and know you’ve done what you needed to for yourself. Then, eat a healthy dinner, and you’ll be a better spouse, parent or just a better person because of all your hard work!

4. Reward yourself. A simple reward can help keep you motivated. Reward yourself for achieving a preset goal or staying consistent with your workouts. You can find something you are looking forward to and reward yourself with it when you think you have reached a victory in your workouts. It can be as simple as two hours alone at the bookstore to a new pair of shoes, but avoid using “cheat” foods as a reward because this ends up making your work back at the gym that much harder!

5. Do not be afraid of new technology. Wearable technology is trending now more than ever! This new technology can give many of us that extra push we may need to stick to our workouts by helping us track our workouts and giving us some sort of accountability with an online community. It can also make you more aware of all the successes you have accomplished through your workouts making you more excited about going to your daily workouts. Many 9Round locations now have heart rate technology called MyZone that gives you immediate feedback during your workout. This is so crucial at that moment when you want to stop, but you look up at the screen and see that you need to keep pushing just a little bit more at that exact moment! Nothing is more motivating! If your 9Round has MyZone, you deserve to buy yourself one today! For more info on what MyZone is click here: http://www.9round.com/public/myzone.pdf

There are so many little extras that can help put you on the right track to working out consistently. All you need to do is find what works for you. If you do discover that it is becoming a little harder each day to get going with your workout, then maybe it is time to try a few of these tips and see what works for you.

– See more at: http://www.9round.com/blog/5-tips-to-make-your-workout-a-little-easier/

How to Get the Most Out of Your Summer Workouts

The great thing about summer is it’s also easy to take your workouts outside and enjoy the awesome-ness of a full body sweat! So, take yourself outside, have a little fun and get some fresh air, while burning mega calories. But, keep in mind a few precautions:

 

 

Play it safe

You should always consult your doctor or trainer prior to committing to an outdoor fitness routine  to ensure that your body is capable of performing a workout in the heat. Once you get the go ahead from your doctor or trainer, you still need to take some extra precautions.

 

• Don’t over do it, meaning trying the most intense workout you’ve ever done on a 90 degree day. Do what you usually do and work up to workout out in the heat

• Limit time in the direct sun and always wear sunscreen

• Make hydration your priority

• Stay focused on your heart rate. Remember, you heart rate most likely will be a bit higher in the heat than usual, so don’t be surprised and listen to your body.

Mix it up

The most effective workouts are those that target and challenge your entire body, so you need to include workouts that challenge you and make you push yourself harder and harder each day. Do not be afraid to add some variety to your workout. You want to incorporate multiple types of exercises that can target many different muscles groups. Even though cardio is great at burning calories, if you want to tone up, then you want to add in other kinds of exercises too, such as:

 

• resistance type exercises

• planks

• crunches

• push-ups

• and even chin-ups

 

Using a playground is a free way to have props to work out on, such as pull ups or leg raises on the monkey bars. If you have kids, they can also play while they see you set a great example of being active and healthy! Remember to keep your kids hydrated as well!

Now you have one more excuse to be pumped for summer!

– See more at: http://www.9round.com/blog/how-to-get-the-most-out-of-your-summer-workouts/

How to Keep It Real During Your Workout

Many of us start our fitness routines out with unreal expectations. We may not know our limits, try to achieve results too soon or want to achieve perfection. This false sense of having to be perfect can end up being very harmful. We need to stop seeking perfection and realize that our fitness routine is about being a healthier version of ourselves. In order to remain happy with our body image and our fitness routines we need to focus on being the best that we can be and not being what we or others may view as perfect.

 

 

Set realistic goals

Many of us think that it is easy to set goals; however, once it comes time to decide on a realistic goal we find out that it may be harder than we thought. We want to set a goal that is achievable. It can not be too easy or too hard to reach. If it is too easy you may find yourself becoming bored with your workout and in the end, quitting. If your goals are too hard, you may become frustrated and feel as if all of your hard work is for nothing, and just like before, you will probably end up quitting your fitness routine. So, you need to set a goal with a proper time limit and a realistic outcome. This may take a while to perfect, but do not rush yourself or judge yourself too harshly in the beginning. Remember it will take some time to see the results that you want, so keep pushing yourself and do not give up.

 

Work at your own pace

Today’s fitness trend is to push yourself as hard as you can in short bursts; however, you have to be extremely careful when practicing this intense form of exercise. You do not want to push yourself too far past your limits too quickly. Also when we first start a fitness routine we need to take it slowly to learn the correct ways to perform each movement, and when most of us workout too hard or too fast we tend to lose sight of our posture and the proper form needed to safely perform our fitness routine. You can easily slip up and injure yourself this way, which will cause an early and unplanned end to your fitness routine. You need to work at your own pace and learn your body’s signals, and when your body tells you to slow down you should listen, if you want to avoid any unnecessary injuries.  That’s why at 9round we offer a certified trainer at no additional charge every workout.

 

It can be hard starting a fitness routine and not knowing what you should expect. Many of us do have unrealistic expectations but do not know it. The hard part is learning our body’s signals and trying to determine just how far and how fast we can push ourselves without causing ourselves an unnecessary injury. However, we need to let go of our ideas about achieving perfection in just a few days after starting our fitness routine and realize that our fitness routine is about making ourselves feel better and achieving a healthier body.

– See more at: http://www.9round.com/blog/how-to-keep-it-real-during-your-workout/