Club Blog

Spin classes are a great way to get in a vigorous workout — burning calories and keeping your muscles in shape — especially during the off-season. If you love exercising on a bike and being pushed by other spin-enthusiasts including a La Jolla Health Fitness Trainer, this could be a satisfying alternative to your normal routine.

Pros

• An effective workout
• Allows you to train in the off-season if you are a serious cyclist
• Varied routines keep things fresh
• Great for all ability levels

Cons

• You’re not outside and lose that relaxing aspect of a bike ride
• Classes can become monotonous
• If you don’t like exercising with others, you will not enjoy being surrounded by people in one room

Description

Spin classes are done in a La Jolla Health Fitness Center Gym fitness studio, with various light and music settings to create an energized atmosphere. Instructors guide participants through workout phases. Warm-up, steady up-tempo cadences, sprints, climbs, cool-downs, etc. You control resistance on your bike to make the pedaling as easy or difficult as you choose. Constantly adjusting your resistance is normal. All you’ll need is normal workout clothes, a towel and a water bottle. Check it out!

According to experts, some of the new trends we see this year in fitness, exercise and nutrition are predicted to stay around as trends for the next several years to come as Americans are slowly but surely realizing that our country needs to make health and wellness more of a focus. And regardless of the fact that we have less time to exercise (because many of us have to work harder and longer these days), the changes we make now should be changes we keep in place. So instead of diets and bootcamps- make them lifestyle choices. Below are two of the fitness and exercise trends that Paige Whainer from About.com believes will continue well into the upcoming decade.

Group Training, Fitness and Exercise Classes

Group fitness has always been popular and that trend continues into 2010 with the prediction that even more of us will turn to small-group training and fitness gym classes to stay in shape.

Group fitness can be more motivating than working out alone. Not only do you draw on the energy of others exercising around you, you have a specific date and time to show up for your workouts – a good idea if you need extra motivation. There’s also a competitive environment in group La Jolla Sports Club fitness programs, nudging you to work a little harder than you would on your own. Just a few classes you may see at your local La Jolla Health Fitness Center gym include:

• Adult Fitness
• Cardio/Strength training
• Dance classes (Kid’s and adult dance)
• Jiu-Jitsu
• Yoga
• Core Conditioning
• Spin
• Personal Training

Vanishing Muscle

One-third of a pound of muscle is lost per year after the age of 40. Sarcopenia is age-related loss of muscle mass, strength, and function. Much like osteoporosis and osteoarthritis, sarcopenia is a serious degenerative condition; reduced muscle mass increases risk for injury and results in loss of mobility and balance.

Metabolically, muscle is an active tissue that allows the body to burn more calories and, in turn, reduces risk for developing diabetes and/or obesity. A study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology (October 2003) showed that resistance exercises (strength training) can reverse sarcopenia. Both men and woman can reap the rewards of strength training and old-fashioned iron pumping.

Two Workouts in One

Eliminating cardio exercise, however, is not the answer. Find ways to include cardio workouts in your cardio strength training routine. Former Mr. America, Bob Gajda has developed a workout that can not only increase your endurance, but also shed fat and maintain muscle. This workout is known as peripheral heart action or PHA. The concept of this strength-training workout is to incorporate “super setting” by utilizing all areas of the body. PHA prevents blood from stagnating in one area, thus forcing the heart to pump blood to the entire body. In turn, this creates an effective aerobic and strength training routine. Since the basis of this exercise is strength training, no muscle is lost.

Whether you use PHA or another combined cardio strength gym training system, make your workouts fun. Always consult with a professional La Jolla Sports Club Staff trainer before venturing into a demanding physical activity. Combining strength and cardio training is the ideal way to keep your heart, muscles, and bones toned and healthy.

What makes the weight room seem intimidating to women? What should women consider when beginning to plan their weight and La Jolla fitness personal training sessions?

Some of the intimidation comes from the idea that men all know what they’re doing and women don’t. But that’s just not true! More and more women are lifting weights. In fact, statistics have clearly demonstrated that more women are participating in weight lifting today than ever before.

Consider the following tips when you plan your training session:

● Take advantage of your gym’s complementary personal training sessions and have a trainer create your own personalized program.
● Find a training partner who has some experience with lifting.
● Share the cost of La Jolla Sports Club Personal Training sessions with a buddy.
● Have your trainer demonstrate each of your specific exercises.
● Ask a floor trainer at your local La Jolla Health Fitness Center club to help you out.
If you need help in getting started on a new weight training program, please contact Laleh Yaghoubi, La Jolla Personal Trainer.