trainer workout

Excuses during the holidays

I'm starting to hear already, "Its the Holidays, thats why I haven't been workingout". Why? Really? This is when we should really be on a scheduled workout program. 

I get it, you're out late the night before because you had a holiday party. I totally understand. But come in and train anyway. Don't let everything go to Sh&t just because its the holidays. Some studies say that the average person will gain 5 pounds from Thanksgiving to New Years. Totally unnecessary!!!!

Simple but true, just don't eat a drink so much.  And don't skip your training sessions.

If you're hung over, sometimes the best thing for you is to sweat it out. 

Its going to be hard but it will definitely be worth it. Keep training.

10 Reasons why I exercise

So I was in the gym on Sunday (11/3/13) working out. The gym was closed and I was pumping the music, lifting heavy and belting out lyrics. All the things you do when no one is looking. It was a great workout, and at the same time a great release. As I'm tearing it up in the gym, I got to thinking. Why do I exercise? Why do my clients exercise? Why is exercise and training meaningful? Those are three big questions, considering that I'm a trainer and partner in a personal training business.
So I thought about it for a bit and here's what I came up with.
1- Exercising is a massive release for me. What does that mean? I personally hold onto a lot of stress. That stress has to go somewhere. So, I take it out in the gym. I figure it’s better to take it out on the gym then on people.
2- It helps me think more clearly.
Like so many other people, thoughts race through my mind a mile a second. I get so overwhelmed sometimes. After or even during a good workout session, the mind seems to unclutter and organize itself. Please don't ask me how. It just does.
3-It makes me a better person. I have more patients to deal with life. We could all use more patients.
4-I look better when I train consistently. I’ll take that side effect any day.
5-I don't want to be that old man that can't walk or move when he's 70. I want to be active and vibrant.
6-I feel happier. We all know endorphins are released when we exercise, but I believe that it’s much more than that. I feel like I've accomplished something hard, something that maybe I didn't want to do at the time but I did it anyway. That sense of accomplishment makes me happy.
7-How can I teach people how to exercise if I don't do it myself. That's just bad for business.
8- I don’t like the way I feel when I don't. I feel lazy and sluggish, and I hate that feeling.
9- I like to compete in sporting events.  If I was out of shape I would get my butt kicked. There is no way I'm going to get my butt kicked if I can help it.
10- It is good for me.

Now that’s only 10 reasons, I’m sure I can come up with a bunch more if I sat and thought about it a bit more. Exercise is purposeful if done correctly. I truly believe that working-out is meaningful and can help, and is helping a lot of people in today’s world.  Let’s face it, life is not getting easier. So, this means that we have to get better. Exercise is a great tool for getting better at life.

Hard Work

If this doesn't get your blood flowing I dont know what will.
This video is not about fitness But it has everything to do with fitness. Health and Fitness is about working hard, staying committed. Most people dont like to exercise or say its way to hard to stay on track. I hear to tell you, that's just the way it is. There is no simple answer or magic pill. if you want to live a better life then you need to exercise.
I'm not saying this because I'm a Personal Trainer. I'm saying this because I truly believe it.
As humans we are meant to move. We need to struggle a bit.

enjoy the video

Workout of the Week!

Thomas Edison once said "There is no substitute for hard work." With Edison in mind, and Labor Day weekend coming to an end,  who's ready to get back into their workout routine? As I sated last week, the team here is training for the "Domus Niner" on  Sunday, September 29, and can't wait to show what we're made of (anyone who wants to join the team is welcome!). Our second workout in preparation for this event is listed below:


Set 1:
(a) Barbell Forward Lunge  (20 reps. each side)
(b) 5 Pushups immediately followed with 25 Mountainclimbers (Repeat step 3 times)
(c) Bosu-ball Side Plank Lifts (15 reps. each side)
(d) Jump In/Out Squats (30 reps)
(e) Repeat Set Once

Set 2:
(a) 30 Second treadmill push
(b) Jump rope (1 minute)
(c) Stair master (level 15 for 1 minute)
(d) Skaters (45 seconds)

Set 3:
(a) Gorilla Runs (down and back)
(b) Bench Dumbbell Chest Press (15 reps.)
(c) Bench Reverse Abs (40 reps.)
(d) Bosu-ball Jump Squat (30 reps.)
(e) Underhand Lat. Pull Down (15 reps.)
(f) Repeat Set Once 

Set 4:
(a) Bike (level 11, with RPM above 90, for 3 minutes)
(b) X-trainer (level 11, rotating 20 second sprint and 10 second walk for 3 minutes)

Set 5:
(a) TRX Triceps (15 reps.)
(b) Barbell Bicep Curl (15 reps)
(c) Dumbbell Lateral Raise (15 reps)
(e) Repeat Set Once

Feel free to call or post any questions/comments you may have about the workout or the gym itself!

Training for the Domus Niner

Domus is a non-for-profit foundation that focuses on bringing life skills, essential to living a successful life, to underprivileged children and their families. On Sunday September 29, 2013, they are hosting an event at Cove Island Park (in Stamford) called the "Niner". Domus advertises the "Niner" as "A challenging athletic competition that’s more interesting than a triathlon but not as dangerous as the Tough Mudder or that crazy race done at midnight in chest-deep cold water." All of the proceeds will go to helping these children and families achieve success. To learn more about Domus please visit their website here. To learn more about the "Niner" visit their website here.

Now you may be asking yourself: why am I reading about Domus and the "Niner"? Here at Elevate, we are going to form a team (clients and trainers alike) and compete in order to, one, help the kids and their families, and, two, show we can kick some ass. It's going to be tough but that's why we have already started training. Todays workout was as follows:

Warm-Up
49 Burpees

139 Lunges
3.5 Minute Plank
50 Hand-Release Push-Ups
1 Mile Run

5 Pull Ups (2x)
15 Weighted Squat (2x)
15 Bent Over Row (2x)
50 Straight Leg Bicycle Kicks (2x)
15 Side Planks (each side and 2x)
0.5 Mile Run

25 Bench Hop-On's (2x)
15 Deadlifts (2x)
30 Seconds of Battle Ropes (2x)
15 Rope Tricep Extensions (2x)

Get Ripped Workout 7/17/2013

My name is Harrison Root and I recently graduated from Ithaca College with a BS in Exercise Science. I  started working at Elevate Fitness in the beginning of July, and as a bonus, I am allowed to participate in any of our nine new group personal training classes. So far I have only experienced Third Shift Lift (Monday & Wednesday @ 6:30 pm with Bonnie) and Get Ripped (Monday & Thursday 8 am), but I intend to try each one. The workout this morning (Get Ripped) was designed to have the client utilize a weighted exercise, and then immediately afterwords perform a body weighted exercise (in order to properly stimulate all muscle groups). It proceeded as follows:

Set 1
Bench Press - 15 rep                            Each set is to be done 3 times.
Push Up - 25 rep

Set 2
Lat Pull Down - 15 rep
Pull Up or TRX Row- 10 rep / 5 rep

Set 3
Weighted (DB) Squat - 25 rep
Lunges with Foot in TRX - 15 rep each leg

Set 4
DB Bicep Curls - 15 rep
TRX Bicep Curls - 20 rep

Set 5
Crunches with Rope - 30 rep
Crunches on Floor - 50 rep

CARDIO
Bike 1 mile in under 3 minutes
Row 25 calories in under 1 minute 30 seconds

 I know myself, as well as the other members of the class, were feeling the burn. I highly recommend joining next Monday (7/22) at 8 am with Gary if you want to gain some muscle mass. In addition to Get Ripped we have an entire new Group Personal Training Class Schedule that is available on our website. The first class is free so there's no reason not to try it out!

Harrison