If so, you’re not alone. According to U.S. News & World Report, “Come the first of January, the hoards of enthusiastic resolutions-ers account for the swelling number of gym, yoga and Pilates memberships…By the second week of February, some 80 percent of those resolution-ers are back home with a new kind of remorse staring back at them in the mirror.” 

The fitness app, Strava, analyzed more than 30 million activities and found that most people fail their first resolution in mid-January. If that’s you, you’re not alone. So, do you want to get excited about going to the gym again?

Then it’s time to take a look at small group personal training. Small group training offers you the motivation of teamwork combined with a personalized experience tailored to your needs. It introduces variety into your workouts while allowing you to achieve your fitness goals faster. It gives you the attention to detail that comes with a regular one-on-one personal training session, but at a lower cost.

The affordability isn’t the only benefit of small group personal training. There are also aspects of this specific way of training that can make it more effective for many people: accountability, specialized training, access to expertise, motivation, and esprit de corps.

Accountability

Accountability may be the #1 reason for failing to stick to a diet and exercise program. In a small group training class, not only do you have the personal trainer monitoring your progress and encouraging you to move forward, you also have the other members of the group watching your progress and cheering you on. If you’re not there, you will be missed.

Specialized Training

In larger classes, there is limited opportunity for the instructor to provide you with individual attention. Small group training provides enough attentiveness and focus from the trainer so that you can advance. You get personalized adjustments to your routine and recommendations for new exercises. This allows you to experience a wide range of exercises so you don’t get bored.

Access To Expertise

Personal trainers offer a high level of expertise and knowledge. A personal trainer teaches you how to do the exercises correctly and avoid injury. There is also plenty of time to interact with the trainer during a small group training class. Whether you’re learning to use a new piece of equipment or working a new muscle group, the personalized time will make sure you get the most out of that activity.

Motivation

It’s hard to develop new habits if you’re on your own. Being part of a small group helps to keep you motivated as you train, because there are elements of fun and healthy competition involved. In addition, there’s nowhere to hide when you are part of a team. You have made an appointment to be with a group of people to be with them at a certain time. They’re waiting for you and will miss you if you’re not there. 

Esprit De Cours

Working out with others gives you the benefit of team synergy and creates a sense of community. One of the best parts of small group training is the social aspect where you make new friends and share in the victories of better health and fitness. You’re all in it together.

You already know that you’re more likely to see results if you work out with others than if you try to work out on your own. Results happen over time and committing to group training also commits you to the time needed to see progress.

At Resilient Fitness, small group training classes are large enough to be fun and small enough to offer a high quality of personalized instruction. Recharge your desire. Visit our small group training page to learn more, or call us at (561) 204-5033.

The post Get The Small Group Training Boost appeared first on Resilient Fitness in Wellington, FL.

In addition, the Village Park Athletic complex provides facilities for Soccer, Baseball, Softball, Hockey, and too many others to mention. There are youth leagues for basketball, baseball, volleyball, and soccer. Kids who would rather compete on an individual basis can choose martial arts, wrestling, rowing, gymnastics, and a host of other physical activities. 

If you’re the parent of a student in Wellington, there is a sport your child will love. Youth sports are sometimes a little like youth music lessons — something a kid does as a right of passage and abandons later. Then, there are those kids who simply fall in love, find their passion, and have a gift for the game. They are the ones you want to encourage and invest in. If you’re unsure where to begin to get your junior all-star the extra youth sports training he or she needs, we’ll help point you in the right direction.

Soccer

Soccer players need to build stamina, strength and speed. They also need to be limber and agile. The standard kids soccer drills aren’t enough in themselves to give a dedicated soccer player the edge they need. Youth soccer training should build endurance while exercising for an active range of motion.

Young soccer players are most likely to sustain injuries below the waist, especially the ankles and knees. It’s also common for soccer players to run into each other. They can suffer from overuse injuries such as tendonitis and inflammation. Well rounded exercise plans — that include stretching, cardio, and strength training — will help prevent these types of injuries.

Football

When most people think of football players they think of muscles: strength and power. But football players also need speed, agility, and quick reaction times. Even more importantly, the type of conditioning and mix of training needs to be customized to the players position. For example, a running back needs to be faster and more agile and a left tackle needs to be larger and more powerful.

If your child is serious about playing football, it’s not too early to begin some introductory kids football training. However, it is important to work with someone who has extensive knowledge about how to train at all ages. Common injuries include sprains, strains, fractures, and even concussions and proper training can help prevent these before they occur. 

Football is the favorite sport of high schools across the country. In most circumstances the competition for a spot on the team is fierce. If this is what your young athlete wants, allow them to start working out as soon as they want to do that. 

Baseball

Baseball requires infrequent, somewhat random bursts of power as opposed to soccer or basketball which require almost non-stop movement during the time a player is on the field or court. 

Youth baseball training, outside of practices and games, should prepare the young athlete for strength more than endurance. Their legs need to provide explosive power at a moment’s notice. In addition, while agility is needed for handling the ball, power is needed to get it to its intended destination.

“Baseball players most often injure their shoulders or elbows. Shoulder-related injuries range from tendonitis of the muscles that keep the joint (the rotator cuff) stable to cartilage tears within the joint itself. Elbow problems include tendonitis of the muscles on top of or below the forearm and strains of the ligaments on the inside of the elbow.” (Source) If you’re working with a trainer, ask them for specifics about how they will train your young athlete in order to minimize these types of injuries.

Basketball

Basketball requires speed, dexterity, eye-hand-foot coordination, and balance. A motivated, talented young basketball player will spend 30-60 minutes in motion — sprinting, jumping, turning, passing, dribbling, and reversing direction. 

They need leg strength, upper body strength, and hand strength. Youth basketball training should prepare the young athlete to be agile, quick, light on their feet, and extremely well coordinated.

Basketball players are most likely to sustain injuries to the ACL, ankles, and heels. They also often suffer from bruises and muscle strain. A “pre-hab” exercise program can reduce the occurence of basketball injuries and allow the athlete to recover quickly if an injury does occur.

Local Youth Sports Training

No matter what their sport, all young athletes will need some combination of functional training, agility, all over strength building, range of motion exercises, and cardi-vascular training. 

Committed young competitors need strength and conditioning outside of their regular practices to play at their highest level and avoid injury. Overall, their training should be safe, fun, and improve their performance.

Our personal trainers have experience working with the unique needs of young athletes in any sport. They can work with you and your family to design the best workouts for any sport and any age. Youth sports training is a small investment that pays off big.

The post Youth Sports Training appeared first on Resilient Fitness in Wellington, FL.

Jan was born and trained in The Netherlands, a county world renowned for its horsemanship. He graduated from the Dutch Equestrian Center and is now based here in Wellington. He has garnered a laundry list of awards and prizes, including the $25,000 Carol Lavell Advanced Dressage Prize and his USDF bronze, silver, and gold medals. Jan has been training horses and riders in the United States since 2001.

How did you become interested in Dressage?

As a kid growing up in Europe, you cannot do any jumping unless you’ve trained at the very basic level and achieved certain scores. Dressage was required to get to the level of jumping. I enjoyed it and decided to stay with it.

What physical demands does Dressage make on the rider?

It really forces you to control what your body is doing on top of this moving horse. There is a lot of balance involved because the horse is moving in lots of different directions so you have to follow it. It requires control over your core.

Does the physical fitness of a rider affect the horse’s ability to perform?

Absolutely because if you can’t control your own body on top of the horse, you won’t be able to control the horse. You have to have a certain amount of toning and strength to move on top of the horse otherwise you are basically in the horse’s way. You want to give the illusion that it’s effortless. It has to look like the horse is doing it by itself and you’re just a passenger. So if you have no strength, it gets in your way. 

During the parts of the competition that the horse needs help, you’re not available because you’re worn out. It’s not just the performance. There is a warm up before you go into the arena, which means you’ve been on the horse for 45 minutes total at least and if you’re not fit enough to go to the finish, it’s a problem. 

What do you say to a rider when you can see that their lack of fitness is affecting the horse’s ability to perform?

By the time they ask me to help them train they already know where I’m coming from and what my expectations are. If something isn’t right I don’t want to hear them complain about it. I have all adults and they have to be responsible for their own actions on top of the horse. My job is to help them make things clear to the horse. I don’t want to waste my time with people who aren’t willing to put in any effort.

What have you learned about off-horse physical training over the years?

It’s a big mental game as far as I’m concerned. If you’re doing something that has a lot of repetitions, it really becomes a mental game to push one more time until you are there. It correlates with competition because when you’re competing you have to do one more thing and one more thing and one more thing until you’re done.

What is the most important thing a rider needs to do to stay in shape?

People have their strengths and weaknesses, so you have to work with that a little bit. It’s not one area unless a person is really weak in a certain area. You have to have cardio. You have to have control of what body part does what. You don’t need the bulk because that might get in the way. You have to be fit enough to hang in with the heat here in Florida. It depends on the person, but most of the time it is an overall fitness that we’re looking for.

What are you looking forward to in 2021?

It’s going to be a very interesting year because they’ve moved the Olympics. It will be interesting to see which horses rise to the top and which don’t. This one year delay might have taken some horses out of the competition because of age. Or horses that were younger might have needed an extra year to really mature and they will be ready to compete.

To learn more about Jan, you can read “How to Assess Progress in Your Dressage Training” and watch him in action on the horse during a Dressage Clinic.

The post Jan Brons on Dressage and Physical Fitness appeared first on Resilient Fitness in Wellington, FL.

Strength Training FAQ

Q: How do I start strength training?

A: There’s no question that being strong is one of the best things you can do for your long-term health. And there’s also plenty of conflicting advice out there on the web, with blog writers who don’t seem to know the difference between building strong muscles and large muscles. It’s important to understand the physiology of getting strong if you want to make progress and avoid injury. Here is a good slideshow on WebMD to get you started. We especially like #5…“Talk to a Trainer”. It’s the best way we know to get started correctly. 

Q: What are the types of strength training?

A: It’s important not to confuse weight training with strength training. Free weights are often used to build strength but so are a number of other methods. The ones you use will depend on your goals and your overall fitness level. A comprehensive list of the types of strength training is beyond the scope of this article; however, some of the most popular are weight training, circuit training, functional training, CrossFit, and High Intensity Interval training. We’d be happy to talk about each of them with you the next time you’re in the gym. 

Q: What is the difference between strength training and muscle building?

A: To put it simply, it’s the choice between big or strong. The goal of muscle building is to increase muscle size and the goal of strength training is to make the muscles stronger. In strength training the weight is heavier, the reps are lower, the rest periods are longer, and you use slow, controlled movements. This makes the muscles stronger without making them bigger.

Q: What is a good strength training workout?

A: A good strength training program will include two things: a form of resistance against a weight, and doing a little more work this time than you did the last time. You overload your muscles a little and they get stronger. We believe that the best strength training workout is one you will do consistently. So if weights aren’t really your thing, you can do functional training or exercises that provide resistance such as planks, squats, pushups, and burpees. 

Q: Is 30 minutes of strength training enough?

A: If you do it correctly and you’re working out two or three times a week then yes. We like to think of training time as a continuum depending on your experience and level of fitness. If you’re just starting out then 20 minutes a session, two days a week is good. If you’re experienced and your muscles are already quite strong you will probably want to train three days a week for up to 40 minutes a session.

Q: How do I create a strength training plan?

A: Ask us for help. There is no single workout routine that’s best for everyone. If you’ve read this far, you probably have a strong desire to be stronger. We can help you put together a plan that will put you on the path to success. 

Can you envision a stronger you? After all, you don’t have to be in great shape to get in great shape. You just need to be willing to start where you are. If 2020 hasn’t helped you to be your best self so far — shake it off. There are still three months left. Imagine where you can be by Christmas if you start now.

The post Getting Started With Strength Training appeared first on Resilient Fitness in Wellington, FL.

Esiah received his Master Trainer Certification from the International Sports Science Association (ISSA) in 2009 and has been working as a professional personal trainer ever since. ISSA’s Master Trainer program equips graduates with a comprehensive foundation of both the science and practice of personal training, fitness nutrition, and fitness programming for special populations. 

Esiah also has a Bachelor’s Degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Oklahoma and a year of chiropractic experience. He has worked with a wide variety of clients with many different fitness needs including weight loss, strength and conditioning, injury prevention, wellness coaching, and endurance training. 

Athletics are an important part of Esiah’s healthy lifestyle. He has competed in both freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling. His training style draws from his extensive background in the martial arts, which includes Jeet Kune Do, Shaolin Ru, Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and Wing Chun Kung Fu. He credits his ability to adopt multiple training styles to the discipline of the martial arts. Esiah believes that martial arts are a way of living and how to express oneself physically.

In addition to his role as a personal trainer at Resilient Fitness, he works with patients for weight management at Wellington Regional Medical Center.

Talking With Esiah

Q: How does your athletic background and martial arts training influence how you work with your personal training clients?

A: It helps me adapt to what they’re feeling at the time, especially in managing pain and working the muscle. It has also given me an understanding of how capable the body is to respond to stress, and to the different demands of rehabilitation after injury and illnesses such as diabetes. I primarily work with people who have issues due to injuries from sports or accidents. 

For example, I volunteer with an organization called Young Stroke Survivors in order to help young stroke victims recover their physical capabilities. I also have a client who has a steel rod in her spine from a car accident. It’s been two years since her accident and she’s now able to do 50 lb. squats. I’m very proud of her.

Q: What is your philosophy of training, health, and wellness?

A: I believe that motivation only gets you through the door. Once you’re there, it’s all about CDS: commitment, discipline, and strong habits. I require my clients and fitness class participants to repeat this in every session.

Q: What do you love most about your work?

A: My clients. I love building a relationship with them where the word “client” becomes “family”. I also love to get very involved in my community, especially at the gym where everyone is willing to help everyone else. I’ve been doing this for 11 years. I have clients who go on to be trainers themselves. The best thing I ever did was to invest in this career.

The post Meet Esiah, Personal Trainer And Martial Artist appeared first on Resilient Fitness in Wellington, FL.

But you may not have thought much about your post-workout plan and the time it takes for your muscles to repair and your body to recover. Without recovery after exercise, your muscles won’t be ready for the next set of challenges you want to put them to. 

Your muscles need one to two days to repair after an intense workout, especially if you’re doing weight training. With that in mind, here are some proven pillars to add to your post-workout plan.

Passive Recovery

During passive recovery the body is completely at rest. Passive recovery allows both the mind and the body to heal. You can get enough passive recovery by doing the following:

1. Adding intentional rest days to your workout routine to rest your muscles.
2. Sleeping for at least 8 hours a night.
3. Working in a daytime power nap.

Active Recovery

Active recovery consists of gentle activity after your workout and on your scheduled rest days. You can incorporate active recovery into your fitness schedule with some of these activities:

1. Cool down completely after your workout. Gradually lower your heart rate and gently stretch your muscles.
2. Take a leisurely walk to improve circulation. Include your dog if you have one.
3. Take a yoga class.
4. Perform light functional exercise.
5. Engage in regular stretching on your non-workout days.

Food and Nutrition

High quality food is fuel for the body. Eating enough protein and high-quality carbohydrates will ensure you’re ready for your next strenuous session at the gym. Here are some ideas that other athletes have found helpful.

1. Eat protein before bed and in the morning.
2. Have protein before and after your workout.
3. Add chocolate milk or a smoothie to your diet.
4. Make sure you get enough branched chain amino acids (BCAAs): Leucine, Isoleucine, and Valine. BCAAs may increase muscle mass and reduce muscle soreness. They may also reduce mental and physical fatigue. Read more about BCAAs here. 

Hydration

The American Council on Exercise has suggested the following basic guidelines for drinking water before, during, and after exercise: 17 to 20 ounces of water 2 to 3 hours before you start exercising, 8 ounces of water 20 to 30 minutes before you start exercising or during your warm-up, 7 to 10 ounces of water every 10 to 20 minutes during exercise, and 8 ounces of water no more than 30 minutes after you exercise.

Mind/Body

Complete recovery is more than just stretching, eating well, and getting enough sleep. Paying attention to how the mind and body work together increases your body’s ability to heal itself. Here are some mind/body activities you can add to your recovery plan.

1. Cold water therapy after exercise, including taking a quick plunge in an ice bath.
2. Or conversely, taking a long, hot bath.
3. Settle in with a good book and no screen interruptions.
4. Listen to soothing music.
5. Get a massage.
6. Meditate.
7. Use foam rolling to relax tight, knotted muscles.

Exercise damages your muscles. As they heal, they become stronger. If you don’t have a recovery phase in your workout plan, or if it’s not robust enough, your muscles won’t have time to heal properly between workouts and you’ll notice it when your progress begins to stall. Sometimes moving forward means taking a break to rest and repair.

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Whether you have a specific goal in mind or just a general idea of how you want to improve, a personal trainer can start with you where you are. While you don’t have to have everything figured out before you make that call, there are a few things we encourage you to evaluate before hiring a personal trainer.

1. Credentials. Personal trainers generally have an extensive background in exercise science, often including a Bachelor’s degree and sometimes even a Master’s degree. The National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), the International Sports Science Association (ISSA), the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), the American Council on Exercise (ACE), and OPEX certify personal trainers and coaches. There are also a variety of CrossFit certification levels that trainers can achieve. The important thing is that your trainer demonstrates a commitment to lifelong learning.
2. Experience. How many years have they been working in a fitness-related career? Where they got their start is also important, especially if they’ve had the opportunity to work under a successful mentor. Do you need someone who has experience working with injured clients or with expertise in training for a particular sport or competition? Do they have experiences outside of personal training such as sports, dancing or yoga? What are their favorite success stories?          
3. Training Style. Do you prefer someone who is enthusiastic or serious? Demanding or understanding? Conventional or unconventional? Their teaching methods are also important. Do they explain and/or demonstrate in a way that you can follow and learn? Are they able to help you to set priorities and achieve your goals? 
4. Training Philosophy. What is their philosophy of personal training? A good trainer works from a holistic view of health and wellness. They know how to exercise effectively and how to help you exercise effectively as well. They are the “Fitness MD” who will write your exercise prescription for you.
5. Knowledge. The best trainers have extensive expertise and the ability to share it in a way their clients can understand and act upon. They are involved in continuing education, stay up to date on the latest research, and understand the why behind the exercise. They also know how to work with old injuries and prevent new ones. 
6. Specialties. If your goals go beyond generally improved physical fitness, you may want to look for a trainer who specializes in a specific area. Some examples of specializations include: strength and conditioning, youth fitness, senior adult fitness, weight loss, bodybuilding, corrective exercise, mind/body fitness, human performance, crossfit, and sport-specific training.
7. References & Reputation. Personal trainers are generally more than willing to let potential clients know who they have worked with in the past. In fact, they are often very proud of their clientele and the results they’ve achieved. Ask to speak to some of their current and past clients and see if they have social media or Google reviews. 
8. Cost & Location. It’s  easy to let these two be your first consideration when selecting a personal trainer. While they must fit in with your budget and daily routine, it might be worth paying a little more or driving a little farther to get the right person. 
9. Schedule. Schedule is another very practical consideration. If you work full-time, you may be competing with more people for the morning and evening time slots. It’s important to factor in your own biorhythms so that you’re working out at a time when you have the most mental and physical energy for it. Do you want to be able to check in with your trainer between sessions with questions for motivational reasons? If so, are they okay with that?
10. Benchmarks. Finally, you want to know you’re making progress. How does your preferred trainer set benchmarks and goals? Will it motivate you to do better or discourage you? Is your trainer willing to develop a customized tracking system based on your motivations? 

You won’t be able to make a final decision by using only online research and reading reviews. Once you have a short list, it’s time for observation and conversation. Come into the gym and watch some training sessions. Talk to the trainers you’re interested in hiring. They’ll be working closely with you to achieve your goals. In addition to the training program, it’s important that the trainer be a good fit intellectually and emotionally.

It’s called personal training for a reason. Take time to carefully think through what you need and want to accomplish and then get started. Our personal trainers are certified professionals with years of experience who go the extra mile so that you can achieve your goals. Take some time to review their bios and then give us a call. (561) 204-5033

The post How To Choose A Personal Trainer appeared first on Resilient Fitness in Wellington, FL.

If your honest answer is no, we want to invite you to join the Resilient 100 Club. It’s so easy it’s brilliant. All you do is check into the gym 100 times this year and you’re a member. That’s it.

As with all new behaviors, you need a strategy for turning them into habits. Here’s what we recommend.

1. Set some goals in addition to hitting the gym. This might involve registering to run a 10K in the fall or getting ready to really enjoy your summer vacation in Colorado. Make it go beyond just coming into the gym twice a week, and all about what you want to do with your healthier body.

2. Put your gym visits on your to-do list. You’ll get a dopamine hit from the exercise and from checking the visit off your list.

3. Add your gym visits to your personal and work calendars and set up a reminder system that will ping you before you get into the car and buckle your seat belt. If you know Resilient Fitness is your next stop before you have a chance to talk yourself out of it, you’re more likely to be successful. Then, choose a word — such as “excellence”, “focus”, “action”, “mission”, etc. — that will motivate you and add it to your calendar entry.

4. Make it social. If you don’t already have a gym buddy now is a good time to find one. Having a human support system is a proven way of achieving goals. If no one you know wants to exercise, you can join one of our classes. Or announce your intentions on social media so that there are people who will know if you don’t go.

5. Give yourself rewards, especially in the beginning. The first six weeks will be the hardest so you might need some positive reinforcement after each visit. But we assure you, before you know it, coming to the gym will be it’s own reward.

6. Track your progress. This is the easiest part because we’ll do that for you and let you know how you’re doing.

So now we challenge you. Declare your commitment and sign up for the Resilient 100 Club. Once you achieve that magic number, you’ll get the official T-shirt of the club and be able to show everyone that you did it.

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Let’s get in front of those physical fitness New Year’s resolutions, shall we?

People who make resolutions in January have only a 20% chance of keeping them, which isn’t surprising given that it can take two to eight months to form a new habit. Habits resist being changed. This can lead to inconsistency and failure. When that happens the inner critic chips away at your self-confidence.  So don’t go there.

Instead, let’s look at “getting in better shape” as a long-term goal, worthy of being pursued from January 2020 to December 2020. Then it’s not a resolution to be kept or broken but a path to be followed. In that spirit, we offer you this month-by-month guide to improved physical fitness for 2020.

Month By Month Physical Fitness

The post How To Win At Physical Fitness in 2020 appeared first on Resilient Fitness in Wellington, FL.

Everybody secretly – or not so secretly – wants to be in better physical shape. It affects how you’re perceived in the culture and how you think of yourself. If you want to win…over injury …over atrophy…or just over your own perceived limitations, you can do it.

Will, a personal trainer and CrossFit coach, is convinced of this and he believes in each of his clients which is why he is able to walk with them on their path to success. He knows that there is no one magic bullet for everyone but there are decisions you can make to get you where you want to be. We spent a few minutes talking with Will about personal training, physical fitness, and winning.

How did you become a personal trainer?

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