Workouts Archives - Resilient Fitness in Wellington, FL

Preparing for the Winter Equestrian Festival

operator — Fri, 15 Nov 2019 23:13:05 +0000

The Winter Equestrian Festival will be starting in just a few weeks. While most equestrian athletes train year-round, focused conditioning in the weeks leading up to an event will ensure that your body is ready to meet the demands you are about to make on it.

Riding makes demands on several specific muscle groups including the core, the lower back, the quads, and the neck and shoulders. In addition to that, you will need flexibility and balance. If your body isn’t able to respond well to the requirements of the competition or if you tire too easily, you can end up with injuries or lower scores. With that in mind, here is how we recommend that you focus on off horse training from now until the beginning of the festival.

Develop Your Plan

Identify and list your goals for your performance. Make them specific, for example:
- I want to be able to complete an entire course without fighting for breath.
- I want to be able to compete without back pain.
- I want my legs to be able to do more with less fatigue.
- I want my posture to be better.
Identify the skills that are required to achieve your goals. If you run out of breath easily, you’ll want to emphasize cardio. If you suffer from lower back pain, you’ll want to strengthen your core. If you have poor posture, you’ll want to focus on your neck and shoulders. If muscle tightness is keeping you from having a nice deep seat, you’ll want to work on flexibility.
Match workouts and exercises with each skill you need to improve. Focus on parts of the body that you know need work. Ask yourself how you will build stamina, strength, and flexibility all at the same time.
Develop a conditioning schedule. Make sure you include rest days in your schedule and plan for gradually increasing your performance over time. You should participate in off horse training three or four times a week for at least an hour. If you can’t fit the entire hour in during one session, you can complete groups of exercises in smaller chunks throughout the day or divide your workout into morning and evening sessions. Use a calendar (either online or on the wall) and schedule the days you will cross train and the times you will workout.
Track your progress. If you’re using interval training to increase your cardio-vascular capabilities, you should start to see longer periods of exercise with less time needed to rest. If you want flexible calves or hamstrings, you should be seeing a gradual increase in your range of motion.

Enlist Help

Ask the people on your team to observe you as you ride, if they aren’t already. They’ll notice if your balance is slightly off when you jump or if your muscles are so tight that they are affecting your form in the saddle.
Talk with someone who is knowledgable in equestrian fitness about which exercises you should be doing to meet your goals and how often. Ask about specifics such as number of repetitions and how to make progress without injuring yourself.
Consider adding functional training to your routine. Functional training incorporates the usual movements of your sport while working all of your muscles together using your own body weight for resistance. You will likely need to do this type of training in a gym or class. Training systems such as Queenax provide a convenient way to engage in functional training, even if you’ve never done it before.

Focus on This Essential Cross Training Checklist

Cardio. We understand the benefits of intensive cardio workouts and provide you with a number options for both endurance training and high intensity interval training. If you can’t make it into the gym, schedule regular power walks. The intensity should be high enough that you’re breathing through your mouth.
Strength training. You should be doing this twice a week. We don’t recommend lifting heavy weights for rider fitness. Try lighter weights with more repetitions or participate in functional training.
Glutes. If you’re not sure where to start, this article gives you 50 exercises for stronger glutes. Or you can take one of our Booty Camp classes, which will give you a stronger butt in record time.
The essential core, including the lower back. Core strength here is the foundation of every other movement or exercise you will do. If you have chronic back pain and poor posture, there’s a good chance your abs are weak too. Check out this list of great core exercises and here are some ideas for strengthening your back.
Neck and shoulders. The neck and shoulders are easy to overlook when planning a training regimen. This article from WebMD is a perfect place to start if you haven’t paid enough attention to the area that gives you perfect posture.

Now that you’ve finished reading this and are highly motivated to train, don’t let the moment pass. Get out that notepad or device and commit to your plan and schedule. If you’re thinking that this would be easier if you had some accountability, stop by and see us. We want you to be the very best competitor you can be at this year’s Winter Equestrian Festival.

The post Preparing for the Winter Equestrian Festival appeared first on Resilient Fitness in Wellington, FL.

Your Perfect Abs Workout

operator — Fri, 16 Aug 2019 16:06:31 +0000

Lately, it seems that everyone’s goal is to find the perfect abs workout. When you search Google for “abs workout” you have a choice of 13.2M links to click on. On the first two pages you will find the word “best” used 5 times, the word “core” used 6 times, and the phrase “six pack” used 3 times. The superlatives “ultimate”, “shred”, “intense”, “power”, and “fantastic” are also thrown in for good measure.

Why Are Strong Abs Important?

Can we just move beyond the hype for a few minutes and take a look at why your abdominal muscles are so important? This core group of muscles helps stabilize your entire body. They help you bend, extend, flex, and rotate. They help you breathe. The abdominal muscles aren’t your entire core but they are a muscle group within the muscles that make up your core. The stronger your core, the easier everything else becomes.

Of course you want to achieve a rock solid midsection. Everyone knows that sculpted abs look amazing. But how many people realize that the health benefits of strong abs are even better? All of the muscles in your core connect the upper and lower halves of your body. If any of them are inflexible and weak — including your abs — your arms, legs and back will suffer. Strengthening your abs will help you avoid injury and walk confidently.

If you have chronic back pain and poor posture, there’s a good chance your abs are weak too. Every time you move, your abs are first to the party. Been sitting too long and need to stretch? Your legs will follow your abs. Trying to reach that thing on the top shelf? Your arm, hand, and fingers will follow your abs. Concentrating on keeping your balance? So are your abs. Core strength here is the foundation of every other movement or exercise you will do.

Prevent Injuries

The first priority once you get serious about your abs is injury prevention. Strengthening your abs is one of the best ways of preventing lower back injury and pain. Strong abs allow you to move freely. When developing an abs workout, before you start with the more intense exercises, it’s important to reawaken sleeping muscles and build a baseline of strength. The modern lifestyle can cause some of your muscles to become dormant. Whenever that happens, injury is more likely.

To get ahead of injuries, make the following simple exercises part of your weekly routine: planks, ball lifts, abdominal stretches, and curls. Since so many of us sit for such a large part of the day, waking up the glutes regularly is a good idea. We have a tested exercise for stronger glutes and we’ve written about it here on our blog.

Own Your Sport

Once you’ve done everything you can do to prevent injuries, the next priority is working on owning your sport. It’s about better performance and winning. You want to enhance your performance on the field, court, or hill. “Well-trained and conditioned abs allow one to change direction faster, generate force quicker, and absorb blows better.”

Try doing stomach crunches on an exercise ball. Add to that Bruce Lee’s dragon flag, the basic bridge, bicycle crunches, the captain’s chair, or vertical crunches. Or come to the gym and use the incline bench.

Look Fantastic

Lastly, you can start to focus on looking great and begin the quest for those six pack abs. Now it’s time to add some advanced exercises like straight leg lifts from a pull-up bar, barbell sit ups, plank walkouts, and just about anything with a medicine ball.

In addition to this, you need to throw in some cardio, increase your protein intake, and add high intensity interval training to your routine. Reducing carbs and cutting out junk food will go a long way toward revealing those taut, firm muscles. It’s why they say that perfect abs start in the kitchen.

Achieving your goal is not only about what you do, it’s about what you don’t do. Exercise won’t help you lower your body fat percentage, only a proper diet will do that. Also in the “no” column should be daily abs workouts. You need to give your muscles two or three days to rest and repair themselves between workouts.

Start Today

Whether you’re a beginner or a regular at the gym, there is a perfect abs workout for you. At Resilient Fitness, you can strengthen your abs in our Hit The Core class or in the weight room or with a personal trainer. Get into the gym today to get started on a great-looking six pack.

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The Workout Routines of Top Equestrian Athletes

operator — Thu, 08 Aug 2019 20:34:49 +0000

Wellington Florida is the equestrian capital of the United States. With the Polo Center just steps away from our gym and the Wellington Equestrian Center nearby, we thought we’d take the opportunity to introduce you to some of today’s top equestrian athletes and their regular workout routines.

1. Chantal Sutherland — 43 years old — Canada. Sport: North American Thoroughbred Racing (Jockey). Chantal rode her first horse at the tender age of three. At the age of 13, she realized that women could be jockeys and the path to her vocation began. In 2012, she was the first female jockey to win the Hollywood Gold Cup. She starts her day at 5 AM and usually spends time in the sauna. When asked how often she works out, she says, “Six to seven days a week. … I love Pilates and yoga and running right now. I love all three in one day … run first, Pilates and yoga to cool down.”

2. Ellesse Jordan Tzinberg — 28 years old — The Philippines. Sport: Dressage. Ellesse was born in Malaysia to an American/Australian father and a Filipino/Spanish mother. She started riding at the age of four and by the time she was twelve, she was winning competitions. About her off-horse workouts, she says, “I love Pilates and I think it’s really great for all riders…I do that a lot and that really helps with posture. Dressage is so much about the core working, and so much so that you don’t really want to be seen moving very greatly, everything is about very minuscule movements – very strong small movements so Pilates in my experience really trains those muscles. Then I always thought boxing was great for all riders just because you’re using your entire body, you’re using you balance, you’re using coordination, hand eye coordination, speed, controlled movement, and there’s a lot of rhythm.” Ellesse likes to do something else with her body on her non-riding days. Her goal is to train the muscles that support the muscles she uses to ride.

3. Elizabeth “Beezie” Madden — 55 years old — USA. Sport: Show Jumping. Beezie was born in Milwaukee and began riding at the age of three. She won team gold medals in the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games. In 2018 she won the World Cup at the age of 54, the oldest athlete to do that. In addition to her hours of riding, she works out once a day and three times a week with a trainer. She says, “I have somewhat of a problem with my lower back so I do a lot of stretching every morning. Then, I try to do a lot of core strength work. When I’m in Florida, we go to the gym 3 nights a week and meet with a trainer.”

4. Guenter Seidel — 58 years old — Germany. Sport: Dressage. Guenter was born in Bavaria Germany. He moved to the United States in 1985 and was a member of the bronze-medal winning dressage team in 1996, 2000, and 2004. He is known for his classic, clean riding style. You’ll see why after watching this video where “In these 3 drills Guenter is forced to balance on an unstable surface and complete movements that strengthen all the muscles of his core- the hips, obliques, lower back and of course abs.”

5. Max Charlton — 27 years old — UK Sport: Polo. Max was born and raised in Windsor England and was first introduced to polo at the age of 12. He was hooked immediately and became a full-time team player when he was tapped to fill in for an injured team member. The team won two tournaments and Max’s handicap has gone up every year since then. He plays an average of four polo games a week year-round. When he’s not competing he’s in the gym playing squash because it exercises the same muscle groups he uses in polo. He is also a big fan of swimming. He says, “It’s all about core strength, being flexible and nimble, that’s the ideal you are looking for.”

Whether you are an equestrian athlete or someone who wants to be in the best shape possible, you can learn a lot from how professional equestrians approach fitness. In addition to the hours on their horse, the most successful athletes make time for off-horse workouts. They commit to including it in their busy schedules and so should you. Get into the gym!

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Your Best Cardio: HIIT Workout Or Endurance Training?

operator — Fri, 07 Jun 2019 16:26:31 +0000

Cardio has been a thing for more than 50 years. Ever since Dr. Kenneth Cooper published “Aerobics” in 1968, people have been talking about how much and what type of cardio you need to be healthy. Dr. Cooper has “written 18 more books since, but this was the one that set the course, the plan and the theory that led to the popularity of running as well as arguably to every spin class, step class, Latin dance class, aqua exercise class, obstacle-course run, boot camp workout and high intensity interval training (HIIT).”

He was one of the first to teach what we all know now…exercise is medicine.

In the last 50 years, we’ve experienced the birth of the fitness culture and watched cardio morph from aerobics classes to exercise videos to the daily run to spin classes to fitbits.

How Much Cardio?

Which brings us to the next question. How much cardio is enough? For the most part, that’s going to depend on what you want to accomplish and what your starting point is. However, “according to the recommendations from The American College of Sports Medicine and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, we should be aiming for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardiorespiratory exercise, 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity, or a combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity exercise per week.”

The benefits of regular cardiovascular exercise are well documented. They include:

Lower blood pressure
Better sleep
Stronger immune system
Elevated mood fueled by endorphins
Improved brain function and memory
Reduced risk of dementia
Weight loss and weight maintenance
Reduced risk of diabetes and heart attack
Stronger bones
Healthier, younger-looking skin

So the only question left is what cardio workout is right for you? Classes like spin or bachata? The ubiquitous treadmill? An elliptical machine for low impact aerobics? Or the most intense cardio of all, high intensity interval training? Interval training operates on the principle of adaptation by alternating short, high-intensity efforts with recovery phases.

HIIT Workout vs. Endurance Training

Researchers at the University of New Mexico and Central Michigan University made an extensive comparison of current research on high intensity interval training (HIIT) and endurance training (the act of exercising to increase endurance). They report, “As the knowledge of HIIT increased, exercise scientists demonstrated that this type of exercise not only provides performance benefits for athletes and improves the health of recreational exercisers, but it may also be a suitable alternative to endurance training, or continuous aerobic exercise. To improve cardiovascular fitness the belief has always been to increase the volume of exercise, whether it’s longer runs, bike rides, or extended time on an aerobic machine (e.g., stairstepper, elliptical, cycle, treadmill). The breadth of current research has revealed that HIIT improves numerous physiological parameters, often in less time when measured against high volume continuous exercise.”

At Resilient Fitness, we understand the benefits of intensive cardio workouts and provide a variety of state-of-the-art cardio equipment. We provide you with number options for both endurance training and high intensity interval training. Our popular “Holy HIIT” classes are available several times a week. In Holy Hiit you will give all-out, one hundred percent effort through quick, intense bursts of exercise, followed by short active recovery periods.

For high intensity interval training on your own, one of our most popular machines is the Assault Airbike. With an average Google review of 4.9, the Assault Airbike is the hands-down favorite with people who want the best interval workout possible. One reviewer said, “I hate this bike so much, I ride it every single day…because it makes you a monster.” The airbike automatically ramps up resistance as you pedal with greater speed, providing an unlimited, personalized workout, creating the perfect love-hate relationship.

For endurance training, you can give spin classes a try. Or if you want a break from the treadmill, consider using the elliptical machine. It offers the benefit of a low-impact workout while exercising both your upper and lower body. It’s easy on the joints and gives you a good aerobic workout.

Get Into The Gym

Cardiovascular training is a must. The only question for you is what type of workout you will use. A HIIT workout will push you with interval training and our cardio machines will give you a steady pace of endurance training. Whatever you decide, get into the gym. We’ll help you figure out what is best for you.

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Sculpt Rounder Glutes With This One Exercise

operator — Fri, 12 Apr 2019 17:21:38 +0000

There are tons of exercises you could use to develop and strengthen your glutes. One search on youtube for “glute exercises” yields 124,000 results.

But lets be honest, we don’t have enough time to test them all out, nor do you have time to learn the correct form and technique on your own. That’s why it is important to get proper training instruction from a professional to reduce the learning curve and speed up your results drastically.

So with that being said, today I am going to tell you one of the most effective glute/lower body blasters.

It is favorite movement, and it is the Romanian Deadlift (RDL).

In short, this exercise is not only an amazing variation on the deadlift, but it is also a great builder of the glutes and hamstrings.

Tips:

1. To begin with, grab a barbell, and take a grip about shoulder width apart. If you are using a dumbbell, that is fine too.

2. Set up with feet hip width apart (you can have your toes straight or slightly outward)

3.Push your butt back an inch, while having a slight bend in your knees and do not let them slide further than this during the movement.

4. Keep your chest up nice and proud.

5. Drag the barbell or dumbbells as far down as you can while maintaining a flat lower back. Control it the entire time.

6. The barbell/dumbbells do not need to touch the ground until the set is over.

There ya go! Give it a try. Reps, weight and sets depend on what stage you are at in your training and differ from person to person. Finally, for the most optimal results – a custom program for you depending upon what stage of training you are at is best.

If you would like a complete free zero commitment training session to see what just how fast you can transform with the right coaching, call (561) 204-5033 today to set up your first nutrition and training consultation.

Blake Bernstein

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4 Essential Ways To Lower Your Stress

Sun, 31 Mar 2019 02:25:41 +0000

Life can be stressful. Sometimes you will have to deal with a ton of stress thrown at you, and in many cases – you need to deal with it in a “positive” way.

Stress, as we know, can arise from a variety of things – such as family problems, job problems, financial difficulties, poor health, unfinished school work and so on. There is even some good stress. This would be something that motivates you. It is extremely important to recognize the causes behind your stress, and get to the root of the problem to then find a solution.

Here are four healthy ways to help you lower your stress levels in both the short-term and the long-term.

1. Exercise

It may seem like one of the last things you want to do when stressed, but as research keeps expanding – exercise benefits SO much of your mind and your body. Get together a workout plan and watch how much you will benefit.

2. Get social support

Do you have a friend or family member that you trust? Give them a call or send them a text message. When you share your concerns or feelings with another person, it does help relieve stress. But it’s important that the person who you talk to is someone who you trust and feel can understand and validate you. If your family is the stressor, for example, it may not alleviate your stress if you share your stress with one of them.

3. Smile and laugh

Our brains are truly connected with our emotions and facial expressions. When people are very stressed, they tend to showcase that in their face. So laughing or smiling can likely help relieve some of that tension.

4. Meditate

Meditation can truly help the mind focus. You can download a free app on your iPhone and begin meditating 5 minutes a day. You can also do something like pilates, which is so amazing for reducing stress and increasing mindfulness.

Mindfulness can help people see clearly. You may also start to develop self-compassion and forgiveness. When practicing a form of mindfulness, people can release emotions that may have been causing the body physical stress. Exercise and meditating are the absolute key.

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Core Workouts

operator — Fri, 22 Feb 2019 15:33:03 +0000

If you are intent on building a strong core then you know you need a great abs workout and other core strengthening exercises. Focusing on your essential mid-section will sculpt your abs, back, chest and butt while improving your body’s overall functional strength, balance, and coordination. Core workouts hit all the muscles that support your spine. These muscles are responsible for posture and provide strength for all your physical activities.

Your core is made up of many muscles, all of which support every other part of your body. A strong core helps with balance and posture. It can reduce pain, especially in the lower back, and prevents injuries.

Why do I need a core workout?
For starters, a strong flexible core makes it easier to go about your daily activities. Then, whether you’re a weekend warrior or a competitive athlete, your performance will improve in direct proportion to the strength of your core.

I’ve never worked my core before. Where do I start?
The best core exercises work the entire torso at the same time. While we have a number of good options for people who want to target this key area, if you’re new to core workouts, contact us for a core assessment before getting started. As you begin to notice the benefits, you’ll probably feel like you want to work these muscles every day. However, it’s best to alternate core workouts with other exercises such as cardio and pilates. If you work your core every 2-3 days, you’ll notice the difference.

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Bachata

operator — Sat, 16 Feb 2019 14:50:32 +0000

Bachata Q & A

What is Bachata?
It’s a style of dance from the Dominican Republic that is also an amazing cardio workout. Just knowing that much should be an incentive to try it. Especially when you learn that it has it’s own beautiful and rhythmic music. When you add in the many hidden health benefits of dancing, it’s a no brainer.

Who should consider dancing for exercise?
Dancing is for anyone and everyone. However, you should especially consider it if you are new to exercise or are not in your best physical condition. The movements will gradually increase your endurance and mobility, using every muscle in your body. Beyond that, the sheer enjoyment of the dance will give your brain a boost. If you’re having a good time, you are more likely to stick to your fitness goals.

Can anyone do it?
Bachata is fun and easy to learn. After a little practice, you’ll feel like you’ve been dancing the Bachata for years. There is a reason that this style of dance has become one of the most popular in the world. Once you start, you won’t be able to stop.

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How to Incorporate Weight Training Into Your Workout

operator — Fri, 15 Feb 2019 17:51:27 +0000

Do you want to have one of those incredible before/after photos for your Instagram feed?

You before — attractive but not sculpted. You after — ripped.

Wishing doesn’t make it so. You need a plan of attack. Your enemy? The constant stream of distractions that are easier than hitting the gym. Your weapon? The motivation that comes from knowing how much strength training will improve your life.

Adding weight training to your fitness routine can help you get the body you want. In addition to burning calories, weight lifting builds strength, increases muscle size, and improves endurance. It can also help you beat the winter blues naturally. Strength training releases more feel-good endorphins in a faster period of time than cardio. By adding free weights to your fitness routine, you will move easier and have better balance because you must learn to control the weight as well as lift it.

Convinced? Here are some steps to get you started.

Get a picture of the end goal in mind. What does it look like? How do you feel? How are you better?
Set a weekly schedule and don’t miss your appointment with yourself for any reason, ever.
If you’re new to weight training or have been away from it for awhile, get instruction from a qualified trainer. Contact us to schedule that appointment.
Take safety precautions, ensuring that you are using proper form and proper technique.
Pay attention to both the dominant and non-dominant sides of your body so that muscle imbalances don’t develop.
Exercise the large muscle groups first, then target the small muscle groups.
Make progress by gradually increasing the amount of weight, the number of repetitions, the number of sets, or the difficulty of the exercise.

Over time you’ll move from short-term goal oriented behavior (#1 and #2) to a lifestyle that you enjoy and seek out (#7). If you can push past the first few weeks with no excuses, you will start to see results and kickstart yourself into an upward spiral.

Start now. Today. Procrastinators don’t have before/after photos.

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High Intensity Interval Training: HIIT Workouts

operator — Wed, 16 Jan 2019 15:49:06 +0000

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT for short) is the fastest way to burn fat and get the lean and ripped look that will make your friends want to know your secret! With HIIT you will give all-out, one hundred percent effort through quick, intense bursts of exercise, followed by short active recovery periods. HIIT workouts build cardiovascular fitness while improving strength, building lean muscle, and maximizing calorie burn during and after the workout.

What is HIIT?
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) defines HIIT as “repeated bouts of high intensity effort followed by varied recovery times.” The combinations intensity-rest-intensity are endless and can be adapted to any fitness level. Your HIIT workout can be cardio-based or body-based. The former includes biking and running while the latter includes resistance exercises and calisthenics. Interval training has been around for ages. Amateur runners in the 70s and 80s used it to prepare for races. What’s new about the recent upswing in the popularity of HIIT is that it has moved into the gym and become available to almost everyone.

How and why does it work?
Interval based exercise is a powerful tool for improving performance and health. A cycle of running for one minute and walking for two minutes sounds too easy to be effective, but it is. By alternating activity that pushes your heart rate to near capacity with periods of rest, you are able to accomplish more in a shorter amount of time than you would otherwise. And you get your body gradually used to a more intense workout which you can sustain for longer and longer periods of time. Because HIIT builds muscle as well as cardio strength, it increases your overall capacity. The high intensity intervals should get your heart rate to 80% of capacity or higher and the low intensity intervals should work your heart at 40%-50% of capacity.

Is HIIT good for losing weight?
HIIT does burn more calories than a traditional endurance workout during the time you are exercising. It also burns more calories after the workout, but you don’t want to over-emphasize this because there is little impact on metabolism 24 hours after exercise. However, HIIT is a more efficient alternative to continuous moderate intensity exercise because it burns the same amount of fat in a shorter period of time. Too see the results on the scale, be careful that your power workout doesn’t make you think you can eat more later.

What’s in it for me?
A good HIIT workout brings a lot to the table. You achieve more in less time, get the higher afterburn effect, and increase your endurance. You also can expect to improve your heart health, blood pressure, insulin sensitivity, and cholesterol profiles. In addition, you are likely to see a reduction in abdominal fat without losing muscle.

We recommend the ACSM HIIT resource titled “ACSM Information on High Intensity Interval Training” for more detailed information on this workout.

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