Come Be Our Next "Success Story"

If you plan to go to a personal training session or do a workout in a gym, it should include both cardio and weight training. Cardio includes walking, jogging, biking, rowing, etc. Weight training includes squats, lunges, bench press, etc. There has been a debate for years about which should be done first, cardio or weight training. Many physical therapists recommend doing your cardio first to avoid injury. However, some research suggests that if you have a goal of weight loss, it is best to do cardio after a weight training workout because you use more stored fat as fuel while doing cardio. Although there seems to be mixed opinions about both, the most logical recommendation is to consider your goals and start your workout with whatever you want to focus on or improve. If you want to improve the amount of weight you can squat, you should start with squats and do them before fatiguing your legs with cardio. If you want to improve your run time, you should run first before you wear out your legs with squats or lunges. More than anything, keep in mind that all physical activity is good! It is important to include both cardio and weight training in your physical activity for optimal health. So, no matter the order, it is best to ensure you spend time doing both.

At Axio Fitness, we see a lot of clients who deal with low back pain. Personally, I have dealt with low back pain, and I can empathize with our clients who get it. Whenever we get clients dealing with low back pain, here are some things we consider when writing their workouts: First, avoid upper body, unilateral movements. Meaning, an exercise that works one arm at a time. Unilateral movements include single arm dumbbell rows, single arm curls, or suitcase carries. Even outside of the gym, try avoiding things like vacuum cleaning. Also, avoid lifting any weight above your waist while standing. So, when you are doing an overhead dumbbell press or a bicep curl, be sure to be seated. Hinging movements tend to aggravate a tender low back as well. Deadlift, kettlebell swings, or leg raises should be avoided. Along with avoiding those things, try stretching your hips, hamstrings and back regularly. Many people enjoy dead hangs to help alleviate back pain as well. Finally, listen to your body! If there is an exercise that just doesn’t feel right on your back, abort the exercise! There are so many great exercises that will not hurt, so there is no shame in skipping that and moving on to a different exercise. If you need help getting a good workout around your aches and pains, Axio Fitness can help! Our team of trainers will give you the guidance and customize support you need to not let injuries slow you down.

Consistency is key to making progress and seeing significant changes in your fitness. Last week I was on vacation and did not work out for six days. When I returned home, I did a workout that made me sore the next day. But that workout was light compared to what I was doing just before leaving town. I would not have been sore had I done that same workout the week prior. When we stop moving, our bodies start regressing. It can feel a little disheartening if your mindset is to exercise to get to a goal and then stop. Meaning, if you are only training hard and eating right to get to a certain weight or fitness level, then the reality of having to continue to avoid regression can feel discouraging. If that is you, and your mindset is to figure out how quickly you can get through all these disciplines so you can achieve what you set out to do and then stop, you need a mindset shift. As I like to say, healthy is way and not a place. Meaning, it is a way of life and a part of your lifestyle. Not something you decide to add to your days or weeks for a season for a specific reason. It is certainly easier to see progress when you have a goal weight or a goal 5k time. Once you hit those goals, it is also much easier to maintain your current weight or fitness levels. But as soon as you stop all together, you will start losing everything you worked for. Vacations and time off are fine, but you need to embrace and accept the fact that getting active and staying active is a lifelong journey. Perfect consistency for the rest of your life is unrealistic. But persistency for lifetime is required to be healthy. If you need help getting started, Axio Fitness is here to help! Our mission is to help clients achieve their short-term goals as well as a genuine lifestyle change.

The suitcase carry is a compound exercise with a lot of benefits. A proper suitcase carry is simply walking while carrying a kettlebell or dumbbell in one hand. For proper form, you should keep you head up, core tight, walk tall with good posture, and take short, natural strides. To walk around with a kettlebell in one hand sounds very simple. But this is very good exercise for you when done regularly. Not only will you strengthen your core, hips, shoulders and grip, research and real-world testing has discovered there are also many other benefits to this exercise. Regular suitcase carries will also help improve balance and posture, and some experts believe it reduces the risk of injury or aches and pains while walking and jogging through improving your gait and running form. Try including suitcase carries in your workout for a few weeks to see if you notice the benefits! If you need help learning exercises that are beneficial for your body and goals, Axio Fitness is here to help!

Do you have any road trips planned this summer? Many people, including me, love a good road trip. Although road trips can be fun and adventurous, sitting in a car all day is obviously not helpful for your health and fitness goals. The unfortunate thing about car rides is that you barely move a muscle! However, there are a few things you can try to help offset the inactivity during a road trip. First, increase your activity for a few days leading up to and after your road trip. At Axio Fitness, we hold our clients accountable for minutes of activity per week. This works well with clients because not every day unfolds the exact same. We tell clients to do just 10- 20 minutes of cardio on days they are busy and stressed, but then do 40-50 minutes on weekends or days they have a little more time. Minutes per week gives you the flexibility to work around things like entire days in the car. The second thing you can try is getting a little activity during stops. A 15 minute walk, some high knee marches, stair climbs or squats are a great way to get your blood flowing and get your body a little work after sitting for so long. Another thing you can try is prioritizing a workout before your road trip. Although sleep is always important, if you can get up early and get a 30-minute hard workout before sitting in the car all day, you will be so glad you did. An early morning workout should help you sustain your energy and focus for the day. If you need help getting in better shape during the vacation season, Axio Fitness is here to help! We can give you the guidance and accountability you need to stay active through the different seasons.