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11 Mar, 2024
A unilateral exercise is resistance training or weight bearing exercise when you only work one limb at a time (one arm or one leg). Examples of unilateral exercises for your lower body include step-ups, split squats, or lunges. Upper-body exercises include 1  arm dumbbell or cable row, and a 1 arm dumbbell or cable press. Unilateral exercises are great to include in your workout routine because they improve stabilization and reduce the risk of injury. When you are only working one side at a time, your body is forced to use the muscles that keep you stable and balanced. This translates into better balance in everyday life. These exercises are also great to improve muscle imbalances. We all have a dominant side or one arm and leg that is stronger than the other. When doing exercises that involve both sides at once, your dominant side can carry more of the workload without you realizing it. If it is a squat or bench press, your stronger side can actually be lifting more than half the weight. Unilateral exercises ensure both your strong and weak side are getting equal work and help to balance out any differences in strength. For more understanding of the proper ways to exercise for your health and your goals, contact Axio Fitness today!
04 Mar, 2024
So often I see ads for supplements, home exercise equipment, or medication that boasts, “no more killing yourself at the gym!”. Clearly, tough, sweaty workouts are viewed as a negative that should be avoided if there are alternative options. However, hard workouts do not exist simply to burn calories and lose weight. We should be working out with some intensity to build strength in our muscles and bones, build stamina and endurance, and improve overall health while reducing the risk of injury. If a medication or supplement helped you shed some pounds, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re getting healthier. If you aren’t active, you aren’t improving your health in ways that you should. Of course, no one should work at an intensity that really makes them feel terrible. But as I tell clients, you should be safely pushing yourself to the point of feeling accomplished after a workout. Work up a sweat if you can! Then, you will know you  have made progress in your physical fitness. At Axio Fitness we are firm believers in weight loss through activity and healthy nutrition. Regardless of supplements or medication you may try, you should exercise for the many benefits beyond weight loss.
22 Jan, 2024
According to several studies, taking a nap three to four days a week has proven to have several health benefits including improving your mood, reducing fatigue, increasing alertness and improving your mental health. Most health experts recommend a 30-90 minute nap to achieve these benefits. Along with these benefits, there have been several studies around the world researching the benefits of sleep for people who are physically active. Many of these  studies have also concluded that napping for 30 minutes per day or less could be beneficial to helping you progress in your fitness levels. However, there are clearly conflicting studies on napping. Some studies say there are proven health benefits, while other studies say that napping may be doing more harm than good on your physical and emotional health. All of these studies, however, agree on one thing. Sleep deprivation should be avoided. Napping is likely very helpful for those who are sleep deprived. But even better than napping to catch up on sleep is getting enough sleep through the night. There are no conflicting studies on adequate sleep. The mentioned health benefits of napping can also be experienced from adequate sleep. Along with many more benefits not mentioned. Whether your goal is weight loss, mental health, more energy or to be more physically fit, all these things can be achieved through better sleep.
02 Jan, 2024
It is the New Year! Although many people these days say they do not make official “New Year’s Resolutions”, most of us still take time to reflect and reset rhythms and priorities to get healthier, save money, advance professionally, or achieve specific milestones. Personally, I love goals! I’m always motivated this time of year to set personal and business goals. But, as the old saying goes, goals are only dreams unless you have a plan. Being that we at Axio Fitness are in the business of holding people accountable to the  a ctions that will get them to their health goals, there are three things about goals we try to teach every client: 1. Set six-week goals rather than a yearlong goal: In our business, we assess clients every six weeks. We set small six-week goals to keep our finger on the pulse of our client’s progress. Not every assessment is great, but frequent meetings help to discuss progress and lifestyle and reset anything that may need to be. 2. Turn your goal into action items: Once you have a six-week goal, what do you plan to do daily and weekly to achieve this goal? Determine those behaviors and focus on those, not the goals. 3. Find your aspirations: A six-week goal is a great way to simplify action items and progress. However, six-week goals don’t really motivate people to change their lifestyle. Aspirations are the “why” behind the goals. It could be things like being active during your retirement years, being able to play with your grandkids, or getting off medication. Your “why” will be your real motivator to stay consistent. If you need help staying consistent this year, Axio Fitness would love to help! We hold our clients accountable to the daily and weekly behaviors that will yield results.
By Erin Mellinger 11 Dec, 2023
It was a Friday morning in December, and I was off to a great start to the day. I got up at 5:00 and did some cardio and weight training and I was feeling sweaty, accomplished, and ready to conquer the workday. I was back home by 6:45 to take a shower and head to work. Then it happened… I realized I had no hot water! With all the options running through my head, I decided I was too busy with meetings and tasks to do anything but power through a cold shower and head to work. It was the fastest shower of my life. However, when I was done, I felt amazing! I thought perhaps it was due to accomplishing the mental fortitude and pain tolerance of a cold shower. But then I remembered some Axio trainers discussing the benefits of a cold shower. Some of our trainers even take cold showers on a regular basis. According to research, here are just five reasons why cold showers are good for you: 1. It boosts your metabolism and promotes weight loss. 2. It helps reduce inflammation and joint pain. 3. It boosts your immune system. 4. It improves circulation. 5. It combats the symptoms of depression while improving your mood and energy. As it often goes, my water heater needed a new part that took a week to come. So, I took two showers elsewhere, but 5 cold showers in a week. I can tell you from experience you truly do feel good the rest of the day after taking a cold shower. And it gets easier; I was able to take longer, more normal showers each time. If you want a mental and physical challenge that offers a lot of potential benefits, try taking a cold shower once a week. But a cold shower does not mean the entire shower needs to be cold. Many people shower normally, and then turn the water to cold for the final 2-3 minutes of the shower to experience the health benefits.
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