It seems no matter how many times people hear certain advice, they quickly forget the importance of following it. At least I assume that’s why most people who strength train only follow the slow and controlled protocol when their trainer is watching.

Also most people are trying to get through their workouts as quickly as possible so long-lasting reps aren’t really a priority. I know this because I occasionally have to fight my own urges to throw form out the window and allow momentum to power me through a hard set.

But I know deep down that if I’m not doing my reps right I might as well not be doing them at all. I want my body to be strong, but I also want to work the right muscles and maintain good posture. And I don’t want to risk an injury by swinging weights around instead of controlling them.

Take your time to lower the weight.

So here’s the deal. Most of the time you should be lifting and lowering weights slowly, especially if you are relatively new to resistance training. About two seconds for the beginning part of the movement (the concentric contraction)  and four seconds to bring the weight back to the starting position (the eccentric contraction). That means two seconds to curl a dumbbell up with your bicep and four seconds to lower it back down.

If you really want to speed your workout up, try cutting down on the amount of time you rest between exercises instead.

A word of warning – the slower you go the less weight you’ll be able to lift. But that’s a good thing because you’ll know your muscles are actually strong enough to handle it. So start slowing down for faster results.

crystals muscle building, resistance training, working out strength training, working out

I’m going to let you in on my dirty little secret. I’m a bit very scattered when it comes to fitness goals, or any goals for that matter. It’s not that I lack goals, it’s the exact opposite…I usually have way too many on the go. In a matter of a few weeks I’ll decide I’m going to finally make it past that 15th push-up, teach myself to kneel unsupported on a stability ball while doing lateral dumbbell raises, run 5K and learn to play tennis. They are usually fairly lofty goals, so of course I don’t always succeed or I have to shelve them for a later date…ahem running. But some of the time I do hit the mark – six pull-ups in a row thank you very much.

This week the one-legged squat has caught my attention. The strength, balance and sheer determination required for a successful one-legged squat is much too tempting for me to resist. And what a party trick! Dropped you pen? Let me just lower my body down to the floor on one leg and pick that up for you.

Ok so I have had this goal before. It was about eight months ago, which was way too soon for my first attempt, but I quickly realised that and set it aside for later. This time around I’m starting slow, using a stability ball between my back and the wall to help make sure I don’t collapse in a twisted heap. I can’t get down to 90 degrees for more than one just yet, but I can do about 12 part way. And I will continue to add single leg squats to my routine each week until I can do two, then three, and one day maybe even 10.

The reason I think it’s a good idea to set goals both big and small (even though things don’t always work out in my favor) is I need something to get excited for.  There is no better feeling than suceeding at something I set out to do, especially if I wasn’t really sure I could do it.

If you set a lot of goals for yourself, chances are you’ll reach at least one. And once you do there’s another one waiting to be chased.

crystals staying inspired, women's fitness, working out muscle, working out

I receive emails from fitness websites and organizations on a daily basis.  Prevention Magazine, Women’s Health ACE, Can-Fit-Pro… I like to get the latest information and check out new and improved workout programs and exercises.

But one thing has been bothing me. And it’s not the fact that most of the emails I get are trying to sell me books about some new diet or weight loss program subscription. It’s also not the fact that some of these companies (I’m not mentioning any names) don’t find it at all ironic that many of the emails they’ve sent me in the past few years have been for the “last” or “only” workout or diet plan I’ll ever need. Then why do they keep creating new ones I wonder? But I digress.

The thing that bothers me is workout routines that target only one or two muscle groups. Who doesn’t want tanktop arms, a bodacious booty or awesome abs? The exercises in and of themselves aren’t bad. In fact I get a lot of my own moves and ideas from these types of emails. But if I’m spending 30 minutes, two to three times a week working my abdominals, when am I going to have time to work the rest of my muscles.

I know these exercises are a small part of a much bigger fitness routine, so I pick and choose the ones I like and add them to my reperetoire. But some people are so focussed on spot reduction, like getting rid of arm fat for example, that they forget about everything else and think doing eight exercises for their biceps, triceps and shoulders is all it’s going to take to lose fat in that area.

I get why these emails are sent out. If someone is stressing about the state of their stomach an email that screams “banish ab flab for good”, especially if it also specifies there is no exercise required (don’t even get me started on that), is what’s going to entice them to go to the website it came from.

For someone who is inactive and possibly overweight the promise of muscle definition and flat abs in a matter of weeks sounds too good to be true, and it is. If you read the fine print these spot training plans require healthy eating, cardiovascualr activity and even more strength training to be effective. Even then it often takes months to see results, unless you’re starving yourself and working out excessively, which isn’t a great way to make lasting lifestyle chanegs.

So ifyou want to send me emails with exercises suggestions that’s great, but be upfront about what is involved and what results are realistic.

crystals women's fitness, working out, workout routines strength training, working out

After all my excitement about building up to running 5K this summer, it’s been weeks since I’ve actually hit the pavement and done any running. The reason isn’t important, although I can’t help but feel the need to defend myself and say it’s  because I’ve been teaching a lot of cardio classes at work lately and I try not to overdo it with my own workouts. I don’t want to burn out or get sick. At least that’s what I’m telling myself.

I will get out again when I get used to my new routine, but the most important thing is that I’m not discouraged. Actually, I don’t think I’d be that discouraged if my reasons for not running were more about laziness than conflicting workouts.

I’m always hitting ruts in my routine, whether it’s not wanting to lift weights for two weeks in a row or letting cardio go by the wayside. I feel confident because I know I will bounce back. I give myself a break and then get right back into my routine, which I believe is the key to my success. If I felt down about it I’d probably just give up altogether and my attempts to eat healthy would go out the window as well.

I’ll quit rambling and get to the point. So what if you didn’t make it to the gym this week. So what if you ate that entire bag of chips. Don’t beat yourself up about it. You took a break from your healthy routine but the important thing is that you get back to it and don’t make small failures an excuse to give up.

crystals Uncategorized motivation, running, working out

Men and women pick up fitness habits for a variety of reasons. Some, the lucky ones, do it because they love it and feel a natural high after completing a gruelling workout. They don’t procrastinate and put off workouts until another day or make excuses about why they don’t have time. Working out comes first, which is why a lot of them get up before dawn and are finished their body maintenance before the rest of us have even hit snooze on the alarm clock.

Others have trouble with the pre-workout enthusiasm but become inspired once they enter the gym or get through the first 10 minutes. I know this category well. For me it involves wearing my workout gear around the house for a good hour before I finally drag my butt out the door. Suddenly all the housework I usually avoid demands my urgent attention. On the bright side I get a lot more cleaning and laundry done on those days. And thankfully once I get moving I can spend upwards of an hour at the gym.

There are also those who aren’t motivated to work out, don’t get into it once they start and don’t feel satisfied or healthier when they’re done. For these people it’s only the thought of the end result that can get them moving. They’ll run because they know it’s good for their heart and waistline, but they won’t be getting any enjoyment out of it.

Obviously a one size solution for motivation won’t fit all. Tell us why you work out and what motivates you to do so.

crystals staying inspired motivation, working out