Here is one of the most functional exercises in the entire fitness world! The pull-up is a great workout for your upper back, biceps, core, and shoulders. It is more effective than the lat pulldown exercise, which although it is great for the upper back, it does not give you a full body workout as effectively. Plus, pull-ups can be difficult. There are plenty of people who can bench press 350 pounds in the gym. While that feat is awesome, ask how many guys in the gym can do 25…

Almost every guy wants larger arms. We at Cass Fitness have noticed something in our years of working out at various gyms across the United States...not too many people perform reverse bicep curls. If somebody wants more forearm strength, better grip, increased activiation and size for their Brachialis and Brachioradius muscles, then reverse curls are an exercise that should not be neglected.     To perform a standing dumbbell reverse curl, hold the dumbbells with a pronated (overhand) grip instead of the typical underhand grip. You will definitely use less…

It is cold outside...no it is REALLY cold outside, well for everyone besides our readers in the Southwestern part of the U.S. It is not very healthy to run outside in sub-zero weather even with warm gear as you still have to breathe that freezing cold air. If you do not have access to cardio machines, there are still plenty of exercises out there that provide cardiovascular benefits. The following exercise, Squat Jumps, are very popular in many plyometrics workouts. Not only are they great for your core, quads, hamstrings,…

We at CASS Fitness are excited to introduce a new category into our articles. We will be showcasing the exercise of the day! Today, we are showcasing a challenging lower ab exercise made famous on P90x. This exercise is called the Fifer Scissors. It can be grueling on its own, let alone as part of the Ab Ripper X DVD. However, it targets the lower abs very well and is something you need to ad to your abs and core arsenal. We sell a nice firm, comfortable mat here: Here…

If there is one piece of fitness equipment Cass Fitness feels just about everybody needs, it is a foam roller. Even if you have not made the commitment to start an exercise routine yet, your body will thank you by using a foam roller. Why should you be using it? The self-myofascial benefits provides relief for your soft tissue muscles, which tend to become tight in everyday life. This is key to help prevent injuries. If you exercise, it is recommended to use the foam roller before and after your…

Here is a new playlist for 12-22-13. This playlist is great for heavy lifting days combined with HIIT training.     1.) Hopsin ft. Tech N9ne - "Rip Your Heart Out" 2.) N.W.A. - "Straight Outta Compton" 3.) Wiz Khalifa - "Taylor Gang" 4.) New Politics - "Yeah, Yeah, Yeah" 5.) Hero the Valiant - "If Ever You're Out There" 6.) Six Reasons - "Hello/Goodbye" 7.) Meek Mill - "Levels" 8.) Hollywood Undead - "Young" 9.) Alice in Chains - "Again" 10.) Jimmie's Chicken Shack - "High" 11.) Cake -…

I am excited to share one of my random protein smoothie concoctions with you this Christmas! This smoothie not only gives you a boost of natural energy and helps you recover from your workout, but it tastes great too! This is a whole meal in a blender. A lot of my smoothies are very heavy on the kale because you can put a lot of it in. Kale fills you up quickly while having a low calorie content. In addition, you still taste sweetness from your other ingredients since Kale's…

If you want big arms and some definition to go with the size, this is the workout for you! This is a workout I personally used last night. I put together this workout as I have personal goals in lean muscle mass. It is a tough combination of bodyweight exercises and free weights for the most part, except for the cable triceps exercise with the rope.   After my warm up, which consisted of foam rolling, active isolated stretching, mountain climbers, and jumping jacks, I began the first exercise, which…

Circuit training is an important type of training for a weight loss client or even a strength training client looking for variety and fat shredding cardio in their workout. Circuit training involves performing several exercises in a row without taking a break. You typically can switch from upper body to lower body workouts so your upper body is recovering as you are exercising the lower body. This circuit is a great way to burn fat quicker than spending 30 minutes in a row going the same speed on the treadmill.…

As some of you know, a couple years ago, I suffered a really bad lower back injury. I mainly got it from working at a job where I stood up for eight to ten hours a day. In addition, I did not have proper fitting shoes, which is especially crucial since my right leg is about 1/2 inch longer than my left. I will cover in more detail about how my glutes and legs were weak, also adding to the impact of my lower back pain in a future article.…

Hopefully, you got to see the inaugural list last week! If not, here it is: http://cassfitness.net/matts-workout-playlist-11192013/   This is motivational music, and as you saw on last week's list, I featured music from famous artists, along with music from independent artists. That will be a continuing theme. As somebody who has worked in music before, I know how important it is for independent artists to get as much exposure as possible. When you are pushing for the last rep, music can make all the difference, well, maybe except for today…

This is a weight loss journey from April Kinzler, a lady I went to high school with.  Her journey from 235 lbs. down to 136 lbs. was quite a roller coaster ride.  The beginning of the journey was very tough for April.  However, she surrounded herself with positive people, including a supportive future husband, and she was determined to meet her goal WITHOUT EXCUSES, even as a busy woman with a full time job and two kids.  I asked April to write about her weight loss journey a few days…