Usually Saturday has been a cardio day for me. Sometimes I run long distance, and for someone who is primarily into strength training, four to six miles at a medium pace is a relatively long distance. I felt the itch to do my long distance run this past Tuesday instead. So today, the gym opened up at 7:30 AM. I usually have a client around that time, but she is out of town, and since I am an awesome trainer, I did not ask my second client to wake up…
Exercise is a great way to work the muscles, use sugar stored in the body, and to help regulate body weight. However, working out in the gym can be monotonous at times. This is where the swimming pool comes into play. Water-based exercises are easy on the joints. You can also get a better workout in the water due to the increased resistance and surface area of the water compared to the air. So, here are 5 in-water exercises that will help you stay fit: 1. Jogging. Many…
Here is a one minute medley of different Side Plank exercises to challenge your core (especially your obliques). When you are doing more than a minute with the traditional Side Plank, it is time to incorporate more challenging exercises. If you do not know how to do a Side Plank, you need to lie on your side on a mat, carpeted, or any cushioned, firm surface. Place your forearm on your mat under your shoulder and make sure it is perpendicular to your body. Place your upper leg directly on…
Our certified personal trainer, Deonte Toliver demonstrates this TRX Plyo Single Leg Lunge, which is an advanced move he has had his football clients and players perform. This is also an excellent exercise to help build full body strength and torch body fat! For more information about Deonte, check out his profile at http://cassfitness.net/trainers/deonte-toliver/ You can also book Deonte for one on one sessions in the Washington, DC area or online sessions anywhere you have a computer connection! Watch the full video demo below!
If you train with a CASS Fitness trainer, you more than likely have experienced a battle ropes routine with one of us if we have enough space to set them up. You may also see my videos or Instagram posts with the Battle Ropes. Why do I like them so much? Here are a few reasons why they have popped up in many CASS Fitness workouts, including the regular routines of our trainers: Battle Ropes are an excellent tool to spice up your cardio and strength routine, no matter what…
The Bird Dog or the Alternating Quadruped Opposite Arm/Opposite Leg Raise is an exercise to help strengthen your lower back, abs, and glutes. It is a low impact exercise that frequently is used to help relieve lower back pain and to help prevent it from happening in the first place. Instructions: Place yourself in a prone position with both hands and knees on the ground. Your hands are directly beneath your shoulders and your knees are directly beneath your hips. Keep your core tight and maintain a neutral alignment in…
Here is a quick five minute CASS Fitness ab routine that will challenge you. Now, I am not going to say some nonsense like this will get you ripped. Remember, proper nutrition and exercise will get you there. However, core strength is built through ab routines like this. Core strength is something all CASS Fitness personal trainers preach and implement heavily in our workouts. Your core is the most important part of your body. Do not ignore and skip your core workouts! You will do each of the ab exercises…
Wide Grip Pull-Ups are one of the best exercises to help you build width and strength to your back. Below are the instructions on how to do them, along with a demo video. 1.) Step onto a block, a stack of plates, or anything you can find that will help you reach the bar. Jumping is not recommended for the Wide Grip Pull-Up since it can put a lot of strain on your shoulders. 2.) Use an overhand grip, wider than your shoulders to make it a "wide grip". 3.)…
Stretching your quadriceps is very helpful, no matter what sport you play, what type of exercise you engage in, or if today is your rest day. The Quadriceps or "Quads" as most of us call the muscle group, consists of the four muscles on the front part of your thigh. Those muscles include the vastus lateralis, the vastus intermedius, the vastus medialis and the rectus femoris. Quadriceps stretching can benefit you in several ways: Increase your energy Improve your blood circulation Improve your flexibility Decrease stiffness and…
Over the next few weeks, we will focus on some intense bodyweight exercises as well as progressions to doing a Pull-Up or a Chin-Up. There is always the question, "How much do you bench?" I should ask, "How many strict form Pull-Ups or Chin-Ups can you do?" Those exercises are much more difficult. While, bench pressing a higher amount is what a lot of us, including myself strive for, the fact is anybody can bench if they do not have injuries prohibiting them from doing so, whether you are pressing…