Pick a form of exercise that is attractive to you and set moderately challenging goals, expert says.
Every January, people have good intentions of seeing their bold fitness goals come to fruition. Whether it is Dry January or losing weight — sometimes the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.
According to registered psychologist Dr. Patrick Keelan, picking a form of exercise that is attractive to you is crucial for success, along with setting specific goals.
Advertisement 2
Article content
Article content
“Starting off, make the goal very specific to what you’d like to achieve,” he said. “For some people, that might be a fitness goal involving exercising regularly or maybe working out three days a week. For other people who are more experienced in fitness, it might be more ambitious, like completing a marathon or breaking three hours in a marathon.”
Dr. Keelan also emphasized the importance of setting moderately challenging goals. When a goal is too easy, people throw in the towel out of sheer boredom. On the other hand, if a goal is too challenging, people become frustrated with the lack of progress.
“If there are days when you don’t feel like working out at all, we often employ the five-minute rule where you say I’m just going to show up,” he said. “That keeps the habit going in those beginning stages; once you’ve established the habit, you can build on it.”
Here are five ways tenacious Calgarians can crush their fitness goals without even knowing it.
When training his clients, the founder of Impact Boxing and Fitness, Louis Raposo, said he starts with establishing a strong foundation — much like building a house.
Noon News Roundup
Article content
Advertisement 3
Article content
“We try to keep the mind, because the mind gets very bored,” he said. “So there’s always something different at our gym. It could be strength, it could be core, it could be conditioning, it could be boxing — we change it up all the time.”
With kickboxing as a new addition to the facility, Raposo echoed that keeping the mind and body going is crucial for success.
“It’s the best fitness you can do,” he said. “We have a deck of cards where each card is an exercise; so we flip a card, and that’s 10 pushups, for example.”
With a lot of angles and plenty of movement, Raposo said you have to be able to carry your own body weight, and whether you are a beginner, advanced, amateur, or child, he is determined to help you achieve your fitness goals.
“The reason we picked ‘Impact’ as a name is to literally make an impact on people’s lives, which we have done for over 22 years.”
With mobility, strength, and intense cardio at its core, Barre West offers 45-minute and 50-minute group fitness classes. Depending on the class, attendees might get more of a strength or more of a cardio component.
Advertisement 4
Article content
According to owner and Pilates expert Adriana Britton, the number one thing that people are seeking with barre workouts is low-impact combined with high-intensity core strengthening.
“We address that part of the body like no other,” she said. “That is definitely one of our specialty areas for this program.”
The program also caters to pre-natal and post-natal; Britton said a lot of members planning for pregnancy spend a lot of time in the program to help strengthen their pelvic floor and core.
“We have a mom and baby program, which definitely, around the pandemic, went from sort of an accessory workshop to one of our main programs,” she said.
Britton acknowledged that while studio environments, especially boutique-style studios, can lean female-forward, Barre West’s male members enjoy the workouts just as well.
“And then it’s super injury-friendly,” she said. “We have so many really great success stories — clients with osteoporosis — that either they were able to temper it or help build bone density. So our program is really strong but really accessible.”
Advertisement 5
Article content
Whether you have two left feet or are graceful, Jazzercise North Calgary wants you to dance like nobody is watching.
Owner Robyn Wilson described the program as dance-based workouts in a group fitness atmosphere with top-40 music and no generational gaps.
“We cater to all walks of life; we’re kind of known for that,” she said. “We have everybody, from kids coming with their moms to grandmas; many times three generations working out together.”
Each class is approximately an hour long, and there are a variety of different formats, with the popular flagship format known as ‘Cardio Sculpt’ leading the way.
“That’s about 40 minutes of dance-based cardio, and you’re working your whole body,” explained Wilson. “We’re doing tons of lunges, jumping, and all kinds of dance-based things.”
Inspired by Mambo, salsa, and kickboxing, the workouts target the upper body, lower body, and core, with an added strength component in every class.
“In ‘Cardio Sculpt’, we do 20 minutes of choreographed dance-based strength,” Wilson said. “We use weights, exercise mats, and everything is choreographed to top-40 music where you’re doing some pushups and planks to whatever music is on top of the charts right now.”
Advertisement 6
Article content
Scaling the side of a simulated rock wall can offer a unique way of reaching the peak of fitness goals.
With over 25 years of experience, owner of Bolder Climbing Josh Muller said climbing offers a unique exercise experience that allows you to get strong and fit without the conventional boring sides of exercise.
“I always joke to people that it’s a good way to trick yourself into exercising,” Muller said. “Because you’re only on the wall trying really hard for about 15 seconds, maybe 30 seconds, and you come to the ground and you’re huffing and puffing for five minutes while you socialize with your friends.”
Bolder Climbing offers two main disciplines: bouldering and rope climbing.
“With bouldering, our walls go 15 feet above the safety pads, and you climb that without ropes,” Muller explained. “We teach you how to fall safely onto the pads.”
Rope climbing, however, might give beginners more knots in their stomachs than in their ropes, as the height has a significant difference with 40-foot walls.
“It also requires more than just strength — it requires flexibility; it requires a certain amount of problem-solving,” Muller said. “Conquering certain fears, balance — it’s an all-encompassing activity compared to a lot of other sports.”
Advertisement 7
Article content
To help facilitate results in fitness goals, Calgary nutritionist Stacy Yates said Dry January, where one abstains from alcohol, can be a good start.
“Alcohol really doesn’t benefit us nutritionally in any sort of way,” she said. “So I think that’s actually a great challenge for people, especially if they’ve had a little bit of an overindulgent December.”
Yates emphasized that if people are drinking on a regular basis, Dry January is an easy introduction to cutting calories, with the added benefits of financial savings, better sleep quality, and increased energy.
“Sometimes the best thing for someone to start eating and drinking clean is to start moving their body,” she said. “They feel like ‘oh, I’m starting to work out now; I don’t want to put that junk in my body anymore’, which junk includes alcohol. They also might start prioritizing sleep because they want to feel like when they get on that spin bike the next day, they don’t have a headache.”
Article content
Skiing can be a whole lot of fun when the snow starts flying. But your body can take a beating on the slopes if it’s not properly prepared.
Advertisement
Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy
Sports medicine specialist Molly McDermott, DO, shares how to get ready for ski season with some workouts and strategies.
Some elite skiers start training at the tail end of spring — about six months before they ever hit the slopes. Others may need less time. In general, Dr. McDermott recommends training at least six to eight weeks before your first outdoor adventure.
As part of your routine, you’ll want to focus on ski workouts that build:
Trying to jump into a sport when you haven’t intentionally trained is difficult and challenging, says Dr. McDermott. That’s especially true given the physical demands that come with skiing.
“You want to train your brain, nerves and muscles to really build stability and balance so you can have more control over how you jump and land,” she notes.
Ski-focused training puts a strong emphasis on lower-body exercises, targeting everything from your glutes to your ankles. But you’ll want to take a full-body approach to ski exercises, which means working on your core and upper body as well.
“You’re going to have to make real-time decisions when you’re out on the slopes,” stresses Dr. McDermott. “You’ll need to strengthen your whole body to be able to do things like pivot or change direction, keep your balance, propel yourself forward and withstand the impact of skiing.”
Dr. McDermott recommends starting with just bodyweight exercises if this is your first go at it. More experienced athletes can focus on higher weights or machines. In general, she recommends doing three sets of 10 to 15 reps each. Then, as you work through your training, you can progressively load your weight, sets, reps or how long you exercise to continue building strength and endurance.
Here are some workouts that lend themselves to skiing.
Warming up before any workout is key, especially right before you hit the slopes. The International Ski and Snowboard Federation agrees. Dynamic warm-ups and cool-downs are highly effective for preventing injury and improving performance.
Consider starting and ending your ski workout with five to 10 minutes of:
“You’re warming up your muscles and then stretching them, as opposed to static, cold stretching,” explains Dr. McDermott.
“Squat maneuvers help make sure you have the coordination of your nerves and your muscles working together so your muscles are strong and keep your body aligned — in particular, keeping your knees from turning in,” says Dr. McDermott. “As squats become easier, you can progress to squat jumps.”
Hip abductor exercises help with skiing because they focus on balance, control and building strength in your hips, glutes and thighs.
Calf raises help improve ankle mobility and calf strength — all needed for those quick turns while skiing.
“Skater hops are single-leg hops from side-to-side,” describes Dr. McDermott. “These are really going to help you in certain ski maneuvers.”
“Shoulder shrugs are a good ski exercise because they help build the upper trapezius muscles that connect with your neck,” says Dr. McDermott. “They really work on your posture.”
Chin tucks involve a gentle range of motion to improve posture and strengthen neck muscles.
“Push-ups are good for strengthening your shoulders, chest and core, which helps with balance and stability when you’re skiing,” says Dr. McDermott.
This exercise targets your wrists, forearms, core and upper body — all areas that promote stability and strength while skiing.
Bridges help strengthen your glutes, which help guide and direct your skis.
Also known as a Russian twist, this exercise focuses on your abdominal muscles and core strength. It helps with skiing because it supports your ability to rotate, turn and move quickly.
Skiers can also benefit from cardio exercises that get their blood flowing and build aerobic endurance, like:
“Build cardiovascular and low-impact activities into your training routine to help improve your performance and increase your endurance,” advises Dr. McDermott. “Some days you can break it up into sets or you can do 30 minutes straight.”
A big part of ski training is getting your body acclimated to cold-weather exercises. For athletes who live in areas where winter runs strong, it helps to train early and get that outdoor exposure as temperatures begin to drop during the fall.
Others who live in warmer climates might benefit from taking cold showers, ice baths or lowering indoor temperatures weeks before heading out on a ski trip.
Once ski season begins, make sure you warm up before heading outdoors, stay hydrated and keep moving to keep your body warm.
“When you’re skiing, a lot of unexpected things happen,” cautions Dr. McDermott. “The weather changes and things happen really fast. So, you want to be physically and mentally prepared before you hit the slopes, making sure you’ve got the right equipment, the right clothing and you’re prepared in case of injury.”
One of the harder parts of committing to a training routine is knowing where to start, and that’s true of those who have never trained regularly before as well as more experienced people coming back after a break.
This 20-minute workout from fitness trainer Lindsey Bomgren, founder of Nourish Move Love on YouTube, is perfect for easing your way into a training routine, especially if you’re coming back from a break because of illness or any other reason.
Watch On
The workout contains nine exercises, with some of those being done on both sides for 12 moves in total in each round. You do two rounds of the exercises, completing 10 reps of each move, or 10 on each side if appropriate.
Bomgren demonstrates each move and sets the pace for the session, so you can follow her when possible, or slow down if you need to. Bomgren’s fellow trainer, Rachel, is also on hand to offer easier modifications of some exercises you can do instead.
In order to work as many muscles as possible in 20 minutes, the workout is mostly made up of compound exercises that recruit several joints and muscle groups at once, like squats and lunges.
There are also some more focused moves like triceps extensions, and your core is also worked with some bicycle crunches and glute bridges.
It’s a fast-paced session that will not only get you fitter and stronger, but also help you prepare for longer, harder workouts if you are kicking off a regular workout routine.
Bomgren also includes a quick warm-up and cool-down in the video, which is invaluable and well worth doing. The warm-up will get you ready for the workout, so you can get the most out of the first few exercises, while the cool-down will help start your recovery and reduce any muscle soreness you might feel after the workout, especially if it’s your first session in a while.
If you are a beginner or finding it hard to match Bomgren’s pace throughout the session, you can also reduce the number of reps you do for each move to six or eight. This will give you a bit more time to complete your set, rather than rushing to do 10 reps and potentially sacrificing good form.
Follow Tom’s Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds.
Howling Mat-Su winds leave thousands without power
Texas Tech football vs BYU live updates, start time, TV channel for Big 12 title
LIVE UPDATES: Mudslide, road closures across Western Washington
Matt Campbell reportedly bringing longtime Iowa State staffer to Penn State as 1st hire
How much snow did Iowa get? See Iowa’s latest snowfall totals
Urban Meyer, Brady Quinn get in heated exchange during Alabama, Notre Dame, Miami CFP discussion
Man shot, killed at downtown Cleveland nightclub: EMS
Chiefs’ offensive line woes deepen as Wanya Morris exits with knee injury against Texans