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The benefits of using frozen vegetables
When the fresh produce seems scarce or prices have gone up… head over to the frozen food aisle for some frozen vegetables. It may surprise you that in the winter months frozen vegetables can be a healthier option than fresh produce. The reasoning behind this is that your vegetablesare the most nutrient dense when they are freshest and as they sit on the shelf in the grocery store the nutritional value begins to decrease. This is why most grocery stores will select produce before it is ripe to maximize the amount of time they...
read moreIdentifying Overtraining and Overload Syndrome
Overtraining, Overload Syndrome, and Hyperkinetic Condition Lets start off by recognizing that the term overtraining is overused by personal trainers and fitness consultants. This has led to recreational athletes and clients decreasing workloads well below optimal levels in fear of being too aggressive with their training. With that in mind, it is still possible to push yourself too hard for too long and actually see a decrease in performance. The key is to find a balance, and understand the signs and symptoms of true overtraining...
read moreHow to Perform a TRX Chest Press
In this training video Kyle Brayer explains how to perform a Chest Press with the TRX Suspension trainer from the gym at West 6th Tempe. The TRX Chest Press focuses on the chest, triceps, and shoulders while increasing core stability. The TRX Chest Press is a great beginner movement with the TRX that can easily be intensified for experienced clients. The keys on this movement are: High anchor point Tension the TRX Keep core engaged Good inline posture through the head, back, hips, and legs Adjust foot placement to reach desired rep...
read morePlyometrics for speed, strength, and performance
Plyometric movements are used by just about all professional athletes to improve explosive strength, power, speed, and performance. You’ve probably seen athletes or other advanced clients performing exercises like box jumps in your local gym. These movements are quick and explosive in nature, and are designed to utilize the pre-stretch immediately prior to a movement to increase power. In other words, your muscle is more powerful if it is “loaded” first by being stretched eccentrically then followed by a quick...
read moreHow to Perform a Leg Lift with CFT Jessica
In this training video Epic Fitness trainer Jessica Keene explains how to perform the leg lift exercise from the gym at West 6th Tempe. This movement is a great core movement that strengthens the hip-flexors and lower abdominal region. The keys on this movement are: Keep the back and neck straight Dorsiflex the feet Keep the legs straight Keep core engaged Range of motion is 12 – 18″ Slow controlled breathing This movement can be integrated into your circuit training or added as an independent core strengthening exercise. The...
read moreTower 2 opens at West 6th Tempe November 14th
Epic Fitness will be at the move-in for all new tower 2 residents as West 6th Tempe opens up the new tower for the first time on November 14th. New residents will receive a voucher for a free assessment and personal training session at the Epic Fitness table in the vendor area. Epic Fitness has also teamed up with Muscle Milk and we’ll be providing samples of their ready to drink protein products for all new residents! Our Epic Fitness personal trainers will be providing personal training, nutrition coaching, yoga/pilates, and fitness...
read moreResistance Training for Women
You’ve heard the myth before…. weight training makes women “bulky” looking. Before we move on to the benefits of resistance training for women, we’ll make sure to completely dismiss the concept of becoming too muscular too fast with weight training. Most importantly, women do not produce enough of the sex hormone testosterone to effectively build large amounts of muscle mass. As you might have seen in magazines, there are exceptions– most, if not all of these female exceptions are taking anabolic steroids...
read moreHow to Perform a Russian Twist
In this training video Epic Fitness trainer Truman Wood explains how to perform the leg lift exercise from the gym at West 6th Tempe. This movement is a great core movement that strengthens the hip-flexors, lower abs, upper abs, as well as the internal and external obliques. The keys on this movement are: Keep the back and neck straight Balance weight on the glutes Keep the feet elevated Keep core engaged Rotate side to side reaching for the ground behind the hips Slow controlled breathing This movement can be integrated into your circuit...
read moreUphill running technique
With proper resistance training and uphill training days worked into your training schedule, you’ll notice a solid improvement on your uphill running efficiency. In order to minimize the amount of wasted energy when running uphill, focus on keeping as close to a normal running posture as possible. Fight the tendency to lean forward excessively when battling the inclines, and allow your stride to naturally shorten to a length that fits the gradient. Leaning too far forwardmakes breathing more difficult and overworks the back and hamstrings....
read more5 Healthy Late Night Snacks
What foods can I eat late night? Even those sticking to a die-hard diet plan, may find themselves roaming the kitchen after hours looking for something to snack on. If you’re like most people and go for pizza or sweets– this late-night binge can do some serious damage to your waistline as well as disturb your natural sleeping patterns. The most common of the midnight snackers are those who make a habit out of eating while watching television. For some, these extra calories can exceed 40% of their total caloric intake! The worst...
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