Vacation is Over: Back to Basics, Part 2

Vacations are wrapping up, you will soon be sending kids back to school. Time to spend time on yourself! Many of our clients return after Labor Day, so get yourself on our schedule!
Conditioning is one of the 3 Key Areas we train, also including Strength, and Core.

Conditioning uses most of your large muscle groups, keeps you moving while using resistance or weight to speed up the effect.

Weight loss and overall muscle toning are expedited with conditioning.

Here are 3 examples of exercises that use large muscle groups:
Body Squats--we start with your own body weight, and then graduate to using a body bar, dumbbells, then heavier bars with weights.

Lunges--(pictured) we start with stationary lunges and then move ahead to walking lunges, and then walking with hand weights.

Lateral Slides--progressively more difficult bands and tubes are used to increase the muscle resistance.

When you are moving with weight, form is key. Our personal trainers demonstrate, watch, give feedback, and then record your progress after each exercise.

Lower Body Stretches

Now that the weather is warmer it's time to get off the treadmill and get outside for your cardio exercise. A run/walk on the trails around Reston is a great way to boost your cardio workout to lose weight and reduce stress. Before you get out there, it's important that you know how to stretch properly.
Stretching after a light warm-up and after a run or walk will help with muscle soreness, keep you flexible and prevent injury. Here are 3 examples of stretches for your quads, hamstrings and hip flexors.

1) Quad Stretch:
Position yourself facing a wall or and place your left hand on the wall for balance. With your right hand, grasp your right ankle behind you and gently pull it toward your body until stretch is felt in the front of your thigh. Hold for 20 seconds and repeat on the opposite side.

2) Hamstring Stretch:
Wrap a strap (belts work well) around the bottom of your right foot. Bring your right leg up and toward your torso while pulling gently on the strap until stretch is felt in the back of the leg. Hold for 20 seconds and repeat on the opposite side.

3) Hip Flexor Stretch:
Place right foot in front of you while extending the left leg behind as shown. Hold this position for 20 seconds and repeat on the opposite side.