A major deterrent for most people not having a membership gyms are the PRICES! I’ve worked at Washington Sports Club, had a membership at World Gym, and met with a couple of membership consultants with all having one thing in common, high prices. Typically gyms have a high enrollment fee ($100+) and a monthly fee typically (50+), with everything added that accounts to approximately $700 plus. The World Gym Express in Upper Marlboro on the other hand is currently offering a special in which it is $80 enrollment with a $10 a month charge for 1 year with a $40 club enhancement fee. For a year it’s approximately a $240 investment towards your health. In the actual gym the equipment is mediocre (outdated) all enclosed in a small area. It has a shower, fitness food and drinks mini shop, and a stretching area with all the accessory equipment but not well put together. BUT! they are about to having major renovations underway with plans of expansion in which 70% should be completed by January 2010 and available to all members. Read the rest of this entry »
Archive for October, 2009
World Gym Express 24hr *Special*
Posted by toast2fitness on October 29, 2009
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: 24, 24 hr, fitness, food, gym, health, meal, membership, plan, washington sports club, workout, world gym | Leave a Comment »
H1N1 (Swine Flu) Pandemic
Posted by toast2fitness on October 26, 2009
“President Obama has formally declared the Swine Flu outbreak a national emergency. By declaring it a state of emergency, hospitals will be allowed to move off-site to treat those affected and provide more accessible care to those seeking the vaccine.” [Full Article] The H1N1 Swine Flu vaccine is a pandemic (spread over a large region[s]), so it’s important to be cautious no matter where you go. The first line of defense is to try and get vaccinated when available to them. Also it is good to take these precautions according to the CDC:
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.*
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
- Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
- If you are sick with flu-like illness, CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. (Your fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.) Keep away from others as much as possible to keep from making others sick.
In regards to going to the gym where there is a large amount of people in a closed area certain safety measures should also be taken.
- Wipe down equipment before and after use.
- Take a shower or wash hands before leaving the gym.
- Always use hand sanitizer in between exercises (usually readily available)
- Lastly STAY HOME !! if you have any signs/symptoms of illness
Posted in Toast2Wellness, Uncategorized | Tagged: gym, h1n1, health, health emergency, hospital, illness, national emergency, obama, pandemic, precaution, president, rest, swine flu | Leave a Comment »
P90x (3.5 out of 5 Toasts)
Posted by toast2fitness on October 26, 2009
P90X is a great innovative program that strays away from the monotony of watching one video over and over again. BeachBody (the parent company) teamed with Trainer Tony Horton has created a successful fitness video series. The dvd package includes 12 workout videos, a nutrition plan, and a fitness guide (informational purposes) to be performed withing a 90 day period. According to Beachbody.com website “P90X system is an advanced training technique called Muscle Confusion™” Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: abs, advice, beachbody, core, dumbbell, fitness, gym, health, health workout, horton, lean, muscle, nutrition, p90x, reccomend, six pack, technique, tony, tony horton, video, weights, workout | Leave a Comment »
Sidebar: The Challenge
Posted by toast2fitness on October 19, 2009
Recently while I was working out at 24/7 Fitness in Annapolis MD, I was presented with a challenged by @Bsmooth. The challenge was basically whether I can Dumbbell press my own weight (200lbs)
*Filmed with Iphone camera
Posted in Toast2Fitness | Tagged: chest, dumbbell, dumbbells, fitness, gym, health, iphone, press, workout | Leave a Comment »
Trim your Core!!! SIX-Pack ABS
Posted by toast2fitness on October 16, 2009
When trying to get 6 pack abs alot of people tend to focus on just doing sit-ups and crunches with little or no variety to their workout routine. After a period of time they become confused and frustrated when no signs of improvement is visibly shown. The problem with this method is that your body becomes accustomed to this routine and even though your abs become hard, the layer of fat on top of it stops burning off. To solve this simply add Core workouts along with your regular cardio/nutrition routine which will strengthen and shred your abs to a nice lean SIX PACK (or at least a flat stomach to show off). Core exercises are beneficial for various reasons such as all workouts perform first generates energy from your core. These exercises improve posture, provide better stability, and reduces the risk of lower back pain/injury. Here are a couple of videos from youtube that i find VERY helpful!!
Posted in Toast2Fitness | Tagged: 6 pack, abs, core, crunches, fitness, health, health workout, lean, six pack | Leave a Comment »
FitTech: FitTrack 0.7 (Palm Pre)
Posted by toast2fitness on October 16, 2009
Technology gives us a way to enhance and monitor our fitness level, whether it’s through gadgets or software. One of the main gadgets that people always carry along with them are cellphones/smartphones (Palm Pre, Iphone, Android, Blackberry, Symbian..etc) Software manufacturers are catering to these line of phones to provide a convenience for the consumers life by not having to carry a cellphone, pda, notepad, and music player.
The app that I’m showcasing is FitTrack 0.7 for the Palm Pre. This app is pretty handy for people who don’t run on a track and field but want a way to measure their progress. From the picture shown it uses GPS to help determine the distance ran, speed, pace, average speed, and the time it took for all of this to occur. FitTrack is considerable accurate as I have done my own (unscientific testing). I activated the program along with starting my car both at 0 miles per hour. As I accelerated, FitTrack and my car spedometer were aligned with each other. The one obvious CON about this program is if you lose your gps signal, then the information gathering ceases to continue. (4 toast out of 5)
Posted in Fitness Tech | Tagged: fitness, fittrack, gps, health, palm pre, run, track | 2 Comments »
Rise & RUN at PG Sports and Learning Complex!
Posted by toast2fitness on October 15, 2009
Posted in Events | Tagged: advice, fitness, health, health workout, run, toast, track | Leave a Comment »
SQUATS…nothing to fear
Posted by toast2fitness on October 12, 2009
Squats are one of the fundamental basics that we should all know in order to reach out fitness goal. Squats by itself incorporates all the muscles of the leg for ultimate power, strength and tone. There are numerous variations to squatting that allow for a total body workout. Dumbbells, barbell, or a weighted bar can be used to build upper body strength and also to add more resistance along with gravity for a more intense workout. For heavy lifters the more resistance added will create more power and size increase in the quads (thighs) and calfs. For toning, an increase in repetitions with a little more added resistance will create a lean muscle shape especially in the hamstrings and glutes. This is beneficial for ladies trying to tone their legs and glutes (butt) for better definition. Technique is of great importance because it places your body in proper alignment to prevent injury.
== Steps For a BASIC Squat==
1. Warm up. This is critical in preventing injury.
2. Select weights that are appropriate for your strength and set them up on the barbell. If you have the option of adjusting the height of the bar, bring it to a level below your shoulders, to about your armpits.
3.Get below the bar and bend your knees slightly. Plant your feet flat on the ground about shoulder width apart. You’ll want equal weight distribution throughout each foot during the exercise.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Toast2Fitness | Leave a Comment »
Hurry up and get a Massage!
Posted by toast2fitness on October 9, 2009
Massages are something that we all “know” about, whether we’ve seen it, gotten it, or have just heard about it. What we typically know is that it helps relieve our stress mentally and physically since it relaxes our muscles while giving us a chance to finally rest for once in our hectic lives. Several types of massages are available depending on your needs, some of these includes Swedish massage, Sensual massage (increases libido), Deep tissue massage, Back massage and Aromatherapy massage (invigorates our sense of smell). In regards to our fitness goal they are beneficial to helping us reach them in a number of ways. More info can be found on massagetherapy.com, EZinearticles.com, and About.com
CHECK out the benefits and video below!
Physical Benefits:
- It increases joint flexibility (which increases our range of motion allowing us to hit the target muscle effectively)
- It shortens recovery time between workouts (this allows alleviates post workout soreness)
- Body circulation is improved (nutrients reach their destination faster, better oxygen intake, FASTER metabolism!)
Mental Benefits:
- Rest and Relaxation
- It improves our mood (gives us more positive energy to accomplish more tasks)
- Reduces anxiety (more CONFIDENCE in ourselves)
Posted in Toast2Wellness | Tagged: advice, fitness, health, massage, technique | Leave a Comment »
