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Try Boxing For A Great Full-Body Workout

Try Boxing For A Great Full-Body Workout

If you’ve never used boxing as an additional workout or used the moves in boxing, you’re missing out. Just air boxing can build strength. Boxing is a full-body workout that addresses all forms of fitness. It builds strength, cardio, balance, and flexibility. You’ll get a lot of relief from stress even if you don’t have a partner and only punch a bag or the air. Boxing is fun, challenging, social, and a good workout for both men and women.

You’ll work your entire body when you box.

Boxing is great cardio. Because you aren’t constantly moving fast, it provides many of the benefits of a high intensity interval training—HIIT—-session. It improves balance and coordination. You have to think ahead and plan your next move while anticipating your opponent’s move, so it improves both physical and mental agility. It’s all about proper form, dodging and dipping, and building upper body strength as you’re getting power from your legs and your hips.

You’ll burn tons of calories.

As noted previously, you’re constantly changing intensity, going from recovery as you wait for your opponent’s next move, to high intensity, either dodging that move or getting in your punches. That mimics HIIT workouts that burn hundreds of calories while you do it and continue to burn them after you quit. It boosts your heart rate during boxing, which helps reduce your resting heart rate. Depending on the difficulty level, you can burn as many calories as you would running. Whether you’re punching a bag, sparring, or in the ring, it helps you lose weight faster.

Boxing can be addictive.

Once you get into boxing, you get hooked on the fast pace and the adrenaline rush. Not only are you more likely to box since you enjoy it, but you’re also more likely to do other workouts to help prepare you for the ring. Whether it’s jumping rope or running up and down stairs, boxing can become a motivating factor. Like all types of exercise, you’ll do it more often if you enjoy it. The competition keeps you coming back for more.

  • Boxing improves hand-eye coordination. It challenges your mind as it builds your muscles. You’ll build new neural pathways in the brain. That can improve cognitive thinking.
  • Many of the moves in boxing are part of traditional calisthenics. Squats, knee-high moves, butt kickers, and reverse lunges are all moves you make in the ring. Preparing your body to box takes dedication.
  • You can adjust boxing workouts to meet your goals. You can make them strength-building, cardio, weight loss,
  • Boxing increases your energy, lowers blood pressure, and improves cardiovascular health. It helps decrease anxiety and depression.

For more information, contact us today at Team-ISC


What To Do When You're Too Tired To Workout

What To Do When You’re Too Tired To Workout

It can be too easy to feel too tired to work out, especially if you had a stressful day at work. All you want to do is lay down and rest and that 45 minutes or hour of effort seems insurmountable. If just thinking about getting ready for the workout makes you sign in exhaustion, here are some solutions that can help. The first one is to acknowledge how tired you are and determine whether there’s a reason for it. If you spent all night with a sick baby or have a touch of the flu yourself, giving in and lying down may be your best option.

Most people reach for a cup of coffee to combat fatigue.

Coffee is usually everyone’s go-to beverage when they’re feeling exhausted, but it shouldn’t be. Sometimes, all you need is a little hydrating. Nothing is better for that than a tall glass of water. Dehydration can make you feel weary and about to drop. Drink a tall glass of water and you’ll probably feel better. You’ll notice your energy rising within minutes of drinking it if dehydration is the problem.

Try a healthy snack to get you moving.

If the cold water doesn’t work, follow it up with a healthy snack. You may need a little energy boost. If that doesn’t work, try a psychological approach. Remind yourself who is in charge. Tell yourself that if you go to the gym and don’t feel more energetic after a few minutes you can go home. Usually, a short exercise session can stimulate blood flow and improve circulation. That sends energizing nutrients and oxygen to your entire body to boost your energy level.

Create a shorter version of your workout you can do throughout the day.

Sometimes, the thought of getting changed and putting in 45 minutes to an hour causes the problem. For those days you feel tired all day, doing shortened versions of your workout throughout the day can help. Have five to ten-minute sessions throughout the day. You can do some exercises, like lunges and squats, almost anywhere. You’ll get as much benefit from five 10-minute workouts as you do in one 50-minute session.

  • Only you can tell if you’re physically too tired to workout and know if it’s not just ordinary exhaustion from the day. If you aren’t feeling good, don’t go to the gym. You’ll be doing yourself and others at the gym a favor.
  • When your energy level drops and drinking water doesn’t work, practice belly breathing or deep breathing. Deep breaths can boost your energy and help you throughout the day.
  • Are you getting enough sleep? You may be sleep-deprived if you aren’t sleeping between 7 to 9 hours. Adequate sleep is vital to good health. Lack of sleep causes your body to overproduce the hunger hormone and underproduce the hormone that makes you feel full.
  • Before you decide the gym is off-limits, walk around for a while. Sometimes just moving can make you feel better. Healthcare professionals suggest you get up and move at least five minutes every hour.

For more information, contact us today at Team-ISC


Should You Exercise When Your Muscles Are Sore?

Should You Exercise When Your Muscles Are Sore?

There’s no doubt about it, after a tough day of exercise, your muscles can be sore the next day. People in Sacramento, CA, often forego exercise, while others go at it even harder. Which group is right? One important point is that you shouldn’t do intense exercise two days in a row. You need to allow any micro tears in the muscles to heal. It can be counterproductive. With that said, should you do moderate exercise or should you rest? That all depends on the level of pain you’re experiencing. If it’s extremely unbearable, seek medical attention. It could indicate a serious injury or condition.

Signs that tell you to take a rest may indicate an injury.

How do you know if the pain is unbearable or whether you’re overreacting? Think of it as the difference between sore muscles and jabbing pain. If you have an injury there’s often swelling, constant pain that you can’t relieve, black and blue marks, numbness, or tingling. If the pain is making you sick to your stomach or nauseous when you move, start with home medications like ice packs to reduce swelling. Do not exercise for a couple of days. If it doesn’t get better, or your symptoms are overwhelming, call your healthcare professional or go to an urgent care clinic.

Soreness can be relieved with exercise.

Don’t go to the gym and try to repeat the previous day’s workout, but don’t go to bed. Instead, do active recovery. Active recovery includes walking, swimming, or stretching exercises. If your legs hurt, work on your upper body and vice versa. Mild exercise increases circulation, sending healing nutrient-dense and oxygen-rich blood to the painful area. It’s a form of therapy for sore muscles.

Soreness signals the body it’s getting stronger and is different from pain.

Soreness means you’re doing something right. You’re stressing your muscles to help them adapt and become stronger. Soreness indicates healing and building new muscle tissue. Intense pain that starts several days after you workout is called delayed onset muscle soreness—DOMS. It’s a sign you need to give your muscles a few days of rest. It goes away but takes more time than traditional soreness. Any pain that lasts more than five days needs attention from a healthcare professional.

  • Whether or not you have pain after working out, don’t do the same exercise routine every day. Alternate your workout so you work different body parts or do different types of fitness workouts.
  • Don’t be afraid of soreness. It’s a sign that you’re making progress. Sore muscles are often the cause of quitting exercise when it’s a positive sign that you’re making progress.
  • One study found that soaking in a hot tub can help DOMS. It boosts circulation. A long hot shower or bath can also be helpful. Combine a hot soak, active recovery, and a massage to bring quicker relief.
  • To prevent and help heal muscle pain, eat a healthy diet that provides adequate protein, fruits, and vegetables. Avoid food with added sugar, highly processed, or salty food. Don’t forget to warm up and cool down after a workout.

For more information, contact us today at Team-ISC


The Importance Of Warm-Up And Cool-Down Exercises

The Importance Of Warm-Up And Cool-Down Exercises

People who workout on their own often fail to include warm-up and cool-down exercises. It’s always part of the program at Team-ISC in Sacramento, CA. These are short sessions performed before exercise and immediately following. They serve different purposes and use different styles. Warm-up exercises can be as simple as jumping rope or a brisk walk. Cool-down ones can be stretches or yoga poses.

Warm-up exercises prepare your body for increased effort.

Getting your body into full workout mode without a short warm-up can be a shock to the heart. The warm-up workouts increase circulation slowly. That gradual increase in effort slowly boosts your heart rate and boosts your breathing gradually. It also warms the other muscles of the body to help prevent injury. It starts the process of exercise in the brain to fire the neurons that make your session more productive. It helps prevent a sudden rise in blood pressure, gradually easing you into the intensity of a workout.

A cooling-down session can be used to increase flexibility.

Cool-down exercises gradually slow circulation and allow your blood pressure, heart rate, and temperature to slowly return to normal. Using stretches to cool down can help your fitness program in other ways. Your muscles are warm and more flexible, so it’s the perfect time to do exercises to increase your range of motion. That helps prevent injury in future sessions. Stretching the muscles can also reduce lactic acid and make recovery quicker.

The type of stretching used for each is different.

For warm-up exercises, you use dynamic stretching that involves similar movement to the action you’ll do during your workout. If you’re about to run, a brisk walk is a good example. Cool-down exercises use static stretches. Those are stretch-and-hold style exercises. Seated forward bending to touch the toes, the child pose, and the downward-facing dog are excellent cool-down exercises.

  • Both cool-down and warm-up exercises help reduce lactic acid build-up. Warm-up exercises increase oxygen, which means less lactic acid. Cool-down exercises keep circulation higher to remove lactic acid from the muscles.
  • Warm-up exercises boost your endurance and coordination. You’ll improve your agility, muscle control, and reaction time when you do warm-up exercises.
  • After an intense workout, the muscles are loose and feel almost jelly-like. If you don’t do cool-down exercises, you risk injury from falling. Since the blood pools in the extremities, you also risk fainting.
  • Warming up helps you get your thoughts together and focus more on your workout. It’s a time to switch from other activities to exercise before you increase intensity.

For more information, contact us today at Team-ISC


The Importance Of Mindset For Fitness Success

The Importance Of Mindset For Fitness Success

Not everything about fitness success has to do with the body. Your mindset plays a vital role in it. It’s not just that way in fitness but in every aspect of life. Almost everyone has heard the story of The Little Engine That Could. It’s all about focusing on accomplishing a task and accepting nothing less than success. Everyone knows someone who says they want to get fit, but the moment they face a challenge, they quit. Don’t let that person be you.

Practice exercising in your head.

All physical activities start in the brain. Your brain gives a signal to the muscle to move in a specific way. There are stories of POWs practicing physical challenges, like exercise, in their head while imprisoned. When they were finally released, they were fit and performed better, even though their conditions were horrible. Olympic athletes also use mental imagery and visualization to improve their performance.

Changing your mindset can improve your chances of a better outcome.

When you improve your mindset, you improve your potential for success. It’s not magic or mental mumbo-jumbo. If you believe you can succeed, you’ll keep trying. If you believe you’ll fail, you’ll quit at the first setback or difficult task. After all, why even put in the effort if it won’t make a difference in the outcome? If you dread each visit to the gym because you feel self-conscious or inept, it makes it easier to skip a few sessions and ultimately quit going.

Sometimes your scales lie.

If you’re working out to help you lose weight, track your progress but also use other measurement techniques to keep your mindset positive. There may be a week or two that you don’t lose weight but your measurements show you lost inches. Focus on the inches lost. That means you’re burning fat and building muscle. One cubic inch of fat weighs less than a cubic inch of muscle tissue. If you didn’t lose weight but lost inches instead, you’re still making progress. You have more muscle tissue and less fat. That’s just as important, especially since muscle tissue burns more calories.

  • Give yourself praise every time you do a workout right, make progress, or go to the gym when you don’t want to go. You have to start a workout for that workout to be effective.
  • Leave your negativity outside the gym. Face each workout with a positive attitude. If you do something wrong, don’t beat yourself up, just correct the problem and move on from there.
  • Don’t just focus on the gym to boost your fitness. Do something fun. Go dancing, play team sports, or take the family on a hike. Those things also help you get into shape and make life more fun.
  • Listen to your self-talk. Be kind to yourself. When you achieve a small goal, celebrate it. Reward yourself when you achieve a large goal. Have a workout buddy and celebrate successes together.

For more information, contact us today at Team-ISC


Pros And Cons Of Working Out With A Partner

Pros And Cons Of Working Out With A Partner

It’s not always easy to motivate yourself to go to the gym, which is one reason working out with a partner is a benefit. Other benefits make having a workout buddy seem like the answer, but it’s not always the case. There’s a negative side to it. Having a workout partner has its pros and cons just as everything does. Looking at both sides can help you discover whether it’s right for you.

Partners hold you accountable for showing up and working your hardest.

If you workout alone, skipping a session can be pretty enticing sometimes. A workout partner holds you accountable for going to the gym. They also hold you accountable for working your hardest and sticking with the program in the gym. That sounds pretty good, but what happens if the person holding you accountable is less accountable than you? You have to do the heavy lifting to keep the partnership working out and it can be pretty cumbersome. Choose a workout partner wisely. If you’re both equally motivated, the chances of both of you wanting to goof off at the same time are far less.

A workout partner can create friendly competition.

If you’re competitive, look for a partner with an equal edge. It can make each session a challenge, which can be fun. The more fun you have, the more likely you’ll be to exercise. If your partner wants to give up at the first challenge and you’re competitive, it can make each workout miserable. You must listen to them as they whine and moan at each challenge. It’s enough to make you want to quit, which you’ll probably do.

Having a workout buddy makes the workout safer.

A workout partner can be your spotter when you lift weights. You need a spotter for safety’s sake. They can observe your form and help make corrections. Doing an exercise wrong can cause injury or minimize the benefits. A workout buddy as a running partner can be vital. If there’s an emergency or you have a fall, your partner is there to help. If you run after dark, you’re far safer when there are two of you rather than if you’re alone.

  • Just having someone check your progress by phone or Skype can be a benefit. One study found that when someone called a person once a week to check progress, it increased the chance of continuing by 78%.
  • If your workout partner is part of your social life, you can switch your fun from unhealthy options to healthier ones. Going to the gym instead of stopping at a bar for drinks that are packed on the pounds is a healthier option that can be as much fun.
  • Everyone needs confirmation that they’re doing well. A workout partner can provide accolades when you’ve conquered a tough goal or managed one more set.
  • Workout partners can provide incentives to try new exercises and workout techniques. The best workout partner can be a personal trainer. He is always there and ready to work. He shows you new exercises and the right way to do them.

For more information, contact us today at Team-ISC


Signs You're Working Out Too Much

Signs You’re Working Out Too Much

Sacramento, CA, and the surrounding area have some of the most “can-do” determined people in the world. They put their heart into everything they do. I’ve met quite a few at Team ISC. Many people come here to start a program of fitness. Occasionally, we get someone who is seasoned, but not making the progress they want. They’re pushing it to the limit, but instead of getting fitter, they seem to lose muscle and endurance. I immediately recognized that as one of the signs they are working out too much.

It doesn’t happen very often, but you can push too hard.

Every vocation and advocation has people who are overachievers. That’s a great quality, but when they’re trying to get fitter, it can work against you and slow progress to your goals. Your muscles need time to rest and repair after an intense workout. Strength training causes microtears in muscles. They heal to create mini scars that build muscle and strength. For strength training, that repair takes 48-72 hours. The more intense the workout, the longer the repair time. Give it time to heal instead of constantly re-tearing the muscle.

Your body will constantly fight to repair itself and that causes stress.

Not only will your progress slow or even reverse, but over-exercising can leave your body in a constant state of stress. Stress can affect your immune system. It leaves you more prone to colds, flu, and other illnesses. Exercise normally burns off stress hormones, but if it’s too strenuous, too frequent, or too long, it can cause more stress. During muscle repair, your immune system isn’t as efficient. It may take as long as 72 hours to get it back to normal after an intense workout. If you do intense workouts daily, you won’t have time to recover and are more prone to illness.

Several other signs may appear if you over-exercise.

Mood swings can be an obvious sign of someone over-exercising. It can cause anxiety, irritability, confusion, anger, and depression. Over-exercising can also cause chronic fatigue and delayed recovery time. If you aren’t recovering as quickly as usual or feel exhausted following a workout when you used to feel great, you might be pushing yourself too hard.

  • Instead of hitting the gym every day, workout two to three days a week and do recovery exercises like moderate walking on the other days. If it’s continued for a while, cut back on all activities and rest.
  • Get more rest. Your body heals when you sleep. Too much exertion can affect your sleep pattern negatively. Insomnia is another sign of too much exercise. Muscle loss, belly fat accumulation, and decreased thyroid output are also signs.
  • Track your resting heart rate. A high resting heart rate indicates you’re over-exercising. If you’re fit, it should be between 40-60 bpm. If it jumps to 75 bpm or higher, it’s time to take a break.
  • If you do strength training daily, alternate between upper, lower, and core muscles. We can help you with a program that works you to your maximum potential but never too hard.

For more information, contact us today at Team-ISC


The Best Outdoor Exercise For Fall

The Best Outdoor Exercise For Fall

Getting outdoor exercise in Sacramento, CA, in the fall can be extremely pleasant. The weather is cooler and it isn’t the rainy season yet, although the winter fog season has started. It’s the perfect time to get out in nature and enjoy the changing of colors and beauty. Capitol Park is an excellent place to start. Take a walk and enjoy the history of this 40-acre area. Each section has a story to tell. You’ll be getting fresh air and some sunshine before the clouds of winter bring rain.

Ride your bike or hike the trails of a park.

Lake Natoma is a good place to pedal your way to health and absorb the inspiration that such beauty holds. It offers both hiking and biking paths. You’ll see a vivid display of color from the changing leaves as you pedal through the park. The background of the peaceful lake adds to the scenery. Pack a healthy lunch and enjoy the day with your family or friends. The relaxation and exercise from the hike or ride provide the perfect combination for good health.

Pick your snacks and get more exercise.

Visit the apple orchards at Apple Hill. Apple Hill is in the Sierra Nevada Mountains foothills and offers pumpkin patches, vineyards, and apple orchards. You can pick your apples straight off the trees in the orchard. The walking, picking, and carrying the bag provides exercise. If you’re just starting your fitness regimen or plan on picking several bags of apples, find an orchard that provides wagons for those who need them. If you have young children, it’s a good idea to have a wagon to transport them when they’re tired.

Halloween may be over, but a walk in a spooky area is always in season.

Going to Old Sacramento is always fun, but when you make your main destination the Haunted Fort in Old Sacramento, you’ll get a chance to learn history, while enjoying a few spooky stories. The fort is in the State Historic Park. It’s been around since the early 1900s and was a military base during the gold rush days. There are many legends surrounding the fort. You’ll learn those and other interesting, yet spooky, facts taking a walking tour. There are even tunnels under the fort that will give you goosebumps. Put on your running shoes—just in case!

  • If you want to test your endurance, sign up for the Apple Hill Harvest Run. It’s a 3.6-mile run across the beautiful countryside with tasty rewards for those who finish.
  • Take your exercise outside. Instead of working out inside, find a place outside where you can do your exercises and breathe in the fresh air as you do. You’ll also do some grounding if the area has grass and you exercise barefoot.
  • Exercising outside can help reverse mental burnout and bring stress relief. It doesn’t matter whether you’re riding a bike, walking, or doing calisthenics. Jumping rope is an activity for inside or outside that will increase your heart rate and get you into shape quickly.
  • If Rover is getting pudgy, take him for a run with you. Walking and running your dog helps you both burn calories and get into shape. If Rover hasn’t been on long walks for a while, start him off easy, and the same goes for you.

For more information, contact us today at Team-ISC


Treats You Can Have In Moderation

Treats You Can Have In Moderation

Holidays and delicious treats go together. It’s part of Americana. Learning the treats you can have in moderation that won’t break the calorie budget can be a real benefit during holiday time. It lets you make the smartest decisions when you choose your food, especially if you’re going to splurge a little. Choose treats with portion sizes that keep the calorie count to 100-200 calories. Even if you ate one daily, it may slow weight loss efforts, but won’t stop progress completely.

Who says treats can’t be healthy?

When you think of treats, you usually think of sugary snacks made from processed white flour. That isn’t always the case. Some treats can be healthy options, but ones that add a few additional calories. Cooked-then chilled—baby asparagus with lemon butter dipping sauce is one of those examples. If you go heavy on the lemon and light on the butter, lemon-butter asparagus easily fits into your healthy eating plan. Another healthy option is fresh veggies and dip. Make a lower-calorie dip and you can make this treat a daily option.

Nuts may be higher in calories, but they’re filling and healthy options.

It’s easy to misjudge the amount of nuts you eat and why packing them in individual serving sizes is best. A bag of nuts may contain 16 ounces. If you only eat a one ounce serving, you’ll consume approximately 200 calories. What if you ate the whole bag or even half the bag? It’s easy to do. You’d consume between 1600 and 3200 calories, enough for two days’ worth of meals. Divide the bag into serving sizes and put those in individual plastic bags.

Fruit, nuts, and veggies are okay, but what if you miss cake?

Knowledge is king when it comes to eating healthy. Angel cake is truly an angel to dieters. Slice a 12-ounce angel cake into twelve servings. Each one is just 72 calories. You can make it even more special by slicing strawberries on top and putting two tablespoons of aerosol whipped topping on it. Eight large, sliced strawberries are 66 calories, and 2-T of aerosol topping is 20 calories.

  • Make trail mix and bag it in 100-200 calorie serving sizes. You can include dried fruit, nuts, pretzels, popcorn, and even bits of semi-sweet chocolate. Make sure the chocolate is high in cacao and low in sugar.
  • Microwave popcorn is another safe treat you can eat in moderation. Make it yourself by putting 1 ½ T of popcorn in a microwavable bowl with a loose lid. Three cups are just 72 calories. Spice it up with popcorn toppings.
  • Make a healthy parfait. Put a layer of plain Greek yogurt, fresh or frozen fruit, and a half banana. Top with another layer of yogurt and a handful of nuts. Put the lid on it and store it in the refrigerator for snacks. It’s approximately 120 calories.
  • Melt dark chocolate bits or a chocolate square high in cacao in the microwave and dip fresh strawberries. You can even freeze a half banana on a stick for dipping.

For more information, contact us today at Team-ISC