Total Gym

Total Gym Weekly Workout, Rotary Stability

Total Gym Weekly Workout, Rotary Stability – Build core strength and stability to help you perform at your best in any activity or sport.

Happy Monday everyone!

Who’s a baseball fan? What an exciting World Series so far!  Maybe football is more your thing?  The 5th NFL International Series was played Sunday, 83,000 fans descended on Wembley Stadium.

Weather playing sports or watching these exercises will channel the inner athlete in us all.

GRAVITYPick_Rotary Stability

Our GRAVITY trainers make these exercises look effortless, but believe me this is a tough workout. Work at your own pace and add new challenges when you master the beginning levels.

Tara’s Friday Bite: Nutrition’s Four Letter Word "CARB"

In the past few years, carbohydrates have really taken a beating in the nutrition community. So much in fact that right now there is a man in Washington that is living off of nothing but potatoes for the next 60 days! He is hoping to prove that they are nutritious and defend their honor. That’s a little extreme for me so I’m just going to blog about it!

First, let’s talk about what a carbohydrate is. A carbohydrate is a string of sugars. As a carbohydrate goes through the digestive process, this string is broken down into single sugars so they can enter the blood stream. At this point it is called blood sugar.

So if all carbohydrates are going to be broken down into the same thing, why would you ever pick an apple over a piece of chocolate cake? Well, the difference is the speed at which the carbohydrate is broken down into a single sugar. When carbohydrates break down too fast, and you don’t need all of that energy, it will most likely be stored as fat.  On the flip side, if you starve your body of carbohydrates it will begin to break down your hard earned muscle in order to get the energy it needs.

From a general health and weight management standpoint, you want this carb sugar to be present in the blood stream but the speed of the breakdown to be slower.

Here are three main things that impact the breakdown of carbohydrates:

• Fiber – The more fiber the slower the breakdown.
• Type of sugar – Fructose, found in fruit, breaks down slower than Sucrose, found in table sugar. (Note: Fructose is not to be confused with High Fructose Corn Syrup. That’s a whole different story for another day)
• The extent to which the carbohydrate has been processed – If you can recognize the food from nature it will most likely break down slowly. If it is shaped like a cartoon animal or begins with “Mc” it will most likely break down very quickly.

Carbohydrates that break down slowly tend to be called “good” and carbohydrates that break down quickly tend to be called “bad.” I don’t really like this terminology because, like the crazy potato guy, I feel all food serves a purpose. Instead, try “long term energy carbs” and “short term energy carbs.” The long term energy carbs are best for your main meals and snacks when you need sustained energy. The short term energy carbs are best during or after a very intense workout when you need to refuel your energy stores quickly.

I’ve mostly discussed the role of carbohydrates in energy, but they are also where we get the majority of our essential vitamins and minerals. If you completely cut them out of the equation you will first notice that you start to get sick more often. As time goes on you are at risk for developing a deficiency and causing permanent damage to your immune system.

Although “no-carb” diets are somewhat mainstream, they use the same mentality as the guy who is eating only potatoes – extreme and ultimately unhealthy. I encourage you to think about what you are eating at each of your meals and be sure to pair a healthy carbohydrate with a lean protein. It will be a delicious combination and ensure you are eating a balanced diet!

Tara Coleman www.taracoleman.com

Tara Coleman is a Clinical Nutritionist living in San Diego, CA. She blogs for Total Gym Inside twice a month with “Tara’s Friday Bite.” Leave us your comments with ideas for future topics or email Tara directly at tara@taracoleman.com.

Tara’s Friday Bite: Nutrition’s Four Letter Word “CARB”

In the past few years, carbohydrates have really taken a beating in the nutrition community. So much in fact that right now there is a man in Washington that is living off of nothing but potatoes for the next 60 days! He is hoping to prove that they are nutritious and defend their honor. That’s a little extreme for me so I’m just going to blog about it!

First, let’s talk about what a carbohydrate is. A carbohydrate is a string of sugars. As a carbohydrate goes through the digestive process, this string is broken down into single sugars so they can enter the blood stream. At this point it is called blood sugar.

So if all carbohydrates are going to be broken down into the same thing, why would you ever pick an apple over a piece of chocolate cake? Well, the difference is the speed at which the carbohydrate is broken down into a single sugar. When carbohydrates break down too fast, and you don’t need all of that energy, it will most likely be stored as fat.  On the flip side, if you starve your body of carbohydrates it will begin to break down your hard earned muscle in order to get the energy it needs.

From a general health and weight management standpoint, you want this carb sugar to be present in the blood stream but the speed of the breakdown to be slower.

Here are three main things that impact the breakdown of carbohydrates:

• Fiber – The more fiber the slower the breakdown.
• Type of sugar – Fructose, found in fruit, breaks down slower than Sucrose, found in table sugar. (Note: Fructose is not to be confused with High Fructose Corn Syrup. That’s a whole different story for another day)
• The extent to which the carbohydrate has been processed – If you can recognize the food from nature it will most likely break down slowly. If it is shaped like a cartoon animal or begins with “Mc” it will most likely break down very quickly.

Carbohydrates that break down slowly tend to be called “good” and carbohydrates that break down quickly tend to be called “bad.” I don’t really like this terminology because, like the crazy potato guy, I feel all food serves a purpose. Instead, try “long term energy carbs” and “short term energy carbs.” The long term energy carbs are best for your main meals and snacks when you need sustained energy. The short term energy carbs are best during or after a very intense workout when you need to refuel your energy stores quickly.

I’ve mostly discussed the role of carbohydrates in energy, but they are also where we get the majority of our essential vitamins and minerals. If you completely cut them out of the equation you will first notice that you start to get sick more often. As time goes on you are at risk for developing a deficiency and causing permanent damage to your immune system.

Although “no-carb” diets are somewhat mainstream, they use the same mentality as the guy who is eating only potatoes – extreme and ultimately unhealthy. I encourage you to think about what you are eating at each of your meals and be sure to pair a healthy carbohydrate with a lean protein. It will be a delicious combination and ensure you are eating a balanced diet!

Tara Coleman www.taracoleman.com

Tara Coleman is a Clinical Nutritionist living in San Diego, CA. She blogs for Total Gym Inside twice a month with “Tara’s Friday Bite.” Leave us your comments with ideas for future topics or email Tara directly at tara@taracoleman.com.

Fitness Wisdom Wednesday: Total Gym Training for Ballroom Dancers

Here’s a guest post from GRAVITY certified personal trainer, Lee Stover. Lee is also an amateur ballroom dancing competitor. With the popularity of ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” and the growing interest in ballroom dancing for fitness, Lee shares his story and tips for aspiring dancers to enhance their flexibility and strength on Total Gym.

I began my athletic career in grade school playing football and baseball. I competed in both sports through high school. After earning a football scholarship to Oklahoma State University, I dislocated my shoulder and tore an ACL in my second year. I successfully rehabilitated both injuries and played for two more years. In 1976, I started competing as an amateur ballroom dancer but I wasn’t seeing the shape and definition that I wanted.

I didn’t begin using Total Gym until years later. I was getting sedentary and fat. I also added a partially torn rotator cuff to my injury list. I needed help.

That’s when my son convinced me to buy a Total Gym. This was one of the best decisions I ever made.

The Total Gym didn’t aggravate any of my prior injuries. Instead, it helped me gain strength and flexibility; plus, I lost 30 pounds. In 2003, I started ballroom dancing again and have been using Total Gym to gain more strength and flexibility on the dance floor.

Here are my 5 training tips for aspiring ballroom dancers:

1. Get Quality Instruction – As a guideline, if you enjoy watching an instructor’s style and technique when they dance, take a private lesson with them.
2. Have Fun – Ballroom dance lessons can cost $50 to $100 for a private session. Although pricey, you’ll get the value of private instruction and a great workout. Have fun!
3. Use Visualization – I work with Dr. Ann Taylor, a sports psychologist. Dr. Taylor showed me research confirming that during visualization, the brain sends small impulses to the appropriate muscles. Imagine the practice you can log with no errors and no fatigue!
4. Practice – Enough said.
5. Increase Your Strength and Flexibility – Every Total Gym exercise stretches and tones your body. I now use a Total Gym GTS and recommend any Total Gym model for dancers and even athletes. USE IT!

Here are 4 Total Gym exercises that I use to strengthen and stretch my hamstrings for ballroom dancing.

Respectfully,

Lee Stover

Lee is a Personal Trainer for Performance Enhancement Institute, Inc. in Tulsa, Oklahoma and is certified to instruct GRAVITYPersonal Training and GRAVITYPilates on Total Gym. Additionally, Lee has competed as an amateur ballroom dancer since 1976.

Total Gym Weekly Workout – Upper Body Pump

Total Gym Weekly Workout – Upper Body Pump, this is the 5 minute workout to get you pumped!

Have you seen our YouTube channels? Check us out for more great exercise videos Total Gym.  To view more accessories visit www.efisportsmedicine.com.

Total Gym Weekly Workout – The Campanaro Bellringer on Total Gym – China Fit 2010 Demo

Total Gym Weekly Workout – The Campanaro Bellringer on Total Gym – China Fit 2010 Demo

Testimonial: High School Graduation Video Kick Starts Jason William Egroff's Weight Loss Journey

We recently heard from Total Gym user Jason William Egroff on our Facebook page. We were so inspired by his personal mission to drop over 75 pounds through diet and exercise on Total Gym that we asked him to write for Total Gym Inside. Here’s his story…

In summer 2003, I was very frustrated about my body. I had just graduated from high school and the graduation video footage finally arrived in the mail. I popped the tape in the player to relive one of the happiest days in my life. What I saw shocked me. Seeing the blatant truth on tape of how overweight I was finally hit me. That day I decided to change it.

That summer I began an intense diet plan. Basically, I survived on hearty salads for months. By the end of the summer, I had shed around 40 lbs. It was a good start. I continued on a strict diet and workout routine for the following years. In 2006, I had pretty much reached my goal of 160 – 170 lbs. I was satisfied but not totally satisfied. It would take the Total Gym to make that happen.

In summer 2008, I was sick and tired of the loose, flabby skin left over from my weight loss around my mid-section. I had seen the infomercials for Total Gym more times than I could count. I love and respect Chuck Norris and understand his true caring for people. His story of being an overweight kid touched me beyond words. In 2009, I saw the Total Gym being sold on QVC at an amazing value. This was the opportunity I was waiting for. I picked one up that day.

And what an amazing investment it was! The day it arrived in the mail, I began using it. Assembly is a breeze. You literally take it out of the box and start using it. A month or two into using it I began to see serious results—more cuts in my upper abs and toning in my trouble area (lower abs). Previous to getting the Total Gym, I was seriously considering getting a tummy tuck. After about a year of using the Total Gym, I can see that it won’t be necessary.  I believe, with sticking to my routine and eating healthy (which is easy for me now), I’ll have the six-pack that I’ve always dreamed about in the old days.

But none of it would have been possible without the Total Gym. Five to ten minutes of intense training a day on this machine will do miracles for your body. DON’T GET RISKY MEDICAL PROCEDURES DONE! Just get a Total Gym.

Thank you,

- Jason William Egroff

Do you have a Total Gym success story to share? Please email your story to TotalGymBlog@totalgym.com.