Total Gym

AVOID EXERCISE BURNOUT BY CHANGING UP YOUR WORKOUT ROUTINE

Summer is here and no doubt you’ve been working out for months prepping for bathing suit season. But chances are, by now, you’re growing bored with your workout routine.  And when it comes to fitness, boredom = burnout  and that does not bode well for your body.

To keep things interesting, add variety to your Total Gym workout routine by getting creative with new exercise combinations, music or a change of scenery.

Music:

If you don’t normally workout with music, try. Recent studies and research suggest that working out with music not only improves your mental acuity while you train, but also helps you train longer and harder since you’re more focused on the rhythm of the music than the difficulty of your exercises.

Avoid predictability by mixing things up on your MP3 player.  While you may have a favorite artist or band, listening to just one record will not result in waking up your fitness routine. Create playlists with various artists and songs with different beats. An unexpected change in tempo can rev up your workout and challenge you without you even realizing. Don’t have an MP3 player, no worries, a radio is the original ipod shuffle.

Change of Scenery:

A change of scenery is also key. Although we know you love working out at home on your Total Gym, it’s Summer! So take advantage of the beautiful, warm weather. There’s nothing like taking a workout outdoors for a change of pace and fresh air.  Indulge in outdoor activities like volleyball, swimming or softball.

Can’t bare to tear yourself away from your Total Gym completely – there’s a compromise. Spend 10 minutes on your Total Gym for a quick tone-up and then take your workout for a walk, run or light jog outside to boost your cardio. t’s a great way to spend some time on the Total Gym for a quick 10 minute tone up, then take the workout outside for the cardio portion.

New Exercise Combinations:

You don’t ever need to get off your Total Gym to get a great workout, but you can…

Get “off the board” in-between Total Gym sets and add functional exercises like squats, skaters and lunges to your workout. Adding hand weights, kettle bells or Plyo Balls as you perform these will further challenge you and create a more exciting and intense workout.

Don’t believe us? Then just give this workout a shot:

*Perform each exercise for 1 min

*proceed to the next exercise with little or no rest.

*TG is set to a Mid to High level with the squat stand connected.

On Total Gym:

1. Jump Squats

2. Splits Jumps

3. Pendulum Jumps

4. Side-to-Side Ski Hops

Repeat two times 

8 minutes total

Off Total Gym:

1. Jack Squats (for beginners you can also so Plyo Jacks)

2. Skaters

Repeat two times 

4 minutes total

On Total Gym:

1. Mogel Hops

2. Single Leg Mogel Hops

3. Single Leg Hops

4. Side Lying Single Leg Jumps – Right Leg

5. Mogel Hops

6.  Single Leg Mogel Hops

7. Single Leg Hops

8. Side Lying Single Leg Jumps – LeftLeg

8 minutes total

Off Total Gym:

1. Jump Lunges (or regular Alternating Leg Lunges without jumping)

2. High Knees (to decrease intensity try High Knee Raises)

Repeat two times 

4 minutes total

 

Total Workout Time: 24 minutes if no rest is taken. ( To be safe, plan for 30 minutes)

 

Workout and tips provided by Total Gym Inside Blog Contributor, Maria Sollon Scally.

 

Maria Sollon Scally MS, CSCS holds a Masters Degree in Performance Enhancement/ Injury Prevention and Kinesiology.  She has obtained numerous certifications in various areas of fitness and is a national fitness conference presenter. Maria specializes in Pilates, Performance Coaching, and Corrective Exercise Techniques. She is a Master Trainer for Total Gym, Resist-a-Ball, Body Blade, and MVe Peak Pilates.  Maria teaches traditional and progressive fitness classes throughout Southeast Florida.  She has also added her own brand of classes suited for her more advanced training clients.  Maria is also active in free lance writing for Fitness accredited magazines. www.groovysweat.com

 

TOTAL GYM INSIDE – WAREHOUSE WORKOUTS

At Total Gym, our mission is this: Helping millions of people get healthier! And we’re starting with ourselves…

Of course we work out using our own Total Gym equipment and GRAVITY programming, but we also like to try other types of workouts  - as they say- variety is the spice of life.

To keep things interesting Scott Lord, our Physical Therapy Sales Associate, has introduced our team to CrossFit style workouts in our warehouse. 

The interesting thing about these workouts is the “challenge” aspect. We find ourselves constantly challenging each other and ourselves to better our performance.

Whether trying to complete sets faster, do more cycles in the allotted time or just keep up or surpass our fellow colleagues, the challenge keeps us motivated and that motivation keeps us improving.  sets faster, do more cycles in the allotted time.

But the same could be said for business. In fact, it often has:

“Our business in life is not to get ahead of others but to get ahead of ourselveses. To break our own record, to outstrip our yesterday by our today, to do our work with more force and finer finish than ever, this is the true idea, to get ahead of ourselves” – Stewart B. Johnson

We live in a competitive world. Whether its competing for business, a job or a sport – competition is unavoidable.

Why not use it to become the best that WE can be – as a business, as a team and as individuals – this is our mentality everyday. There is no downside to competing if it makes us better in the end.

So as we continue our warehouse workouts, we’ll focus on doing and being the best we can. We’ll try a little harder with each day, dig a little deeper within ourselves and mark our growth as we go along. We’ll challenge ourselves to do better than the week before and in this way, we’ll always be moving forward, both in our health and our business.

Now we challenge you to do the same…

 

Giving “Thanks” Where it is Due…

I was recently inducted in to the National Fitness Hall of Fame along with some of my fellow fitness professionals, Brenda Dykgraaf, Clyde Emrich and Anibal Lopez, whom I hold in high esteem. It is an honor that I am truly thankful for, especially since inductees are chosen based on a public vote – so a sincere “Thank You,” to everyone who voted for me. It is a blessing from above to have your product and passion recognized.

But kudos should really go to Mr. John Figerelli, creator of the National Fitness Hall of Fame. A veteran in the fitness industry himself, John began his career in 1981 teaching the then-popular, Slimnastics and Men’s Fitness classes at local park districts. He went on to earn his official certification as a Health-Fitness Instructor with the prestigious American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) in 1991 and later created the NU-SHAPE Weight-Loss & Fitness Program and in 2004.

However, several years ago, John found that little was being done to recognize and remember the efforts that so many have made promoting health and fitness to the American public. So in December of 2004, in order to preserve the history of the fitness industry, John founded The National Fitness Hall of Fame & Museum (NFHOF&M) to provide both a physical and virtual place where the lifelong efforts of individuals and organizations are acknowledged and showcased.

Today, the museum houses the most extensive collection of fitness artifacts, products and memorabilia dating back to the 19th Century. It highlights the careers of industry pioneers such as Joe Weider, Bob Hoffman, Charles Atlas with his “Dynamic Tension” program, Betty Weider (then Betty Brosmer), Jacki Sorensen, who coined the term “Aerobic Dancing” and Judi Sheppard Missett, who trademarked Jazzercise®.

Without these fitness trailblazers, who first opened up people’s minds to the concept of bettering one’s physical health and well-being through exercise, Total Gym would not exist. And without the efforts of John Figerelli, their stories and the evolution of our industry would not be immortalized forever so that millions of generations can continue to be inspired to carry on the tradition of physical fitness.

TOTAL GYM INSIDE: DREAMS ARE WHAT YOU MAKE OF THEM

Walt Disney once said, “If you can dream it, you can do it.” I’ve found this to be true, but what he didn’t say is how much work goes into achieving a dream, something I know very well from experience and something I was recently reminded of.

Years ago, my daughter Shanan said “If I marry Nick it will be on Gili Meno.”

“Where I said?”

“Gili Meno. It’s just a two hour boat ride south of Bali.”

Well I’d heard of Bali, but Gile Meno? Turns out it’s a very small Indonesian island that you can walk around  in less than an hour.

A few years and a proposal later, my wife and I, joined by a few friends and family, watched as Shanan married Nick along the scenic shores of Gili Meno – the wedding she’d dreamed of.

You can imagine the amount of work that went into planning a wedding on such a remote island from our home base here in San Diego, but somehow we pulled it off, or more specifically, Shanan and my wife, Joy, pulled it off. From halfway around the world, and with the help of the fantastic Oberoi Hotels & Resorts, they managed to plan every detail from the flowers at the ceremony to the cake at the reception on Lombock island, a 15 minute boat ride from the ceremony.

What was once just a dream, became one of the most magnificent and memorable weddings I’ve ever attended.

Likewise, as I look back on almost 40 years in the fitness business, from the day when Total Gym was just a dream to where we stand today, a global leader in the industry, I can think of many, many people who dedicated their time and considerable talents to making Total Gym the success I  always knew it could be. From all the employees we’ve had over the years to national dealers and international distributors like, Perform Better, Patterson Medical, Dynatronics , HQH fitness, Physical Company and Total Gym Germany and of course all of our customers – all I can say is Thank You for helping me reach my dream.

 

 

 

 

TUESDAY TESTIMONIAL: GRAVITY “LIVESTRONG” AT THE YMCA IN SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.

In November 2012, the Saratoga Regional YMCA kicked off its pilot session of the GRAVITY “LIVESTRONG at the YMCA” program. “LIVESTRONG at the YMCA” is a 12-week small group exercise program for adults affected by cancer, under the guidance of specially trained health and wellness staff, and offered at no cost.

 

“We welcomed six survivors to our program and within the first few classes, realized we wanted to keep the group together during class as often as possible, but with such varying ability and fitness levels, it was difficult to do.

One of our instructors asked the group one day if they’d be willing to try GRAVITY on our Total Gym machines and they jumped on the opportunity. After one 30-minute session on the machines they were sold – and so were we! Total Gym machines allowed all the survivors to participate in the same activities, at the same time while remaining at their own ability and comfort level.  GRAVITY quickly became a staple of the program and several of the survivors plan to continue GRAVITY classes at our facility post-program.” –  Melissa McCreary, Group Health & Wellness Director

 

“GRAVITY makes me feel younger – it allows me to do so much more on the machine like jumping and leg work that I cannot normally do because of my feet and balance issues. It leveled the playing field for all of us survivors. We could all do the same activity at the same time. Not to mention, it’s fun!” – Mary (survivor)

 

“In addition to being a good time, it’s a great workout. My mastectomy and reconstruction rendered my upper body weak. However after a few sessions on the Total Gym machines, I was able to increase my range of motion and strength. It’s a great alternative to the basic nautilus machines and free weights.” – Tracey (survivor)

TOTAL GYM INSIDER QUOTE

A little Monday motivation…

“There are only two options regarding commitment. You’re either in or you’re out. There’s no such thing as life in-between.”

-       Pat Riely

HELP ALANA WIN THE TITLE OF “BEST PEE WEE GOLF SWING”

Check out the golf swing on this lil’ girl….

That’s Alana Kutt, the 7-year-old future LPGA superstar and our very own, Consumer Sales Specialist, Matt Kutt’s little daughter showing off her very professional looking golf swing.

Help her win the  Little Linksters “Best Pee Wee Golf Swing” contest by liking her YouTube video below.

 

In order to win, Alana’s video needs to get as many “Likes” & Views as possible. So feel free to share this link with all of your friends and family on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest!