All posts by NTrainers

Should You Wear BJJ Gi Brands?

November 5, 2020

 

Martial arts are encoded into our DNA. Fighting is a natural thing that occurs everywhere we look around. Different species have different fighting strategies.

Wolves attack each other by biting, and bears do the same thing. Deer and elk, on the other hand, use their antlers and butt their heads toward one another. The same thing is true for humans. When we did not know how to use tools, sticks, and stones, we fought with our hands.

As time went on, people started to perfect their striking, kicking, and takedown techniques. From all the martial arts, one prevails and that is jiu-jitsu. Using techniques from Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu will take care of an opponent quickly. It is the most effective martial art since you can outperform and defeat an opponent much heavier and stronger than you. View this link for more info https://evolve-mma.com/blog/7-reasons-everyone-train-brazilian-jiu-jitsu/.

Why is BJJ so effective?

Back in the 90s, people had tons of questions about which martial art was the best. Before that, there were years of boasting that Judo, aikido, karate, kickboxing, Muay Thai, sambo, or wrestling being the best. But none of those martial arts were put up to a test. The UFC started as a competition between fighters from different backgrounds.

There were no weight limits, and anyone could fight anyone. For everyone watching, the first event was like magic. Royce Gracie was a student of jiu-jitsu, and he won the tournament, even though he was a hundred pounds lighter than all his opponents.

It was like watching a movie directed in Hollywood, but it was real life. It was the first time that people saw how technique beats brute force. Ever since then, the dominating background for many champions has been jiu-jitsu.

You cannot expect to succeed in the sport of MMA without advanced knowledge of chokes, holds, and transitions. A few years ago, Conor McGregor was the face of the MMA world, and he was a fantastic striker. He climbed to the top quite fast with his knockout power, but then he faced tougher competition.

When he faced Nate Diaz and Khabib Nurmagomedov, he lost due to their superior jiu-jitsu techniques. Even if we transfer this to real life, most fights on the street end up being on the ground. If you face multiple attackers, their main goal will be to take you down and kick you.

If you are good at defending takedowns, you will be able to run away or keep the fight standing where you might have more of a chance. If it is a one-on-one fight, then you will be in control since you’ll have more knowledge about how the situation might progress.

What about the Gi?

Gi has a rich history. It was adopted from traditional Japanese martial arts and transferred into Judo, which is the basis of BJJ. It is a white uniform that is made from heavy cotton. It serves many purposes and every student in a jiu-jitsu class wears one.

When everyone wears the same thing, it brings you closer. You are all part of the same group, and that creates uniformity. Everyone is in the dojo to learn, and you leave the ego at the door. The white color symbolizes simplicity, purity, and the integrity of the art.

Everyone starts from a white belt, and as you demonstrate your proficiency in the art, the colors get darker and darker, all the way to black. This brings in a hierarchy in training. Those who are a higher level than you show you that you can be in their place if you devote time and effort. Everyone wants to become a black belt one day, but it takes years and sometimes even decades to get to that spot.

Why is wearing a Gi practical?

The Gi is standard fashion from 19th century Japan. That is how people walked on the street. If you look closely, it resembles a suit. You can check here for more info. The Gi consists of a woven cotton jacket, pants, and a belt. It restricts movement, and it was made from tougher materials to withstand all the throws and pulls that occur during training.

People often wonder whether they should buy a branded Gi. That depends on how much time you have been training. If you are a complete beginner, it pays off to start with something that will help you train. It is natural for your first one to get torn apart. However, if you have been training for more than a year, it makes sense to invest in something from Hyperfly, Howard Combat Kimonos, or Shoyoroll. These brands are the BJJ equivalents of Nike, Adidas, and Reebok.

Additionally, it has become standard practice for some schools to train without a Gi, that is called No-Gi. The basis behind this transition is that wearing regular clothes will be a better simulation for when you get attacked on the street. That is simply not true.

In these sessions, people come in wearing shorts and tight shirts. These do not allow you or your opponent to use the clothes that you might be wearing out in public. It is much more logical to be in jeans and a coat in the street, rather than shorts and a tight shirt.

The coat and jeans restrict your movement much more than a pair of shorts. When you think about it, coats and Gi’s are pretty much the same, and only the former is a bit more modern. The same throws that work when an opponent is dressed in the traditional uniform will do if they are wearing a jacket.

If you plan on competing, then wearing white cotton is a must. You cannot compete if you don’t have a full uniform. The only place where No-Gi is useful is in the MMA ring.

The tradition

Many new students start to complain that white Gi is not fashionable. That is good because fashion never was the foundation upon which this martial art was based on. Whenever you see a team in sports competing from a country, they all wear the same clothes.

It is not about fashion. It is about uniformity. You know the place where you belong, and that is with your team. Additionally, these uniforms represent purity. White is the color that means living a clean life, and it also represents progress.

It puts you in the spotlight where you want to become the best version of yourself for your family and your friends. Also, it helps you to avoid communication with your ego and keep it in check. It is constantly reminding you that you started as a beginner.

It is the same uniform that a white belt and black belt wear. Even if you have a high rank, there is always going to be someone better than you. The Gi represents tradition, realism, and the history of the martial art. Everyone from the same school aim to become better in some way.

You learn how to handle defeat, and that is extremely important in life. In BJJ, you will get choked out by people, both better and worse than you. It is essential to know how to shake their hand afterward and learn from the experience. Life is going to do the same thing to all of us, but we all need to rise to the occasion and handle it with grace.

Getting There Physically

October 29, 2020

Why you haven’t gotten where you want to be

You already have enough information. My clients don’t come to work with me because they don’t know what to eat or how to exercise. They come to me because no matter how many times they try, they cannot get themselves to apply what they know, take action, and stick with it. If you are anything like them you are frustrated and tired because you thought that if you finally found the perfect diet or 90-day challenge, you would have hit your goal by now. But it isn’t what you know. It isn’t what you try. What determines whether or not you finally get yourself to the result you want is what goes on in your brain. This is why people hire coaches.
An effective coach will show you exactly where all your limiting beliefs are and how they are leading directly to the results you have now.
An effective coach will teach you how to work through those thought structures and build belief systems that actually serve your goal.
An effective coach will teach you that failure is inevitable and necessary for success and help you learn how to fail toward results.
An effective coach will teach you how to believe in yourself.
An effective coach will help you learn how to become the type of person who maintains your desired result without even batting an eye.
Because it isn’t that you never knew what to do. It’s that you quit before you got to the end. And the only thing that determines whether or not you quit, is how you think about your journey.
Ready to start your journey?  Contact Andrea today!

Back To Exercise Safely

Getting Back Safely

justin

Its okay to not be okay. Just because we have been in this situation for 7 months does not mean you should have mastered it.
  • Ease your way back into your fitness journey.
  • Find your safe spaces.
  • Treat your body and mind with grace.
  • The time off doesn’t mean you have to come roaring back. Find your footing. You can go further, longer and faster through a consistent process of progression. Ask for help no matter what level you are in your journey. Great coaching will always help you.

Benefits of Using Weighted Vest for Your Training

September 26, 2020

Using A Weighted Vest for During Training

Fitness enthusiasts who like to burn calories are often involved in different kinds of exercises. These can be walking, running, or hitting the gym. Exercises such as walking or running are high-calorie burning but if you like to go a notch higher by adding a strengthening element to the mix, then, a weighted vest will be of interest to you.

What is a Weighted Vest?

Just like the name suggests, these are exercise jackets that have small removable weights in them. They help increase resistance and so are great for cardio conditioning. They can sit over the shoulder, back, chest and core almost like a life vest used in swimming or as bulletproof. The amount of weight it will carry can vary based on the product that you purchase though most will be able to accommodate extra if you need to add them.

The more the weight is used, the more the resistance you will experience. They are great for plyometrics, weight training and cardiovascular workouts.

These vests are of two types; the full body and the shoulder.

Full body weighted vests typically have openings and capacity to carry more weight. They are also heavier than the shoulder vest and the weights are distributed more evenly around the body. This type is good for building strength, muscle mass and can also be used to build endurance and stamina. They are designed to sit tight and fit the body so that the extra mass will not affect movement but will naturally follow the body’s gravitational pull. The weight range for this type is usually between 10kg to 40kg.

Shoulder weighted vests on the other hand are not as heavy as the full-body variant. They are designed as shoulder straps and are useful for activities like running or walking. Their weight range is between 1kg and 10kg.

Why Use Weighted Vests?

Using a weighted vest comes with several benefits as you will see enumerated in this article. We will however quickly list a few below.

Improves Strength and Endurance

Carrying extra mass when exercising requires strength as well as an increase in oxygen intake. This increased exertion at the same time depletes your store of energy. The logic behind this is that the greater the weight, the harder your muscles will work and this will help in your muscle and stamina development.

By adding more weight, it influences the extent to which the muscles are strained and by doing so, the stressed muscles coupled with the increased intake of oxygen helps your body gain strength as it adjusts accordingly.

A word of caution on this though; you must understand your body and know your limit. Avoid adding so much weight so as to make it difficult for you to move as this will have more of a negative impact that a positive one. Start from a comfortable point and increase gradually.

Better Cardiovascular Performance

Running or jumping while wearing weighted vests will make it more challenging and this causes the cardiovascular system to work harder as it tries to compensate for the extra resistance. This results in increased metabolism and the ability to take in more oxygen which also strengthens the lungs. After wearing them for a while, your body will become conditioned which means that you will run faster than normal when you are not wearing them.

Increased Bone Mass

Aside making your muscles stronger, using a weighted vest will transmit load through your bones as you work out. This extra load will bring about an increase in bone mass because it will stimulate osteoblast cells, which help in developing bone material, as a response to the demand by the weight it is carrying. This will make the bones denser, stronger and able to support more weight.

In addition to all the above benefits, they also help add variety to your workouts. You can mix, remove, or add to the demand made on the muscles as needed or depending on the kind of workout you are doing per time.

What to Consider Before Using A Weighted Vest

Before using one, you may need to consult your physician to be sure your health is good enough and that you can carry out such workouts. Another thing to be mindful of is your fitness level. You may need to get up to speed with that before trying to use the vest. You can do this by gradually easing into an exercise routine until you reach levels where your body is now accustomed to performing the exercises.

Also, consider the kind of training that you are involved in. They may not be of much help if what you are doing are bicep curls or upper body isolation exercises.

When buying, you will find that some brands offer unisex and one-size-fits-all products while others have products that are available in different sizes and fits with adjustable straps for a snugger feel. Most will allow you to remove or insert the weights as you find suitable. The type of weighted vest you should use will depend on the activities you are involved in, what you are trying to achieve, and also how often you will be using it.

Conclusion

Weighted vests are supposed to act as an enhancement to your exercise and training routine and not as a hindrance. This means that the addition of weights should be done in a way that provides enough resistance to help you achieve your training goals rather than limiting or hindering you. Remember to speak to your doctor before you make the plunge and also be sure to purchase a product that is suitable for your routines.

Optimize Your Health Now

September 24, 2020

3 WAYS TO OPTIMIZE YOUR HEALTH NOW!

This is intended to immediately impact your health in a positive way upon reading it.
There is no sugar coating it, we’re in the middle of a public health crisis. In order for things to get better, we need to become undeviated about our health. With these three simple health hacks and consistency, you can easily ward off common health issues.
My name is Kristofer Lyons and I am a student of the human mind and body. Growing up as an athlete in multiple fields I learned early on about the limits of the human body. To now working full-time as a fitness professional. I’ve witnessed how as kids we push ourselves easily out of our comfort zone for competition or for “play” of the game. With the help of a dedicated coaching staff and a results-based strategy, most young athletes have almost infinite capabilities. Does the same apply for adults 25 and older?
The answer is, YES!
With the right coach, proper planning, and just enough willpower you can unleash your infinite capabilities and optimize your health at any point in your life. The founding principle of Health Optimization is to repeatedly make the decision to act on what you think will ultimately help you change for the better.
  1. Set a plan, map out your Nutrition
This is one of those things in life that is easier to do than to talk about. Look at the amount of time you have in a day and decide how much of that time can you put towards bettering your relationship with your health.
From the moment you wake up till the moment you go back to sleep, there are plenty of opportunities to make healthy decisions that will impact you greatly in the long run. Such as committing to a balanced number(3-6) of times to eat per day and planning your cheat days in advance.
For beginners, enjoy a treat every 12 days. For those more further along towards their fitness goals, depending on what your goals are, enjoy a treat every 5-7 days. Set achievable fitness goals and test yourself. Follow a well planned out program written by myself or create your own, either way, plan ahead.
Like a sharpshooter, you need to aim to balance yourself between how active you are and how much food you need for fuel. You may achieve optimization based upon your personal basal metabolic rate (BMR), which is the number of calories you burn at rest. This is important because about 60 to 75 percent of the calories you burn each day happen while you’re seemingly doing nothing.
Learning how to work with your metabolism is vital in combating common health problems.
2. Drink 100oz of water daily.
           Simply put water is life.
The more water you can drink the better. The most common health problems can be avoided with adequate hydration. To be exact here are some of the immediate benefits of increased daily water intake in no particular order. Maximal physical performance, in any physical sport your body (joints, ligaments, and nerve endings) needs to be well hydrated in order to perform at its peak capacity.
With more water, you will receive waves of improvement within brain function and connectivity to major reductions in stress right away. Increasing your water intake will overtime rid the body of excess water weight, which will leave you looking and feeling lean and firm.
Sufficient hydration leads to optimal regularity in digestion as well. Just these few benefits could help aid the world from a lot of suffering, if you have access to clean water you should cherish it by consuming optimally.
Visit my website www.leveragegear.com and grab two 120oz bottles from my store. One for yourself and one for a friend. Consume at least 100oz daily for the mind and body optimization.
3. Increase your intake of Cinnamon
Through the test of time medicine has always merged with nature. We use plants for almost everything in modern society. If we’re not building or designing objects that are made from plant-based material, we can be found using plants as food.
Food can be medicine depending on how well you use it. Specifically how you prepare your food and how you choose to consume it matters the most. It is possible to overcook vegetables and zap the preserved live nutrients. One should aim to consume the majority of their vegetables washed and raw with other food items to enjoy alongside.
Cinnamon is one plant that has a strong potential to help optimize your mind and body. Be sure to reach for Ceylon Cinnamon if you plan to use this tree for all its benefits. As long as you’re not allergic to this very strong medicinal bark I would suggest you incorporate more of this plant into your plate or cup periodically.
Start small with ½ teaspoon 2-3 times per week. Introduce it to your plate gradually by grading the bark and mixing it into common dishes such as pancakes, or sprinkle a bit on your favorite fruit. You can even add it to your protein shakes for a boost of antioxidants, or mix into some hot tea to increase the rate of absorption by the bloodstream to help lower blood sugar levels and help rid the body of excess visceral fat.
There is plenty of research tested benefits that support the positive effects that cinnamon has on the human body. Use with awareness and proper water intake for best results.

 

Ready to impact your own health?  Contact Chris now!

Home Gym, Part 2

Lisa snow personal trainerBuilding Your Home Gym on a Budget, Part 2

Regardless if your apartment building gym or commercial gym has reopened, having options to workout at home is always a good thing.  Home workouts mean no loud,  screechy music, no fluorescent lights, and no schlepping on the train/bus/cabs.
BOSU (BOth Sides Up) looks like a ball cut in half. It’s a great tool for planks, pushups, bridges, squats, split squats, lunges, and other strength moves, as well as improving balance.  The Next Gen Pro (about $180) is my fav model – the textured surface makes it way easier to use than the older models we’ve all seen in gyms.  However, the Next Gen Home is also good (around $140).
The Ballast Ball is a major upgrade of a stability ball (about $60).  Because it has sand at the bottom, it won’t roll away when you get up, and is stable enough to use instead of a bench when using light weights for a chest press, fly, or triceps. And because it’s weighted, you can use it for chops and other cardio moves.
Any med ball will work. The one from BOSU brand (called the soft fitness ball, around $15) is one of my faves because it, too, won’t roll away or bounce, making it great for small apartments.
Whether you have great equipment like a BOSU, a beat up mat that’s been sitting in your apartment for a decade, or no equipment at all, remember to include bodyweight strength training in your home workouts. Classic moves like walking lunges, squats, planks, side planks, and more never go out of style.
You can get your BOSU, Ballast Ball, and med ball all at the BOSU store.  Sign up for their newsletter, and they are usually running a promotion to give you 20% off your first order.  You can always unsubscribe later. I’m not part of their affiliate program and do not get paid if you purchase their products. They’re just items I’ve used for myself and for clients.
Next month, stay tuned for tips on yoga mats and props to round out your home gym!
Lisa is a certified personal trainer & nutritionist.  She provides 1-on-1 and small group personal training on Zoom.
Lisa Snow,
ACE & NSCA Certified Personal Trainer

NYC Trainer Alert: FICS NYC Recovery and Wellness Studio

September 16, 2020

Welcome back to your indoor play spaces!
My friends Jeb and Don have a new place to help your clients recover faster, enabling them to train with you more often. See below.
Trainers:
Do your clients suffer from low energy, high stress, inflammation, aches and pains and/or injuries?
Are they having sleep troubles which lead to chronic fatigue?
Do they want to slow the aging process?
Are they recovering too slowly from workouts?
Do they have back or alignment problems?
We have a solution to any of these limitations!
NeighborhoodTrainers and FICS NYC, a new fitness recovery and wellness studio in Chelsea, are now operating in partnership!
All NeighborhoodTrainers are encouraged to come in for a complimentary VIP session! Please call 212-233-5999 to book your free session
FICS staff will explain their modalities in-depth and how improving your clients’ overall wellness will enable them to work out with you more and expedite progress. This will be a wonderful partnership for all involved — more importantly your clients!
About FICS NYC:
FICS NYC is a fitness recovery and wellness studio, where we focus the human instrument. We have curated the top fitness recovery and wellness machines and combined them with classic techniques to elevate each individual’s pursuit of natural performance and overall physical and mental wellbeing. “Because nature is not fast enough,” our modalities enable users’ bodies and minds to recover far faster from intense activity than they ever could naturally.
Our modalities include a newly-released whole-body electric cryotherapy chamber, an infrared sauna, compression therapy (Normatec), a low-level laser light therapy bed using a process called photobiomodulation and a ZeroBody dry floatation tank (one of the first in the United States) as well as local cryotherapy. We also offer IV Vitamin drips to super-charge your recovery.
About Alexandra Duma, D.C.:
FICS NYC also offers the sports chiropractic and stretching services of renowned doctor, Alexandra Duma. Dr. Duma serves as a Team USA doctor for the Fencing and Archery teams! (www.hkchironyc.com). She is well-versed in treating the various afflictions that the human body endures. She treats different conditions by using techniques like chiropractic adjustments, myofascial release, fascial manipulation, trigger point therapy, Graston, Kinesiotaping, and rehabilitation exercises. Her treatments are tailored to the individual, using a variety of safe methods and approaches that will work best for you and your body.
Dr. Duma is offering a complimentary Functional Movement Screening as a baseline evaluation! She will be testing 7 fundamental movements that are key to daily life activities, can help prevent injuries and improve performance. Based on the screen she will be able to establish if your movements are optimal or difunctional and come up with a strategy best fitted for you and your goals!
Best regards,
Glenn
A NeighborhoodTrainer Community Partner email. Celebrating 10 years of helping NYC personal trainers. Set up your trainer profile today!

Mindset and Fitness Goal Setting

August 16, 2020

The Goal which Precedes the Goal

Before working as a trainer, I knew mindset was an important aspect of physical fitness. It wasn’t until I began my career that I learned that most people pretty much know generally what would benefit their bodies and their goals. What they had trouble with was taking action and implementing their plans. You see, what my clients taught me was that mindset isn’t just a thing you needed to master; it is THE thing. When you have the mindset to emotionally and psychologically handle your goal, there is no longer the excuse of “I don’t know” even if you are lacking a piece of knowledge. The person who is going to do the thing, will find the information to do the thing. There is no longer the excuse that “I am busy.” When you are set on achieving your goal, free time manifests itself. There is no longer the excuse “I failed.” When clear on the goal, what everyone else sees as failure, the disciplined mind will see as an opportunity for growth and ultimate success. So, one begins to realize, every goal in the physical world must be preceded by its counterpart within the individual who holds the intent.

All of this sounds beautiful and poetic, but I bet you don’t care if you are unsure how to begin. Take these as ways to get you headed in the right direction:

  1. Always begin with the bare minimum. You think it’s a good idea to go all in? How has that been working for you? Have you stuck to your plan? In most cases, my clients have not been successful with trying to do a complete overhaul. Why? Because they already have habits that counter their ideal and some of them are attached to a lot of emotions. Maybe going all in made them feel good for a couple of days or even a couple of weeks. Then, something undesirable would happen in their lives. Things would get stressful. Resistance would set in. The brain and body would then do what it’s supposed to do, minimize stress and resistance to get you back to homeostasis.
  2. Always master the foundations. Don’t make things harder for yourself by rushing for the sake of progression. Making your body do things that it just isn’t prepared to do will only cause frustration at the very least, and with unnecessary frustration you are more likely to quit.
  3. Make the next step the tiniest step that will still yield a result. See the explanation of point 2.
  4. Replace useless phrases, like “I don’t know.” They do not help you move forward. In fact, they keep you stagnant. In the age of Google, there is no excuse to not know something. Ask questions, get answers, or explore on your own. Instead of saying “I don’t know,” try saying, “I will have to figure it out.”
  5. Raise your discomfort tolerance. Actively practice doing things that are uncomfortable. Just the way you would do reps under the bar, do reps out in life. Challenge your mind and your body will have more capacity for growth.
  6. Incorporate rituals. When things become automatic, there is very little resistance to work through. Actions become automatic when they are habitual. Habits are programmed through repetition. Create a clear routine for yourself before you hit the gym or before your meal prep. Make it something that makes you feel good. Do it every time. The more those neuropathways get engraved, the less you will struggle to complete the task.
  7. Rest. If you aren’t resting, then your central nervous system will become eggs over hard. Don’t give your brain any more reason to be a grumpy teenager than it has to. Let it recover and let it have calm. Your future bad ass goal crushing self will thank you.

Ready to start reaching your own goals?!  Contact Andrea today!

Stay Fit With These Body Weight Exercises

personal trainer roman kartsevEasy ways to stay fit or get fit!roman

by Roman Kartsev, personal trainer

-Instead of you using a car you can walk a few blocks instead of driving.
-Instead of taking the elevator take the stairs. –-Instead of eating junk food buy some walnuts, fruits and veggies and eat that all day and drink water instead of soda.

 

You also do simple exercises at home like bodyweight squats, wall push ups or regular push ups, pike push ups, pull ups, dips, chin ups, and planks.
Ready to learn the the proper form and programming for these exercises?  Contact Roman today!

Building A Home Gym

Building Your Home Gym on a Budget, Part 1Lisa snow personal trainer

 

With commercial gyms closed (and some apartment building gyms still following suit), many people are turning to walking or jogging outside.  So was I…until it started reaching 99 and 103 degrees!  Staying home in front of your AC…but still planning to workout?  “Home gym” machines from many brands are sold out, while other brands have become exorbitantly expensive.  What’s still affordable?  And what do you really need to build a home gym you will actually use?
The TRX Suspension Trainer lets you strengthen and tone your arms, legs, and abs.  And they last forever.  I’ve had mine for over a dozen years, use it often, and it still looks almost as good as new.
The Rip Trainer takes resistance bands to a new level by attaching them to a light but strong bar.  Both these tools can attach to a standard apartment door.  The TRX & Rip Trainer are strong enough for my professional dancers and marathoners, but gentle enough for my beginners and desk workers.
Round it out with a stability ball.  Most of us have stronger quads (front thighs) than hamstrings (back thighs). We use our quads for everything: picking up small children, climbing subway stairs, or lifting heavy bags of dog food. But healthy knees depend on balance between our quad & hamstring strength — like you get from a stability ball.  Not to mention the ball is a great way to do abs.
In the city, where people have limited space, I would avoid purchasing cardio equipment like treadmills or ellipticals.  When your gym reopens, it’ll become a coat rack.  All the cardio you could ever want can be done by walking or running the stairs in your building.  No money spent, no space taken up!
Any successful weight loss (or fitness) program needs to include strength training!  But wait!  Isn’t cardio the only thing that helps weight loss???  No.  Strength training builds strong bones, improves posture (so you can look thinner instantly), and increases your resting metabolism, so you can burn more calories all day long!  Whether you purchase strength equipment like the items above, or stick to no-equipment moves like air squats and pushups, strength training will get you where you want to go.
Next month, we’ll look at equipment for balance.  Stay tuned!
Lisa is a certified personal trainer & nutritionist.  She provides 1-on-1 and small group personal training on Zoom.
Lisa Snow,
ACE & NSCA Certified Personal Trainer