Nourishing the Body and Strengthening Bonds: The Power of Nutrition and Small Group Exercise

In the pursuit of a healthy lifestyle, two essential components often come to mind: nutrition and exercise. While these elements play vital roles independently, combining them can create a powerful synergy that amplifies their benefits. In this blog post, we will explore the interconnectedness of nutrition and small group exercise, looking into how they support one another in promoting well-being. So, grab a nutritious snack, get ready to break a sweat, and let’s dive in!

The Foundation of Good Nutrition
To understand the impact of nutrition on small group exercise, we must first recognize its fundamental role in our overall health and fitness. A well-balanced diet provides the necessary fuel for our bodies to function optimally. It not only influences our physical performance but also affects our mental well-being, focus, and recovery.
When it comes to small group exercise, nutrition becomes even more critical. Engaging in activities such as group fitness classes, team sports, or partner workouts demands energy, endurance, and strength. Consuming a nutrient-dense diet that includes lean proteins, complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, and an array of vitamins and minerals ensures that our bodies are adequately fueled to meet the demands of these activities.
Additionally, proper nutrition plays a significant role in post-exercise recovery. After engaging in small group exercise, our bodies require nutrients to repair muscles, replenish glycogen stores, and facilitate overall recovery. By providing the necessary building blocks through a balanced diet, we can enhance our recovery process and reduce the risk of injuries.

The Social Element of Small Group Exercise
Small group exercise brings together individuals with shared fitness goals, creating a supportive and motivating environment. It offers a sense of community and camaraderie that can significantly impact one’s adherence and enjoyment of physical activity. Exercising in a group setting provides accountability, encouragement, and the opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals.
Moreover, the social aspect of small group exercise extends beyond the workout itself. It often involves post-workout gatherings, discussions about nutrition and wellness, and the sharing of experiences and challenges. These interactions allow for the exchange of valuable information and the cultivation of a supportive network that nurtures overall well-being.

The Role of Nutrition in Small Group Exercise
Nutrition not only fuels our bodies for small group exercise but also plays a pivotal role in optimizing performance and recovery. Let’s explore a few key aspects where nutrition intersects with small group exercise:
1. Energy levels and performance: Consuming a balanced diet ensures that we have sufficient energy to perform at our best during group workouts. Adequate intake of carbohydrates, particularly complex carbohydrates, provides a steady source of energy, enabling us to sustain high-intensity activities and endurance-based exercises.
2. Muscle building and repair: Protein is crucial for muscle growth and repair. Engaging in small group exercises often involves resistance training or activities that stress our muscles. By consuming enough protein, we provide our bodies with the necessary amino acids to repair and rebuild muscle tissue, enhancing strength and recovery.
3. Hydration and endurance: Proper hydration is essential for maintaining optimal performance and preventing fatigue during exercise. Staying hydrated aids in regulating body temperature, lubricating joints, and delivering nutrients to cells. Whether it’s a small group HIIT class or a team sports session, ensuring adequate hydration is crucial for sustaining endurance and maximizing performance.
4. Mental focus and recovery: Nutrition also plays a role in supporting cognitive function and mental well-being, which are vital for both exercise performance and recovery. Nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and B vitamins contribute to brain health, mood regulation, and reducing inflammation, enhancing our overall exercise experience.

Conclusion
When it comes to achieving optimal health and fitness, combining nutrition and small group exercise is a winning combination. By nourishing our bodies with a well-balanced diet, we provide the necessary fuel to maximize performance, support recovery, and enhance overall well-being. Engaging in small group exercise offers not only physical benefits but also the added advantages of social support, motivation, and a sense of community. Contact us through this website and we will arrange a no sweat introduction to develop a plan specific to your needs and fitness goals.

Why You Should Worry About Lack of Training Variation

Short answer. The biological law of accommodation. By doing the same movements on a regular basis your body gets used to these and you miss out on gains.

 Lack of variation in training movements results in:

  1. Early plateau in muscle gains
  2. Suboptimal strength and endurance gains
  3. Boredom with training

Think of someone that sets a goal of running a 5k for the first time. If they have not done any running, they may only be able to “run” to the end of the block in their neighborhood at first. But if they train several times weekly, they will find that they can run a little further each week. Their body is accommodating to the activity of running.

It is the same with strength training. If you work out at a big chain gym, answer this: how often do you see someone bench pressing 315lbs? For reps? How about someone squatting or deadlifting over 405 lbs.? The answer to all of these is the same: not often. Why is that?

Big chain gyms provide only the basic equipment which limits how much variation can be achieved. As a result, most people that regularly train at these types of gyms stagnate over time and do not come close to reaching their strength or fitness potential.

We can say the same thing about muscle growth. Keep doing the same few exercises month after month, year after year and you will get limited gains compared to the athlete that is getting frequent variation in their training regimen.

What is the solution?

  1. Training Equipment that enables load variation- range of motion, hand placement, load position (think cambered bars)
  2. Accommodating resistance – Bands and chains
  3. Training programs that rotate exercise movements and amounts of resistance and tempos

Who has the solution?

Until recently there was not a good solution in the Santa Clarita Valley. That is why we acquired CrossFit Rye Canyon and redesigned the 7,000 square foot floor plan to more efficiently serve the CrossFit community AND ESTABLISH the powerlifting/ bodybuilding gym that has been missing in our town. The new facility is named CrossFit Rye Canyon & Barbell Club and is located 25427 Rye Canyon Road in Valencia. We offer two distinct products: CrossFit with the best Open Gym in town and our Barbell Club. CrossFit members get full access to the Barbell Club in their membership making it the best CrossFit deal around, and we offer limited memberships to our Barbell Club.

Barbell Club member using the Marrs Bar in the monolift.

The Barbell Club has a blend of standard cable-based equipment (with specialty handles and bar attachments), unique plate loaded equipment not found in any other gym in Santa Clarita, dumbbells up to 150 lbs., and the biggest variety of barbells in town.

What barbells are on hand for members to use in the Barbell Club?

  1. EliteFTS SS Yoke Bar(s)
  2. Marrs Bar
  3. Ox Bar
  4. Bow Bar
  5. Texas Power, Squat, Deadlift Bars
  6. Kabuki Strength Power Bar
  7. Kabuki Strength Squat Bar
  8. Kabuki Strength Deadlift Bar
  9. EliteFTS American Press Bar
  10. EliteFTS American Cambered Neutral Grip Press Bar
  11. EliteFTS Rackable Cambered Spider Bar
  12. EliteFTS Multi-Grip Log Bar
  13. Cambered Bar
  14. BandBell Bamboo Bar
  15. Hex Bar
  16. Rogue Power Bars
  17. Rogue Ohio (Olympic Lifting) Bars
  18. Rogue Bella Bars
  19. Training Bars

As a member, you will be taught how to safely and properly use the equipment, receive programming on our app for powerlifting, bodybuilding, and general physical preparedness, and have 24×7 access to the facility. We also provide access to excellent independent personal trainers and offer lifting technique classes. Book a tour today.

 

Is Boutique Fitness Right for Me?

If you’re ready for results it’s time to ditch the health club…

There was a time when we got all the exercise we require from our daily activities. But as hunting and gathering lead to farming and eventually the industrialized world we live in today the need for human “labor” has been nearly eradicated. Now that we work desk jobs, eat our meals from the hot bar at Whole Foods, and enjoy a generally sedentary lifestyle we are required to reintroduce this missing physical activity. For some reason, the question of how to add physical activity, or work, back into our lives is one that has proven to be puzzling, controversial, and difficult terrain to navigate.

 

In response to the demands of the market the fitness industry has grown tremendously, particularly in North America where an estimated $28 billion was spent in 2015. Much of this industry is dominated by health clubs and large gym franchises that offer a sampling of strength equipment, cardio machines, TV’s, massage chairs and minimal staffing. Granted  how many staff members do you need when your members don’t actually attend the club? In a study done by students at UC Berkeley found 67% of gym memberships are never used in the population they surveyed.

 

“If you are not going to the gym, you are actually the gym’s best customer.” -Stacey Vanek Smith, NPR

 

The savvy marketers at big box gyms know how to target their marketing towards individuals who won’t actually come to the facility. As humans we often get a rush of excitement by a new fitness undertaking. “This is it, the time I actually change, no looking back,” you say. The challenge is that the health club has made zero commitment to you. They don’t care if you show up or not. Luckily there is someone out there who does.

 

Boutique fitness is the alternative to the traditional health club model. Boutique gyms offer specialized classes based on the expertise of the owners, teachers, or coaches. CrossFit boxes, Barre studios, Bikram yoga, parkour facilities, spin classes  are all great examples of the boutique fitness model.

 

These communities succeed when the all parts are working together; the owner, staff, and clientele all succeed when they each meet their goals. This synergistic effect leads to faster results and more satisfaction from all parties. As a client you have a team of coaches and fellow members who are all rooting for you, teaching you, and most importantly holding you accountable. Becoming fit doesn’t have to be a chore, a challenge, or a pain point. In fact, it can even be fun 😉

 

Boutique gyms have been seen rapid growth in the past decade as clients recognize that when it comes to fitness, not all gyms are created equal. Some of the most common excuses sound like:

  • “I have a hard time sticking to a routine”
  • “I’m just too busy to exercise”
  • “I get bored with going to the gym, it always feels like work”
  • “I don’t know how to lift weights/choose a routine/eat the right food”

 

These are great excuses, but since you’re ready to make a change it’s time to ditch the excuses and focus on RESULTS. By implementing a system that counters your excuses you’ll be left with the only option, the results that you want to achieve.

 

If you struggle with sticking to a routine you will benefit from the coaches, friends, and community members that you’ll meet at each class. A group of people that will ask you about your day, learn about your goals and life, and most importantly encourage you to show up consistently to your workouts.

 

If you claim to be too busy then you should sign up for classes ahead of time. The wide variety of classes that are available each day at time frames that are consistent with your schedule make it easy to squeeze in an hour long workout.

 

If boredom is your challenge then a workout that changes every day is exactly what you need. Not only that but the different coaching styles and friends you’ll make at different times of the day make each class a totally unique experience.

 

If information is the enemy then relax, because that’s already been taken care of for you. Your coach has put a lot of thought into a training program that will improve your fitness and will be by your side to instruct you on form, breathing, and what weights to use. Keep an eye out for group nutrition challenges to boot!

 

To get the results you want sometimes you need to try a new approach. If that trip to the gym feels more daunting than Frodo walking the ring to Mordor then it’s time to see what a boutique gym has in store for you!

The Power of Choice

Most of us have an area in our life we wish we were performing better in. That part of us that doesn’t quite fit into our own skin. It could be a touchy subject that our spouse and friends know to steer clear of, the elephant in the room. It could be the promotion you still haven’t received, the credit card you haven’t paid off, or the weight you were supposed to lose by the beginning of  summer… in 2012.

 

And because you’re wearing this very uncomfortable skin that’s not quite your size I am happy to tell you that you are exactly where you chose to be today.

 

I can already hear the objections rising up so let me explain why.

 

You see I totally understand your story. I understand because it’s yours, mine, and everyone else’s. Sometimes having a new baby, a busy time at work, or the worst timing for a medical emergency/broken down car/economic depression can happen. There are a million and one events in life that can derail us. They are not always fair and can seem impossible to overcome when they show up knocking at our door.

 

“Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths.”

-Arnold Schwarzenegger

 

At that point we do an admirable thing. We give up on our dream. We set it aside to go fix the problem. We change our identity and become the superhero who knows exactly how to work overtime and take care of a sick parent. We do it because we want to make sure the story has a happy ending. We do it out of love.

 

And life goes on.

 

And sometimes the situation gets better. And sometimes it doesn’t. Either way, the situation that called for a superhero 6 months ago no longer needs a hero to save it. But there you stand in cape and tights committed to action. Except now it’s time to go home. Time to write a new story.

 

Where you stand today is a result of many choices. Some of your hero moments were the big decisions that shaped your trajectory. Like I said, I’m proud of you for doing that. But now it’s time to get back on the path. Your path. The one you stopped telling yourself that you wanted because it hurt too bad to think that it may never come true.

 

You might think it’s too late (it’s not).

 

You might want to try, but feel that you strayed too far (you haven’t).

 

You have to remember you have the power of choice. And it’s a good thing that you do. It gives you the power to turn your greatest adversity into your greatest strength. You always have the option to shy away or to stand and fight.

 

It’s time for a new story. You’re the hero and you’re at the turning point in the movie of your life. So what are you going to do next?You’ve endured hardship, learned tough lessons, and fallen time and time again. Wouldn’t this be a great time for everything to turn around?

 

Maybe you can recruit someone to help you get there, a long lost friend or a wise old mentor. Maybe you need to crank up “Eye of the Tiger” and experience the training it will take to achieve your success.

 

The time to act is now. Don’t slip back into your old story. You are the hero. The power of choice brought you here. Your choice decides what happens next.

 

So what are you going to do?

 

[GYM OWNER:] Add a call to action here, like: “Schedule your Free Consult here” with a link.

5 Reasons to get STRONG

Fitness trends come and go and most fall to the wayside for good reason.

Most programs fail to produce consistent results. It’s a wonder why so many folks stray away from what is tried and true when it comes to exercise programs?

“The rule is: the basics are the basic, and you can’t beat the basics.” -Charles Poliquin

Despite what your goals may be, every individual can benefit from physical resistance training. Not only that, but the health benefits extend far beyond your short term fitness goals. Regardless of why you train, let’s take a look at some of the reasons you should incorporate strength training into your fitness regimen.

1. Training for strength produces results.

Whatever your goals, muscle will help you get there. Some companies in the fitness industry has made a fortune around buzzwords like “tone”, “lift”, and “sculpt.” The problem is there’s no way to measure those loose terms. If you want to change your body composition there is only the ability to gain or lose muscle while simultaneously gaining or losing fat. If you are looking for the most efficient way to do make a change then strength training is your best option.

Strength training, or physical resistance training, can be defined as a type of physical exercise specializing in the use of resistance to induce muscular contraction which builds the strength, anaerobic endurance, and size of skeletal muscles. When you gain muscle you increase your bodies basal metabolism (the amount of calories you burn each day before factoring in physical activity). It’s kind of like putting a bigger engine in a car. The car is capable of moving faster or pulling a heavier load (more muscle), but it also uses more fuel (fat) whether it’s cruising down the freeway or idling in the driveway. Strength training helps us “tone” through this muscle gain/fat loss trade.

2. “You can’t manage what you can’t measure.” -Peter Drucker

Training for strength provides a clear path for success. You can set training goals that are specific, measurable, and produce desired outcomes. A good coach will help you design a plan towards these goals with checkpoints along the way. Your strength training program is a road map to success with clear directions. Sets, reps, and weights lifted safely through the full range of motion are the signals that you’re on track. Many people find that a more detailed plan helps them stay motivated as they experience progress.

3. Age gracefully with more muscle mass.

As we get older strength training is one of the most important things we can do for our health. Physical independence is a key factor in a great quality of life.

A comprehensive study of strength training has been proven to:

  • Improve motor function
  • Lower resting heart rate
  • Increase stamina
  • Prevent sarcopenia (age related muscle loss)
  • Improve bone mineral density
  • Prevent and help rehab injuries

Functional strength training will be an asset in daily life too. From picking up grandchildren or bags of groceries to climbing stairs with confidence.

4. You’ll experience epic brain gains.

Did you know that lifting weights can strengthen your brain just as much as it does your body?
Dr. Yorgi Mavros from the University of Sydney has found that high‐intensity physical resistance training (PRT) results in significant improvements in cognitive function, muscle strength, and aerobic capacity in older adults with mild cognitive impairment. Adults who followed a resistance training routine in addition to cognitive training performed significantly better than control groups on a series of mental tests. A couple key factors to note:

The participants exercised 2x/ week working to at least 80% of their peak strength.
The benefits lasted one year after the exercise prescription had ended.

What does that mean? According to Yorgi, “The stronger people became, the greater the benefit for their brain.” Let that sink in for a minute. You actually grow your brain by training to become stronger! It makes me wonder if Einstein developed his Theory of Relativity in between heavy sets of back squats…

5. Strong moms have healthy babies.

During pregnancy, the question always arises of what does fitness look like for this stage of life? With so much on the line, it’s important to consult with a doctor before beginning any fitness routine. Luckily, there is a tremendous amount to be gained by incorporating a strength training routine under normal circumstances. Resistance training can help alleviate symptoms and improve health outcomes for the mother and child. According to the Mayo Clinic, women who follow a consistent strength training routine during pregnancy can experience:

  • Reduce backaches, constipation, bloating and swelling
  • Boosted mood and energy levels
  • Better sleep
  • Prevent excess weight gain
  • Maintain levels of muscle strength and endurance
  • Reduced incidence of gestational diabetes

Not only that but women who train during pregnancy report enhanced body image and better psychological well-being!

We would love to help you live a healthy strong life. Schedule a Free Consult to learn more.