I have been doing a lot of Yoga lately. I love how yoga makes me feel. It is such a spiritual experience for me. I don’t compete with anyone or anything, including myself. I can fully relax, and not worry about anything except my time with myself. I don’t care that I can’t do a posture completely, or I fall when I try others. It is for me to improve myself. I do a local class that is called a Hot Power Fusion class. It is a hot style Yoga that is a mix of power hatha, vinyasa and ashtanga yoga. It is the perfect combination of breathing, meditation, flexibility and strength exercises. But this type of class isn’t for everyone. Some people can’t handle the heat. Others can’t do the strength. Others can’t do the flexibility. Some want to concentrate only on meditation, while others don’t care about the relaxation and just want the workout. So this “poses” the big question: What is the best type of yoga?

The answer to this questions is based on a complete personal preference. But let’s start creating your preference with some education. First, what are the main types of yoga out there? There are actually many different types of yoga, and new ones are being started all the time. Some of the oldest, most mainstream types are:

• Hatha – This your basic, slow movement, gentle, beginner yoga. It focuses on uniting the body, mind and soul in a slow, controlled movements.
• Vinyasa – This type of yoga focuses on breathing. Typically, your movements are synced with your breaths. Every breath in is a movement, and every breath other is a movement. You move with your movement for a total flow and rhythm through the entire yoga session.
• Ashtanga – Better know as power yoga, this type focuses on fast, intense poses and movements. It is a series of poses in order, at a strict and vigorous pace.
• Iyengar – This yoga focuses on body alignment. The main emphasis is for holding poses for a longer period of time, in the correct posture, rather than moving from one to another.
• Bikram/Hot yoga – Bikrams is a hot style yoga that uses a series of 26 poses in a hot room (usually around 108 degrees). There are other styles of yoga that are considered “hot” yoga that are variations of Bikrams. It is basically a yoga style done in a heated room to promote increase in body temperature for cleansing and stretching purposes.

I am not a yoga expert. I know there are many other types of yoga and many others being formed as we speak. These, to me, are a broad description of the types of yoga that are out there. Every time there is a variation done on a specific type of yoga, it is called something different and is a “new” type of yoga. So what is the best type of yoga for you? The one that you like the best.

I highly suggest trying all the different types of yoga classes you can get your hands on until you find that perfect mix for you. If you want to focus on flexibility, try out a basic yoga class and work your way up. If you want a full body workout, try a power yoga. If you want to meditate, try a flow style yoga. If you aren’t sure what you want, try them all! You should be able to leave the class and not only feel like you got a workout, but you should have a complete body/mind experience. You should want to go to the class every time it is offered. Most yoga places offer a free trial week that you can try their classes out. If not, ask the instuctor if you can sit in on one of the classes to ensure it is the right class for you.

The most important thing to remember when finding is a class is what you want. Yoga isn’t about how much you can lift or how fast you can run or anything else. It is a set amount of time where you can dedicate a workout to you. You aren’t competing with anyone else, including yourself. You shouldn’t get frustrated when you fall out of a pose. You shouldn’t be self conscious that you are dripping sweat when doing Bikrams. You should take the time of yoga, clear your mind, and do it for you. That is what makes yoga such a “spiritual” experience. It is you, and yourself. Whether it is a gentle yoga outside, or a power class in the heat. So go out and find a class, and do it for you. No one else.

I have always been into fitness. Even through high school, I was interested in sports performance and making myself the best that I can be. When I first got into kinesiology, I wanted to do what most people want to do and go into sports performance. And that still is a huge passion of mine and still help athletes hit their potential. But throughout college, I realized that there is a bigger problem than getting athletes bigger, stronger and faster. That issue is obesity. If an athlete doesn’t hit his numbers, they will still be able to live. If someone who is obese doesn’t get help, they will die.

Yes – it is that serious. I don’t think people understand the gravity of the situation when they are overweight. There is NOTHING good that comes out of carrying a few extra pounds. Your joints can’t handle the stress. Your heart can’t handle the stress. Your blood vessels can’t handle the stress. Your blood pressure increase. Your heart rate increases. Your blood flow decreases due to narrowing of the arteries, which could form blood clots leading to a stroke. You could develop Type 2 diabetes. Your sleeping patterns aren’t up to par so you aren’t sleeping through the night which effects your mood and your energy levels. Your energy levels are so low, you could develop sleepiness during the day which effects your work habits.

But here is the light at the end of the tunnel: Your start reaping the benefits of exercise the SECOND you start exercising. Your heart rate, stroke volume and cardiac output all start to increase, creating more blood flow through your body. Your blood starts flowing through your body. Your blood delivery becomes more efficient, your heart rate and blood pressure go to moderate levels after  you finish. Your perception of well being and self concept increase and anxiety and depression decrease.

And you don’t have to get out and run 6 miles to feel these effects! Your body starts adapting and benefiting from ANY physical activity. If you start walking around the block, you benefit. If you park farther away from the mall, you benefit. If you take the stairs rather than the elevator, you benefit. Start BENEFITING!! There is no better time than right now to get in the best shape of your life, and possible start saving your life.

Looking for a cool salad to fill you up this summer? Here’s a delicious recipe from my partners over at Prograde Nutrition for you.

Roasted Red Pepper Chicken and Avocado Salad

• 1 medium ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced
• 1 tsp.  lemon juice
• 1 bag (10 oz.) torn romaine lettuce (about 10 cups)
• 2 cups  shredded cooked chicken
• 1 medium tomato, cut into wedges
• 1 small  cucumber, sliced
• 1/4 of a medium Vidalia or Walla Walla onion, chopped
• ½ cup Red Pepper
• 1/2 cup  Light or Fat-free Italian Dressing
• ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese

Directions:

Toss avocados with lemon juice in large salad bowl.

Add lettuce, chicken, tomatoes, cucumbers and onions; mix lightly.

Add dressing; toss to coat.

Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Serve immediately.

Hey, if you like that one they’ve got 196 more! Seriously, Prograde has a really cool 197 Healthy and Delicious Fat Burning Recipes ebook for just $4.95!

Check it out here: http://nintemanfitness.getprograde.com/prograderecipebook.html

Hope you enjoy!

If you’ve been on the lookout for simple and nutritious meals then look no further than http://nintemanfitness.getprograde.com/prograderecipebook.html

I just signed up for a professional organization and they sent me a journal contain some great research that people have done. You know you picked the right career path when you truly get excited for reading research on the subject!

The article was something that I have heard before in school, but never seen the research. It finally hit me reading this research that I have to spread the word on it.

Most people that are overweight or obese cannot walk for 40 minutes consecutive. This is either due to joint problems, lack of cardiovascular fitness or an array of other issues. So they will get discouraged about trying to complete that exercise bout and more than likely won’t do it at all.

A study posted in the American College of Sports Medicine Journal of Health and Fitness says that by breaking that cardio up, you get the same exercise benefits as walking consecutively. So now you have no excuse. If you can’t muster up the energy for 40 minutes, or if your knee starts hurting after 10 minutes, doing four 10 minute bouts of exercise will yield the same exercise effects as walking continuously.

Now this isn’t a reason not to be lazy. If you can sustain cardio for the consecutive 40 minutes,  you will yield better cardiovascular endurance than only going 10. But if you are one of those people who need to start exercise because you need to change your life fast, but just can’t do the 40 minutes, BREAK IT UP!

You hear it all the time on the TV, Radio, from Doctors, around the coffee machine and throughout your daily life: Get physical activity in your life. But what exactly is physical activity and how much should you really get?

In science, physical activity is any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that result in energy expenditure. In real life, physical activity is basically anything that you break a sweat doing. Really anything. Do you work when you vacuum the house? That is physical activity. Do you work when you chase your grand kids? That is physical activity. Do you work when you go shopping and have to walk around the entire mall? That is physical activity.

What is NOT physical activity? Watching hours of TV. Sitting in front of a computer (reading killer articles on Ninteman Fitness is OK for now). Doing nothing is not physical activity. Physical activity doesn’t have to be hard to do. Just make

sure what you are doing is hard. Park farther at the mall. Do lunges when vacuuming. Race the kids around an obstacle course around the house. Do jumping jack during commercials through your favorite TV show. Walk up and down your stairs at your house. Find a step and do 20 min of stepping up and down your step. When you look around, you can really find ways to get in your 30 min a day 5 days a week of physical activity each week. It shouldn’t be a chore. Find things you are doing already and amp them up to get in your activity. Your health will thank you in the long run.

There are times in my life as a fitness professional where I come across someone who is so inspiring, talking to them gives me goosebumps. I had that conversation today.

I am taking a therapy class on how to work people back from injuries. I had a gentleman very close to the same age as me (mid 20s). He was in a car accident in his teen years and was the only one who survived out of the entire 5 people in the car. Even though he was alive, he was in really bad shape. Years later, he is making great strides in improvement and went from having no mobility through his entire body, to having complete movement in his entire body, except his lower legs.

I had a great conversation with him today on CAN’T vs. WON’T and how they are used in the English language. CAN’T is a shorten version of CANNOT. If anyone should say this word, it is the gentleman I am working with. However you will not find it in his vocabulary. WON’T is a shorten version of WILL NOT. Again, a word my client does not use.

However, too many people use the word “can’t” and “won’t” that should not use it. First, no one should use the word can’t. If a guy who physically CAN’T walk without help doesn’t use it, neither should you. In no way, shape or form.

Second, you CAN do anything if you are willing. Most people that say “can’t” really mean “won’t”. “I can’t run for 20 minutes on the treadmill”. YES YOU CAN! You just are not willing to. You will not. You won’t. You can do anything you put your mind you. You hear that over and over again. Don’t be afraid to fail. Try Try and TRY AGAIN! Remove Won’t and Can’t out of  your vocabulary. Try and Do. Those should be the words you use. If you try and do not succeed, at least you tried. Saying you can’t do something is a cop out in my mind.

For some of you, you know the name Dr. Oz from either his appearances on the Oprah show, or his various other books and TV appearances. For the select few of you, if you don’t know who Dr. Oz is, you should.

Being a fitness professional, I hear all the time “My Dr. prescribed X” or “My doctor told me Y is the best thing for me”. Most doctors are pill pushers that honestly couldn’t care less about  your overall health and want to get in and out of your appointment as fast as possible so they can move onto the next one so they can get their paycheck and drive home in their fancy car. I say most because there are those few doctors who truly care about their patients health and know the best way to change someone’s overall health issues is back changing their overall lifestyle.

Dr. Oz, although still a celebrity doctor which to me, reduces credibility, is very straight forward and knows that pushing healthy diets will get people healthy, not pushing pills.

Dr. Oz has a book that I think is a great starting point to getting healthy. It is called “You on a Diet”. It very plainly and basically explains how diets are suppose to help you stay healthy. I have taken nutrition classes for years and I have not had anything as simple and straight forward as this book.

If you are serious about your health, this book is a great place to start. He has more books that are just as good as this one, but You On A Diet is a great place to start.

Today’s post is by Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS. Craig owns a great fat loss product called Turbulence Training. Regular readers know how much I am against information product because in today’s day and age, everyone is an expert. Well, Craig is an expert. He holds a masters degree, high level certifications and writes for some of the most prestigious magazines on the markets. He stuff is legit and I highly recommend you heading over to Turbulence Training and check out his product. You will not be disappointed.

Why Cardio Doesn’t Work for Fat Loss

By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Cardio exercise is such a strange thing. In theory, it should work
so perfectly well for all men and women, but as anyone who has
tried it knows, the practicality of it just doesn’t add up.

After all, some men and women do cardio 6 hours, 9 hours, or more per week, and still have belly fat to burn. On the other hand, it works just fine for others.

British researchers wanted to get more insight into this paradox, and studied 35 overweight men and women, who weren’t previously exercising.

(Reference: International Journal of Obesity 32: 177-184, 2008).

Subjects exercised 5 times per week for 12 weeks. That’s a lot of
exercise, but it helped the subjects lose an average of 8.2 pounds, which is great – I was positively surprised by the results.

So cardio will work for some people, however, in my experience, it works best in young men, who need the help the least!

Back to the study, the variance in fat loss between individuals was huge. Check this out…

The best subject lost a staggering 32.3 pounds in 12 weeks, while the worst subject actually GAINED 3.74 pounds.

The scientists think they know where things went sour. They
classified the subjects into 2 groups, called the “Compensators”
and the “Non-compensators”.

The Compensators were hungrier, and as a result consumed an extra 268 calories per day, all but wiping out their cardio efforts.

Therefore, the Compensators lost the least amount of weight, and scientists believe that was due to the huge “compensatory” increase in appetite experienced by this group.

Does your appetite increase when you do slow cardio? If it does,
research shows it will ruin your cardio efforts.

So if your cardio program is not working for you, check your
appetite and calorie intake to see if you are “compensating” for
your efforts. If you are, you might be better off using a program
of high-intensity resistance and interval training (i.e. Turbulence Training) for your weight loss efforts.

As Australian Professor Steve Boucher has shown in research,
interval training increases hormones called catecholamines. And
increased catecholamines can reduce appetite, among other fat-
burning benefits.

In the real world, few people lose 33 pounds after 12 weeks of
cardio. Heck, few even achieve an average weight loss of 8 pounds with aerobic exercise.

So again, check your appetite, and consider giving high-intensity
exercise a go for your next workout program.

Beat the curse of cardio with high-intensity Turbulence Training.

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training
About the Author

Learn about the “Dark Side of Cardio” in the free report from Craig Ballantyne at www.TurbulenceTraining.com. Craig is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit www.TurbulenceTraining.com

One of the easiest, fastest, best workout you can get is at your home using your own body. Body weight workouts are a great way to get in shape. They are quick and easy and need no equipment. Here is a quick workout you can go that will give you great results.

WIth this workout, do about 10 reps of each exercise, moving right on into the next exercise as a super set. Once you finish all 5 exercises, rest for about 2 minutes then do it again. Depending on your fitness level, try to get 3-5 rounds of the super sets done for a workout.

Exercise 1: Tuck Jumps

To do this exercise, Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and  your knees slightly bent. Jump straight up in the air as high as high as you can and bring your knees toward your chest. Land on the balls of your feet with your knees slightly bent and quickly go into your next jump. Again, do about 10 of these then jump to the next exercise.

Exercise 2: Squat Jump

Stand with your feet slightly more than shoulder width apart and your finger laced behind your head. Bend at the knees to lower yourself until your thighs are parallel to the floor, ten jump up as high as you can. Sink directly into the next squat without stopping. Do 10 reps.

Exercise 3: Power Skip

This is similar to your traditional skip, but you are generating more power and you are not moving. Propel yourself up as high as you can  with each skip by driving your knee up into the air. As you punch each knee up, swing your opposite hand upward t get as much vertical lift as possible.

Exercise 4: ZigZag Bound

Think about lengthening your stride as much as possible. Drive one leg into the ground to push of forcefully and lift your opposite knee high in the air as you surge forward. Propel youself upward, forward and slightly laterally o that you bound forward and to the outside.

Exercise 5: Stick Landing

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, hands beside your thighs. Jump and land with your knees bent and your butt and hips back. Try to land on the front two thirds of your feet, with your heels just off the ground. Hold for 2 seconds before standing to perform your next lunge.

Again, perform all the sets a few times and you have a great workout.

The term “Health and Wellness” is starting come into main stream as of late. Most people just relate it to their health and “wellness”. But do you really know the meaning behind “health and wellness”? It goes deeper than you would think.

I recently posed the question “What is the definition of health and wellness to you” on facebook and twitter. People came up with some great responses:

Here is my definition of health and wellness: Getting the whole pie.

Health and wellness has 5 categories mixed into one.

• Mental health-the ability to learn and develop intellectual capabilites
• Spiritual health-The belief in a unifying force-Godline for some, nature for others, even science.
• Social health-The ability to interact and develop interpersonal relationships.
• Physical health-To supply the body with the nutrients and activity to ward off illness and disease, supply energy and maintain bodily function for maintenance and growth.
• Emotional health.

Health and wellness is making sure you have a full balance of every aspect of your health. Most people get too caught up in their diet. Or their workout. Health is not one thing. If you really want to get healthy, you need to take into account every single aspect of your life. If you are highly stressed at work, that effects your weight. If you are over weight, that more than likely effects your social health. If you are overweight, your hormones are not in check and that effects your emotional health.

It is time that you get serious about your health. Start today. Start looking at every aspect of your life and finding ways to making it better. This can be a very difficult task to do on your own. If you find yourself struggling, or just plain don’t know where to start, drop me a line at Zach (at ) nintemanfitness.com. When you email me, I want you to give me a list of all (when I say all, I mean ALL!, every single one) the things in your life you want to change. Your email is only between you, and me. So don’t hold anything back. Remember, PERSONAL training needs to be personal. So get personal with yourself first, then get personal with me so I can help. Dig deep and really think about everything from family, social, health, business, anything in your life you want to change. We will start with this list and start adjusting the things that we can. I cannot help with every single aspect of your life, but I can get you walking and you can start running with it.

Again, email if you need. zach (at) nintemanfitness.com.

It is your life. You only have one. Make sure it is the best ever. Period.