When training the glutes, particular focus needs to be paid to two muscles. The Gluteus Maximus and the gluteus medius. The glute max is the bigger of the two muscles and is the one to focus on if you are looking to “lift” the area. The glute max is active in a wide variety of leg exercises and emphasis needs to be placed on it in order to work out the muscle. Lunges are great for the glutes if you take a long step and drive up through your heels. Squats can also get good but make sure to focus on engaging, or squeezing, the muscle. If the goal is to isolate the muscle, any movement in which you extend your leg back will work. It’s just important to make sure That there is enough resistance. It’s very large muscle so it’s important to do multiple exercises in order to reach your goals effectively.
The gluteus medius is the second part of this equation. While the glute max is on the backside, the glute med is on the sides. This muscle is important to work especially as a way of filling out the area. Movements that work this muscle are ones which produce abduction or extension of the leg to the side. The abduction machine is good for
this purpose as well as side lying leg raises. Also, a great way to work the muscle is if you tie elastic bands around the ankles and extend to the side.
I hope you have enjoyed this weeks entry, next week will be biceps.
Biking for fitness, things to consider
Riding a bike is fast becoming a very popular method of getting around a large city. I started biking abou
t three years ago and it has been one of the best things that I could had done for myself. Biking is a great way to keep healthy, get exercise, commute, be Eco friendly and save money. With all of this in mind, there are a few things to consider when biking around a city so I decided to compile a list of the 5 things to consider when biking in the city.
1. Awareness. People always tell me that I’m crazy to ride a bike all over NYC and I sometimes agree with them. The combination of crazy cab drivers, people swinging their doors open, pedestrians who don’t seem to care if you run them over and busses coming at you full speed would be enough to make any person swear off ever riding a bike. It really isn’t as bad as it sounds. The biggest key is to be aware of your surroundings at all times. It takes 100% concentration. Use your peripheral vision and hearing to know if there is an approaching vehicle. Look into the mirrors of parked cars in case someone is getting out. Always try to anticipate other peoples moves to stay a
step ahead.
2. Type of bike. There are all kinds of bikes which people use for different reasons. Consider your situation and make the choice that suits you. I personally ride a road bike. While not ideal for the city, flats can come easy and it can be dangerous in bad weather, it’s the fastest way to go since they are made for speed. Also, with places like New York becoming more bike friendly, the roads are becoming better for road bike riding. A mountain bike or hybrid bike are
probably more placyical for commuting around the city as they will prove to me a bit more durable and a little safer. If space is an issue or if you don’t want to lock your bike outside, a folding bike is a great alternative and there are plenty of options but I wouldn’t recommend them for very long distance commutes.
3. Accessories. There are all kinds of things that you can purchase to use with your bike, these are what I bring. Always wear a helmet. Trust me, it’s worth it. Bring a tire repair kit. You never know when or where you will get a flat and the ability to do it yourself will save you time, money and stress. If you are going to leave it outside, I reccomend getting the best Kryptonite U lock you can get. I would also get a bell as well as flashing front and rear lights. These are
important as you never know when you will need them and it keeps people aware that you are on the road. I would recommend against getting any kind of rear-view mirror. I find them to be completely distracting and the use of hearing, turning and peripheral vision are enough to know what’s going on behind you.
4. Reckless riding. It’s common sense but be safe when you ride. Riding on sidewalks, against traffic or cutting through cars is a recipe for disaster. It’s easy to try to take advantage of being on a bike and try to get from point A to B as fast as possible but be safe and respect full of others.
5- have fun. To me the best part of riding is the ability to explore your surroundings. If you can, don’t just use it to commute but try to go to places you haven’t been before. Try new routes, you might be amazed with what you see. Biking can be a really wonderful experience so try to make the most of it.
PT Business Blog: Price Integrity
For the most part, a key to being a successful personal trainer means having a bit of an entrepreneurial spirit. Some of us have it and others don’t. One of the most uncomfortable aspects to being a trainer is dealing with money. Good or bad, we become friends with many of our clients and asking for or having discussions about Money can be a tricky situation.
Within the bigger issue of dealing with money is the idea of price integrity. I have seen far too often trainers who have different rates for different clients. This usually happens because a potential client begins to negotiate the price down and the trainer is firm on the price. While it may not be easy to stay firm on a price, I feel like it is important to do to as a professional. At the end of the day, a personal trainer is running a business. There are very few businesses where a person can walk in and negotiate a lower price. This should apply to personal trainers as well. By maintaining a set fee structure you establish yourself further as a professional. In my experience, people will make their decission to work with you based on their connection with you and not $5 off of the session so don’t be afraid to be firm.
One way to seccessuflly deal with potential clients looking for a new deal is to offer incentives for working with you. Maybe a free session for every 20 sessions completed or something similar. This gives the client something that they may view as a deal without lowering your per session rate. Another thing that works well are package deals. Offer a lower rate if they purchase multiple sessions. This is a great compromise and works well with clients. There are plenty of other options out ther but my point is that in order to maintain a professional appearences, a trainer needs to establish his or her value and not waver from it.
Ryan George Fitness 