BOLD Fitness

Hello Fit Nation! If you're on your second hour of cardio trying to burn off your holiday meal, STOP! You absolutely do not need to guilt yourself into compensatory exercise. If you notice a couple extra pounds on the scale, fear not. Its likely bloatation and extra weight. Just keep your water intake steady, and avoid continuous overindulging. Your holidays are a holiday from your diet, you enjoyed it, and now its done. Don't punish yourself!

Hiking is an amazing, and FUN, way to maintain fitness. If you're not a pro-hiker/backpacker and you want to get in shape for a tougher trek, follow this link for some exercises to add to your training program. Even if you're not looking to head into the wild, this is still a great regimen for all-around strength! http://www.backpacker.com/sk/backpacker-bible-hike-farther/

To follow up on the link I shared on help for FMS sufferers, here's my personal recipe for "Golden Milk". This drink incorporates turmeric; turmeric is great for inflammation. This comes in handy with joint and muscle aches most especially. To make it: -1 TBS honey (local honey is best) -1/2 tsp ground cinnamon -1 1/2 tsp ground turmeric -1/2 tsp ground ginger... -2 tsp lemon juice -8 oz whole cows milk, or almond milk In a large mug, mix together honey, cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, and the lemon juice until a soft paste forms. Stir in milk that you have previously heated, or cold milk. If milk is cold, put the mug in the microwave and heat until warmed. Stir, and enjoy!

For a long time, people suffering with Fibromyalgia Syndrome had nowhere to turn. Now we know more about it, but its still hard to treat. If medication hardly soothes the pain and fatigue ruins your day, you might think that there is nowhere left to turn. There is hope, though, and relief can be yours. Precision Nutrition discusses in this article some self-help tips as well as partnered support from your trainer for relieving the symptoms of FMS. http://precisionnutrition.com/fibromyalgia-exercise-nutriti

You may not think you run very well, but who cares? You're running! No matter how steady you may trudge, you're getting in the exercise and building your endurance. Get up and do it! https://www.facebook.com//a.604459616263/798601800182947/... (Shared from Movin It With Michelle)

If you find yourself struggling between the will to go to the gym and the fear of going to the gym, this article is for you. http://josfitness.wordpress.com/

If you want muscular hamstrings, my best advice is to make sure that you're 1) always performing at least two movements per week for the hammies in order to pro...duce sufficient mechanical tension, metabolic stress, and muscle damage, and 2) utilizing a variety of rep ranges, as the hamstrings are not a fast twitch muscle group, contrary to popular opinion (see here for further info: http://bretcontreras.com/hamstrings-really-fast-twitch/) You want to include one movement that stretches the hammies. Now, the seated leg curl will stretch the hamstrings if you're sitting upright and maintaining anterior pelvic tilt, but I prefer to perform stretching exercises that are centered on hip extension instead of knee flexion. Back extensions will stretch the hamstrings as well, but since they're easiest in the stretch and hardest at the top (see here for more info: http://bretcontreras.com/are-all-hip-extension-exercises-c/), I prefer to perform either Romanian deadlifts, stiff leg deadlifts (see here to learn the difference between RDLs and SLDLs: http://bretcontreras.com/whats-the-difference-between-a-ro/), or good mornings for this purpose. If you happen to perform conventional deadlifts with high hips, then plain old deadlifting will suffice as well. Most people go too heavy with good mornings and would be better served reducing the load and focusing on sitting back and bending at the hips while keeping the spine in neutral. Stretching movements are best done in medium rep ranges with moderate rest periods, such as 3-4 sets of 6-10 reps with 2 minutes in between sets. You also want to include one movement that burns the hammies. I believe that straight up leg curls (either lying, seated, or standing 1-leg) are best for this purpose. There are some machines that are designed much better than others, so hopefully your gym has some good leg curl units. Other options are stability ball leg curls and hanging leg curls (see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlCOhWuPGBU). Burning movements are best done in higher rep ranges with shorter rest periods, such as 3-4 sets of 10-20 reps with 1 minute in between sets. There are some excellent movements that I didn't yet mention just because they don't fit well into the "stretching" or "burning" categories, but they require some serious tension development in the hamstrings to carry out the motion. These include Nordic ham curl and glute ham raise variations (see here: https://www.t-nation.com//best-damn-posterior-chain-exerci). The glute ham raise is not an effective glute exercise (see here: https://www.t-nation.com/traini/gutting-the-glute-ham-raise), but it's an incredible hamstring exercise. Know that there are ways to make the GHR very easy (foot pad low and far away from knee pad) or very hard (foot pad high and close to the knee pad) by adjusting the unit a particular way. A great way to rapidly bring up lagging hamstrings is to perform Nordic ham curls or glute ham raises every single workout for 6 weeks. You'll get much better at them during this time, and your hamstrings will see increased development. These high tension movements are best done in lower rep ranges and shorter rest periods, such as 3-4 sets of 1-5 reps with 90 seconds in between sets. If performing with high frequency, however, stick to 2-3 sets of either exercise 3-6 times per week and watch your hammies improve. And of course, kettlebell swings, back extensions, and reverse hypers will highly activate the hamstrings while building speed and power. So will sprints, but if you decide to start sprinting, take at least a month to ease into them (if you haven't sprinted in years, take 2 months to acclimate). Sprinting is a high-risk endeavor that requires good conditioning and technique. The quickest way to hamper your hamstring development is to acquire a hamstring strain, so don't be foolish and dive straight into multiple 100m sprints at 100%). Start at four 20-m sprints at 60% and gradually increase intensity, then distance, then volume. Each of the exercises I've mentioned have numerous variations. Most can be done on one leg or two legs, with different types of resistance such as bodyweight, dumbbell, band, or barbell, and with differing postures and techniques. Spend time learning which hamstring exercise variations work best for your body.

The MOST IMPORTANT reason for working out is not weight loss. It's not muscle gain. I know, you're going to call me crazy because maybe losing weight or putting on muscle is EXACTLY the reason you started working out. BUT, the number one reason needs to be FEELING GOOD. That bad back you're always nursing? The sciatic nerve pain that pinches you endlessly? The breathlessness after a set of stairs? Bad knees? Yeah, those should be the problems you're looking to fix before you think of training for any other reason. Getting fit, plainly and simply, needs to be for the sake of making your body feel right. Everything else should come second!

2015 is going to be a great year, because YOU'RE gonna make it great. Its going to be the year you take your fitness to a new level, the year to open your mind, the year for all manner of life changes; because you are going to stop making excuses and get to getting where you're going. Its time. Not tomorrow, start today. Let the newness of the turning year inspire you. Stop giving yourself room to complain; every time you complain rather than change you are simply prolonging ...the amount of time you will spend standing there with your thumb up your butt. So GO NOW, damnit. You can expect to see some (hopefully) awesome changes from this community in the coming months. I'll be putting some extra efforts in to become the better trainer, advice-giver, and motivator that you all need. Have a Happy start to the new year. Make 2015 your turning point. Stay happy and healthy. -Coach Jo See more

Cold season is here, and everyone (including me) loves to use the "sick" excuse to get off track in the weeks following their colds. Lets not waste time feeling miserable and weak! I've been asked about ways to keep up immunity, and to even sooth a cold once it gets in. Here's a recipe for Fire Cider, courtesy of Mommypotamus; a homemade drink packed full of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory ingredients to help you stay well, and if the time comes, to kick any cold's ass: http://www.mommypotamus.com/fire-cider-recipe/