exercise

Last Week’s Highlight Reel

I know we’re a few days into the week, but I wanted to share a highlight video from last week’s ETT training. We started off the week with a great ETT Group workout followed it up with several ETT personal training sessions and finished off the week with a great run & stair climb on the Tampa Riverwalk. ETT would like to thank all of its members for their participation & dedication to building the ETT community. ETT would not be what it is today without their help

If you’re interested in joining the ETT community, reach out to us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or simply send us an email at elementaltampa@gmail.com.

http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGWGLZvoFjo

Fitness for the Masses

Personal trainers are a luxury that not everyone can take advantage of. Whether it be an issue of time, money or existing commitments, some individuals cannot justify investing in a personal trainer. That is why I wanted to make sure that a portion of the fitness resources offered by ETT can be accessed by anyone, at anytime, for free. One of the free services offered by ETT is the monthly group training sessions. We started offering these workouts in October of last year and they’ve been going strong ever since. Services like these help people realize that being fit is not some daunting task that cost a lot of money to achieve. I know some personal trainers may think I’m foolish for offering services for free, but when I read comments like the one below, it demonstrates to me that these services can be the spark plug people need for a healthier more active lifestyle.FullSizeRender-4

As rewarding as offering free fitness services may be, I encourage ETT community members and non-members who want to bump up the intensity of their training or have specific fitness goals to invest in ETT’s 1-on-1 personal training. If you are interested in personal training with ETT, but need more insight into our training system, you can email me at elementaltampa@gmail.com OR you can attend the next ETT group training session this Sunday, June 29th near Downtown Tampa. Check out the event page on Facebook for more details.

ETT Exercise of the Week Ep.6

Summer is in full swing here in Tampa, which means the heat can be stifling at times. Weather conditions can have a negative effect on a person’s activity level regardless of where they live. You have to adapt your training in order to stay dedicated to your exercise regime. If you’re like me and love exercising outdoors, but are faced with less than ideal weather conditions, modify your workout so you get more done in a shorter period(s) of time. You can perform a high intensity interval training (HIIT) workout (20 mins or less) or perform 2 short workouts (10 mins or less) throughout the day. A good way to maximize your workout is to perform total body exercises like this week’s ETT exercise of the week. The hook-uppercut punch combination followed by 2 cross knee strikes provides a great strength, cardio, and core workout all at the same time. Remember, modify the exercise to match your fitness level & let us know how you stick to your workout regime when the weather conditions are less than ideal.

Test Yourself ***UPDATED***

Originally published Saturday, June 6th

Adhering to a healthy, active lifestyle can be difficult for some people. Whether it be a lack of time or results, people have a hard time sticking to a regular exercise regime. One sure-fire way to maintain an active lifestyle is to set and achieve SMART goals. SMART is an acronym that refers to goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely. For example, some people may start an exercise program because they want to “look better” or “feel better.” Unfortunately these goals are neither measurable nor specific. A SMART goal for someone who wants to look or feel better could be “I want to go down two dress sizes in 8 weeks” or “I want to complete a 5k in the next 6 months.” These goals will provide the individual with the motivation needed to stick to their training program. Also, when they achieve their goal, the feeling of success will most likely inspire them to set another SMART goal and convert their exercise program into a lifestyle.

IMG_0866-2

Even though I adopted the active lifestyle years ago, I still set SMART goals for myself. Today actually, I will attempt to achieve a SMART goal when I have my first jiu-jitsu belt test. I have admired and enjoyed learning jiu-jitsu since I began my martial arts training over 8 years ago. I received great tutelage from several instructors over the years, but it was only recently that I began a formal training program at Gracie Tampa South. Even though I’ve trained and competed in jiu-jitsu previously, I wanted to start as a beginner to ensure that I learned every aspect of the martial art. Wish me luck and I’ll let you know soon if I achieved my goal or not. In the meantime, set some SMART goals for yourself and begin the journey to an active lifestyle.

UPDATE

Monday night I found out that I passed my first Brazilian jiu-jitsu belt test. I received the first of what I hope to be many stripes on my belt and felt the satisfaction of accomplishing a personal goal. Thanks to my teacher Coach Josh, all the students in my class for helping me prepare for the test, and all my friends and family who wished me good luck. The time to enjoy this milestone has come and gone and I’m ready to get back to work to prepare for the next test.

IMG_0893

Head Strong

Today’s ‪throwback Thursday pic is from my first black belt test with Amir’s Academy of Martial Arts way back in 2009. One handed knuckle push-ups on cement is just a small snapshot of what the two-day test was like. Over those two days I learned that mental toughness is the key to physical achievement. In case you were wondering, I’m the less muscular one on the far left.

10731050_1576545182579328_845918497335003949_n

Photo by Jeff Morris

ETT Exercise of the Week Ep.5

The ETT Exercise of the Week is back with authority! I have a great ETT exercise that combines a reverse lunge with a properly thrown front kick. To perform this ETT exercise you have to engage nearly all the muscles in your lower body and core. This exercise not only increases strength & cardio but also helps you improve your balance & flexibility. I recommend you practicing your reverse lunges and front kicks in a mirror before combining them to complete this ETT exercise. You can see in the video that I alternate legs after a few repeititions. This will help you avoid fatigue, which is key to performing the exercise with the proper technique. Go ahead and incorporate this ETT exercise into your next workout, but you have to promise one thing. Promise that you won’t hate me for making your legs sore. Embrace the burn!

Homemade Workout

Performing at-home workouts keep me in optimal physical condition and allow me to construct & perfect workouts that I can use with ETT’s personal training clients. As much as I love at-home workouts, the amount of equipment I currently have is somewhat limited, which can be an issue if I want to increase the level of resistance placed on me during the workout. This challenge led to the invention of my homemade weight vest. It’s may just be a book bag with a 30 lb sandbag in it, but anyone who has worn a weight vest knows how it can increase the intensity of simple exercises like jumping rope or pull-ups. The homemade weight vest needs a little tweaking but I anticipate it making its way into ETT’s equipment inventory real soon.

image

Get Ready To Be Motivated

Rick Hoyt was born with cerebral palsy and as a result has been wheelchair bound since birth. When he was 15, he asked his father, Dick Hoyt, to push him in a local 5-mile benefit run. Dick and Rick placed next to last in the race, but Rick told his father that “when (we’re) running, it feels like I’m not handicapped.” This event inspired the father and son team to complete over a 1000 races including marathons, ironman triathlons, and they even biked/ran across the entire United States. Dick Hoyt has pushed, pedaled, and pulled Rick across numerous finish lines to perpetuate the feeling Rick had after their first race together.

Don’t forget that your health is important to you AND your loved ones. Make time for your fitness, it’s worth it.

10672297_1547525992147914_3156085086307077094_n

Team Hoyt