BlackDoctor.org talked with two certified personal trainers to get their perspective on getting fit on a budget. Throw out those “it’s too expensive” excuses and let's get fit.
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Jeff Warley is a certified personal trainer in New York City and the founder of 50Grand Health and Fitness. The company has issued a fitness challenge to those approaching the age of 50. Jeff provides our men readers with some awesome tools to get fit without making the gym rich.
BDO: How can men use what they have available to them for free to improve their physical fitness?
JW: Many men think that in order to get in shape and build muscle, they need to purchase expensive equipment. The fact is that the most valuable piece of equipment can’t be found in any infomercial; men take it everywhere and best of all, it’s free to use.
For men, their own body can be the tool that helps them get in shape, and ultimately attain the body they want. Their first go-to where fitness is concerned is weight training, with dumbbells and barbells. These are great for building strength, but I submit that if men cannot move effectively, lift and control their own body weight, they are not getting truly fit.
For me, an African American male approaching age 50, being truly fit is important. It means controlling my fat mass, building lean muscle, and maintaining stamina and a healthy diet.
BDO: What are the best exercises to lose weight at home?
JW: Body weight exercises such as push-ups, sit-ups, mountain climbers, and burpees (also referred to as squat thrusts) can be the most effective exercises for weight loss, hypertrophy (muscle growth), and stamina building. Since building lean muscle is the best way to burn calories and fat, these exercises are key.
EPOC is the acronym for Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption. What it means is: Sustained bouts of physical activity, especially those mentioned here, boosts the body’s metabolism in such a way that men continue to burn fat for as much as two hours afterwards.
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BDO: How can men gain muscle mass at home?
JW: I always recommend that my clients engage in exercises that build up their stamina and build muscle. Exercises that combine resistance (such as squats), plyometrics and cardio (such as jumping jacks), are very important to the muscle building process and maintaining a good fat-to-muscle ratio.
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Combo exercises like jump squats or burpees combine these three elements into one power-packed exercise.
Want to build those triceps? Grab a chair and do body dips. Better yet, do push-ups, and work the chest AND triceps. Men can do many of these exercises from home.
Monica Howell, a certified personal trainer based in Cleveland, Ohio wants you to live the good life. Her fitness company The OMA Life challenges all of her clients to live a balanced healthy life that’s filled with exercise and healthy food. Her tales about overcoming health problems stemming from weight issues will resonate in the lives of many women looking to change their physical fitness for the better.
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In her interview with BlackDoctor.org, Howell talks about her very athletic upbringing. She was active in sports all the way up until college, where she experienced the “famous freshman 15”. The weight caught her by surprise because she wasn’t used to the swipe-and-eat-as-you-wish lifestyle and for the first time she was no longer physically active. Over the course of four years, Monica gained almost 40 pounds, developed high blood pressure and her caloric levels were sky high. Several months after graduation Monica went on a mission to change her life for the better.
BDO: How can women use what they have available to them for free to improve their physical fitness?
MH: The Internet has a lot of valuable tools out there. I would look up workout videos online and model my workouts after those. If you do like having someone show you the proper techniques, you can go on Groupon or LivingSocial and find very discounted rates for first-time users. I used to attend one or two kickboxing classes and then keep those same routines for my home workouts. DVDs are great as well.
I would recommend doing a lot of calisthenics workouts if you’re looking to save money and get a total body workout. Things like push-ups, pull-ups, and squats are good exercises that you can do anywhere.
BDO: How can women gain muscle at home?
MH: Plyometrics are a good way to develop strength and speed. You can use anything in your house that weighs the same amount as weights. For instance, I’ve put books inside of a backpack when I did squats or as I performed push-ups. You can be creative at home.
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Check out Jeff Warley’s “The Life Begins at 50 Challenge". It’s a free, 10-week exercise program available online to anyone who wants to be more physically fit and build muscle in their 50s. The program is a special challenge for the 50 age group, but the exercises will benefit all ages.
Check out Monica Howell’s The OMA Life and book your consultation. For those that don’t want to leave home, she offers private Skype sessions for her clients.
