March Updates at Fitness:1440

Train Like a Navy SEAL

Get ready for TRX—a versatile training device that increases flexibility and gives you a complete body workout in the gym or on the go!

It might be hard to believe that a hard-core workout for elite military groups could be adapted for the masses, but that is exactly what former Navy SEAL Randy Hetrick did when he developed TRX training, which stands for total body resistance exercise. This suspension-based workout helps develop flexibility, power, balance and core stability all at the same time. All that’s needed is a simple strap system that hooks on to an anchor point strong enough to hold your weight. With more than 300 exercises, you can achieve a full-body workout in 30 minutes.

“There is training for show—’Look at my muscles!’—and training for go,” says RJ Savage, director of fitness for Fitness 1440. “TRX is training for go.” It is a form of functional training that improves the body’s ability to take on the stresses of life by improving performance and preventing injuries. “Your body will be more balanced and have better motor skills,”

The best introduction to this new workout is to take a group TRX class at a Fitness 1440 so that a Coach can show you the proper form and provide a guided workout designed to help each participant progress at his or her own pace.

Once you have a handle on the basics, TRX can go anywhere. The straps are highly mobile and easy to set up. Take them to the gym with you, or throw them in a suitcase for a work trip. They can be attached to any secure anchor point overhead. The ideal height is about nine feet. You may secure a strap to equipment such as a pull-bar, cable crossover piece, basketball hoop support or low supporting rafters, as long as there is enough ground space beneath your anchor point. You can even secure it to a door in your apartment if you’re working out at home.

And you don’t need to be in peak shape to try out this new workout. TRX can be adapted to any fitness level by a  trainer. Plus, it can benefit all types of exercise groups:

New user: Quickly develops power and endurance.

Post-rehab user: Allows for better control that can help stabilize the body and provide support while you begin training again.

Senior user: Strengthens muscle and increases balance and coordination.

Advanced user: Challenges you with unusual patterns that force the body to train in a multidimensional way.

Note: We have several classes for strength and muscle endurance to maintain proper posture safely during the applied movements.

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  The Most Overlooked Muscles

While big biceps and strong six-packs might be weight room headliners, these underrated muscles can literally stop the show.

There they are, every day, helping you walk forward, sit up straight and keep your eyes on the road, but when it comes time to hit the gym, you might overlook these crucial muscles, and that might lead to injury or pain in the future. We gathered together a panel of Gold’s Gym Fitness Institute experts and trainers to get their votes on the most ignored muscle groups.

“People tend to neglect the muscles we can’t see in the mirror,” says Adam Friedman. But important muscle groups are back there—ones that are vital for good posture and everyday activities, like walking and bending. Robert Reames, head fitness trainer on the Dr. Phil Show, concurs: “These are the muscles you normally don’t start training until you’re in physical rehab for back pain or some other injury.”

It’s all about balance, explains Dr. Eric Plasker, author of The 100 Year Lifestyle. “If you favor certain muscle groups over others, it causes the spine and nerves to age much more quickly and leads to injury,” he says. “Just like with the tires on your car, you can wear down your body unevenly.”

The glowing circles in the above graphic and descriptions below show why these muscles are essential and how you can start training them. Luckily, many of these muscles can be strengthened with simple moves that can be done while you type away at a computer or channel surf. These few extra moves are like flossing—they might not seem critical at first, but they’ll pay off in the long run.

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8 Cheesy Nibbles Under 80 Calories

Cheese lovers, rejoice! Health.com has 8 delicious nibbles that will satisfy your cravings and still keep you sleek.

PARMESAN POPCORN

• 56 Calories
• 1 cup air-popped popcorn tossed with 1/4 teaspoon
• garlic powder and
• 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan

EASY HORS D’OEUVRE

• 65 Calories
• 1 Pillsbury Savorings Frozen Appetizer, Cheese & Spinach

CHEESY CHIPS

• 72 Calories
• 9 Archer Farms Smoky Chipotle Cheddar Reduced Fat Potato Chips

BRIE AND ROASTED PEPPER TOAST

• 64 Calories 1/2 ounce Brie cheese melted
• on thin baguette slice, topped with 1
• small strip roasted red pepper

2 CREAMY SALMON ROLLS

• 74 Calories
• For each roll: Wrap 1/2 ounce smoked
• salmon around 2 teaspoons
• 1/3-less-fat cream cheese and 1
• watercress sprig

MINI CHEESE PLATE

• 64 Calories
• 2 34° Rosemary Crispbread crackers,
• 1/3 ounce Gouda cheese, and 5 red grapes