Sticking to an Exercise Plan (Part Two)

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6. Get on a “professionally-designed” - long-term program. The sooner you start seeing results, the more you'll want to keep training to continue them. Aimlessly hopping from workout to workout, or even worse, from machine to machine will only waste your time. Talk with a personal trainer who can customize a program that’s right for you and keep you constantly motivated.

7. Join an exercise class. The camaraderie you develop with your “classmates” should be enough to keep you coming back. Go with your spouse and tell each other how you are coming along. This will properly motivate both of you!

8. Keep a workout log. Recording your progress from session to session (or lack thereof) will show you what you're doing right and what you're doing wrong. There's also a great feeling of satisfaction that comes from watching the amount of poundage you lift increase with each passing week.

9. Buy an iPod or portable CD player that you can take to the gym. Associating your workouts with fun music or “escapism” will make you not want to miss them.

10. Put a picture of your family or loved ones in your gym bag (especially your grandkids!). It will remind you of who you want continue to be healthy for…(although some say putting a picture of your competition or enemies is even greater motivation to be the best you can be!).

Sticking to an Exercise Plan (Part One)

OK, so you’ve started your program but need a little extra help staying motivated?

Here are a few tips:

1. Get an exercise buddy. They will help keep you motivated…and so will the guilt of standing them up. Even better, get your kids or even grandkids to come to the gym with you. You will get to have some “family time” and by simply trying to keep up with someone younger you will push yourself a little more.

2. Make a bet with a friend (or enemy). Placing a money wager that you will hit your goal by a certain date makes every workout count. It also puts your honor on the line!

3. Tell everyone you know about your fitness goals. That way, you will have that many more people to answer to. It will be hard to live it down if every person in your community knows you failed.

4. Buy yourself new exercise clothes, sneakers or a workout bag. Not wanting new and/or expensive equipment to go to waste will make you more apt to get off the couch and use it.

5. Go to the Gold’s Gym in your community. By seeing the Gold’s Gym regularly when you drive by you will eventually be drawn (or guilted!) in there to train.  If you workout with your spouse it will be at least a little harder to have both of you come up with a valid excuse why not to go – especially when it is SO convenient.

Stay tuned for the rest of our tips!

30-Day Hard Body Workout - Week 4

Hard Body Circuit

Perform this routine three times through, resting between sets for a few minutes. Unless otherwise specified, do 12-15 reps of each exercise, using a weight that is challenging but doable for a high number of reps. Rest time is active rest time, so you should be moving constantly!


1. Walking Lunge
 
Week 4 Add shoulder press

With your elbows below the wrists, hold a dumbbell on either side of your shoulders and press the dumbbells up until yours arms are extended. Lower dumbbells and repeat.

2. Plank

Week 4 Using a stability ball, hold for 45 seconds.
Works abs, back
Lie face-down on a mat. Push off from your chest, resting on your forearms and toes. Keep your back flat, in a straight line from head to heels.

3. Pushup

Week 4 Hands on ball

Place your palms on a stability ball, about shoulder-width apart.
Works chest, shoulders, abs, triceps
Lie face-down with your hands slightly more than shoulder-width apart and your feet together. Keeping your body straight, push up.

4. Squat

Week 4 Add front raise

Start with dumbbells at your thighs, palms down. Lift the dumbbells straight up to shoulder height as you lower your legs.
Use a stability ball to support you during this series. Place the ball between your lower back and a wall. Put your feet a foot or two in front of you and slowly squat down until your butt is parallel with the floor, letting the ball roll up your back.

5. Crunch

Week 4 Add stability ball

Place a stability ball under the middle of your back and perform as usual.
Lie on your back with your legs bent, hands behind your head and feet flat on the floor. Keeping your neck relaxed, roll your upper back off the floor and then slowly return to starting position.

6. Dead Lift

Week 4 Add hammer curl

While fully upright, hold the dumbbells at your sides, your palms facing your legs. Bend your elbows and bring the dumbbells up toward your shoulders until your elbows can't bend any further. Slowly lower the dumbbells.

Rest 3 minutes before beginning the circuit again.

30-Day Hard Body Workout for Week 3

Week 3

1. Walking Lunge

2. Plank

3. Pushup

4. Squat

5. Crunch

6. Dead Lift

 

1. Add torso rotation
Grab a light medicine ball or a dumbbell. Hold it out in front of you as you step forward. While in a lunge position, twist once to the right, once to the left, then return to starting position.

2. Add a stability ball and hold for 30 seconds. Rest your forearms on the stability ball instead of on the mat.

3. Hands on BOSU
A BOSU is an inflated rubber hemisphere attached to a rigid platform; it looks like a stability ball cut in half. Place the BOSU soft side down and hold on to the edges while you perform the pushup.

4. Add shoulder press
Position a dumbbell on each side of your shoulders, your elbows below the wrists. Press the dumbbells up as you lower your legs.

5. Dumbbell half-curl down
Begin by sitting upright, feet flat on the floor. Holding a dumbbell at your chest, slowly lower your core down halfway. Hold for a second, then return to starting position.

6. Add upright row
While fully upright, lift the dumbbells straight up below your chin, leading with your elbows. Keep the dumbbells close to your body on the way up, letting your wrists bend.

Rest 3 minutes before beginning the circuit again.

30-Day Hard Body Workout- Week 2

Welcome back, folks! We know you're probably a bit sore from Week One but we guess you're also feeling stronger and more motivated for Week Two!

Our tone-all-over circuit takes six proven and powerful moves — lunges, planks, push-ups, squats, crunches and dead lifts — and amps up their difficulty each week to keep your muscles challenged. Pair these exercises with active rest (keeping your heart rate up during your "rest" time between sets) and you'll be eager to jump start your workout and fitness goals.

Do this workout three times a week, along with at least two hours of cardio a week, for the best results.

Hard Body Circuit

Perform this routine three times through, resting between sets for a few minutes. Unless otherwise specified, do 12-15 reps of each exercise, using a weight that is challenging but doable for a high number of reps. Rest time is active rest time, so you should be moving constantly!

1. Walking Lunge
Works glutes, hamstrings and quadriceps
Start with your feet shoulder-width apart, arms at your sides. Step forward several feet with your right foot, and bend down until your right leg forms a 90-degree angle and your left knee almost touches the floor. Push off your left foot and bring your legs together. Repeat on the opposite side.

Week 2: Pulse 1 to 8 to 1
Step forward with your right foot, holding the weights by your sides. Pulse up and down once while knees are bent. Bring your feet together and step forward with your left foot. Pulse twice. Work up to eight pulses in a row, then turn around and headed in the opposite direction, work your way back down to one.

2. Plank
Works abs, back
Lie facedown on a mat. Push off from your chest, resting on your forearms and toes. Keep your back flat, in a straight line from head to heels.

Week 2: Hold the plank position for 45 seconds

3. Pushup
Works chest, shoulders, abs, triceps
Lie facing down with your hands slightly more than shoulder-width apart and your feet together. Keeping your body straight, push up.

Week 2: Feet on stability ball
Balance your feet on a stability ball behind you.

4. Squat
Works quads, hamstrings, glutes and calves
Use a stability ball to support you during this series. Place the ball between your lower back and a wall. Put your feet a foot or two in front of you and slowly squat down until your butt is parallel with the floor, letting the ball roll up your back.

Week 2: Add bicep curl
Curl up, with your palms facing up, as you lower your legs.

5. Crunch
Works abs, back
Lie on your back with your legs bent, hands behind your head and feet flat on the floor. Keeping your neck relaxed, roll your upper back off the floor and then slowly return to starting position.

Week 2: Dumbbell crunch
Hold a dumbbell at your chest, close to your chin.

6. Dead Lift
Works quads, hamstrings, glutes, lower back
Stand upright, your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold the dumbbells in front of your thighs as you lower down, keeping your back straight and chest out. Slowly return to starting position.

Week 2: Add calf raise
Standing upright, rise up on the balls of your feet once.

Rest 3 minutes before beginning the circuit again.

If you're following this routine, we'd love to hear your feedback! Post your comments below.

30-Day Hard Body Workout

Feeling panicked about your body? We heard your distress call — and we have a solution. This routine from the Gold's Gym Fitness Institute will get your body streamlined for that wedding, party, or swimsuit.

This tone-all-over circuit takes six proven and powerful moves — lunges, planks, pushups, squats, crunches and dead lifts — and amps up their difficulty each week to keep your muscles challenged. Pair these exercises with active rest (keeping your heart rate up during your "rest" time between sets) and you'll be eager to jump start your workout and fitness goals.

Do this workout three times a week for a month, along with at least two hours of cardio a week, for the best results.

Hard Body Circuit

Perform this routine three times through, resting between sets for a few minutes. Unless otherwise specified, do 12-15 reps of each exercise, using a weight that is challenging but doable for a high number of reps. Rest time is active rest time, so you should be moving constantly!

1. Walking Lunge
Works glutes, hamstrings and quadriceps
Start with your feet shoulder-width apart, arms at your sides. Step forward several feet with your right foot, and bend down until your right leg forms a 90-degree angle and your left knee almost touches the floor. Push off your left foot and your bring legs together. Repeat on the opposite side.

Week 1 Regular, with dumbbells. Hold a weight in each hand, arms at your sides.

2. Plank
Works abs, back
Lie facedown on a mat. Push off from your chest, resting on your forearms and toes. Keep your back flat, in a straight line from head to heels.

Week 1 Hold the plank position for 30 seconds.

3. Pushup
Works chest, shoulders, abs, triceps
Lie facedown with your hands slightly more than shoulder-width apart and your feet together. Keeping your body straight, push up.

Week 1 Regular

4. Squat
Works quads, hamstrings, glutes and calves
Use a stability ball to support you during this series. Place the ball between your lower back and a wall. Put your feet a foot or two in front of you and slowly squat down until your butt is parallel with the floor, letting the ball roll up your back.

Week 1 Regular, hands at your sides

5. Crunch
Works abs, back
Lie on your back with your legs bent, hands behind your head and feet flat on the floor. Keeping your neck relaxed, roll your upper back off the floor and then slowly return to starting position.

Week 1 Regular

6. Dead Lift
Works quads, hamstrings, glutes, lower back
Stand upright, your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold the dumbbells in front of your thighs as you lower down, keeping your back straight and chest out. Slowly return to starting position.

Week 1 Regular, with dumbbells

Rest 3 minutes before beginning the circuit again. Be sure to consult our trainers if you have any questions and stay tuned for the next four weeks for more moves!