Daily Fit Tip✿ "Quicker isn't Better"

It’s no surprise that exercise is good for your heart, but research suggests that endurance training is the preferred form for better long-term heart health. Endurance training simply refers to low-intensity, high-duration exercises like walking or swimming. It differs from interval training, which is defined by short periods of high-intensity energy bursts followed by a period of rest.

Studies show that those who perform endurance activities regularly have a reduced chance of heart failure, because these activities can help prevent the heart muscle from stiffening. And as an added benefit, adding endurance activities to your workouts can help you burn more calories and lose weight, which also reduces your risk of heart disease.

Take a long walk in the morning or better yet and nice run to get your body burning right at the start of your day.  Even a morning swim is a good wake up call for your body. Gets your body moving, heart pumping and your metabolism burning throughout the rest of your day.  Also, make sure that you’re eating the right foods and feeding your body throughout the course of you day. It all goes hand in hand for a healthy heart and body! 

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Inspire Me✿ "It's A Way Of Life"

 

 Being fit is a way of life.. Not a destination. Fit4life!   ✿

A Dedication♡ "Rare and Special"

Dedicated to someone very Special♡ to me.. Let Your Inner Beast Shine Bright.. You are as Rare and Beautiful as this black lion. You will always be loved and adored inside and out as you are so very Special♡ and always will be. All of you will always shines bright in my eyes..

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12 Ways To A Better Diet ~ #12 "Set New Goals"

12. Measure Success and Set New Goals: Making successful changes means measuring your progress towards your goals and recognizing your accomplishments. All the goals you set and complete will go towards the big picture. The big pitcher is never ending as it's your fit and healthy lifestyle you're constantly working and striving toward. As you meet short-term goals, you can plan the next steps with more confidence. Constantly re-strategizing your goals takes long-term visualization. That long-term vision needs to be broken down into doable steps. These steps are your path way to being fit, healthy and happy each day living, breathing and being fit for life. Always remember it's the goals we make and accomplish that lead our way each day as we continue to live fit for a lifetime. 

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12 Ways To A Better Diet ~ #11 "Focus"

11. Focus on the journey and not the destination - To live a healthy lifestyle is never easy. It takes an enormous amount of dedication, sacrifice and drive to keep your focus on the big picture. The big picture of being fit and healthy and what it takes to keep yourself this way for the rest of your life.  In order to enjoy this lifestyle with all the ups and downs, we must enjoy the process and the journey on the way to our destination. Once we hit our destination we immediately look to the next mountain top and we either want more, or worst case scenario we think that we have accomplished all we need to and we relax on all of the things that got us there in the first place. Take pride in small victories along the way, they add up. Keep taking pride even when you've reach your destination. Don't ever take it for granted because it can disappear much faster than it took to get there. Embrace it and hold on to it by remembering this is a continued journey just as your life is. Keep growing, changing and keep allowing yourself to become and always be fit for life.

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12 Ways To A Better Diet ~ #10 "Don't Rush"

10. Don’t rush into this - People always start with the best of intentions and will try and do everything at once. They get overwhelmed and quit before they really even started. People also get so discouraged not seeing change right away they just figure what's the point. Starting out small and being consistent is the best way. Small changes add up and can make a huge difference over time. Work on one thing at a time and keep adding to it. Before you know it you will have many healthy habits that incorporate together to make a healthy lifestyle and a healthier and happier you. We all have an extraordinary force within us. Remember that always and know that you got this! #Nevergiveup

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Inspire Me✿ "You're Unstoppable"

The great battle is not physical, but psychological. Push yourself and keep going. Get your head in the right spot and you'll make yourself unstoppable in every endeavor you set out to conquer. Start by making your body unstoppable then keep going! #You'reUnstoppable

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12 Ways to A Better Diet ~ #9 "Give Yourself Praise"

9. Give yourself praise - You are not a dog so don’t reward yourself with treats. Realize that changing your eating habits can be a daunting task for anyone. Just think how long you have had your current habits and know that changing those habits will not happen overnight, but with time. Congratulate yourself on any healthy changes you make, you deserve the praise. Praise yourself each day when you finish your workout and have eaten healthy, you feel great and it shows. Praise builds confidence and makes you feel good about the healthy choices you are making, and in turn help keep you on your path to betterment.

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12 Ways To A Better Diet ~ #8 "Have Fun"

8. Have fun - Eating right takes dedication, commitment and sacrifice. Don’t stress yourself out over small bumps in the road. You have the power to change any negative into a positive, and you have the choice to have a positive outlook regarding any situation you find yourself in. You control exactly what you want to do, so why not have fun with your training and look forward to it rather then dreading it. Find fun ways to keep yourself motivated and inspired. Get friends and family involved. Set challenges at home, with friends, or at work to start eating healthier. Take the time to cook and try new and interesting recipes. You are making change for the better, so why not make it enjoyable.  #HaveFun  

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12 Ways To A Better Diet ~ #7 Stick 2 Your Plan

7. Stick with your plan - It takes time to develop healthy behaviors. After about a month of eating better consistently, you will have developed a habit. It is said that it takes at least 4 weeks, 30 days to develop a habit and to show progress in whatever you are setting out to do. This is where consistency is key in keeping with your set plan in play. Keeping to your plan without feeling discouraged or wanting progress too soon and just giving up. This happens in many cases as most want instant results and gratification with minimal work or being earned. You must put in the time, the work and be dedicated to your plan day in and day out to earn the the results you want.  Being consistent, patient and committed to your plan will bring you to the place you so desire and need to be. You will find that everything you initially may have had a hard time doing becomes more effortless and be a normal part of your day to day life.

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12 Way To A Better Diet ~ #6 "Don't be so hard on yourself"

6. Don’t be so hard on yourself - Nobody is perfect all the time. If you mess up, miss a few meals, or even have a bad couple of days, just pick yourself up and get back on track. Don't just give up because of one bad day or few days. You’re doing this for you, and the added stress of not living up to your own expectations can lead to a total diet derailment. Feeling bad and defeated about having a few bad days going off your scheduled diet plan can lead to more self doubt. Doubt may lead you in to self sabotage adding more bad days which can easily become bad weeks if you let it. Being healthy and eating healthy does not mean you can’t enjoy foods not on your meal plan. So don’t be so hard on yourself. Allow yourself a bad day or even two without feeling defeated or bad about yourself. Just realize it for what it is and know your in control and get yourself back on that right track again. YOU CAN DO IT!   

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12 Ways To A Better Diet ~ #5 "Be Flexible"

5. Be flexible - Of course, even the best plans fall short at times. Life can sometimes get the best of all of us. Sometimes your eating routines need to change to fit changes in your day. When you can, try to plan ahead for these events and have items on hand you can take with you when you’re in a rush or are eating out. Example might be... A bag of almonds, protein bars and shakes, fresh fruit, cut veggies. Also educate yourself on nutrition  through the internet, books, and magazines. You can use this knowledge to help you improvise and find foods that are compatible with your diet, for example if you are out with friends or stuck with no time to cook or  running late and haven't prepared food for the day. Find items that are less time consuming that you can take with you in a pinch. Keeping healthy foods and snacks on hand that need no preparation and easy to just grab and go. Being flexible in a crunch will allow you to stay on the fit and healthy path when life throws you a curve ball that changes your day. Being flexible and ready for any changes will keep your healthy eating schedule on track not matter what happens planned or not so planned. 

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Motivational Note✿ "Fighting 4 it"

Everything worth having is worth fighting for.. Your health, your body and your self worth is all worth the fight. Nothing good in life comes easy and if it did we all would have it. Obtaining that amazing feeling you get from being fit, strong and healthy comes from committing to it daily and keeping up the fight for it without ever giving up. If you're a true fighter and a winner in this life you'll never stop fighting for what you want or ever give it up. #Fight2BeFit  ✿

12 Ways To A Better Diet ~ #4 "Consistency is Key"

4. Consistency is key - Most people respond well to consistency. Make a plan and stick to it. Try to eat at around the same times daily and keep to the same portion size and caloric intake.. Your body will recognize this pattern and in turn keep your metabolism burning and your energy levels will stay high. You will feel better, and get in a healthy routine. It is easy to sabotage yourself by grabbing nasty snacks to meet uncontrolled cravings. If you do find yourself in that predicament of not preparing enough food to last throughout your day don't reach for the junk. There are better choices even in some fast food places so it's important that you keep your consistency on track and choose wisely. Don't go without food either because that's just as detrimental to you're system as eating poorly is. The time you spend on planning and consistency is a true investment that will benefit you for the rest of your life.

LoveYourBody♡

12 Ways To A Better Diet ~ #3 "Be Proactive"

3. Be Proactive - Make a list of healthy foods you enjoy, and what foods you can take with you to work, in the car, school, gym etc. You can create entire menus revolving around where you will be at what time of the day. Never give yourself an excuse to not have something available for you to eat, no matter where you are when you are supposed to have a meal. Always keep healthy foods ready to eat on hand. If you don’t you will probably eat whatever is available at the time whether it be fast food, office treats, etc. We all know that when in a crunch to find food we will go right for the fast food. It always seems to be easier to find unhealthy food choices then healthy ones.  Another really bad choice is not eating at all. This can throw off all the hard work you've put in, your diet plan and get you in the habit of making bad food choices and eat whatever is fast, easy and convenient. Know where you will be at what time of the day, when you are open to cook, to eat, to shop for groceries, and plan accordingly. When you fail to plan, you plan to fail.

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12 Ways To A Better Diet ~ #2 "Expectations"

2. Have Realistic expectations- Any diet plan needs to work with you and not against you. You need to be realistic when setting up the parameters of your new diet. Your plan needs to work for you and your situation. It needs to fit your schedule and your budget. If you don’t follow your budget, your cooking costs will get too high and you will have to withdraw from the diet you set up. If you don’t cook for your schedule and your eating times you will find yourself without food and scrambling to find a healthy choice.This is what leads to us to making bad food choices when we don't prepare our food ahead for our daily schedule. Poor food choices are all around us and always seem to be much easier, quicker for us to get in a scramble to eat on the go during our busy day. So be realistic with time, and give yourself extra time to prepare food, or have food pre-packed. Also know that obstacles can and will come into your path from time to time to derail you and your progress, so don’t think that everything will be easy and will just happen. This takes work and a commitment to yourself and your body. Just like training your body feeding your body a good, clean diet with consistency will show over time in amazing results you will be able to see in your body.

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12 Ways To A Better Diet ~ #1"Set Goals"

1. Set goals - It starts by having clear and realistic goals. Write a list of things you want to change about your diet. Also incorporate goals that you may have regarding your body and plan your diet around those goals. I recommend setting present goals, short term, and long term goals. If you try and do everything all at once you can be overwhelmed and want to quit. Take it one goal at a time if need be, and one day at a time, this isn’t a race. You may also want to write reasons why you want to make a change in your eating habits. You might share your goals with others who will help you meet them. You can put your goals where others can see them “on the fridge, at work” to motivate you to work harder. This will also get others behind you and involved in your new routine. As you achieve your goals, check them off. This will give you a sense of accomplishment and add excitement leading to your next goal. Keep yourself motivated at much as you possible can!  

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Exercise of the Week♡ "Shrugs"

Dumbbell Shrugs

The dumbbell shrug is a great exercise to strengthen and develop the trapezius muscle. The trapezius muscle is that triangular looking muscle on the upper back that gives body builders that powerful posture.

This is a pretty simple exercise to do. Simply pick up a couple of dumbbells and shrug your shoulders up and down. However, this exercise still has to be done right in order for it to be effective.

You can perform this exercise with dumbbells, barbells, or a universal machine. It's a pretty versatile exercise.When preforming shrugs with a barbell you will grab barbell hands shoulder with apart and raise barbell upwards towards the ears, pausing then lowering weight just as you do if you are using dumbbells.

I really love this exercise and I always enjoy using heavy dumbbells when doing dumbbell shrugs. To me the heavier I go the better it feels. I will go a bit lighter when doing barbell shrugs. I love feeling and seeing all my muscles tighten as I lifted upward holding, squeezing the weight before releasing. For the women out there that think this is only a man's exercise? It's not. It is for us women as well and needed if you want your overall symmetry to be balanced. The taps tie into the upper back and shoulders, and with out the development and strengthening of your trapezoid muscle it will look unbalanced. Symmetry and balance is key to creating the perfect physic. Example: You wouldn't just work out your biceps and not workout your triceps, or your quads and not your hamstrings..would you? Same goes for your traps. All your muscles tie into each other to create beautiful balance.

1. Stand straight with your feet planted firmly with a shoulder width stance. Your knees should be slightly bent.

2. Grasp two dumbbells with your hands spaced shoulder length apart. Keep the weight held at straight arms length with a slight bend in your arms.

Execution of the shrug

1. Raise the dumbbells upwards toward the ears, pause, and lower the weight. Repeat. This exercise can also be performed with a barbell or a universal machine bench press.  
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Inspire Me✿ "Lift Your Life"

Use your pain as fuel to remind you of your strength. Lift your life up as high as you can and live it exactly how you've always wanted and dreamed of living it. Live your life fit, strong, healthy and happy!

#Liftyourlife♡  

No Pain, No Gain?

Do you stick to the old adage “no pain, no gain?” You could be dead wrong. If you’re experiencing pain while you exercise, something isn’t right – period. Contrary to the popular saying, pain doesn’t always give way to fitness gains, and can in fact hamper your ability to perform exercises and lead to injury. You need to know the difference between good pain and this type of bad pain that could be warning you that something seriously wrong.

Pain indicates that an injury is occurring, whether it’s a minimal strain to a muscle or tendon, or a more serious tear. Even when you’re stretching, you should only be feeling mild tension and perhaps a small degree of discomfort, but never pain. Stretches should be held to the point of mild discomfort, not pain, and held for 20-30 seconds.

If you experience a sharp pain while exercising, or if the pain persists, talk to your doctor or at least a personal trainer at your gym who can help you. If you’re from the “no pain, no gain” era, you should also consider consulting with a qualified personal trainer to learn more about why pain is a bad thing and to learn how to exercise properly.  I am all for the No Pain, No Gain, but we need to be careful and learn to listen to our bodies and know when they're telling us when we feel bad pain. It can mean a big difference if a injury is caught early on and prevent more damage that could hinder you from training all together.  #LoveYourBody♡

Fitspiration♡ "Love Your Body"

Committing to both exercise and nutrition is a part of the total package for being fit for a lifetime. There's just no quick fix to loosing weight or creating that fit, beautiful body we all dream of and aspire for. No matter how many hours your spend exercising or working out in the gym you can never change the dynamics of there's just no way to out exercise, out train, out run a bad diet. Committing to the total package of  eating clean and healthy combined with a regular exercise program as a part of your daily life is the only way to obtain the fit, healthy body for a life time. 

#Loveyourbody♡

Inspire Me✿ What Hurts You....

What hurts you makes you... #Stronger a #Fighter !!!

Kids Follow Their Parent's Lead

You’re bummed that your kid decided not to try out for the soccer team. Instead, he's sitting on the couch watching TV and eating cookies or playing video games. Are your kids just lazy? Think again. You may actually be the one to blame for their inactivity. We as parents need to be that great example in everything for our children and being fit is no different. It can make a big difference in their lives if they are shown how to take care of their bodies the right way.

According to a studies, young girls age 8-10 years old choose their activities based on the interests of their parents. Yes, that means that since you’re in the habit of sitting your lazy butt down on the couch after work, your kid may be falling into the same unhealthy routine too. Young girls it's especially crucial for parents show them a better way to obtain that thin body they so strive for at a early age. We need to show them that their is a right way to get there and teach them how to take care of their bodies by exercising and eating right. If more parents did this and took an active role in their children being fit it could lower the amount of young girls falling in to bad habits which seems to always develop in to a eat disorder. I was adamant that this not happen to my daughter and I always made sure she felt confident about her body image and know she had total control of it and always would. Our children learn this from us as parents and we need to take it more seriously and not let them down in this very important area.

 

According to the same study, gender also plays a significant role in which activities your child is going to engage in. In other words, girls are more likely to engage in sports if their mother also does, rather than if their father was involved. However, that doesn’t get you dads off the hook. Girls were more likely to continue their involvement if their father was interested in the activity too. When I was young even before my teens my dad would take me to the high school track in the afternoons to run with him. It was not only fun to be with my dad it was how I started to enjoy running and making exercise a part of my life for long term even at such a young age. It was such a good feeling I was always chasing that great feeling I got from working out. It came to my attention much later when I found out I was chasing those wonderful endorphins.

Now all grown with kids of my own I passed on what my dad did for me at a young age and I got my daughter to start running in her early teens with me. She was addicted to it as well and she even got good enough to almost run faster than her mom some days. I rarely let her finish ahead of me because I wanted her to push hard and wake up that competitiveness inside her. Some days she really pushed me without knowing she did. I loved seeing her want to be fit and love making exercise part of her daily routine. She grew up in the gym and at bodybuilding, fitness shows so I had no doubt that she would want to make being fit a part of her life as I do.

My son I waited till he was old enough to lift weights without hurting his growth and around 14 we started to train together. He too was raised in the weight room and remembers all to well waiting for his mom to finish lifting while he played in the kids room or waiting area. He loved when he was old enough to sit in the front waiting area so he could watch me lift and see all the gym action. Now his 17 and has three years of lifting in him and he loves it. I started collecting gym equipment early on so he could have a weight room in our home to lift when ever he wanted. We have added a lot to the weight room since he started lifting with me and he has been consistently committed to working out with me and even on his own. I am proud to see him commit to his training and find the motivation within himself to push and keep training with or without me pushing him.

In helping our children at a young age the importance of being fit and taking care of their body we give them a life time gift.Being role models ourselves so they can see we take it seriously too.Pushing and motivation our children in being fit also in turn pushes and motivations us to keep going for our own fitness as well as theirs. Inspire and have fun in challenging your children and let them challenge you too. Challenge them to be more than just normal. Help and guide them to be "Great" the best they can be.

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Workout of the Day✿ "Friday"

Workout of the day... Everyone needs to start somewhere and here is the perfect beginners workout to get you going on that fit4life path. Make a choice to wake your body up today and give your body a chance to change! 

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Fitspiration✿ "One Beautiful Focus"

Focusing on being skinny seems to be the #1 motivator for exercise in most women and some men today. The most important motivator should be being healthy and feeling good. If you take the focus off this one huge want (Being Skinny) that seems to be consuming so many women today, and put that focus and time into being healthy NOT just skinny. Only wanting to just be skinny only leads to unhealthy choices, then that leads to unhealthy bodies and our body image in the long run. Just put your main focus on your diet, eating right, be consistent in exercising regularly. Keep this one focus and you will see what a beautiful out come that one focus can make inside you and outside of you. You will see and be proud of that beautiful focus every time you look in mirror. #Loveyourbody♡

Workout of the Day✿ "Thursday"

Workout of the day... Everyone needs to start somewhere and here is the perfect beginners workout to get you going on that fit4life path. Make a choice to wake your body up today and give your body a chance to change! 

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Don't Give Up On ... "You"

Having trouble staying motivated and sticking to your fitness goals? Here’s my solution: Reflect on your good qualities every day. First, start with what you do well. Are you a good friend, mother, father or co-worker? Do your actions positively affect others in your life? Try to remember the good acts you’ve done throughout your life in detail. Sometimes we get so down on ourselves and we loose sight of all the goodness we have deep inside of us. If you aren't feeling good about who you are inside or out you will not be able to keep up the motivation and dedication it takes to keep striving towards not only your fitness goals but your life time goals. We all need to start loving ourselves and finding happiness within before we can achieve happiness outside.

You might remember the birth of your child or a good deed you did for someone in need. Recall a time when you were instrumental in making someone else happy. Recall every detail of that memory. For the next few moments, continue to dwell on details in your past when you lived up to your expectations for yourself. Realize that you have done more good than bad in this world. Allow yourself to feel grateful for all you’ve accomplished and allow yourself to really feeling it and be proud of it. Tell yourself.. I am worth the extra effort, and I deserve to take the added time it takes to improve my health and body today!

Today's the day to start digging deep within the depth of your body and soul and find  out what it is you need, what makes you happy and start pulling it all out of you. Empower yourself with all that goodness you start finding deep within yourself. Just keep pulling all that goodness out and allow yourself to shine bright. Keep that daily motivation alive no matter what is happening around you and stay on your path in making all those goals and dreams for yourself come true. Be good to yourself because you do deserve it. #Loveyourself  ✿

Workout of the day✿ "Wednesday"

Workout of the day... Everyone needs to start somewhere and here is the perfect beginners workout to get you going on that fit4life path. Make a choice to wake your body up today and give your body a chance to change! 

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Swimming♡ "Get Your Body Wet"

When’s the last time you hopped in the pool for a good workout? The sparkling blue water in that pool is good for much more than relaxing and cooling off. Swimming isn’t just child’s play. Taking a dive into the lap lane is a great form of cardiovascular exercise that can trim pounds and help you maintain a healthy weight. You can burn 300-400 calories in just 30 minutes of doing laps. Swimming is a great way to mix in your regular training to shock you body. 

Swimming was my passion before I began lifting and bodybuilding. I swam most of my younger years into late teen years where I swam competitively in high school and college AAU teams. I just loved the feel of the water and how peaceful it felt working out in water. Swimming burns so many calories and works out your entire body. My favorite was how great I would feel after a good, hard swim workout. I stopped swimming when I started competing in bodybuilding, but the years of swimming only helped with my bodybuilding in that I had much longer muscles from swimming all those years. Me being small the long muscles helped my body be symmetrical and more appealing than if I had shorter muscles on my small frame. When you're a smaller bodybuilder you never want to look boxy and having shorter muscle belly will do that. So without even knowing it all my years of swimming helped me in becoming a better more successful bodybuilder.

Swimming in a lap pool is much different than swimming in the open ocean. So you need to realize that you may be great at swimming laps in a pool and then try to take it to the ocean and see it's just not the same. It's much more difficult to swim in the ocean because of strong currents of the open water. It makes it much harder and more difficult to swim if you not accustom to it. Your body will work much harder swimming in open water than in a lap pool.Both a extremely beneficial and a tremendous workout for your entire body so give it a try and challenge yourself and your body to something different and new. Changing it up and continuing to push and challenge yourself is the best thing for you and  your body.

If you have yet to learn how to swim, or need tips on how to keep breathing while you swim laps, sign up for a class at your local YMCA or gym. If you already know how to stay afloat, just remember: It’s not your amazing skills that are keeping you buoyant in the water. Fat floats, muscle sinks. So get your booty in that pool and start swimming! When floating isn’t so easy anymore, you’ll know you’ve reached your weight-loss goals
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Workout of the Day✿ "Tuesday"

Workout of the day... Everyone needs to start somewhere and here is the perfect beginners workout to get you going on that fit4life path. Make a choice to wake your body up today and give your body a chance to change! 

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Workout of the Day✿ "Monday"

Workout of the day.... Everyone needs to start somewhere and here is the perfect beginners workout to get you going on that fit4life path. Make a choice to wake your body up today and give your body a chance to change! 

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Inspire me✿ "Be That Champion"

Champions aren't made in gyms.

Champions are made from something they have deep inside them... A desire, a dream. A vision.

#BethatChampion

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Exercise of the Week✿ "Hack Squat"

The hack squat is a variation of the traditional squat done on a hack squat machine. Most commercial gyms will have a hack squat machine.

This exercise isolates the front thighs more so than traditional squats. This exercises doesn't use the lower back and glutes to the extent that squats do. However, this exercise does a pretty good job of strengthening and building the front of the thighs.

The primary muscle group is the front thighs and secondary muscle groups include the glutes (butt), hamstrings and calves. This exercise comes close to traditional squats but the difference is that it takes some of the pressure off the lower back and glutes.

Position for the hack squat

1. Firmly plant your feet on the hack apparatus. Keep your back straight and flat against the hack rest with your trapezius muscles under the shoulder pads.

2. Place your hands on the hack handles. Keep your head level.

3. Slightly angle your toes outward.

Execution of the hack squat  

1. Slowly bend your knees bringing your upper body downward.

2. When your knees are at 90 degrees, slowly push your body upwards back to the start position. Repeat the movement.

When doing this exercise, keep your feet firmly on the platform and butt on the back pad at all times. By changing the positioning of you feet you're able to hit other area's of your legs to get a more well rounded, full muscle development. Start first set with you feet forward, then turning them outward and then inward to hit all area's of your legs. I have even done the hack squat facing face first and doing a reverse hack squat. This is hard on your lower back so you need to be very careful, but it really hits the glute and hamstring area and will guarantee some major soreness the next day.

Free weight style 

To execute a perfect hack squat using free weights, you need to get a weighted straight-bar with the amount of weight added that fits your level of strength. If you've never done Hack Squats this way you may want to start light to get the form and positioning correct before adding more weight. If you have a partner or spotter they can hand the weighted bar to you from behind. You will be placing you arms and hands behind your back to grab a hold of the bar. Keeping bar in place behind your back with palms facing outward just about glute (butt) level. 

If you don't have a spotter or partner you will be picking bar up backwards by bending down and reaching back to grab bar and then stand up. Once your set and ready with bar is in position you will then squat down just as doing a regular squat, but the trick is you will be holding bar behind your back just at or under your glute area. As you squat down the bar will move with you and lower as you squat down and raise with you back up to same position. It may feel strange and can be difficult executing free weight style, but if you don't have a Hack Squat machine to use then you know you can always perform them free weight style. It's a great way to confuse your muscles as well.. I love doing them both ways to keep my muscles guessing and keeping my training fresh by never letting my body adapt. #LoveHackSquats♡

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"The Right Workout Partner"

Having a hard time sticking with your fitness routine? Find a friend to help you out and you may experience more fitness success.  Partnering up will make you accountable to someone other than yourself. Which means you’re more likely to make the effort even when you really don’t feel like it. Knowing someone else is counting on you might just give you to boost you need to get yourself in gear. Just make sure if you're going to take on a workout partner you choose wisely because if you pick a close friend who has never worked out or hates exercise you could have some problems. You want to pick someone who is motivated enough to push past their comfort zone and not give in to the temptation of just leaving you messages at the last minuet that they will be missing today's workout. This could hinder your own progress and motivation and then you could skip your workout as well.

Picking a workout partner is not personal so if you choose not to pick your close friend to be your workout partner don't feel bad and they shouldn't either.  Now if your close friend or family member has the same goals and motivations as you, but your not sure about them committing and keeping to a schedule with you then give them a probation period. If they cancel, change or miss more than 1-2 workouts within a months time then it might be better to separate and find a new partner. You can still be close friends, but when it comes to your fitness, health and motivation you need to count on yourself most of all and if your partner doesn't have those same wishes, goals or wants as you do it will not work. You and your partner need and have to be in sync with each other to make a workout partnership work for both of you!

I only had one real workout partner and that was my brother Dana who taught me all about working  out with weights. As I fell in love with weight training my brother and I became more than trainer and trainee, we became true workout partners and relied on each others motivation and drive to keep us both accountable each workout and our set workout schedule. In the beginning I would have to be at my brothers house by 5am in the morning and it was brutal. He picked that time purposely to see how dedicated and serious I was by choosing such a grueling time. I had to leave my house by 4:30 am to be there on time and my bother was always ready at 4:50am so I had to be there and be ready to train at 5am. To my bothers surprise day after day, week after week and so on I kept coming back to train and continued to get my butt kicked at 5am 3-4 days on to one day off then back again.

I didn't love the early mornings, but I loved the feel of it when I was there pumping the iron before sunrise and the great high after we kicked our butts for 90 minuets working out. So I continued to be there and my brother always knew I would be there to train with him so he was too pushed to be up early and ready on those occasional days he wasn't feeling so motivated. When I had those occasional days I knew he would be waiting for me so I could NEVER let him down and most of all I couldn't let myself down. The feeling of not going and missing a training workout was a far greater disappointment to me and I could never stand that feeling so coupled with that strong desire to not let myself down and then not letting my brother down it gave me exactly what I needed to keep pushing myself past any barriers that came my way.

So if you feel a workout partner will help and it's exactly what you need to push and motivate you past your own barriers then start searching. If you don't have a close friend or family that holds the same desires and goals in fitness and you do or want to have then try the gym and see who trains at the same time as you do.  Ask around the place you train, run or take workout classes at and see if their is anyone like yourself who wants or needs a partner. I am sure most gym's have bulletin boards that you could also place an ad and see if you can find someone that way too. Sometimes the best workout partner is someone you don't know so well at first as it can make it that much harder to let them down and you also may feel that wonderful competitiveness come out inside of you to prove yourself to your new found workout partner.  Man or women will do as long as it's a workout fit and the motivation keeps coming as you become in sync with each other as training partners. #TrainHard   

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