Fitness & Wellness

One More Rep

One More Rep

Only you can determine how quickly you’ll get fit and how much progress you’ll see. That’s because you are the master of your future and it’s done one workout at a time. It’s more than just showing up at the gym and mindlessly climbing on a machine. That’s not who we are or what we teach. It’s all about doing each exercise with thought and precision and when you don’t think you can do any more, doing one more rep.

A famous quote by Navy Seal David Goggins says it all.

Jesse Itzler wrote a book called Living with a Navy Seal, which described his experiences when he hired David Goggins to live with him and his family to help them learn mental toughness. Goggins taught Itzler and his family the “40 percent rule.” It’s a good lesson. “When your mind is telling you that you’re done, you’re only 40 percent done.” It’s all achieved by doing just one more rep….and then one more. .

It’s easy to quit when you’re feeling tired, but that’s when you should do just one more rep.

You’ll be surprised at how much energy you actually have left, even when you’re lifting weights or doing a kettlebell routine. Even if your mind is screaming for you to quit, doing one more rep can do more than build your muscles, it can build your mental toughness. Mental toughness is the commitment to keep going long after others may have quit. It’s the key to success, no matter what your endeavor. Whether you’re working out in the gym, studying for exams or building a new business, pushing past that brick wall of exhaustion, frustration or pain can help you get ahead of your opponents, competitors or even your own feeling of limitations.

Adding one more rep than you planned to do translates to success.

You’ll be amazed at how good you feel when you give it that little extra and what a difference it makes in your progress. Rather than focusing on just getting by, you start focusing on giving more. If you add one rep to every set, you’ll see your progress grow quickly and that builds self-esteem and determination to do even more.

  • Doing one more rep almost becomes addictive. It feels good to go above and beyond and brings a great deal of satisfaction by boosting your self-esteem. Just imagine how much progress you’ll make when you adopt this philosophy.
  • Just imagine how much you can accomplish when you focus less on how tired or frustrated you are and more on accomplishing one more thing. It’s that mental toughness that exercising can bring.
  • No matter what you do in life, often the biggest enemy is yourself. Too often people focus more on what they can’t do, than what they can do. I have seniors who timidly come to get into shape, half worried I’ll laugh at them. Once they begin, they become convinced age isn’t a barrier to fitness,
  • Come into Prime Fitness and get a free evaluation. You’ll be surprised at how much you can do once you start our program.

For more information, contact us today at Prime Fitness


Guardians Of The Gluteus

Guardians Of The Gluteus

If you’re focusing on getting a good looking backside, you may be working just the gluteus maximus, the most prominent of the muscles of the derriere. We help our clients in Totowa, New Jersey, focus on all the muscles of the area, including the gluteus medius, often called the guardian muscles.

Why are the gluteus medius important?

The gluteus medius run along the outer hip and are the primary ones to bring stability to the femur and pelvis. Strengthening these muscles help prevent pelvic drop or movement inward of the femur during weight-bearing exercises. If you’re running, when these muscles are weak, it can cause knee injuries, joint overuse, diminished stability and shin splints by allowing your back to twist in unnatural ways or causing your knees to collapse.

Using exercise bands can help strengthen the gluteus medius

You have to know the right exercises to do for those muscles, however. One exercise using bands uses a mini band about a foot across or tie a resistance band loosely to the same size. Place just above the thighs around both legs and do a quarter squat. Then start side stepping in one direction, letting the other leg slowly step in but not completely, keeping tension in the band. Step sideways ten steps in one direction, then do it in the opposite direction. Do this exercise three times a week and go for three sets to build the gluteus medius.

You can use this gluteus medius as a warm up for leg day or by itself to build the muscle.

You can use the same exercise band for this one. It’s a great warm up exercise that reaps big benefits. Put the band around both legs right above your knees. As you lay on your side, bend your knees. Touch your heels as you lift the top knee against the band. Hold for ten seconds or longer if possible, then lower your leg. Do approximately ten repetitions and then roll over with the other leg on top. Do three sets.

  • If you have knee pain, you definitely need to strengthen your gluteus medius. Try a lateral step down. You only need a step or box with just a few minutes. Stand sideways on the step and slowly tap the heel of the outer foot on the ground then bring it back onto the step. The higher the step, the harder it is.
  • The single-leg wall lean can be done anywhere you have a wall. Stand parallel to the wall, lift your leg and bend the knee to a 90 degree angle with the leg closest to the wall, pressing the opposite foot into the floor and the leg that’s bent into the wall.
  • If you want to make it more challenging, try a leg bridge or side plank with hip abduction. Both are tough and will challenge you and both require you to pay close attention to form, especially as you tire.
  • At Prime Performance, we’ll create programs to build all the muscle groups and focus on ones that are weaker. You’ll get workouts that are created especially for you and will help with any physical limitations or weaknesses.

For more information, contact us today at Prime Fitness


Take Advantage Of The Weather

Take Advantage Of The Weather

It’s fall and it’s beautiful. The weather is perfect for taking a walk or doing your workout outside. The hot summer sun that made it miserable is no longer and the cool comfortable breeze of fall is here. It will be winter before you know it, so take advantage of the weather before we have freezing temperatures in Totowa, New Jersey.

Talk a walk in the park.

Whether you go to Bershire Valley Management Area Trail, Capoolong Creek Wildlife Management Area or any other park in the area, taking a walk surrounded by nature and the beautiful colors of fall can be both good for your body and good for your soul. Have a picnic, take a walk, ride a bike and enjoy. There’s nothing more relaxing than enjoying a cool comfortable day at the park.

Take your workout outside.

Whether you’re pushing a tire, doing jumping jacks or body weight exercises, they all feel more comfortable when you’re working out with a cool, comfortable breeze on your face. Doing a kettlebell workout outside is perfect. There’s more space, so you are less apt to hit anyone or anything. Even if working out outside isn’t in your wheelhouse, maybe using that same effort for yardwork is. After all, washing windows with vigor, raking leaves and getting the yard ready for winter can burn as many calories and use as many muscles as a good workout.

Make a healthy picnic lunch and go on a photo safari.

Of course, big game isn’t what you’ll be hunting, but photo ops are. Our area is filled with beauty and great opportunities for pictures. Take time to go to the Alonzo F Bonsal Wildlife Preserve to get some great fall pictures. If you’re a parent, have the kids help you pick and pack the lunch. Make it a teaching time for choosing healthy options.

  • Take time to get some fresh fall produce at the 46 Farmer’s Market Co. You’ll find some healthy options that can make great meals now and ones you can pack away for those winter months, when there’s no fresh produce.
  • Take advantage of the weather and park further from the doors of the stores when you shop. You’ll have to walk a little further, but who cares when the weather is this nice?
  • Pick your own apples or pumpkins. It’s more fun to carve a pumpkin or use it for cooking when you’ve picked it yourself. The apples will taste sweeter, too.
  • While we won’t tell you to go fly a kite when you ask for help, the winds of fall can make kite flying more fun. Come into Prime Performance for a free consultation.

For more information, contact us today at Prime Fitness


Rejuvenate Yourself

Rejuvenate Yourself

If you find you’re ready to explode, come to the gym and blow off steam with a tough kettlebell workout. I guarantee you’ll feel better when it ends. Exercise is one way to rejuvenate yourself that also leaves you feeling great months down the line when you do it regularly. It’s amazing, but the more you workout, the more energy you have! That’s one way to boost your energy level. It also burns off the hormones of stress and increases the feel good hormones.

Take a break from the chaos of the day and go for a healthy walk.

When you’re ready to pop because of stress, take a walk and make it brisk. Waking is a form of exercise, but you can moderate it based on how you feel emotionally and do it on the spot, without heading for the gym. Walk as briskly as you can until that sick to your stomach feeling starts to dissipate, then walk a little further in a moderate pace and appreciate everything you have. It’s good for your emotional health.

Breathe deeply and blow out your troubles.

Inhale deeply through your nose and hold, then blow out through your mouth. Deep breathing is another technique to help you rejuvenate. Take a deep breath, even pushing out your stomach to make more room for air and focus on getting air into the lower part of the lungs. Hold the air and then blow it out and feel the relaxation set in as you do.

You’ll feel rejuvenated when you eat healthier.

Try giving up food with added sugar for a few weeks and limit your intake of caffeine to one cup of coffee a day. You’ll be amazed at how great you feel at the end of the two weeks. Of course, along the way you’ll crave sugar, because it is addictive, but you can combat that by having fresh fruit ready to snack on when you do.

  • If you can’t get away and are faced with mind blowing stress or even if you’re just nervous about something, as long as there’s a set of stairs in the area, you can let your body move and relieve the stress. Going up and down stairs can bring relief after a few flights.
  • Treat yourself to a quiet moment and some time with nature. Whether you go for a hike where it’s quiet or simply set in a spot that has trees and birds around, take a moment to yourself to reflect. You deserve a quiet moment.
  • Turn off the cell phone, shut off the TV and electronics and enjoy a quiet meal at home. Taking a long bath or refreshing shower with scented oils like lavender, lemon or jasmine can help,
  • If you aren’t already a member, come into Prime Performance for a free consultation. You’ll find there’s nothing better than getting fit to improve how you feel and make you feel great about yourself.

For more information, contact us today at Prime Performance Fitness


Does Your Workout Gear Matter?

Does Your Workout Gear Matter?

I have clients in Totowa, New Jersey, that come to the gym in an array of different types of workout gear with a lot of difference in the price. While price doesn’t matter, quality and other attributes do, which often means they’re a bit more expensive, but also last longer. That doesn’t mean the designer outfit you bought to look more stylish is better than a loose shirt and gym shorts. It’s all about fabric and fit.

Your clothing should be made to wick sweat.

There’s no doubt about it, if you’re working out hard, you’re going to sweat. Having fabrics that breath and pull moisture away from your body will make your workout far more comfortable. It keeps you dry and cool throughout a grueling workout and helps you work at peak performance longer. While cotton is breathable, it also holds moisture. For those who love cotton, find those items that offer a another material that wicks the moisture away from the skin. All natural fibers not only hold moisture, they take longer to dry after a workout.

Choose workout clothes that keep you comfortable.

One reason spandex is so popular is its ability to move with you and improve how comfortable you are when working out. Shoes are often one of the most neglected items of clothing and also one of the most important. Having shoes that fit well can prevent blistering and achy feel. Undergarments, especially for women, can gouge your body, just like ill fitting shorts can irritate the thighs. Fit, not fashion should be what dictates your choice of clothing.

Don’t underestimate the power that comes from feeling like you look your best.

While you don’t have to have the latest fashion, particularly if it comes at the price of comfort, practicality and fit, you can get a benefit from looking good when you start your workout. There are studies that show how clothing affects your attitude and your attitude does make a difference when you’re working out. It can actually make you feel more athletic and do better. Not everyone has the same idea at what athletes wear. Sometimes it is a T-shirt and shorts. Wear what makes you feel good and ready for the workout of your life.

  • You need clothing that won’t interfere with your range of motion. Workout clothes that breathe, but don’t let you move with ease in every direction, aren’t good workout clothes.
  • The right workout clothing can help improve your performance and allow you to receive the most benefit from your workout.
  • Clothing that doesn’t fit right can actually be a potential for injury. If you’re lifting weights, the right type of gloves can prevent blisters, just like the right type of shoes. Having the right shoes can also cushion the blow from running, protecting you from injury.
  • At Prime Performance Fitness, everyone focuses on their own workout, rather than what others wear. That means that comfort, fit and practicality to make your workout better should be your top priority. Come in for your free consultation. You’ll get an idea of the variety of clothes people wear.

For more information, contact us today at Prime Fitness


Benefits Of Working Out With A Partner

Benefits Of Working Out With A Partner

We use a lot of group training here and there are many good reasons for it. When you’re working out with a partner in a group, you get the benefit of having a personal trainer, plus the aid of your partner. A workout partner brings a lot to the table, especially if you’re working out at home. It makes the workout more fun and lots of times, improves your performance, particularly if there’s some friendly competition.

Your workout partner will keep you accountable for the workout.

If you’re on your own, it’s far easier to skip a workout if you aren’t in the mood. When you know you’re meeting with a partner to workout, it’s a gentle nudge to make your appointment with the gym. Workout partners are also good if you’re both following a plan of healthy eating. You can compare notes and share great recipes or foods that you found delicious, healthy and lower in calories.

It never hurts to have another set of eyes.

Yes, when you’re working out, it’s better to have another person. While I work to ensure everyone in the gym gets personal attention, especially when it comes to having the proper form, when you workout at home, that doesn’t happen. That’s where a workout partner can be invaluable. He or she can often spot mistakes to help improve form, which makes your workout more effective and reduces the risk of injury.

Having a workout partner makes exercising more fun.

While you won’t spend all your workout time talking, you will spend some. That can make the difference between a boring workout that you dread and one that you look forward to doing. If you’re like many busy adults, you don’t have a lot of time during the week for a big social life. Adding a little comradery to your workout can make it more gratifying, while also make the time fly by quicker.

  • You’ll be more apt to workout longer when you have a workout partner. After all, who wants to be the one to say “I’ve had enough. Let’s quit.” That’s far easier to do if you’re working out on your own.
  • Workout partners can bring a lot to the table, particularly if you’re working out on your own. Whether you pick up one new exercise or a big change to that ancient workout you’ve been doing for years, workout partners help add variety.
  • Having a friend as a workout partner can extend your time together, while also make you healthier. If you normally go grab a drink after work, switch to working out. Not only do you get more time at the gym, the exercise is a better stress relief than wine and has far fewer calories.
  • Not only do you have the benefit of a personal trainer at Prime Performance, there’s a lot of great people that come to the gym. Everyone is friendly, so you’ll make friends quickly, which is another incentive to come to the gym.

For more information, contact us today at Prime Fitness


Move It And Lose It

Move It And Lose It

Are you fighting an uphill battle to lose weight? Maybe you’ve tried all the latest diets that are supposed to take off pounds quickly and didn’t get the results you wanted. Maybe you’ve eaten healthy for months, but still can’t fit into that elusive dress size. The key to shedding weight is combining a healthy diet with regular exercise. In other words, you have to move it to lose it.

Eating healthy is the cornerstone of healthy living, but exercise will make your goal a reality.

You can’t out-exercise a poor diet, but you won’t get the look you want without exercise. Eating healthy is extremely important, especially if you want to lose weight. Eating healthy doesn’t mean dieting. Diets just don’t work. They’re restrictive and always end. That’s when you go back to old eating habits that put on the weight in the first place. Eating healthy helps you keep the pounds off permanently. However, it’s just part of the equation.

To get that look you want and take the pounds off quicker, working out is an absolute must.

People want to lose weight for a variety of reasons. It normally boils down to two, they want to look better and feel better. While losing weight via a healthy diet will help you shed weight, only by adding exercise will you realize the full potential of how great you really can look and how good you really can feel. Exercise boosts your energy level, promotes good health and tones your body to make you look even slimmer and more fit. It allows you to reach the pinnacle of success in both good health and weight loss.

Not all exercises are alike.

Anyone that has ever worked out in our gym knows that kettlebells play an important role in our workouts. That’s because you not only get a full body workout with kettlebells, you’ll burn calories faster. It provides flexibility, strength and endurance training all in one workout. Not only does it burn tons of calories when you do it, it continues to burn calories after the workout ends.

  • While losing weight will make you happier when you get on the scales, if it’s combined with regular exercise, it tones and sculpts the body to create a more attractive you.
  • Exercise energizes you. You’ll be ready for other active pastimes and find that keeping weight off is easier. That ends the yo-yo weight loss syndrome most people experience when they diet and then regain the weight.
  • We use the latest scientifically backed methods to boost your results. HIIT—high intensity interval training—is known for it’s calorie burning benefits and quick results.
  • Our group training sessions at Prime Performance are perfect when you want all the benefits of a personal trainer, but also a budget friendly price. It also provides a fun, social atmosphere where there’s group support and energy.

For more information, contact us today at Prime Fitness


Healthy Is The New Happy

Healthy Is The New Happy

I see so many clients in Totowa, New Jersey that come to Prime Fitness who just want to feel good again. They want that vitality back that they once had. In other words, they want to have a zest for life and feel happy. That’s when I realized, they were talking about being fit and healthy and that energized feeling you get when you’re in shape. It made me realize that healthy is the new happy and even though I’ve always been dedicated to helping people become their best, boosted my desire and focus to provide a path to achieve that goal.

Feeling fit and strong boosts your self-confidence and improves your self-image.

When you feel healthy and fit, it shows. You feel more like participating with others and socializing. You’re more likely to undertake an adventure that was on your bucket list, but didn’t think you could accomplish. Fitness means feeling good about yourself and those around you. Isn’t that the real meaning of happiness.

Get rid of the stress of the day or start your day out right at the gym.

There are so many reasons that exercising improves your mood. One of the biggest is that it burns off the hormones of stress. Feeling stressed can make you snap back at others and leave you feeling funky and distressed throughout the day. That’s not the definition of happiness. Working out burning off the hormones of stress is both good for your health and your happiness. Exercise also boosts the production of endorphins and other happiness neurotransmitters and hormones.

Studies show that it’s not poor health that necessarily makes you unhappy, but how it limits you in everyday life.

One larger study found that people in poor health that were limited by their health, such as urinary incontinence, were more likely to be unhappy than those who had a condition that still allowed them to carry on daily activities without any interference or limitations. Staying active and functioning is the key to happiness. That’s why being healthy and fit is synonymous to being happy. It allows you the freedom to do what you love in life.

  • Eating healthy should be part of a healthy lifestyle. Several studies show that people who adopted healthy eating habits boosted their happiness levels even before health benefits occurred.
  • Happiness may also be the pathway to good health. Numerous studies show that people who smile more or those that are optimistic tend to live longer and healthier. Good health and happiness are intertwined.
  • Working out and getting fit can make you feel empowered. When you feel personally empowered, you tend to be happier.
  • You’ll be happier when your workout is fun. Come try our kettlebell workouts. Not only are they fun to do, they get provide more benefits in a shorter time.

For more information, contact us today at Prime Fitness


Keep Fit On The Go

Keep Fit On The Go

If you come to the Totowa, New Jersey, you know that most of the people I work with are super busy, trying to keep fit on the go. Sometimes, their schedule doesn’t allow for a regular workout at the gym. It may be that they’re traveling or spending long hours in the office with no potential to leave. Some are busy moms that have a hectic schedule that often requires them to be in two places at once! That’s why I work close with these clients to help them find ways to maintain their workout, even when they can’t come in to the gym for training.

If you have the space to swing your arms, kettlebells are a great at home workout.

Whether you’re traveling by car or stuck at home or in the office, having your own kettlebells can provide a workout on the go. Not only do kettlebells travel well on road trips, you’ll get more results in less time spent. In fact, it’s one of the reasons we use them as part of the workout program. Getting more calorie burning and muscle building in a shorter time period is perfect for anyone on the go.

If you’re really short on time, consider a quick five to ten minute workout several times a day.

While we pride ourselves on helping you get the maximum benefit in the shortest amount of time, sometimes you don’t even have time for a full session. A few minutes here and a few minutes there may be all you have to spare. It’s not a problem if it doesn’t happen often. There are workouts that can be as short as four minutes and give you at least some exercise. Dr. Zachary Bush created a four minute nitric oxide dump that you can do anywhere. Do it four times a day and supplement with a morning bodyweight workout in the morning for eight to ten minutes. As a trainer, I’ll help create one for you.

Find ways to increase your daily activity on those days you can’t make it to the gym.

No matter how you try, some times you simply can’t carve out that ten minutes or you don’t want to sweat before a big meeting or presentation…or even in the office for that matter. Making sure you have created other habits that help you stay fit is important. No matter how busy you are, taking the stairs instead of the elevator doesn’t cut into time that much, especially when you consider the wait for the elevator and the stop at each floor. Walking to lunch, parking further from the store and walking and getting up five minutes every hour and moving around are other things to help you stay healthier.

  • Use your lunch hour to come to the gym and have a shorter session that allows you to workout, while also getting a quick shower in after you’re done.
  • Get up earlier and workout in the morning. Your body will be more refreshed and your workout will be better.
  • Do stretching at your desk and even some body lifts out of your chair. A few squats or lunges next to your desk can only make you feel better.
  • Talk to your trainer if you’re having time constraints. Your trainer can create a few workouts that you can do on your own on those busy days.

Favorite Healthy Breakfast

Favorite Healthy Breakfast

Eating a nutritious breakfast is important for weight loss. It gets your metabolism revved up for the day and keeps you feeling full longer. Many of my clients have shared their favorite healthy breakfast ideas. I’ve included several in this article that I have tried and really liked. They’re filling and nutritious, with plenty of benefits for weight loss and overall health. Please feel free to tell us what your favorite healthy breakfast is in the comment section.

Don’t worry if you’re busy, there are some great on the go breakfasts.

Okay, let’s get real. Mornings are often hectic and there’s not a lot of time to make a big meal. That’s why these healthy breakfasts are a few of my favorites. Toast some bread and put on nut butter, but instead of jelly, slice a banana or an apple on it and top it with some chia seeds. Put some sliced fruit in a bowl with a scoop of quinoa and a little bit of lime mixed with honey and basil. Keep fruit in chopped and in the freezer to throw in a blender with yogurt, peanut butter or vanilla protein powder for a yummy pick-me-up.

If you have a slow cooker, breakfast will be ready when you are.

Sometimes getting breakfast for the whole family is part of the day. You can do it quickly the night before and have it ready for breakfast. Layer your slow cooker with a layer of veggies (asparagus or broccoli are my favorites), some sausage a layer of cheese and then covered with eggs mixed with milk. Cook overnight and wake up to a delicious and nutritious breakfast.

Make ahead recipes are great for the week.

If you want a quick bite to eat while you’re driving to work, consider real egg muffins—not the McMuffin type you find at the drive-through. Mix six eggs, a half cup chopped spinach, a third cup bacon cooked and crumbled, a third cup shredded cheese plus some diced tomatoes. Spray the six containers of a muffin tin with cooking spray. Whip the eggs by hand until mixed and add everything but the tomatoes. Pour the batter in the muffin tins and bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for fifteen to eighteen minutes. When ready to eat, top with diced tomatoes. They keep in the refrigerator for three days and the freezer two months. Just reheat them in the microwave.

  • Keep your breakfast low glycemic so you don’t get a sugar rush. Spread some whole grain toast with mashed avocado and top with an egg for a filling, yet super healthy breakfast.
  • Smoothies can make a quick breakfast to grab on the go. Have your favorite protein powder for extra protein. Combine with Greek yogurt and frozen fruit.
  • It takes a little more time than making toast, but it’s worth it. A Greek wrap you can eat on the way is both delicious and nutritious. Heat a tortilla, top with scrambled eggs, fresh spinach, feta and black olives.
  • A bowl of oatmeal with added nuts and fresh fruit is filling, delicious and nutritious. You can make your own variation using your favorite nuts and fruit.