Health, Fitness & Workout in New York City

Boot camps are not just for adults alone, but also for kids. To be fit as an adult the body should be active in its youth. It is never to young to start! Using the joints through full range of motion, engaging in different movements, and using different muscle fibers help developing bodies mature. Helping children to use these muscles will prepare them for a lifetime of fitness.

Whether your child plays sports and wants to increase his/her agility, or if your child is battling his/her weight, or possibly they are having hand/eye coordination problems – at Better Body NYC we are here to help you.

There is nothing more satisfying then when a child feels confident and good about themselves and their body. It is important for a child to feel secure about their body and also understand the importance of exercise.

The body should be exposed to many ranges of exercise to solidify neuro-muscular development later in life. You can be assured that at Better Body NYC we take good care of your children teaching them proper form which will last them a lifetime! Please also keep in mind that with every session we speak about nutrition. We want each child we work with not only receive the proper attention and guidance in the gym but also be aware of the effects of what they are eating and how it effects their body and mood.

If you have any questions about one on one or group training for children please do not hesitate to email us at  or call me at 646 242 4624.

How do you get rid of those wobbly bits behind the arm??? Most importantly when you are in the gym exercising remember small movements like rope push downs or straight arm push downs or dips off the bench will not maximize your triceps workout as efficiently as two other exercises will-what are these exercise???

The first exercise is a triceps extension and the other is a skull crusher -please refer to our video below, for a demo of these exercises. I suggest if you are looking to tighten the triceps area to do 15-20 reps. Anyone who is looking to strengthen or put on mass 8-10 reps.

Now how else can you get rid of that annoying giggly area? A clean diet and cardio. Remember don’t expect to go to the gym, do your triceps exercises and then be able to eat a cheeseburger and surprise you have arms of steel!- It is important to realize not only do you have to work hard while in the gym but also outside of the gym!

Hard work pays off!

First of all, if you do not have a blender I suggest buying one, and I know after reading this article you will definitely want too!

The best part about making shakes is that there are so many different kinds to make. Some days you might line a fruit filled shake while other days you might prefer something chocolaty. Whatever your mood might be, a shake can satisfy that craving!

As well, the best part about shakes are they can be used for breakfast, snacks, post workout, or before bed. Each time frame serves a different purpose. If having a shake for breakfast you are fueling your body with the needed protein to start the day. Shakes make a wonderful snack -instead of reaching out for something that you know is not good for you, make a shake! As well making a shake post workout will feed your muscles now that you have broken them down.

It is essential to have protein within one hour of your workout

Finally a shake before bed helps keep muscle -you are zapping the muscle with protein prior to the muscle not receiving protein up to 8 hours. This will help keep muscle retention.

As I have mentioned, there are so many shakes to be made! I will be posting some of my favorites so be on the look out for them! In the video below you can see one of my favorite shake’s recipe. You can watch and see exactly how to make this shake!!!

• 1/2 cup organic juice
• 1/4 cup frozen raspberries
• 1 banana
• Green Vibrance 1 scoop (optional)
• 1 to 2 scoops vanilla protein

I hope you enjoy!

Some of you might say to yourself “I don’t need a trainer I know how to use the machines in the gym!”. Let me tell you there is so much more training then just the machines you see in a gym.

Even if you workout everyday, if you aren’t a health and fitness professional and exercising is not your main activity, you will not be in touch with new and different types of exercise.

When your body finds a routine, it stops progressing, so having a personal trainer will definitely help you to always keep yourself updated with new workouts and exercises

One of the new and exciting instruments found in select gyms is the TRX Suspension Training. The best the thing about the TRX is that it can be performed anywhere, anytime, by anybody. The TRX provides the ideal mix of support and mobility to train for strength, flexibility power and core stability.

There are hundreds of moves that can be performed on the TRX, and it will hit every muscle in your body. You are guaranteed results! Here at Better Body Health and Fitness NYC we are fully certified to teach you the benefits of TRX training!

Watch the video below and check out a few moves that can be done using the TRX. Please feel free to make an appointment for a FREE consultation on TRX Suspension Training.

The shoulders are a muscle group that is very important to a balanced physique. Nicely shaped shoulders on a woman will enhance her hour glass figure. Nicely shaped shoulders on a man will enhance his V-taper. These two things will help complete a physique. I will show you how to workout your shoulders in four easy moves.

The moves are the shoulder press, the side raise, the rear delt raise and the front raise. You can follow those moves by watching the video below, with for shoulder workout moves.

• The Shoulder Press

Sitting upright grab the weights and bring them to shoulder level. Exhaling press them overhead just short of lockout to keep the tension on the shoulders. Inhaling slowly lower the weight back to shoulder level and repeat the motion. Remember to choose a rep range and weight for your goal. Use a full range of motion as long as you have no physical limitations.

• The Side Raise

Standing, grab a pair of dumbbells and let them hang at your sides. Leading with your elbows begin lifting the dumbbells directly out to your side making sure to keep your elbows higher than your hands and your pinkies higher than your thumbs. Raise them only to shoulder level and parallel to the ground. Slowly lower the weight to the starting position and repeat. Again use the proper rep range for your goals.

• The Rear Delt Raise

Position your upper body parallel to the floor if achieving this position is difficult lie face down on an incline bench. Grab a pair of dumbbells and again leading with your elbows lift the dumbbells out to your side try to keep your hands moving towards ear level to fully activate the rear delts. Slowly lower the weight and repeat the motion. Don’t forget the proper rep range for you.

• The Front Raise

Standing grab a pair of dumbbells and let them hang in front of you. With a slight bend at the elbow keep the arms locked and lift the dumbbells in front of you as high as your chin. Slowly lower the weight and repeat the motion. Don’t forget the rep range for your goals.

Try this routine for six weeks using some of the other principles I’ve written about and let me know how it works. Thanks!!!

For all of you who thought you never needed a trainer here are a few good reasons why having one is necessary!

As soon as your body gets into a routine, your workout training stops having the same effect, so there are different tools used in training to reach your goals and keep yourself progressing. Some types of training or techniques, such as the kettle bells or the TRX Training are only known by a certified personal trainer. Bosu Training and resistance bands are two other methods of training designed to tone and strengthen your body. A bosu looks like a half circle used for core training. It is a great way to achieve better balance and isolate core muscles. Resistance bands can be used instead of weights especially if you have any injuries. Also they are great to create your own resistance and are great to travel with.

Here at Better Body NYC we pride ourselves in using all forms of training to always keep your training exciting and to stimulate your muscles to produce better change in your body. Feel free to contact us for your personalized one on one session!

A new year, a new circuit to shake things off!

2010 is here and many of us have made resolutions to chance our lifestyles or increase our levels of fitness. The easiest way to do this is with baby steps, because we don’t want to do too much too soon. Approaching fitness that way will lead to burnout and frustration.

The first thing to do is schedule fitness time for yourself and stick to your appointments. In past blogs I’ve talked about this, and another thing I talked about is how to break up your week. I’ll give you just one example of a week.

On Monday, Wednesday and Friday perform full body circuits

On Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday perform at least 40 minutes of cardiovascular activity

Do this routine for six weeks and then switch it up. I’ll let you know how then. Also watch the video above with Kate Hurwitz and Spencer Olchin teaching you a whole new circuit training workout, by Better Body Health and Fitness NYC. If you are not ready to hire a personal trainer yet, that is not a reason to don’t workout. Make some room at home, subscribe to our YouTube videos and start training!

Wanna a free fitness consultation?

Looking for a gym or a personal trainer in New York City, to help you change your lifestyle and get your body in shape? Watch the video below and learn how to get a free fitness consultation by e-mail or phone!

Do you want to increase your lifts? One way to do that is with Power Factor Training, also thought of as Power Lockout Training. This method can be used to increases all your major presses such as your bench, shoulder press and even your leg press. This method can also be used to increase your squat and even your dead-lift. However, EXTREME CAUTION MUST BE USED! I cannot stress this enough.  This is a method for experienced advanced lifters only!

The most important piece of equipment you need is an adjustable power rack with safeties and racks. The Leg Press is already designed with both. A way to think of correctly using this method is to think about using a limited range of motion while using extremely heavy weights.

The first thing to do is set up the rack with the safeties at the top quarter of the lift you will perform using a weight that is above your maximum. Perform the limited range lift for reps. As you get stronger over the course of a proper amount of time lower the safeties extending the range of motion until you perform it in the full range. You will now be able to increase your presses.

Also watch and please comment on the video below, where I explain more about how to get stronger and increase your bench presses.

I just spent the holidays in Camden, Maine. I had a great time but found myself in desperate need to find a gym! I personally do not like to go more than two days without going to the gym -some might think I’m crazy but I get stir crazy!!

I found the YMCA of Camden, Maine. I love exploring new gyms. After spending every day in the gym I find myself excited to enter new terrain! I always have a great workout in a new place. A change in scenery is a great stimulant -I feel invigorated and excited to challenge myself throughout my workout.

On that note, maybe a change in gyms is good once in awhile. If you are at a chain gym maybe try one of their other locations. Sometimes even taking a class at another gym is something to look forward too. Keep your workouts fresh and exciting!!!

Happy New Year to all! We have all made our resolutions -now the important part is keeping them!

Personally whenever the new year begins I promise myself I will eat better and stop all bad food habits I might have! I think it is important to remember to make small adjustments. Maybe it is to stop sweets, or not eat cheese, or not eat past 7 pm.

Whatever your resolution might be pick one certain aspect from your style of eating and start with a small change

I think it is important to be prepared and organized with your daily meals. Plan your day out -envision what it is you are going to eat for that day. Plan your meals for the day! Remember it is best to eat every 3 hours. This means you need to organize 5 or 6 meals for each day.

It’s helpful to do your grocery shopping over the weekend so you have your week planned. If you don’t cook, make sure you’ve planned where you will be ordering your food from for the day. When I have to order, when ordering lunch I make sure to order dinner as well so I don’t find myself making a poor dinner choice because it got late and I didn’t want to wait for food or the healthy place I wanted to order from was closed or most importantly (which became I bad habit of mine) I skip dinner.

Again and again I am told snacks are hard to make time for and hard to come across. Better Body Blog gives you a list of healthy snacks to prepare you for the new year. It is best to buy your snacks and carry them with you to work or if you are able to store them at work. Good luck to you in the new year and I hope this list comes in handy!

• Veggies and hummus

• Celery and organic peanut butter

• Hummus with rice cracker

• Home made delicious smoothie

• Apple with almond butter

• Organic yogurt

• Edamame

• Whole grain chip with salsa