Even some of the most fit people out there can fall into a fitness rut, where it seems hard to break out of a plateau. To get yourself going again you need to change things up.
Here are five tips to freshen up your workout in the second of a two-part series:
1. Change up your workout time – If you always exercise in the morning before going to work, try doing at least some of your workouts in the evening or vice versa.
2. Split your routine – Focus on different training aspects on different days. For instance, on Mondays and Thursdays focus on strength training, while going more heavy on cardio on other days. Find the schedule that meets your needs and will help reach some of the goals you’ve set.
3. Interval training – Consider doing speed intervals and perhaps adding incline intervals to build more endurance and strength.
That is, for speed intervals run at a faster pace for 4-6 minutes at say 7-9 on the treadmill speed then return to your normal comfortable speed 1-2 minutes before kicking it up again. For inclines, put the treadmill at an incline of 1 to start and when you’re comfortable you can take it to a higher level.
Gradually increase your effort level with the speed and incline intervals but if you stick with it should make a noticeable difference in your fitness level.
4. Eat better – Give yourself better fuel and it will naturally improve your performance.
5. Try something new – Find a new sport or exercise you haven’t done in a while or at all that will help you get exercise in a different way, such as bike riding, basketball, tennis or martial arts.

At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen’s blog deals with a variety of fitness topics, ranging from workout tips, motivational ideas and feature stories on how exercise impacts people’s lives. E-mail him with comments, questions or ideas for future blogs at aaron@athomefitness.com

If you do anything the same way, over and over, it will become boring.
That naturally applies to exercise as well. If your workouts are starting to get stale, or have been flat for a while, it’s time to change things up.
Here are five tips to freshen up your workout in the first of a two-part series:
1. Buy something new – Whether it’s something simple like buying some new workout clothes, or more involved like installing a TV or mirrors in your workout room, or purchasing new fitness equipment, that can be a spark to get you going again.
2. Write down your goals – Set some goals and keep track of your progress in a workout log. If you’re working toward specific goals it will keep you more focused than simply showing up at the gym day after day and doing the same things.
3. How to pick a goal – Goals can range all over the place, from simply striving to exercise a certain number of times each week, to a weight loss goal or fitting into a favorite old pair of jeans, to running a road race, or bench pressing a certain amount of weight. Spend some time to think about what you’d like to achieve.
4. Sign up for a road race – One of the best ways to step up your training a notch is to sign up for a local 5K or 10K race or walk. This will set a goal out there in the future and help inspire you to train for it.
5. Cross train – Mix up your workouts instead of doing the same things. If you predominantly lift free weights and machine weights, then mix in some workouts where you use your own body weight to exercise (ie: pushup circuits, pull-ups, chin-ups). If most of your workouts involve cardio on the elliptical or treadmill, trying lifting some weights.
I’ll give more cross training ideas in my next blog.

At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen’s blog deals with a variety of fitness topics, ranging from workout tips, motivational ideas and feature stories on how exercise impacts people’s lives. E-mail him with comments, questions or ideas for future blogs at aaron@athomefitness.com

Author’s warning: Perform these stunts at your own risk. And if you are
going to do them, it’s advised to be able to bench press at least 350
pounds, or have a friend with you who can do that.

10. Over-braced, over-padded guy – Strap up like you’ve got every injury
ever known to man. To make yourself even more annoying, play
up how you’re lifting through the pain by smacking your elbow or knee pads
and yelling, “Come on, suck it up (insert your name here)..

It goes without being said you should also be wearing long socks – pulled
all the way up.

9. Religious spotter guy – Offer to spot someone on a bench or shoulder
press and proceed to overly encourage them with religious chatter such as
“C’mon, lift this for the Lord, God wants you to be strong.” All the more
annoying if you can also add some Biblical quotations.

8. Misuse equipment guy – Use outrageously bad technique and judgment with
free weights and machines.

7. Talk on cell phone guy – Have a loud, animated phone conversation as
you make your way through the circuit.

6. Overpsyched guy – Put a weakling amount of weight on the bar, like 95
pounds for a deadlift, and then make a huge, 3-5 minute production in
getting psyched up to lift it.

5. Over chalked and over belted guy – To add to the annoyance, before dead
lifting that 95 pounds make a big production about chalking up your hands
and fitting your weight belt on.

4. Philosophical spotter guy – Offer to spot someone and then encourage
them before the big lift with deeply philosophical comments. Here are a
few you could try. “Let’s go Jim, you can do this. Remember that Francois De La Rochefoucauld
said, ‘We are more often treacherous through weakness than through
calculation.’”

3. Work out in place guy – Find a prominent spot where lots of people can
see you and do a series of animated, impassioned workout moves while
standing in place. Run, jump, skip, speed walk, and finally hump in place,
all while talking out loud to encourage yourself out loud, “Let‘s go, be
the best you can be.”

2. Unbridled joy guy – Walk around saying in a normal speaking voice, “I
love life, what a great day to be alive, skippity doo dah, yay for me.”

1. Happy, singing guy – Walk around singing verses from cheesy 80s songs.
Here are two of the most annoying you could possibly pick:

Lionel Richie: “You are the sun, You are the rain, That makes my life this

foolish game, You need to know, I love you so, And I’d do it all again and

again.”

And finish off your gym session by belting out some Boy George: “I’m a man
without conviction, I’m a man who doesn’t know, How to sell a
contradiction, You come and go, you come and go. Karma Karma Karma Karma
Karma Chameleon!!!”

If you’ve been dumb enough to do more than a few of these moves, make a
run for it now — and don’t plan on coming back.

At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen’s blog deals with a variety of
fitness topics, ranging from workout tips, motivational ideas, feature
stories and humor on how exercise impacts people’s lives. E-mail him with
comments, questions or ideas for future blogs at aaron@athomefitness.com

Bryan Dorksen
Fitness Consultant
At Home Fitness
888-940-1022
www.AtHomeFitness.com

If you are already a person who’s active, exercises regularly and is healthy, congratulations!
But what if you’re spouse is not on board with a similar fitness plan? Or worse yet, they actually have an opposite, stagnant lifestyle in which he or she has gained excessive weight?
It’s important for not only their physical well-being, but the emotional health of your marriage to shape up your better half.
Here are 10 tips to begin “Operation Spouse Shape Up” today:
1 Talk about the benefits of exercise and healthy eating together.
2 Exercise as a family. Go for a walk around the neighborhood or park, hike on a trail, or try a bike ride together. Associate with other healthy couples or families.
3 Ask the doctor to talk to your spouse about their health.
4 Buy healthier food and cook smart meals instead of getting fast food.
5 Buy a workout video together, set up a home workout room or add onto what you already have with new fitness equipment.
6 Working out together can be something fun to do together and can help you both stay more committed to exercising.
7 If you’re spouse is reluctant to discuss fitness, it gets tougher to get on the same page. You may have to be more creative in nudging them toward fitness. You can’t push someone to do something they don’t want to do. Perhaps you can take your spouse to healthier restaurants, or on dates that involve being more active. Ask him/her to take a dance class, who would pass that up? Or plan a day at a national park where you’ll be active.
8 Set a goal as a couple that if you work out together for a certain time period you’ll reward yourselves — the prize could be something like a vacation, new clothes or a TV.
9 Chart your fitness goals by keeping track of when you work out. Write messages on the refrigerator to motivate yourselves.
10 Finally, don’t give up on your spouse without trying. Keep working on them to turn toward fitness, but always try to encourage instead of criticize.
Although it takes effort and sacrifice sometimes to stay physically fit, you’ll have a lot ore fun in your marriage if you’re both in good shape.

At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen’s blog deals with a variety of fitness topics, ranging from workout tips, motivational ideas and feature stories on how exercise impacts people’s lives. E-mail him with comments, questions or ideas for future blogs at aaron@athomefitness.com

ElliptiGO Elliptical Bike

I saw two people riding around a city block recently on something that looked like a bike, but operated unlike any other bike I’d ever seen.
As they came toward me, I yelled, “What are you riding?”
They slowed down a little from a clearly fun workout they were having long enough to tell me “ElliptiGO” as they whizzed by.
ElliptiGO, huh?
If you’ve ever seen one of these bikes, I’m pretty sure you did a double take the first time as well.
After going to a fitness store and taking a test drive myself, I’m hooked.
The ElliptiGO bike is the brainchild of former Ironman triathlete Bryan Pate, who designed the eight-speed bike to help runners avoid beating up their bodies through repeated impact.
It’s an outdoor bike that’s a cross between an elliptical trainer and a bicycle.
Instead of being stuck in a room on a the traditional elliptical, you take a similar motion outdoors to get a running experience like never before.
The ElliptiGO’s pedals move in a forward motion that’s very similar to a runner’s stride, but minus the hard impact from bouncing up and down on the road or track.
Made of sturdy, but lightweight material, the ElliptiGO weights 40 pounds. The bike retails for around $2,199.
Pate, a former cyclist and triathlete who suffered hip and knee injuries, said the ElliptiGO is a low-impact, high-output, cross-training bike that combines running and cycling.
He said the eight-speed bike is meant to help runners avoid beating up their bodies through repeated impact. It’s designed to position riders “out of the saddle” and using their weight to generate torque with every stride.
Riders can cruise at about 15-25 mph depending on how strong they are.
Hand levers that connect to rim brakes on the front and rear wheels help you slow down or stop.
I truly recommend trying the ElliptiGO. It will be a great way to cross train – and you’ll likely become the hit of your block if you get one. For more on the ElliptiGO stop in at At Home Fitness in Arizona. or visit their website.

At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen’s blog deals with a variety of fitness topics, ranging from workout tips, motivational ideas and feature stories on how exercise impacts people’s lives. E-mail him with comments, questions or ideas for future blogs at aaron@athomefitness.com

One of the most popular pieces of equipment in any gym today is the elliptical machine. There’s sure to be a model that fits your training and budget needs. Some of the leading models are: Octane Fitness Q35c Elliptical, Life Fitness X8 Basic Elliptical, Vision Fitness S7100 Suspension Trainer, AFG 3.0 AE Elliptical, LifeCore Fitness LC985vg Elliptical.
Here are my top five benefits to owning an elliptical machine:
1. Elliptical machines allow you to burn lots of calories without the weight-bearing stress of jogging.
2. Due to the elliptical motion of the machine, you are able to enjoy a low-impact workout because your feet never leave the footpads. The user will enjoy a continuous, smooth pattern that takes away the stress on your joints.
3. You are free to program your elliptical exercise trainer for the workout settings you want. Program the machine for the speed, resistance and ramp angle that fits your workout needs best. Your workout can range from easy, medium, to hard, and even work in intervals of difficult to easy and back to difficult again if you wish.
4. Elliptical machines build strength and muscle tone in your legs, while also helping you lose weight. It can actually burn more calories than a treadmill or exercise bike.
5. By grabbing the machine’s handles with your arms, you’ll also build strength and firm up the muscles in your arms. The core is engaged during the workout, so your stomach muscles will also get a workout.
The smooth, low-impact glide of the elliptical is a fun way to get a great workout for people of all ages.

At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen’s blog deals with a variety of fitness topics, ranging from workout tips, motivational ideas and feature stories on how exercise impacts people’s lives. E-mail him with comments, questions or ideas for future blogs at aaron@athomefitness.com

People who run regularly may suffer from runner’s knee, especially those who put in long-distance miles of training. Among marathon runners especially, knee injuries have been found to be the most common setback.
Runner’s knee, aka patellofemoral pain syndrome, makes up about a ¼ of knee problems experienced by distance runners.
People with runner’s knee experience pain around or just behind the kneecap. They often have knee pain even after sitting down while the knees are bent, or during running, squatting, or walking up stairs.
There may be a clicking or popping sensation in the knee, with pain ranging from dull to sharp.
If the kneecap isn’t moving properly in its groove, when you bend and extend the leg while running it will often cause runner’s knee over time.
Reasons for runner’s knee – Factors that may contribute to runner’s knee include acute injury, arthritis, overuse, weak thigh muscles, mis-alignment, lack of flexibility and overuse (running too much).
Other causes of knee pain in people who enjoy running include arthritis, damage to cartilage that normally allows the bones to glide freely in the joint, or irritation of tendons in the joint.
Ways to prevent Runner’s Knee – Among the best ways to prevent runner’s knee are losing weight if you’re overweight, limiting high-impact activities, gradually increasing running distances and speeds, warming up and stretching properly. You may also want to try shoe inserts or a knee brace for support after consulting with a trainer or doctor.
If your knees are acting up, then back off how much you’re training or find ways to cross train such as using the elliptical machine, swimming or biking instead of running.
Icing has also been found to be a very effective treatment.
Usually a person can correct runner’s knee on their own, but in more severe cases, physical therapy or surgery may be required.

At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen’s blog deals with a variety of fitness topics, ranging from workout tips, motivational ideas and feature stories on how exercise impacts people’s lives. E-mail him with comments, questions or ideas for future blogs at aaron@athomefitness.com

Not too many things will slow a person’s exercise progress like knee pain.
Most of us have experienced knee pain to one degree or another, but there are ways to limit discomfort and avoid injury.
Knee pain is usually caused by either an acute injury or due to repetitive motions that result in stress. The “wear and tear factor” can increase with age.
Here are eight ways to limit or avoid knee pain altogether:
* Avoid “runner’s stretch” – Although many people learn the runner’s stretch at an early age – grabbing your foot, then bringing heel to butt – this act of bending the knee all the way can cause knee problems. The kneecap can get jammed into the bones below it and according to many trainers can result in chondromalacia patella (softening of cartilage under the knee cap)
* Know your body type – If you have sensitive knees then limit the number of high-impact exercises you perform. For instance, choose elliptical machines for cardio instead of running for long durations on the treadmill.
* Maintain optimal body weight – One of the first things doctors or trainers will look at for a person experiencing chronic knee pain is their body weight. If you’re overweight, that leads to extra pressure on the knees and you should try to drop some pounds.
* Wear proper shoes – The right shoes will help you achieve proper leg alignment and balance, and in the long run avoid knee injuries.
* Warm up properly – Get the blood flowing and joints and muscles warmed up slowly before jumping into a hard workout. Start by walking and doing light cardio before going full speed ahead. Pay particular attention to stretching your quads and hamstrings.
* Do low-impact exercises - Take stress off your knees by walking, using an elliptical machine, swimming or cycling instead of running if you are having knee trouble.
* Lift weights – Use weights to build up your leg strength as this will help better stabilize the knees.
* Seek medical help if condition persists – If you’re not able to improve your knees by tweaking your workout program, seek help from an athletic trainer or doctor. You may need physical therapy.

At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen’s blog deals with a variety of fitness topics, ranging from workout tips, motivational ideas and feature stories on how exercise impacts people’s lives. E-mail him with comments, questions or ideas for future blogs at aaron@athomefitness.com

It turns out massage therapy is not just for pampering people.
If you’re looking to get an edge in your athletic performance, or work through a nagging injury, more and more doctors, trainers and coaches are recommending athletes to work with a licensed massage therapist.
Massages don’t have to be just for professional or big-time college athletes, either.
Although a massage from a reputable practioner can run around $30 for a half hour, or more, it can make all the difference in the world in loosening up tight muscles in the back, shoulder, neck, hamstring, etc.
For minor injuries such as muscle pulls, strains and aches, a massage can help you bounce back much quicker. I’d argue it can even help avoid serious injuries in the long term.
How is that possible you might ask? Deep-tissue massage, also referred to as sports massage or Swedish massage, helps loosen up tight or fatigued muscles.
A massage can help release knots you often didn’t even know you had and help get the blood flow going better in the muscles.
Someone who’s been experiencing tight hamstrings or calves, for instance, can get those muscles significantly loosened up during a half hour or hour massage.
With the muscles limbered up, try to stretch soon after and you will likely notice improved flexibility. And there is a huge key to avoiding long-term injuries – better flexibility. People who get massages can generally train more effectively, perform better and recover more quickly.
Although someone may look like they came right out of the pages of a muscle magazine, years of hard training may have compromised their muscle flexibility and elasticity.
A massage therapist can help people better understand which areas of their bodies are the tightest, help relieve some of the tension and get clients focused to areas they need to stretch better. Some people even believe that massage can help faster push toxins and other waste out of the body.
A rigorous brief pre-event sports massage can help someone warm up much better. During the event, a quick massage can offer spot treatment for tightness or cramping that may occur and get the athlete back out on the field, floor or court quicker. A gentle post-workout massage can aid recovery.
Massage therapy is certainly not a cure-all, but speaking from experience it is a great facilitator to help an active person keep their muscles moving better. Massage has helped me personally work through muscle tightness several times during my years and get back to feeling like myself again much quicker.
Most people who get regular massages find a person whose style they like and continue to go back to them. That way the therapist and client build a professional rapport. Massages can be pricey, but are worth it – around $35-50 for a half hour and $60-90 for an hour. In big cities or for highly regarded therapists, it can cost even more.
The massage therapy is not highly regulated so absolutely make sure you go to a professionally licensed massage therapist. Also check with friends for references.
To find a licensed massage therapist in your area, a Website I recommend is the American Massage Therapy Association at www.amtamassage.org.

At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen’s blog deals with a variety of fitness topics, ranging from workout tips, motivational ideas and feature stories on how exercise impacts people’s lives. E-mail him with comments, questions or ideas for future blogs at aaron@athomefitness.net

We’ve all done it – gotten ourselves to the gym for a workout and then wondered later why it didn’t go real well.
Chances are you wasted valuable time and that was why you had a sub-par day of exercising.
If people know what the problem areas are that can trip up a good workout, they’ll be less likely to fall into the traps.
To get you going full speed ahead in future workouts, here are the seven biggest time wasters:
* Poor planning – If you don’t schedule in a solid time slot in your day to work out, the odds really go up that you’ll get busy with other stuff and put it off or shortchange your session.
* The stall technique – Don’t be the person who winds up procrastinating to the point they miss their workout, or cut it real short. Some people find a bunch of other things to do instead of working out, such as dusting, folding clothes or alphabetizing the CD collections. Quit putzing around and get to the gym.
* The wanderer – Don’t be the person who stares and walks aimlessly around the gym looking like they’re lost. Have a workout plan you’re following and be focused. Work with a trainer to come up with a workout plan or experienced fitness person, or at least research it yourself.
* Tune out distractions – There’s nothing wrong with glancing at the TV at the gym, or watching it while doing cardio. But don’t watch TV between sets of other exercises. Also, don’t waste time talking or texting on the cell phone.
* Social butterfly, fly away – Be pleasant, friendly and give quick hellos, but don’t use the gym as a social club. You’ll waste a lot of time and lose focus by getting into involved conversations with people. If you must talk to a friend, by al means don’t do it sitting on a machine someone else might be waiting to use.
* Push yourself – I’ve seen some people lifting extremely light weights with the greatest of ease for 15-20 reps or more. That’s a waste of time if you are barely having to put any effort into an exercise. Bump the weight up and make it harder, otherwise you’re just spinning your wheels.
* Don’t get stuck in a rut – Change your workouts up every now and then so you’re not doing the same things all the time. This will help you have more efficient workouts and make bigger gains.

At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen’s blog deals with a variety of fitness topics, ranging from workout tips, motivational ideas and feature stories on how exercise impacts people’s lives. E-mail him with comments, questions or ideas for future blogs at aaron@athomefitness.com