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Functional Fitness for Older Adults

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It is a universal truth that humans need exercise for maintaining their optimal health. Take a look in nearly any gym, however, and it is common to see people exercising for a whole host of motivations, including the desire to lose weight, build endurance toward a particular fitness goal, or simply to “look ripped.” Older adults often have an additional motivating factor for working out: maintaining an adequate quality of life. Numerous everyday tasks can become much more difficult for older adults. Getting up from the floor, climbing the stairs, and lifting and carrying heavy things can present challenges as strength and coordination decline. Therefore, the concept of functional training for seniors should incorporate exercises that promote endurance, strength, balance, and flexibility. Ideally, individual exercises can address all four simultaneously. Here are some basic, yet extremely effective functional fitness exercises for older adults. Walking Walking is, without a do
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The Best Times to Stretch for Your Workout

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Sharon Gould Northbrook Illinois Should you stretch before or after your workout? Like lots of fitness advice, this remains hotly contested. Flexibility plays an important role in your overall health, and especially in connection to your exercise routine. There are distinctions to what stretching routines you should perform at different points in your workout.while some people may find that they’re opposed to the idea of stretching, while others swear by it that it helps to prevent various injuries.  Before we dive into the best times to stretch, let’s talk about why we stretch. Stretching keeps your muscles flexible and enables them to perform their entire range of motion. A lack of flexibility means that your muscles won’t extend to their full length, leading to an increased risk of muscle strain, joint pain, and injury. There are actually many different types of stretches, from static, dynamic , passive stretching, and more , all of which are better suited for separate times i
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Location: Northbrook, IL 60062, USA
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Finding a Personal Trainer for Functional Fitness

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People start working out for a variety of different reasons. For people seeking professional help with their fitness routine, it's important to find a trainer who respects those reasons and will help a client reach his or her goals. Not all trainers are created equal. There are trainers who focus on bodybuilding and trainers who focus on a specific sport, like running. Some have an extensive dance background. It's important to find a trainer whose experience gels with the client's goals . Someone with insight and experience in the sport a client wants to master is likely to be a good fit. Someone with an unrelated specialty may be difficult to build rapport or explain goals to. Some trainers work exclusively through a gym, while others are willing and able to make home visits. Depending on the clients' schedule, flexibility and a willingness to travel may be important qualities to look for in a trainer. Someone just starting out in a career may be able to meet
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Location: Northbrook, IL 60062, USA
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Functional Fitness for Triathletes

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Triathletes use just about every muscle head to toe, but certain muscles and movements can super-charge performance and prevent injury. Functional training for triathletes focuses on spot strengthening these critical muscles. Successful Ironman athletes like Mark Allen and even Team USA attribute improvement to mixing in weight lifting with their cycling, running and swimming workouts. The trick? Make sure your weight lifting is done in service of your tri goals. The way to do that is to focus on functional training. Strength training should be done one 1-2 non-consecutive days with at least 1 day of rest in between for the muscles to recover. Aim for 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps per exercise. The weight should be heavy enough that for the final few reps you struggle to maintain proper form. If you can't hit 8 reps with proper form then go down in weight. Also, it should be noted that unlike distance swimming, running or biking, strength-training is not an endurance activi
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Location: Northbrook, IL 60062, USA
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The Best Equipment for Functional Fitness Routines

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One of the best parts of functional fitness is that you don’t need a lot of equipment! Many of the exercises, such as squats and pushups, you can do without anything extra. Sometimes, however, you want to vary your routine a little bit. If you’re looking to incorporate some new equipment, the following pieces will be a great place to start.  Medicine Balls Medicine balls come in a great variety of weights and sizes, so there are plenty of options to choose from depending on your specific goals. For example, you can  use medicine balls for reaction drills . You can also use them in activities such as lunges or curls to take those seemingly simple exercises to the next level.  Platforms or Risers Steps are inexpensive, which is one of their many benefits. Through the height difference, they provide your exercises with increased intensity. Stepping up and onto something will work different muscles than just walking or jumping up and down. Vary up your routines so you aren’t jus
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Location: Northbrook, IL 60062, USA
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Use Functional Fitness for an Age Proof Workout

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As people age, they lose the ability to perform at the same level of activity they could in their youth. They also become invested in other things such as their career or raising a family and a focus on physical fitness can sometimes fall by the wayside. The truth is, however, that staying active is important at any age and is a critical component of good health. Staying active as you age, however, can be a challenge for many as their stamina and endurance fade and energy levels decline. Here are three keys to functional fitness and how to create an age-proof workout. Do What You Enjoy There is a great deal of discussion over what the “best” type of workout is. The fitness world can be obsessed with what kind of workout burns the most calories or gets your heart pumping the fastest. The truth is, however, that all activity is beneficial in some way. The key is to focus on doing what you enjoy, which will generally provide motivation in and of itself. If you don’t like going to
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Location: Northbrook, IL 60062, USA
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How Millennials are Approaching Fitness Differently

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Millennials have brought fitness classes to another level. The generation that brought about such group exercise schemes as CrossFit, Orangetheory, and Hot Yoga have formulated a new kind of community:  the fitness community . The millennial generation has made  fitness more accessible . Companies such as ClassPass make going to the gym and trying new activities fun and easy. More and more millennials are moving into cities, and many millennials realize that trying fitness classes is a great way to explore their new home. Today, working out is fun. You don’t just spend time running alone on a treadmill. Instead, you can try a variety of classes and activities stress-free. You’re also more likely to meet new friends who will encourage you to stick with it. Fitness classes are a great way to build community and meet new people. Think about it. If you’re attending a class or session on a regular basis, you will likely get to know the people you see multiple times a week. When y
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Location: Northbrook, IL 60062, USA
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