4 Myths Women Believe About Strength Training

Strength training is a great element to add to your fitness routine if you are wanting to lose weight and tone your body. However, many women believe preconceived notions about strength training that make them hesitant to add it to their fitness routine. These ideas about lifting weight have been around forever and just won’t go away. So, here we will look at a few of the more common weight lifting myths floating around out there and bust them. Hopefully, we will be able to help you change your mind about adding that weight lifting routine to your daily workout.

1. I will become bulky. Most women can not gain muscle mass very quickly or easily because it requires a lot of testosterone to build muscle. Believe me, you will not start a weight lifting program and wake up the next day turned into the Hulk. In fact, strength training is the perfect way to rev up your metabolism and continue to burn more calories after your workout. You may notice that you are hungrier after you strength training routines, but that is to be expected because of the revved metabolism and the higher number of calories burnt. Therefore, you may need to watch what you are eating to ensure that you do not gain weight, but as a woman, you are highly unlikely to turn into a body builder just by adding a strength training routine to your usual workout.
2. Strength training can target and tone certain areas. It is impossible to dictate to your body which areas you to shed fat in first. Some of the lucky ones will be able to lose weight in their so called problem areas, but others may lose it everywhere except the place they were targeting. Unfortunately, we do not get to pick and choose which sections we would like to shape. It would be great if we could, but it is basically up to your body to decide where the fat is going to come off first. For example, most of us think that if we do a hundred crunches, we will have those perfect washboard abs we have always dreamed of, but as most of us find out after relentlessly doing a hundred crunches, this is just not true. The same holds true for strength training exercises.
3. It is too dangerous. Any exercise is dangerous if you do not know how to perform it. I mean these days trying to walk across the street can be dangerous, especially if you just blindly run across it. The main thing here is to seek out the proper ways to strength train. There are many things you can do to lower your risk of injury such as hiring a trainer, perfecting your form, seeking the help of professionals and knowing your limits. You do not want to jump into strength training without knowing anything about it. Just like, you do not want to run across the street without looking both ways and determining if you can move fast enough to avoid being hit by a car.
4. Strength training can transform fat into muscle. There is no way that you are turning fat into muscle. You can not turn a dog into a cat. They are two completely different things. It is just not possible. However, you can reduce your body fat and increase your muscles mass, which may make you believe that you turned fat into muscle. The same could also be said if you stop building muscle. Your muscle will not turn into fat, but you may increase your fat and lose some muscle mass. However, they did not transform into one another. The main thing to remember is that you want to strength train to decrease your body fat and increase your muscle mass because we would all like to be a little less jiggly and a lot firmer.

There are a lot of good reasons to add strength training to your fitness routine. It helps us achieve our weight loss goals faster, builds up our strength and endurance, boosts our confidence and makes us feel healthier. If you have steering clear of strength training because of these myths, then it may be time to revisit the idea of adding some sort of strength training routine to your daily workout.

- See more at: http://www.9round.com/blog/4-myths-women-believe-about-strength-training/

How to Play it Safe During Your Winter Workouts

You may have noticed that the temperatures have already started dropping. Winter is on its way, and this means you have to rethink your workout plans. There are many new obstacles you may face with your outdoor workout routine that you did not have to worry about in the summer. Many of us may want to hide inside for the rest of the season, but there are still a lot of us who long for the great outdoors and like to take advantage of the cooler temperatures. We need to remember that it can be fun to venture outdoors, but we need to play it safe and be prepared for these extreme temperatures. There are a few things that you can do to make your outdoor workout a little more enjoyable and easier on your body.

Know your route

You should always plan your route ahead of time, but in the winter, it can be a necessity. You want to be aware of your surroundings and know where every hole or patch of ice may be. Of course you should always opt for paths that are well lit and regularly traveled, and if you live where it snows a lot, you will want to seek out pathways that are plowed and kept up regularly. Black ice is also a hazard for those who enjoy outdoor winter workouts. It can be hard to see black ice, but if you are familiar with the area, you may be more aware of where it could be or tends to be, which can help you avoid a nasty fall.

Don’t forget the warm up

The warm up is the perfect time in any workout to help prepare your body for the workout ahead. It can also help our bodies prepare for the harsh cold that awaits us. Before you rush out that door for your afternoon jog, remember to prepare yourself. You need to get your body warm prior to exposing it to outside elements. You should walk or jog indoors for at least five minutes to help get your core temperature up and get your body ready for the workout ahead.

Take little steps

When you begin your winter workout, try not to overestimate your abilities. Just because you were running five miles in the summer, does not mean you should expect the same results in the winter. Your body reacts differently to the cold and has to work harder. This means you may not be able to achieve the same results, so you should try to do about half as much as before. You do not want to overdo it and end up stopping to catch your breath. Once you stop, you will notice your body temperature dropping, and you do not want to get hypothermia. It would be even far worse if you were miles from home and out of breath in the cold. So, play it safe and take small steps in the beginning to give yourself the chance to learn your limits.

Stay hydrated

It is easy to notice how much we are sweating in the summer, but in the winter, it can be a little trickier. Your may not notice how much you are sweating under all those layers, but you can rest assured that even in the winter you are sweating. So, you need to pay more attention to hydrating yourself because it would feel horrible becoming weak and dehydrated in the cold. You may need to keep your water bottle under your clothes or close to your skin to keep it from freezing, but you definitely need to take some water with you during your winter workouts.

Switch up your schedule

You may love starting your day off with a morning run or ending your day with an evening, but during winter, these are some of the coldest times. It may be frustrating having to change up your workout schedule, but it could help you stay a little safer and warmer during those cold runs. If you can hold off until the mid-afternoon, the temperatures will have warmed up and the pathways are more likely to be plowed. This means the best time to enjoy your run may be a little later or earlier than you are used to, but it can help you be safer and more comfortable in the long run.

It can be difficult trying to maintain your fitness routine in the winter. The cold can make us want to stay under our blankets a little longer and safely hide in our nicely heated homes. However, if you can find the willpower to venture outside, you just might discover that the weather is not as bad as you once thought it was.

- See more at: http://www.9round.com/blog/how-to-play-it-safe-during-your-winter-workouts/

How to Relieve Sore Muscles

It is normal to experience a little soreness after working out, especially if you have added a few changes to your fitness routine. It can be fun to mix it up every now and then, but muscle soreness is something you should be expecting when you do this. If you up the intensity, lengthen your workout time or perform new moves, your body has to have the time to get use to it. This all adds up to a higher risk of experiencing some body aches. So, how do you cope with these aches and still continue your fitness routine? Here are a few tips to help you get through these times and back to your fitness routine as soon as possible.

• Indirectly ice it. Most experts recommend wrapping an ice pack in a thin towel and applying it to the affected area. This should give you instant relief, help lessen the damage done and speed healing. While a heat pack may feel great while it is on, it will not lessen the damage done or help your aches go away sooner. So, you should put ice on the sore area, and if you feel the need to add heat later, it will not hurt. In fact, heat will help to increase your circulation and ease your joint pain when applied after your ice pack.
• Take a bath. Many people love the feeling of a nice bath on their sore and achy muscles. It can enhance your circulation and give you some temporary relief from the pain. Also, if you add epsom salts to your bath, you can get an added boost to relieving your sore muscles. You can even find epsom salts that are specifically geared towards relieving those sore and achy muscles. You could even splurge on some nicely scented ones that will help you relax after your long, hard workout.
• Drink plenty of water. We all know that water is a main component of our workouts. We have to stay hydrated. If you do happen to become dehydrated, it will only make your sore muscles feel worse. Therefore, you should always drink plenty of water before, during and after your workout to try to prevent the onset of sore muscles and to help ease the pain just in case you happen to overdo it.
• Stretch. Stretching is an important part of every fitness routine. Before you cool all the way down, you need to stretch your muscles. You do not want to allow them to stiffen before you get the chance to stretch them. By stretching, you are helping your muscles become more flexible and increasing the flow of oxygen to them. This increased oxygen will help your muscles relax and recover. So, you need to remember to stretch at the end of every workout to reduce your chances of being sore and achy.
• Rest. You need to get plenty of sleep and relaxation. Sleep is the time your body uses to repair itself, so by denying yourself sleep, you are denying your body the chance to repair itself. You also need to take it easy until your muscles have completely healed. This means cutting back on your workout and enjoying a little bit of down time. You do not have to quit your fitness routine entirely, but you need to pay attention to your body and try not push yourself too hard while your body is trying to recover. Play it safe and take it easy for a few days, and then see how your body feels before jumping back into your normal fitness routine.

It is normal to experience muscle soreness every now and then from your fitness routine, but if you are experiencing it more and more or if the pain is more intense, then you need to seek the advice of your doctor. You do not want to have an injury and push through it because you will only end up making the injury much worse and taking a longer break from your fitness routine than you planned. Therefore, you need to play it safe and take the time needed to repair your sore muscles.

- See more at: http://www.9round.com/blog/how-to-relieve-sore-muscles/

6 Reasons to Love the Gym

A lot of us have a love-hate relationship with the gym. We know we have to go, but for some of us, we dread walking through those doors. We need to find a way to love going to the gym so that we look forward to our fitness routines. This can help us stay motivated and easily achieve our goals much faster. So, how can we change our attitude about the gym? Here are just a few reasons to keep in mind when you start dreading your visit to the gym.

1. Socialize with people who have your same goals. This is the perfect place to become connected with others who are striving to do the same thing you are. They can become your fitness buddies, motivate you to work harder and offer you support in times of need.

2. Exercise year round. It can be fun exercising outside but sometimes the seasons just don’t agree with this. You may have allergies that act up at a certain time. The rain, cold or heat can also dampen your outside workout plans. Weather can be fickle in many places but if you visit the gym, you can always workout no matter what the weather is doing outside.

3. Access to professionals. If you are a fitness newbie or trying to switch up your routine, you may need expert help. Most gyms give you access to a personal trainer that can help walk you through your fitness routine and even design it just for you. If you do need help, do not hesitate to ask the gym employees for help. They are a great perk that comes along with your gym membership.

4. Access to different types of equipment. Some of us may be afraid to try new things, but by trying new or different types of exercises, you can workout your entire body and easily achieve an overall toned look. You can achieve a more effective workout by adding in some variety and seeking the guidance needed on how to successfully perform these moves.

5. Meal planning help. Most gyms are now realizing that in order to help their members reach their goals, they need to offer them assistance with meal planning. Many gyms now have an onsite nutritional team that can map out the perfect meals tailored to help their members become healthier.

6. Guidance from a trainer. Some gyms have a trainer that can assist you in properly performing any new or difficult exercises you are trying to learn. Most gyms charge extra for a trainer, but there are some brands that actually have the trainer included in your workout at no extra cost. 9Round Fitness is one of them.

The gym can be a scary place that many of us are afraid to visit. However, we can easily start to look forward to going to the gym. All we have to do is change our attitudes and how we view our gym visits. Then we may actually begin to see just how much fun going to the gym can truly be.

- See more at: http://www.9round.com/blog/6-reasons-to-love-the-gym/

4 Diet Myths We Need to Toss

There are many misunderstandings when it comes to dieting. There are a lot of rumors floating around out there that any of us take for truths. Whether we know the real facts or not can cause major havoc in our diets. If we believe these false truths, we could end up sabotaging our weight loss goals. Here we have gathered four of the most common diet myths and help you find different ways to go about dieting that can get you those results you have been craving.

1. If your aim is to lose weight, then you have to cut back on food. This is often not true. You should never starve yourself to lose weight. Instead we need to learn about portion control and eating healthy foods. If you try to eat less, it could cause you to be in a very bad mood and make you eat more unhealthy foods at the end of your day. However, when you eat properly throughout the day, you will feel more satisfied and more eager to follow this type of nutritious meal plan.
2. Fat in any form is bad. A lot of us think that we have to eliminate all fat from our diets. This is not actually true, as many of us can’t seem to believe. There are different types of fat, and some of them are bad for us, (think fried chicken or doughnuts) while others happen to be essential for us. So, if you are opting for fat free items because you think it will fast track your weight loss, then you’re missing the mark. Your body has to have a certain amount of fat to process certain vitamins antioxidants such as beta-carotene, vitamin D, and vitamin E. So, do not be afraid to allow the proper amount of healthy fats in your diet. Nut butters, lite cheeses, oils and avocado are great examples. Fats should be 20-30% of your diet daily.
3. Meals low in fat and salt have no flavor. There are multiple ways to incorporate different flavors and tastes into your meal. You do not have to rely on fat and salt to bring you flavor. You could try some new spices, experiment with different herbs and look for healthy types of condiments. You never know how much they can take your food to the next level without adding fat or sodium to your diet, until you try them. However, if you are buying ready made spice mixtures, you should check the label for its sodium content just to be sure. Many pre made seasoning kits come with salt already added.
4. You have to bake or steam your food to lose weight. Many of us believe that in order to eat healthy and lose weight, we have to cook all our food by baking or steaming it. This is not true and can get pretty boring eating the same thing over and over. You need to branch out and realize there are other healthy ways to cook your food. However, you could try grilling, roasting, sauteing or broiling your food. This way you could get a little more variety in your meals, and you would still be eating a healthy and nutritious meal that is full of flavor and still supports your weight loss goals.

It can be a long hard struggle trying to lose weight, and we do not need to be following false truths trying to reach our ideal weight. This will only lead to failure and disappointment. So, do the proper research before you believe any weight loss gossip that happens to be floating around. Healthy living is fun when you do it right!

- See more at: http://www.9round.com/blog/4-diet-myths-we-need-to-toss/

Why You Should Try Kickboxing

Kickboxing is a perfect fitness routine for just about everyone no matter their gender, age or fitness level. A kickboxing fitness routine works out your entire body, which helps you burn fat quickly and tone your entire body. You will leave your workout feeling empowered, confident and a little less stressed. Your mind, body and heart will all be thanking you for it afterward. Here is a list of some of my favorite benefits of kickboxing.

• A good fit for all. Kickboxing is a great fitness routine for everyone. It does not discriminate. You can be old or young, a man or woman, an experienced athlete or a fitness newbie; it does not matter. Everyone can easily benefit from this workout, and all are encouraged to try it.
• Easily adaptable. A kickboxing fitness routine can be easily adapted to fit your needs and fitness level. You start with a trainer to learn the basic moves and finally progress into easily flowing with these movements. Eventually, you will add more complex moves at a higher speed and adding in some extra weight. This makes it easy to start your kickboxing routine and then progress to different levels.

• Excellent at burning calories and melting fat. Most people burn an average of 500 calories per hour performing this intense fitness routine, and the more effort you put into your routine the higher that number could be. This all adds up to quickly shedding that excess fat and achieving your weight loss goals in no time.
• Tones your entire body. You workout your entire body during a normal kickboxing fitness routine. You will work on your arms, shoulders, legs and core simultaneously giving you the best results you have ever seen. This workout will give you an evenly toned and sculpted body that you feel proud to flaunt.
• Relieves stress. Not only does kickboxing release endorphins, like every other form of exercise, it also gives you the chance to release some extra frustration in a healthy way. You can kick and punch your way to releasing that pent up aggression you may be experiencing. How many other workouts give you the chance to imagine beating up your archenemy?
• Improves balance and coordination. All of those supposedly impossible moves that you thought were impossible to do, well guess what after a while of practicing them over and over you have finally mastered them. This hard work will give you an improved sense of balance and coordination that can easily benefit you in your everyday routine. You may begin to notice that you are not as clumsy and move a little more gracefully.
• Improves endurance. All those intense workout sessions at the gym are starting to pay off. You notice that you are not as tired as you were before or as out of breath as you usually are. You may have even started adding some extra time to your workout. These little things will let you know that you have improved your endurance.
• Builds confidence. Kickboxing will teach you moves that will have you feeling more confident, but there are many more aspects of kickboxing that can build your confidence, such as having a healthy and toned body you are proud of, achieving your fitness goals and having a healthier lifestyle.
• Fun. Kickboxing is fun and fast paced. You get to learn something new and work on your body at the same time. You can crank up the music and start attacking those heavy bags, practice with a partner and throw some medicine balls and kettle bells around. The best thing is that you do not have to do the same old routine everyday. You can switch up your movements in kickboxing making it easy to stave off boredom and remain more engaged in your workout.

With all of these amazing benefits, it is easy to see why kickboxing has become one of the most popular fitness routines out there today. So, why not find a local 9Round near you and try out their fitness routine? You have nothing to lose and a lot to gain, so stop by our website and find a gym near you.

- See more at: http://www.9round.com/blog/why-you-should-try-kickboxing/

5 Motivational Techniques to Help You Through Your Fitness Routine

Losing weight is not an easy task. You have to remain consistent with your efforts and give it your all if you want to be able to see any type of results. This is a lot easier said than done for most of us. We have a hectic schedule that is not fitness friendly, we want immediate results and do not put in as much effort as we should. So, how can we get back on track and give our fitness routines all the effort and energy it needs to be successful? We have to stay motivated, and we need to find that one thing that gives us the push we need when we need it. So, here are just a few techniques you can try to help you stay motivated during your weight loss journey.

1. Take it one day at a time. This means you should not overwhelm yourself. You only have to get through today, so eat as you should today and workout as you should today. Do not worry about tomorrow because you will get to that tomorrow and rock it, of course. So, get on with today and forget about the worries of tomorrow.
2. Make proper goals. Some of us expect to lose a lot of weight instantly, and this is not usually realistic. It will take a while to see results. It would be unhealthy and hurt us in the long run if this were to happen. So, you need to set realistic goals that you can achieve with a little hard work. There is nothing more devastating than not achieving our goals. You could take a huge blow to your motivation and confidence if you were to set an unachievable goal, and this may cause an abrupt end to your fitness routine.
3. Believe in yourself. You need to be your biggest cheerleader. You need to stay positive and surround yourself with positivity. If you believe that you can do it, then you will do it. However, if you do not think you can do it, then you will fail. So, stay positive and push yourself to get the results that you want. Remember, with a little hard work you can do it!
4. Reward yourself. You have to take notice of the little things. Every accomplishment is progress and should be treated as such. Just because you have not reached your weight loss goal, does not mean other things should not be celebrated. If you were able to run an extra lap, added five more pounds to your normal strength training routine or added ten more reps to your usual workout, then you should acknowledge it and reward yourself. You can buy some new clothes, get together with friends or take some quality time for you.
5. Try not to compare your progress to other’s progress. It is hard to do this when you are at the gym. You may see others around you that you think are easily achieving their goals. However, you are doing yourself a huge disservice by comparing yourself to others. We are all different and our bodies react differently to different stimuli. The people you are comparing yourself to may have been working out much longer than you, have different goals or be at a different fitness level than you. You do not know what their story is, so focus on you and your progress. You need to be proud of the accomplishments you are making and not being jealous of the progress of others.

It can be a long, hard road when it comes to trying to lose weight, but if you stick with it  and put in the time and effort needed, you will achieve your goals. So, get out there, get motivated and get the body that you want.

- See more at: http://www.9round.com/blog/5-motivational-techniques-to-help-you-through-your-fitness-routine/