7 Best All-Around Exercises
About a year ago I posted an article called “The 7 Worst Exercises”. It shocked a few people because the list contained a few beloved exercises like the “Thigh Master 2000” and elliptical trainers, exercises a lot of people thought were great exercises (read the post here and learn which others made the list and why). After posting the article I had numerous people ask me, “Mat, what are the 7 best exercises?” I just figured I had written and spoke enough about all the good exercises that I didn’t need to make such a list. So let me reiterate my criteria for a “good...
read morePerfect Posture
I love to people watch. I mean who doesn’t? The other day I got lassoed into going to the mall with my beautiful wife and kids and while my wife and daughter were in the women’s only underwear store (which is kind of weird, guys don’t have a guys only underwear store??? But if we did it sure wouldn’t be called Victor’s Secret). Anyway while sitting outside Victoria’s place I had a chance to observe mall life. We’re talking all kinds of shapes, sizes, styles and ways of life a true slice of red, white and blue Americana. I don’t think...
read moreNo Gym Equipment…No Problem
“It amazes me that most people spend more time planning out next summer’s vacation than they do planning the rest of their lives.” Patricia Fripp, Professional Speaker This can certainly be true for many people especially when it comes to planning their exercise and nutrition during these challenging summer months. To combat this dilemma we are trying a couple of new things this summer. First, we are taking our workouts outside. The morning boot camps are actually outside at a near by park. Second, we are having the first ever EXL Fitness Skinny Jeans Lifestyle...
read moreWorking out on the Road
As most of you know I am an outdoor/adventure enthusiast. For some individuals working out is an end in and of itself. Which is fine because improved health and wellness are great reasons to workout. For me its a means with which to enjoy life more fully. What good is fitness if you can’t use it? And I prefer to use my fitness for fun whether it’s skiing off Mount Timpanogos, rock climbing the face of Angel’s Landing in Zion NP, or mountain biking the White Rim trail in Canyonlands NP. Fitness propels my activities and quite frankly my life. I am currently in...
read moreRubber Band Core
NOTE: This is a newsletter emailed in January ’09, I’m posting it for archival purposes. Hey, everyone, Mat the trainer again. In the last few emails we have been discussing the core. We have discussed some of the muscles that make up the core; some are obvious, some not so obvious. Let’s review the function of the core again. The core bolsters the spine and creates a stable platform from which muscles can contract to generate force (remember the battleship vs. canoe example). The core also transfers force from the lower body to the upper body, like in a golf...
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