PERSPIRE

 ENJOY SOME SUNSHINE

References

1 Lecturer, Dr. “How You Can Strengthen Your Defence Against Covid-19”. Mail Online, 2020, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-8112331/How-boost-immune-help-fight-coronavirus.html. Accessed 18 Mar 2020.

2 “Letter: Boosting Your Immune System Helps Against COVID-19 – The Mercury News”. Mercurynews.Com, 2020, https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/03/18/letter-boosting-your-immune-system-beneficial-with-covid-19-and-always/. Accessed 18 Mar 2020.

We met up with one of our amazing Crunch staff members, Zali Oulton to find out how she started working with the Crunch family at Dee Why & her motivation behind her awesome fitness journey!

ZALI’S EXPERIENCE WORKING AT CRUNCH

Image Source: @zalioulton

How long have you been with Crunch and how did you end up part of the Crunch family?

I recently moved to Dee Why from the Central Coast and was looking for a gym to join. Luckily, I found Crunch & loved it so much that I applied for a job as a Membership Officer! I’ve now be working here for about a year.

What’s your favourite thing about being part of the Crunch staff family?

I love that we’re really just one big family! It’s so easy to get along with each staff member across all Crunch gyms as everyone is so friendly and inclusive. Just like we treat our members is how we treat each other!

How do you balance work with your training schedule?

Balancing work life with my training schedule was tricky in the beginning in terms of organisation and motivation. Now that I’ve adapted to my new routine, I find it so much easier to balance work life with gym life. Although I don’t have an enormous amount of time (having a job & studying a degree) I thoroughly enjoy training which is a motivation for me to get to the gym & smash out a good workout – I always feel de-stressed and happier after training!

Image Source: @zalioulton

ZALI’S FITNESS JOURNEY

What inspired you into starting your fitness and bodybuilding journey?

When I first joined the gym with a group of friends, I wasn’t really sure where to start. This is when I started a 10 week body transformation challenge, which got me into fitness and bodybuilding.

What is your training/workout schedule like?

I currently train 4 times a week in the gym and 2 times a week outdoors. When I’m training outdoors, it’s for Rugby sevens, so any workouts that I do in the gym will coincide with power, strength and conditioning training. I’ll usually perform 1 upper body workout on one day, 2 lower body workouts and a functional training workout.

How do you motivate yourself to train on days where you don’t feel like working out?

On days where I’m not really motivated, I try to remind myself of how positive I’m going to feel once my training session is over. I know that coming to Crunch and training is going to clear my mind and allow me to focus on myself.

Image Source: @zalioulton

How has your fitness journey helped you live a better life?

When I first started training, I was more focused on my body image & I felt like I needed to workout to look good. Overtime, I’ve realised the importance of exercise and how it makes me feel. I have stopped worrying about my body image & started focusing more on my health and wellbeing – I now feel more positive about life, my friends, family & most importantly, myself.

What’s your favourite thing about training at Crunch?

I love how Crunch is a place for everyone to train! Crunch is inclusive of all body shapes & sizes, all different types of fitness levels and there are no judgements! Everyone is here to have fun & train hard.

Do you think a training style and routine has worked best for you?

Yes 100%! The training style that’s worked best for me is circuit style training. I can organise a circuit and incorporate all the different exercises I want to do that day, set a timer and off I go! Having a timer helps me to plan my gym sessions around my busy work & study schedule.

Image Source: @zalioulton

A MESSAGE FOR ALL THE FEMALES AT THE GYM

What’s your message for all the young girls out there and lifting weights?

My message would be to not be afraid of the weights section – we’re all here for a reason! No matter what gender you are, just get in there & focus on your goals.

Did you have any hesitations or fears being female and doing weights when you started?

I was definitely really nervous walking into the gym for the first time, it’s only natural to feel this way! However, coming to a gym like Crunch made me feel comfortable as I could see that everyone was welcomed no matter their fitness level or experience in the gym.

Do you have any special tips?

Just be confident in yourself! Set yourself a goal & make yourself proud by stepping out of your comfort zone. Don’t be afraid to engage with our friendly staff, no question is silly at all & we’re always happy to help!

Image Source: @zalioulton

SEE HOW CRUNCH FITNESS CAN HELP YOU WITH YOUR OWN PERSONAL FITNESS JOURNEY

Congratulations Zali with how far you’ve come with your fitness journey. We’re sure we’ll be seeing many more amazing things to come!

If embarking on your own personal fitness journey just like Zali’s is something you’ve been thinking about, get in touch with one of our friendly Crunch Fitness staff members. Whatever your goals or aspirations are, we have a team of world class personal trainers who are ready to take your sessions and goals to the next level.

As a first timer at the gym, it can be scary. As a woman, it can be really intimidating. Because of the gym stigma, the lack of knowledge and for most women, lack of confidence, it can be difficult to get yourself out there to workout.

You shouldn’t have to feel this way at all! So we’ve gathered our best tips below to help you get started. It’s really all about having the right mindset, knowing where to start, what will make you feel comfortable and seeking help when required.

What should a beginner do at the gym?

The gym is an intimidating place to be if you’ve never been before. With that being said, it’s important to be mentally prepared before heading in for the first time. At Crunch, we like to make the gym a really comfortable and safe place to do your workouts. But sometimes it can be a little tough to motivate yourself to head in!

Here are a few pointers that will help you feel comfortable if it’s your first time or early days at the gym:

• Before heading in, remind yourself that going to the gym is for you and only you!
• You’ll realise everyone is just as self-conscious as you are. It’s called the “spotlight effect” where you feel that everyone is looking at you but really they’re wondering the exact same thing! So just focus on yourself and you’ll soon realise…everyone else is as well not on you!
• Everyone at the gym has started somewhere. You’re not the first person who has been a beginner. Like most people, they definitely would’ve been in the same position you are now.
• Keep your headphones in and create a playlist that makes you feel good and motivated. It’s easy to zone everyone out once you plug some music in and start concentrating on yourself.

The hardest part of heading into the gym is actually going. So schedule it and put some of your best workout gear that you feel good in. Once you’re there, that is 80% of the hard work done!

What equipment and exercises are best for women beginners?

If you’ve never picked up weights or done any form of physical exercise, start slow. A great suggestion is to jump onto the treadmill. You can start by doing a slow walk for 10-15 mins which will introduce yourself to cardio. This will help you ease yourself at the gym, especially if you see people who are confident working out already, it can be a little scary!

If the treadmill is something you’re not familiar with, ask someone or a trained professional like a personal trainer. Properly learning how to use any equipment at the gym, like weight machines or any of the cardio equipment, is important so that you don’t hurt or injure yourself.

If cardio is something that is too much at first because it’s tiring or you don’t have the confidence, you can start by setting yourself up in a quiet area of the gym and do some stretches. At this point, it’s about getting familiar with the setting, the environment and being relaxed with yourself.

How long should you workout for if you’re a beginner?

As a beginner you don’t want to push yourself too much, so start with however long you feel comfortable with. Go at a pace that suits your fitness level. A great time to start with is 30 mins. Once you’ve started going regularly you’ll probably start incorporating weight training into your routine which will change how long you workout for. It also will be influenced by your fitness goals whether be to lose weight, gain muscle or improving your endurance.

How many days should I workout?

Many people start going to the gym for a number of different reasons. The most important thing to remember is that consistency is key. For any beginner forming a regular gym routine or habit is really vital to keeping up with your fitness goals. Pick a time that is realistic for you to go whether it is in the morning before work, lunchtime or after work. If you’re a busy person, making time for the gym is critical to sticking to your fitness goals.

Here are some easy beginner gym workout routines for females

To make things easier for you, we’ve listed some easy beginner gym workout routines that you can try. As always, if you’re not feeling confident, seek help from one of our friendly Crunch staff members or our personal trainers who can guide you in the right direction.

Depending on what your goals and fitness levels are will determine what will suit you best. These suggestions should be used as a guide.

Cardio workout routines for beginners

• You can try treadmills, elliptical machines, stationary bikes, the stair climbers and rowers. Each of these machines can start on a low-intensity setting so that you can get familiar with them first.
• Begin with 15 minutes of cardio and then when you’re comfortable, start gradually increasing the time as well as the intensity.
• For women who are older than 40, it’s natural for your bone density to decrease due to hormonal changes. Cardio exercise is fantastic to promote bone growth because you’re on your feet.

Beginner strength training routines

• A full body workout routine can comprise of shoulder presses, back rows, leg curls, crunches, chest presses and leg presses. These are basic starter exercises, consult with a personal trainer if you’re unsure how to do them.
• To start with, female beginners should try to perform 2-3 sets with 8-10 repetitions. Definitely start with light weights so that you can build into heavier weights.
• Women naturally possess lower levels of muscle-building hormones so weight training is fantastic because it helps increase muscle, speeds your metabolic rate and helps with bone density.

At the end of your workout, don’t forget to do some stretching. Especially if you sit at a desk all day, your muscles can become tight. Performing stretches after a workout is ideal because by then, your muscles would have warmed up already.

Ready to conquer the gym?

If you need some words of wisdom, we happened to ask a few of our Crunch personal trainers and expert fitness professionals on how women can conquer the gym. Do yourself a favour and read some insight motivational tips from these experts to get you started.

The next step? Get in touch with one of our friendly Crunch staff members who can set you up with a session to get you started or enquire about one of our heart-pumping classes that can help you feel more comfortable in a group training setting if you’re not ready for solo training.

It’s important to understand how exercise affects the body. If you’re just starting at the gym, or even if you’ve been going for a while, getting an insight into what happens to your body when you work out will help you make the most of your training time.

We discuss how fitness affects different parts of your body, the timeline of the changes in your body, how it’s important to pick the right workout goals and why exercise is different for everyone.

How exercise affects your body

Your muscles

Your muscles mainly do two things when working out:

1. Burn any fuel (food) for energy
2. Contract in response to a rush of electrical signals that are travelling to the body

The body will use glucose, the sugar that is stored in your body from the foods we consume, to be able to contract the muscles and activate movement. It will then use adenosine triphosphate or ATP, which is the source of energy that keeps your body going.

After using both glucose and ATP, it will require extra oxygen to be able to produce more ATP to be able to pump more blood into exercising the muscles. Without this oxygen, lactic acid will form instead.

When this happens, your muscles start forming tiny tears, but this is a good thing! Your muscles are actually becoming stronger. This is why you feel sore after a workout.

Tear and Repair

When you exercise it is considered a ‘stress’ to the muscles. Not the type of stress that is negative but a ‘stress’ that stimulates your body to tear, repair and increase the strength of your muscles. Working out the muscle tissues consistently will increase your endurance, strength, and flexibility.

Your Lungs

Any type of workout you do requires heavy breathing. When you exercise, your body requires a lot more oxygen to work. Your brain sends a signal to your diaphragm and rib muscles to work harder to allow more oxygen into the body.

As this happens your chest expands and air gets pulled into the lungs. They will expand and enlarge your chest area. When maximum capacity has been reached the air is then forced out as the diaphragm becomes too tight.

Why Proper Breathing is Important at the Gym

Breathing is a critical part to executing an exercise properly, particularly a weighted one. You may have heard to exhale when activating your muscles, then inhale as you return the weights to their start position?

This is because breathing helps with your posture, helping to correct your form when working out. The same muscles which help with your posture are the same ones that help you respire. Good breath leads to good posture. Good to posture leads to lower chance of injury!

Your Heart

When you exercise your body requires a large amount of energy. In order to have this energy, your body uses aerobic metabolism to convert fat, carbohydrates and protein into energy.  It can only do this though in the presence of oxygen.

Oxygen is carried through your body by your bloodstream. The heart needs to be able to pump a great amount of blood to maintain the oxygen supply whilst the muscles and the body are working.

Therefore, your heart starts pumping blood around your body faster to maintain oxygen supply to the muscles you’re exercising. With oxygen now flowing, aerobic metabolism occurs and you’re given the energy you need to keep exercising.

How fast your heart rate should be when exercising

It’s important to understand how to use your heart rate when looking to get the most out of every workout. To do this, you’ll need to first know how to monitor your heart rate, how to find your maximum and resting heart rates, and how to train using heart rate zones.

In order to accurately measure your heart rate, you’ll require a heart rate monitor (HRM). Heaps of cardio gym equipment will have one attached, otherwise there are plenty of smartwatches/fitness bands that come with a HRM.

Heart Rate Calculations

To determine your target zone:

1. Calculate your maximum heart rate by subtracting your age from 220
2. Calculate your resting heart rate by counting your heartbeats per minute when you are at rest (such as first thing in the morning).
3. Calculate your heart reserve by subtracting your resting heart rate from your maximum heart rate
4. Multiply your heart rate reserve by 0.7 (70 percent), then add your resting heart rate to this number
5. Multiply your heart rate reserve by 0.85 (85 percent), then add your resting heart rate to this number

The two numbers that you can get in steps 4 and 5 are your training zone heart rates. Your heart rate should be between these two number during your exercise.

Heart Rate Zone Example:

If you’re 28yrs old, then:

• Maximum = 192bpm
• Resting = 72bpm (this will be individual to you)
• Reserve = 120bpm

Heart rate zones equal – 156bpm to 174bpm.

How to Use Heart Rate Zones to Train

Working out in a particular heart rate zone means you’re falling within a particular percentage of your heart rate during the workout. The key to training effectively is knowing which zone you need to be at to perform at your own optimal peak. You might be doing different zones on different days depending on your fitness plan.

For example, today you might be doing a long run which has you falling into a zone 3 and then the next day you might have a rest day where you do a light jog in zone 2.

The general guideline of the different zones are as follows:

• Zone 1 is 60%-70% of your threshold heart rate: very comfortable effort where you would be in a warm up or a cool down.
• Zone 2 is 70%-80% of your threshold heart rate: comfortable enough that you can have a conversation and this a zone where you usually would have an easy or recovery jog.
• Zone 3 is 80%-90% of your threshold heart rate: A moderate to intense level. This zone is used for endurance exercises like a long run.
• Zone 4 is 90%-100% of your threshold heart rate: A hard intense level where you would only be able to talk in one worded responses. This zone would be used for interval training like HIIT.
• Zone 5 is 100%-110% of your threshold heart rate: A hard intensity effort which is out of your comfort zone and where you can’t talk. This is for exercises that really push your limits.

Your Brain

We’re sure you’ve heard that exercising releases endorphins which make you feel good right? What actually happens to the muscles being “stressed”, happens to our brain as well. Because the heart pressure increases, the brain thinks it’s fighting, or fleeing, from an enemy.

The brain will protect itself by releasing a protein called Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor or BDNF. The nature of BDNF is to protect and repair your memory neurons and acts as a reset switch. Which is why you feel clear and happy after a workout.

Simultaneously, endorphins are released which is another chemical that fights stress. It helps minimise the discomfort of exercise and minimises the feeling of pain!   

Your Joints

If you suffer from arthritis, exercising can help reduce the pain and increase the range of motion within your joints. Your joints are surrounded by soft tissue called synovial membrane which produce fluid acting like oil in an engine. Exercising regularly helps the circulation of this fluid so you can move more easily.

Important: With arthritis or any other joint restriction though, it’s important that you discuss any exercise plans with your medical practitioner.

How Your Body Changes from Day 1 to a Year Later

After one day

After a day of working out you will find your muscles will start to be sore. They will be tender and tight after a couple of days which is normal for your body. This is the body essentially repairing itself.

Once you start to exercise regularly your body will start to get used to the types of workouts you do, and over time your muscles won’t be so sore after each session.

After one week

After a week of smashing it out, you will find a lot more clarity. This is caused by the increase in blood flow and oxygen to the brain. Your brain performs better and is more focussed.

The skin glows due to the increase in blood flow and during exercise your body sweats – getting rid of any free radicals from your system.

After a month

After four weeks of regularly exercising you will find that your nervous system is more efficient at helping contract your muscles. This means you are laying down more protein into your muscles and you’ll start to see your metabolic rate increasing. In fact, you will start to burn more energy even while you’re snoozing at night!

The little things you do everyday become a lot easier such as climbing stairs, plus you’ll be able to more easily complete gym exercises you once found challenging!

Even your muscles get used to the physical activity and no longer become so stiff or sore under the same stress. It’s only when you increase your weight or resistance that you’ll feel sore again.

After a year

After a year of exercising regularly, your bone health significantly improves and there is a major reduction in the risk of fractures since your bone density increases too.

A particularly positive benefit from exercising after a year consistently is that it becomes a solid habit if you stick to your routine.

How to pick the right fitness goals

There is no perfect fitness plan

There is no one size fits all approach when it comes to exercise. Each person will have different goals they’d like to achieve with their own exercise regime. It’s important that if you create a training plan that it is a plan that you can realistically follow through with and enjoy.

Everyone is different, and it’s not an easy thing to prioritise your fitness, particularly with heavy work and/or family commitments. Setting a realistic goal that’s actually achievable helps you stay on track. Once you’ve got your first routine sorted, you can alter your plan from there!

Consider your own fitness goals

So now that we understand that fitness plans are not a one size fits all, it’s time to think about what your own exercise goals are. Taking a moment to determine what kind of specific personal fitness targets you want to achieve will help you structure your plan. Discussing these goals with a certified personal trainer will assist you greatly.

Do you want to build strength? Lose weight? Build your flexibility or perhaps you’re looking to just improve your overall wellbeing

The right plan is the one that makes the most of the time you can dedicate to the gym and keeps you on target to your goals.

Make it appropriate for your fitness level

If you’re a beginner you don’t’ want to be lifting 50kgs of weights on day one. You can expose yourself to bad form and injury. Instead, consult with a personal trainer who’s going to be able to test your current fitness level and give you suggestions on what type of exercises or goals are fit for your level.

Remember that everyone starts somewhere, and if you dedicate the time to getting your form right, then you’ll achieve goals faster and be stronger and more in control of going up weight classes, running faster, or whatever your goal is – all the while avoiding injury!

Why everyone’s bodies react differently to exercise

Research has found that everyone responds differently to exercise. Those who are put on the same workout routine for the same time period may improve while others don’t. These people may need to do more to get the results they want.

For example, the same research being conducted found that people that didn’t become fitter or stronger from a particular type of training did respond well to other types of exercises. They also found that some had gained better results from longer enduring workouts rather than quick exercises.

Find out what works for you, with us!

There’s no ‘right’ workout, or one-size-fits-all approach to fitness. Getting the right advice early and sticking to a plan that’s achievable will get you results and motivate you to stick to your routine and continue to better your health.

Our team of friendly motivated personal trainers at each of our Crunch gyms. They understand that your fitness goals are unique to you and can help you plan a workout routine that will give you the best results.!

Speak to one of our friendly team members today and we can hook you up with no judgements!

Warning! The following kettlebell arm exercises are designed to help tone and strengthen your arms! Kettlebells are great to use for your arms because it’s challenging, helps you build muscle and burns fat. It’s also a great alternative to using dumbbells, especially during high-demand times at the gym, when they’re all being used.

We have 5 exercises to share with you that are fantastic for building strength, mobility, and balance. These exercises can be a great addition to any full body workout.

Try these 5 kettlebell arm exercises:

1. Kettlebell Clean & Press
2. Kettlebell Bicep Curl
3. Kettlebell Overhead Tricep Extension
4. Overhead Press
5. Kettlebell Lateral Raise

For each exercise our personal trainers recommend trying 3 sets of 10-12 reps, however, this will be dependant on your fitness level and experience. So if you’re unsure, consult with our PT’s who can guide you in the right direction.

#1 – Kettlebell Clean & Press

The kettlebell clean and press is a fantastic total body exercise. It works out many of the muscle groups. It’s great for conditioning sessions and increases movement, stability, and strength with the body.

The muscle groups that are targeted:

• Shoulders, Upper Chest, and Triceps
• Hamstrings and Glutes
• Quadriceps
• Upper Back, Traps, and Lats
• Anterior Chain

Here’s how to do a kettlebell clean & press:

1. Place your feet shoulder-width apart and have a kettlebell on the floor in front of you.
2. Bend at the knees and push your hips slightly back and reach down to grab your kettlebell with one hand (either hand to start with).
3. To perform the movement, swing the kettlebell back between your legs and create a swinging motion forward up. Drive your hips forward while keeping your back straight.
4. As soon as the kettlebell is swung just above your belly button, pull it back and move your hand underneath the kettlebell so it’s resting against the back of your wrist.
5. Now push the kettlebell straight up and over your head until your arm is straight. Keep your elbows locked.
6. Reverse the movement to go back to your starting position.

#2 – Kettlebell Bicep Curl

For this variation, we are showing you the standing kettlebell bicep curl. It’s a great exercise for increased muscle strength. This only isolates the biceps alone. When performing this exercise it’s important to have the handles positioned in the mid-upper palms. That way the kettlebells won’t slip and are locked in.

Here’s how to do a kettlebell bicep curl:

1.  Grab a pair of kettlebells, hold one on each side. Keep your upper arms stationary.
2. Bend your elbows and curl the kettlebells up towards your shoulders.
3. Slowly return them down to your sides.

#3 – Kettlebell Overhead Tricep Extension

Overhead tricep extensions are great for bodybuilders and anyone who is looking to build muscle. With a kettlebell, it focuses on the triceps, lats and the medial head section. This exercise will help you improve your stability and greater muscle activation.

To perform the kettlebell overhead tricep extension, this is how you do it:

1. Hold the kettlebell behind your head between your hands. Keep your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Extend your arms overhead, then slowly lower your kettlebell.

#4 – Overhead Press

The standard kettlebell overhead press is a suitable exercise for increasing strength endurance. Similar to the clean and press (exercise number 1) but without the squat motion. Make sure your legs are locked and the weight of the kettlebell to be supported by your lower body. This will help you feel stabilised to perform the exercise.

This is how to do the kettlebell overhead press:

1. Have a kettlebell in each hand, hold them behind your hands against the back of your wrists.
2. Make sure your feet are shoulder-width apart. Lift your arms and press the kettlebells together over your head. Lock your elbows at the top.
3. Perform the motion in reverse slowly.

#5 – Kettlebell Lateral Raise

The kettlebell lateral raise is a suitable exercise to work out your traps and deltoids. This exercise is great for strengthening the area and is also easy enough for beginners to try. It’s the same technique with dumbells but we’re using kettlebells instead.

How to perform the kettlebell lateral raise properly:

1. Hold one kettlebell in each hand, placing them on the sides of your body.
2. Maintain a straight torso, lift the kettlebells to your side while the rest of your body remains stationary. Have a slight bend at the elbows as you lift up.
3. Lower the kettlebells back down slowly. Exhale to lift, inhale to lower.

For more kettlebell exercise ideas, ask one of our Crunch personal trainers

Want to learn more kettlebell exercises? Our personal trainers are trained to teach you and make the experience of working out at the gym more comfortable and fun! If you have any questions or keen to learn something new, they’re eagerly waiting for you!

Get in touch with one of our friendly Crunch staff members who can set up a time for you today to get started.

Everyone wants 6-pack washboard abs! To achieve this you need to target each area of the abdominal muscles. That way you’re toning and strengthening the core muscles which will give you that sculpted look. With the right suited diet and exercise regime that is made for you, results can vary, so consulting with a fitness professional will get you set up for success!

We’re showing you 5 awesome kettlebell ab exercises that target each of these areas. They also are fantastic for helping you with other areas of fitness too.

Here are 5 kettlebell abs exercises to try:

1. The Standard Kettlebell Swing
2. Kettlebell Russian Twist
3. Turkish Get-Up
4. Kettlebell Sit-Up
5. Kettlebell Oblique Standing Side Bend

For these ab burning exercises, our PT’s recommend trying 3 sets of 10-12 reps for the ultimate workout. However, this will depend on your own fitness level and experience, so if you’re not sure how many to do, ask one of our friendly personal trainers!

#1 – The Standard Kettlebell Swing

The classic kettlebell swing is probably one of the first exercises you will learn. It’s great for increased jumping power and training the important muscles of the posterior kinetic chain. For reference, this would be your butt, biceps, and your spinal muscles.

To start off, perform kettlebell swings for one full minute and rest. Complete this set for 10 minutes max if you’re beginning to learn how to perform this exercise.  

Here’s how to do a standard kettlebell swing:

1. Start by standing feet shoulder-width apart with the kettlebell being held off the ground.
2. Bend at the waist, palms should be facing your body and torso should be nearly parallel to the ground.
3. Pull your shoulder down and back. Engage your core. Lift the kettlebell off the ground. Knees should be bent, back flat and neck straight.
4. Drive the movement from your hips and propel forward with the kettlebell swinging into the air. Control the movement with your arms. Make sure you don’t swing past your shoulders.
5. Swing back down through your legs.
6. Follow the same movement as you swing back up again into the next rep.

#2 – Kettlebell Russian Twist

This exercise is great to target your obliques and abdominal area. The best way to perform this exercise is to bring your legs close to your body. Also making sure your upper body is raised in a “v” shape will help you feel comfortable.

With this type of ab exercise, you don’t need to be doing it every single day to get abs, in fact, it’s not necessary to do abdominal training every day.

Watch how to do a kettlebell Russian twist:

1. Lie on your back and keep your knees bent.
2. Lift your upper body up so it creates an imaginary V-shape with your thighs.
3. Grab your kettlebell and hold it between your hands.
4. Engage your core and twist your torso to one side lifting the kettlebell in the same direction.
5. Hold the position and move back to the starting position.
6. Repeat on the other side.

#3 – Turkish Get-Up

The Turkish Get-Up is maybe one of the more challenging kettlebell exercises that you can learn to do. It’s an exercise that essentially teaches you how to lift. It’s also a great way to teach your body awareness and control. Gripping the kettlebell properly, lifting your shoulders and prevent your elbow from bending will ensure that you are performing the Turkish get-up properly!

Here’s how to do the Turkish get up:

1. Roll onto your back and hold the kettlebell up with your right arm.
2. Position your legs so that they form a 45-degree angle with your body. Keep your right leg bent and your right foot flat to the floor. Then place your left arm out at a 45-degree angle for support when you push off from the ground.
3. Push off to your left with your right foot, keep the kettlebell up and press your left elbow into the floor.
4. Lift your left leg and pull it underneath yourself. Then lower yourself to your left ankle.
5. Now stand up whilst pressing your right foot into the floor to stand. Keep your elbow locked and wrist straight (your kettlebell hand).

#4 – Kettlebell Sit-Up

This kettlebell exercise is not only great for your abs but also your back and hips. It’s a wonderful exercise to try to strengthen your muscles and focusing on your core. To perform this exercise correctly, it’s vital that you hold the kettlebell tightly and to not let the weight rest on the body. When lowering yourself, do it slowly and with control to get the maximum benefits of the exercise.

Learn how to do the kettlebell sit-up:

1. Hold the kettlebell between both hands and lie down on your back.
2. Place your feet firmly on the ground and bend your legs. This will help stablise your lower body.
3. Curl your body up while lifting the kettlebell up to the ceiling. Exhale as you lift up. Keep your back straight.
4. Slowly lower yourself down, whilst holding the kettlebells straight up.

#5 – Kettlebell Oblique Standing Side Bend

This exercise helps target and strengthen your obliques. It’s the best workout to lose your love handles! Make sure your back remains straight throughout the exercise. Also, the movement should be to the side only so that you prevent any strain on the back or spine.

This is how to do a kettlebell oblique standing side bend:

1. Stand up straight while holding the kettlebell. Your feet should be placed at shoulder width.
2. Breathe in and bend to one side. Hold for a second then come back to your starting position. The rest of your body should be stationary.
3. Repeat the movement on the other side.

Strengthen your core & improve your fitness with our personal trainers

If you’re keen to learn more kettlebell exercises or looking to change up your fitness routine, our world-class trainers can help. They’re trained to teach you the right form and technique, along with supporting you on your fitness journey.

Get in touch with one of our friendly Crunch staff members now to book your session to get started.

“Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty”

– Theodore Roosevelt

This is the sort of quote that comes to mind when thinking about making exercise a habit.

It’s something that is so worth doing, as it provides so many benefits in many aspects of our lives but it is also something that, at first, can be pretty hard.

Exercise is the kind of habit that almost everyone can benefit from. That’s why we put together the 5 most effective steps you can take to add this life-changing habit into your daily routine.

1. Create a habit of starting

The whole process of convincing yourself to workout can be exhausting in itself. Often we spend 10 minutes debating whether or not we should work out before we even start getting dressed (or end up skipping the workout).

However, by making the process of starting easier, you’re way more likely to workout consistently.

How can you do this?

Make a habit of starting.

For example, if you want to include morning workouts into your daily routine you could do the following:

• Make prepping your clothes the night before a habit. It’s often easier to develop a new habit by attaching it onto an existing habit. So you can add this onto your nightly teeth-brushing-ritual. Every night, after brushing your teeth, neatly lay out your gym gear for the next day. Try doing this every single night.
• Then, in the morning, make a habit of waking up an hour earlier to put on those workout clothes. You may not get to the gym on the first day, but at least you made way more progress compared to sleeping in. So hi-five yourself! Continue adding on these small habits until you are finally able to get out the door and into the gym each day. You can do it!

But why would you bother start with something so small?

If you start with something huge, you’ll risk being left thinking about it a lot but never actually doing it. If the habit is small, you are more likely see it as manageable, meaning that you are also more likely to actually do it and eventually lead up to something bigger.

So start small. Be proud of your progress. And build on from there.

Action Step:

Schedule in time to create and perform your “starting-exercise” habit.

2. Make exercise non-negotiable

Most of the time, we start off strong with a new habit but as soon as we say “no” to a day, this leads us to skip the next day, and the next one, and so on. So this time, just don’t give yourself the option to say no anymore.

Pick a day where you cannot say no to exercise no matter what. You can start with just 1 day a week where you always exercise. Then after a month of this, make it 2 days when you always exercise, until you build up to the amount of days you want.

Action step:

Pick 1 day for the next 4 few weeks where you CANNOT say no to your workout. At the end of the 4 weeks, if you’re ready, add another day.

3. Take it in two’s

When you’re really not feeling it, here is your back up plan:

The 2-minute rule.

Physics states that those things which are already still, stay still. While those things which are already moving will continue moving. You can apply this concept to your daily life.

By starting something for 2 minutes, it’s likely that you will keep on moving.

The 2-minute rule encourages you to focus on doing something related to your habit for just two minutes. This could mean telling yourself to spend two minutes to get out of bed and put on your training gear.

By committing to a small 2 minutes you will be “getting the ball rolling” on your habit, meaning you are more likely to keep on moving.

Many times, a 2-minute start is enough to pump up the motivation inside you to finish the task. On the days where it’s not though, that’s fine! Small steps. Still see it as a success.

Action step:

Decide on what your 2-minute habit is. This could be the same as your “starting-exercise-habit” discussed in point 1. Write it out, on your phone or wherever, and commit to doing it every day at the same time.

Take it 2 weeks at a time

Compare these two goals:

“I will work out 5 days a week from now until forever”
V.s.
“I will work out 5 days a week for just two more weeks”

Obviously the second one sounds way more doable and motivating. The first one, although we might not ever actually say those words explicitly, is something we often imply to ourselves when thinking of committing to a workout routine.

Instead of thinking that you will have to do this forever, tell yourself “I only have to do this for two weeks”. Once you’ve committed to 2 weeks 4 times, you’re likely to have already made it a habit.

A great way to track this and stay inspired is by grabbing a calendar and highlighting the day 2 weeks from now. Cross off each day you do work out on the calendar for these two weeks.

4. Quiet down the excuses

One of the main reasons we fail to exercise when the time comes is because our brain is SO FULL of excuses that we just start to believe we cannot do it. A great way to deal with this is to drown out the excuses with some music that you LOVE or a motivational speech.

Action step:

The night before, load your choice of inspiring sounds or music onto your phone. You can even choose a motivational speech. When you wake up, set it up and press play. Listen to this while you’re getting ready to go workout.

5. Write your exercise habit out

The British Journal of Health Psychology found that 91% of people who wrote down exactly when and where they would exercise, ended up actually sticking to their new habit the following week. This technique is called implementation intentions. By deciding and writing down exactly where and when you plan on completing the habit, you’ll be far more likely to follow through then if you simply wrote down the habit itself.

Action Step:

Try writing this simple, yet powerful sentence:
During the next week, I will exercise on (day) at (time of day) at/in (this location).

Fill in the blanks for the above sentence and write it out (on paper).  This way, you’ll know ahead of time what your plan of action is, reducing the chance of you bailing on your new goal.

Make exercise a habit with us!

Each of the steps above stick to the main principle of this post: start small. By starting small you will 100% achieve that amazing goal you have set out in your mind. Remember, you got this!

Require a push in the right direction? We understand that starting off can be a little tough. Our world class personal trainers can help you get on the right track and give you plenty of motivation to achieve your fitness goals!

Get in touch with one of our friendly Crunch family members, and we can help you get started today.

During this unprecedented time, we need to focus on boosting our immune system. Now that we live in a new coronavirus-induced world, we need to put our trust into the experts! The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offer good advice for preventing community spread and personal infection: apply social distancing, sanitize surfaces, wash your hands, don’t touch your face. (2)

Ways to boost your immune system:

• Increase consumption of fruits and vegetables, including citrus fruits and leafy greens
• Refrain from sugar-laden foods
• Maintain daily exercise of 30-60 minutes
• Minimize your stress level and get adequate sleep

Did I mention that this advice works great for fending off all other nasty bugs as well?

References

2 “Letter: Boosting Your Immune System Helps Against COVID-19 – The Mercury News”. Mercurynews.Com, 2020, https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/03/18/letter-boosting-your-immune-system-beneficial-with-covid-19-and-always/. Accessed 18 Mar 2020.

Have you ever wondered exactly what exercises you should do to build up your Glutes and activate them properly? Today we will be taking you through the perfect Glute workout from start to finish with one of our best Crunch Personal Trainers, Karim Chami. Find out exactly what you should be doing to see results next time you hit the gym floor!

Some of the Best Glute Isolation Exercises for men and women are:

1. Banded Kick Backs
2. Banded Crab Walks
3. Barbell Hip Thrusts
4. Step-up Lunges
5. 1 Legged Leg Press
6. Hip Abduction Machine Pumps

We will be covering each of these exercises in detail below.

For the Workout Karim recommends starting off with some dynamic stretching, followed by two Glute Activation Exercises. Next, move on to some Abdominal work and then move on to the main Glute strengthening exercises. Finally, he recommends finishing off with a few minutes of stretching and foam rolling.

#1 – Banded Kick Backs

According to our personal trainer, Banded Kick Backs are a great Glute Activation exercise to start your workout with and warm up before lifting heavier weights.

How to Perform Banded Kick Backs

1. Place a thick resistance band around the lower half of your thighs and stand next to something stable, such as a wall.
2. Place your hand on the wall/surface for stability and with both feet facing forward kick one leg backwards.

Do 20 reps of 3 sets on each leg.

#2 – Banded Crab Walks

This activation exercise is also perfect to warm up with and ensures you are focusing on the right muscles for the rest of the workout!

How to Perform Banded Crab Walks

1. Squat down slightly, bending your knees.
2. Move your foot to the side and walk in a “crab” like fashion in one direction.
3. Stepping the feet apart and then together again.
4. Be sure to tense your Glutes as you do this.
5. You may need to ensure you are using a strong enough resistance band to really feel it in your Glutes.

#3 – Barbell Hip Thrusts

The first Glute strengthening exercise will be Barbell Hip Thrusts. This is a great exercise for isolating and strengthening the Glutes.

How to do Barbell Hip Thrusts

1. Lie down on the floor with your back on a platform, about 24 inches high.
2. Roll the barbell up over your hips and lift it up. Pushing through the heels.
3. Make sure when you lift it up that you’re squeezing your glutes as much as you can at the top.
4. Keep your feet on the floor and your ankles 90 degrees with the thighs just so you can get a better activation of the glute rather than the hamstrings.
5. If you are not feeling it in the glutes, it means that your feet positioning is probably not right. So make sure that you play around until you actually feel it more in the Glutes. This foot positioning can be slightly different for different people, so you may have to play around till you feel it yourself.

#4 – Step Up Lunges

This lesser known exercise is great for isolating your Glutes as well as strengthening your core.

How to perform step up lunges

1. Stand on the bench
2. Make sure there’s something in-front of you that you can hold to kind of keep your balance
3. Carry a dumbbell in the hand opposite to the leg you are stepping up with.
4. As you come up, you want to push from the bottom of your heels and drive up using your Glute muscle.
5. You’re going to do probably around 10-12 reps on each leg and swap.

#5 – One-Legged Leg Press

The next exercise is a one-legged press. For this exercise, find a leg press machine that has you sitting on a downward decline.

You will be sitting in a specific position which will, according to Karim, “engage those Glutes to be working rather than hamstrings or quads”.

How to Perform a One-Legged Leg Press to Strengthen Glutes

1. Sit on the leg press machine & angle your body so you are leaning on one buttock.
2. Place one foot on the platform & push out straightening your leg.
3. Perform this sequence repeatedly to feel the burn in your glute area.
4. This will target and isolate the Glutes rather than the hamstrings or quads.

#6 – Hip Abduction Machine Pumps

And then after that, we’re going to be jumping onto the hip abduction machine just to finish off those Glutes and get a good burn. I’ll do about 3 sets of those, probably 15-20 reps, I call them ‘pumps’ just to get that blood going into the muscle and get a good squeeze and good burn.

How to Use the Hip Abduction Machine

1. Sit on the edge of the seat
2. Lean forward
3. Hold onto the front of the machine
4. And pump out. Do about 20 pulses of these
5. Make these quick pulses and pumps rather than slow lifts

Finish off with some Foam Rolling

To finish off the workout, try out some foam rolling for your Glutes and Hamstrings!

These two moves are perfect for releasing any tension and preparing your muscles for your next workout!

Questions? Contact us!

If you want to set goals for yourself but not sure where to start, speak to one of our personal trainers at Crunch Fitness who can definitely get you started in the right direction fit for you!

https://crunch.com.au/home/contact_us.aspx

Learn more about our awesome Personal Trainer Karim Chami

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for more videos like this: https://goo.gl/kh6LiH

Disclaimer:

⁣As with all exercise programs, when using our exercise videos check with your doctor and or a health care professional before beginning any fitness program.  By performing any fitness exercises, you are performing them at your own risk.

We had the privilege of interviewing one of our awesome General Managers, Aidan Kajan. He shares his fitness journey & lifestyle since starting work at Crunch Fitness!

How did you become part of the Crunch family?

I became part of the Crunch family through persistence.  I actually got turned down twice, applied a third time & finally scored a job at Crunch Fitness! When I first started out, I didn’t get the role that I wanted, however I persisted & am now the General Manager of Crunch Fitness Parramatta.

What’s your favourite thing about working for Crunch?

My favourite thing about working for Crunch is the fact that I get to help people everyday whether it’s my own staff or my Crunch members & I have fun doing it!

Can you tell us about your own weight loss journey?

My own weight loss journey started 3 years ago, I was 146kgs. I wasn’t feeling happy with myself, I was depressed and unable to do the things I wanted to do everyday. This is when I decided to make a change in my life through dedication, hard work & wanting to eat healthier, I got my weight under 100kgs. I am now at a much healthier weight & living a much happier life.

Do you have any special tips/life advice you’d like to share with our Crunch members?

If I had one tip or a piece of life advice that I’d like to share is that all the little things count. It’s one step at a time, everything that you do equals the big picture in the end. So don’t give up! You may not see results or be where you want to in a week or a month, but if you persevere and keep doing the small things, in 6 months time you’ll hit your goals.

If you’re over not being able to reach your goals the way you want to, try something different & come visit one of our Crunch Clubs!

SEE HOW CRUNCH FITNESS CAN HELP YOU WITH YOUR OWN PERSONAL FITNESS JOURNEY

Congratulations Aidan with how far you’ve come with your fitness journey. We’re sure we’ll be seeing many more amazing things to come!

If embarking on your own personal fitness journey just like Aidan’s is something you’ve been thinking about, get in touch with one of our friendly Crunch Fitness staff members. Whatever your goals or aspirations are, we have a team of world class personal trainers who are ready to take your sessions and goals to the next level.