Anyone who has watched the 2006 film 300 will attest, King Leonidas and his ferocious, hard-charging Spartan army have abs to die for. And even today, both male and female gym enthusiasts tend to use this film as a benchmark of fitness, especially when it comes to achieving the perfect six-pack. The good news is that you can still craft a Spartan six-pack at home using one-piece of equipment: the kettlebell.
Read MoreIf you are stuck at home with no squat rack or barbells and your legs and booty are missing deadlifts, leg press and squats all is not lost! These are three of my favorite moves that hit the glutes and quads and all you need is something to brace against and a smooth floor/hand towel.⠀⠀⠀
Read MoreAre you struggling to find a fitness routine during all this? Does your diet need help but you’re not sure where to start? Is your body crying out for more stretching and mobility? You’re not alone and I have three free ways to help.
Read MoreI couldn’t be more proud of my Bay Club family for building literally the most amazing and unprecedented outdoor fitness facility in San Francisco. Working closely with government agencies and officials they’ve built a completely compliant and safe option for working out safely outside with views of Coit Tower, the Bay Bridge and the Transamerica Building. At Bay Club SF on Greenwich Street members and clients can book space on our beautiful 12,000 square foot rooftop to lift weights, do cardio and to stretch/practice yoga.
Read MoreThe most common way to make an exercise harder is simply to add more weight. But adding more weight isn’t always an option, particularly if you are working out at home. And sometimes just adding more weight even if you have access to it isn’t always the best choice if you have injuries or joint issues. There are several strategic ways you can progress exercises to challenge your body and avoid plateaus in strength-building.
Read MoreThanks to their incredible combo of simplicity and versatility, kettlebells are a hugely popular home fitness item these days. But if you’ve gone shopping for them online recently, you may have noticed that the wonderfully handled weights are a little, umm, scarce. Perhaps even worse, some are being sold for the gouge-iest of prices — as much as $3,000 on Amazon for a product that won’t arrive until the end of next month, at the earliest. Check out this post from my pal Steve Mazzucchi at GearPatrol.com who interviewed me and other fitness pros across the country for the best DIY solutions and homemade hacks that can mimic kettlebells in a pinch.
Read MoreThough our gyms and yoga studios are closed many of the Bay Area’s top yoga professionals are offering live and recorded classes online through Facebook Live, Instagram Live and other web sites. I’ve compiled a list of my favorite yoga instructors in this post. These instructors are offering amazing free/donation-based classes appropriate for all levels. If you want to feel and perform better check them out. Namaste!
Read MoreI’ve been doing a lot of virtual training sessions with new and existing clients over the past few weeks. We’ve been experimenting with different free and affordable equipment options from recycled water jugs to adjustable dumbbells and kettlebells and all sorts of resistance bands. For clients who want to work on building strength and muscle and mimic heavy barbell and dumbbell moves they’re used to in the gym but don’t want to spend a fortune I recommend getting a set of monster bands. In this post I’ll show you 15 videos for how you can still lift heavy at home including squats, deadlifts, lunges, lat pull downs, reverse flies, rows, presses and core work.
Read MoreWith the new reality of sheltering in place for the foreseeable future many of my clients have inquired about virtual training. I’ve long offered FaceTime training to my clients to help keep them fit and sane while they travel or when they move outside the Bay Area. My clients Tom, Erica and Raquel (and their pups!) can attest that whether they are working out with me from their homes or from a hotel room we can still get a good workout in using whatever equipment and tools we have on hand. So I’m officially offering this service to all my existing and new clients. Keep reading to learn how it works.
Read MoreSince my students and clients are staying home and not able to come see me for training and group fitness at Equinox and Bay Club for the foreseeable future they are hungry to get safe and effective workouts. So I've compiled some of my own personal "do anywhere" workouts that require minimal equipment. It's time to get creative, folks! These "water jug workouts" are my favorite and are actually really challenging!
Read MoreA lot of my students and clients have asked me how they can keep up their fitness while staying home. Here is one of my all time favorites. You can workout with me and some of my favorite trainer friends for FREE via the ClassPass Go app. These are audio workouts with visual references and music built in. There are yoga, running, strength, stretching, cardio and meditation classes for every level. Here are my picks from my library. Stay safe, stay fit! Just download the app in the App Store here.
Read MoreA lot of folks are staying home and practicing social distancing during this scary time. I've been getting a lot of questions from JJFit.com readers who want to workout at home but have limited equipment. In this blog post I show you 10 total body exercises you can do at home using this hip band and a basic resistance band. If you can't make it to the gym hopefully these will keep you fit and sane for the time being.
Read MoreWant to amp up your cardio and endurance fitness in 2020? Join me in my new 6-week RunFit Boot Camp! Classes will consist of a mix of speed work, hills, tempo and endurance running both indoor and outdoor, as well as strength circuits designed to improve your mobility and strengthen your core, back and glutes. Perfect for all levels and experience, this scalable 18-class program is open to Bay Club members as well as non-members.
Read More“Offset training” when you perform a complex exercise carrying weight on just one side of your body can be a great way to challenge your core, build stability and improve athleticism. Bracing your core, locking in your shoulders and maintain tension are key for successfully performing any offset exercise. In this post I share three videos of my favorite offset exercises which, depending on your goals and baseline fitness, are perfect as a primary exercise, warm up or finisher.
Read MoreEtiquette aside, some evidence suggests that a hot shower before exercising can increase your body temperature, encouraging blood flow and loosening any tense muscles, which should theoretically result in an easier workout. Unfortunately, though, since your body temperature will be higher to begin with, the chances of you burning out earlier in your workout are also higher. On the flip side, studies indicate that taking a quick cold shower, particularly before some cardio, can help the body withstand prolonged exercise at higher intensity levels, since the cold temperature lowers your heart rate, leaving both your muscles and heart with more room to keep on pumping during a workout before they inevitably overheat. For more on this “heated” topic, checkout my interview on the DSC Blog.
Read MoreHitting the gym hard but not seeing the results you want? You might assume it’s time to add heavier weights to your bar or increase the amount of time you spend at each session — but that’s not necessarily the case. Check out my interview in Oxygen Magazine by Jill Schildhouse to learn how to implement three of my most effective training variables: time under tension, eccentrics and plane of motion training. And to see these moves demoed by my amazing client Sarah Henderson checkout this video library.
Read MoreIn this video I show you six of my current favorite lower and mid back strengthening exercises that also force you to work your core and arms making for a terrific workout. If you are working on weight loss you can circuit these moves in sets of ~15 or more reps with 60s rest between sets. If you are working on basic strength you can increase the weight and try 3 strict sets of 12 reps with 60s-90s rest in between. Or if you're looking to hypertrophy (build muscle) up the weight even more and try 4 sets of 8-12 reps and give yourself 90s-120s rest in between sets. For more info on how to build a strong back and for more advanced back moves check out this blog post.
Read MoreBusy professionals spend the bulk of their days sitting at their desks, in meetings, on planes or in cars. Even the most disciplined can struggle finding enough time to stretch, do cardio and lift weights—all of which we know improve mobility, reduce pain and improve brain performance, not to mention improve the way we look and feel. When they do find time to move, they often don’t realize their exercises are keeping them exclusively in one “plane of motion.” Most of us need more planes of motion training in our workouts. But what does that mean? Read on in my latest Fit Counselor column for Law.com.
Read MoreUS News & World Report asked me and several other top fitness pros their thoughts on which muscle groups and super sets are best for various goals, particularly safety and efficiency in the gym. Check out this link for an array of exercises let you work out multiple muscle groups at the same time.
Read MoreUS News & World Report asked me and several other top fitness pros which machines in the gym are best for women. Note, these machines are great for both genders. Women belong on the bench press just as much as men. And men could benefit from traditional "female" exercises like pilates, barre and glute kick backs. Many folks, male and female, aren’t comfortable lifting free weights and barbells, but they still need to tackle resistance and cardio training in their workouts. Here are nine user-friendly gym machines anyone can use to get in shape. And for a tutorial on how to row with great form check out this post with pal Lauren Barkan.
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