The Top 10 Workout Songs for April 2016

Please enjoy a post from our friends at Run Hundred.

Ladies rule the gym this month—with females out front on all but three of the month’s top tunes. The list also favors the poppier end of the musical spectrum. At the same time–even with these elements in common—there’s still room for a few surprises.

The most anticipated songs of the month are the new singles from Sia and Meghan Trainor. Collaborations also proved popular—with Zara Larsson and Fifth Harmony teaming up with MNEK and Ty Dolla $ign, respectively. Lastly, from the fellows, you’ll find the latest from Pitbull, a remix from Coldplay, and a fast track from St. Lucia.

Apr042016

Our Last Week or So in Pics

We continued to eat fairly healthy

Mar292016

Peanut Butter Chocolate Protein Bars

Since I’ve been eating clean and getting into better shape, I need foods around the house to support that. That’s why I’ve been trying out different recipes and seeing how I can protein out of every little thing while keeping it clean. Protein bars! Often times, the store bought ones have stuff in them that you don’t necessarily want. So, why not make your own? I found this recipe and wanted to make a play on it. It was incredibly easy: put all ingredients into a bowl, mix, then put into the oven. I used my cinnamon cracker protein powder, but you can use any type! Check out the nutrition facts below per each bar:

Calories: 86
Fat: 1.9g
Carbs: 11.9g
Protein: 6.3g

Mar242016

What is RPE or Rate of Perceived Exertion?

I remember my first “job” at a gym back in the early-mid 1990s. Although that facility no longer exists (it’s a doctor’s office now), there are a few images stuck in my mind from it. One of the clearest images is one that I see every day in the fitness facility that I manage in LA. It was one that I’ve looked at in the countless gyms that I’ve worked in and will continue to see for some time. It’s the side-by-side poster combination of target heart rate zones and rate of perceived exertion.

When I train aspiring fitness professionals to become everything from personal trainers to group exercise instructors, these two charts are a key component in the classroom. Why? Because there is a great chance that they’ll have them at their new job and will have to explain what they mean to their customers, clients, and members. Also, using the concepts behind these posters will help you explain some key components in a way that normal people will understand.

Mar212016

Our Week/end in Pictures

I stayed fairly strong during the week with my clean eating

Mar192016

Exercise Spotlight: Standing Plate-Loaded Shrugs

We are continuing our series of exercise spotlights with today’s version of a shrug! A lot of people shy away from shrugs because they think that their traps will flame up Hulk-style. In reality, building your traps gives you a strong-looking frame to compliment the rest of your shoulders, arms, and back. Remember, it’s important to continue to add different exercises to your knowledge base so that your body doesn’t get used to anything. Let’s learn about the standing plate-loaded shrug.

Mar182016

Friday Fitness Comics

Back when we had our promotions for the new year, one of my personal training staff sent me this. I’m not sure who put it together, but if you let me know I will certainly give credit where credit is due. This individual also worked the floor of the fitness facility, which is challenging because you’re dealing with other staff, members, and equipment that all have their need for your services. This speaks volumes to the environment.

Mar162016

Getting Fit(ter) for the Wedding

Weddings usually have a lot of fitness circulating them. Well, more so, that the pair preparing to get married want to look good and so they get super healthy beforehand. In fact, a lot of bloggers start out this way: blogging their fitness and healthy eating up to the special date. Hungry and I are pretty good about working out regularly, it’s something we enjoy and so we do it often. However, when it comes to food, we have our ups and downs. We can be off or on. Usually, we’re fairly healthy (not like we pig out at McD’s or anything ever). However, we pretty much eat what we want. I’ve decided to embark on a 2-month program to help touch up my health a bit.

Mar152016

H&F Shorts on YouTube

We recently mentioned that we’d be stepping up our YouTube game (again!) and this time (with the help of Iron Fortitude’s Juan), we’re actually off to a good start. We set a goal to release four videos this month and if you follow this link, then you’ll see we already have 3. Obviously, if you watched those, they’re only 15 seconds each since they’re just “shorts,” but we plan on using these to promote longer videos and to get everyone just a little more excited about it.