Body Space Fitness

Setting Goals In The Gym

Tue, 24 Jan 2023 23:08:59 GMT

Setting Goals In The Gym

The definition of a goal is ‘the object of a person's ambition or effort; an aim or desired result.’ People often start their fitness journey with aesthetic goals in mind and while there is absolutely nothing wrong with that, it’s important to emphasize that you’re more likely to achieve a goal with a more specific action plan in place. A great way to start is to adopt a “SMART” mindset; this acronym will help focus your efforts and hopefully get you to your goal faster!

S (Specific) : Be as specific about your goal as possible. Instead of saying “I want to have stronger arms” think more about what that means to you (YOU being the key word!). Maybe you’ve always wanted to improve your push ups or perhaps you’d like to achieve bodyweight pull-ups. In this case, let’s pretend that you decide you’d like to strengthen your upper body so that you can do ONE FULL pull-up.

M (Measureable) : How are you measuring your progress? Are you just doing some random program every so often and hoping you get better at pull-ups? At BSF, we consider your goals and create a program that will measure your progress week by week. We’ll do a lot of pull-ups (over and over again) as well as other accessory movements to strengthen the muscles that assist in getting that first pull-up!

A (Achievable) : Do you have the right support system in place? It’s important to surround yourself with people who will motivate you, coaches and clients alike! If you’re coming to BSF 1/week and not working towards your goal outside of that time, your pull-up goal is still achievable but it may take longer than you’d like. Maybe it’s time to upgrade to training 2/week at BSF!

R (Realistic) : Similar to asking yourself whether your pull-up goal is achievable, you need to ask yourself if it’s realistic. Do you have the time to commit to this goal? Are you willing to put in the work and not give up? Pull-ups are hard! Progress isn’t always going to come easy and you’ll probably have to be more patient than you would like.

T (Timely): Giving yourself a reasonable deadline is important. Unless you’re VERY CLOSE to achieving a bodyweight pull-up, 1 month probably won’t be enough time. Again, you must consider where you are in your fitness journey, how much time you have to dedicate to training, and if you have the right program/support in place. At that point, you and your coach can decide what would be a reasonable time frame.

Recovery Is Vital to Your Wellness

Sat, 14 Jan 2023 23:17:04 GMT

Recovery Is Vital to Your Wellness

As time goes on, it is easy to experience the phenomenon of days growing longer, but the years flying by. There is only so much willpower and critical thinking that can be extended outward. Oftentimes, the one thing that is easiest to skip is self care. This is where outsourcing self care, that I cannot otherwise do on my own, has become a routine for me. Having others help with my recovery has been a vital asset in my ability to be a productive coach, attentive father, amazing husband and outstanding friend. Here are some of my routines that have become essential:

Stretch Lab
Specializing in Partner Assisted Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) Stretching
Improve Sports Performance
Increase Range of Motion & Flexibility
Reduce Muscle and Joint Pain
Improve Posture
Reduce Stress
Restore Hyper Wellness
IV Drip Therapy - Infuse a liter of fluids with your choice of vitamins, nutrients, minerals and amino acids
Hydrate and Cleanse
Replenish Vital Nutrients
Maximize Performance and Focus
Cryotherapy - exposing the entire body to sub-zero temperatures for up to 3 min
Relieve Pain, Swelling and Stress
Promote Healing and Athletic Recovery
Boost Mood Energy and Sleep

Some may say that I favor the more intense side of fitness. I need the help of others to balance out the demands and life and workouts. Having a person to hold you accountable to your schedule is a huge help in maintaining physical and mental well-being. I tried to do it all on my own, but after an exhausting period of trial and error, I found the exact help I needed. Here hoping that you are able to find yours.

The Importance of Getting Outside

Sat, 14 Jan 2023 23:09:34 GMT

Self-Care Series: The Importance of Getting Outside

Any person that has even spent a few hours with me knows that I despise cold weather and short, dark days. I’m finally OK with admitting that the next few months are some of the toughest when it comes to my mental health. I often joke around that all I want to do is hibernate until it gets warm again; what that looks like for me in practice is that I often miss workouts, I tend to cancel plans, and I spend a lot of time on my couch. I’ve gotten better at recognizing the signs that I’ve taken my “Netflix & chill” too far and need to get back to the self care practices that always make me feel better. One of the most important of those practices is being outside, whether it’s for the entire day or even 10 minutes. There is something about breathing crisp fresh air that invigorates me. Other mood enhancing benefits I personally look forward to are:

Seeing the beautiful colors on the trees as the leaves change. After staring at the TV for hours on end, it’s so nice to be surrounded by natural beauty.
Feeling the sun on your skin (you should actually expose your sunscreen-less skin to at least 10 minutes of sun every day). There are many benefits to Vitamin D but there is nothing like that immediate energy boost you feel the moment you're outside.
Being physical! Whether that means a leisurely walk or even a jog, the body needs movement. Do not let the day pass without getting off your couch even if it means just going around the block once.
On those very cold winter days, which are the hardest to find motivation, I bundle up and get out there. There is something about frigid air hitting your face and body that makes everything feel more alive. It’s almost like free cryotherapy!

I encourage everyone to try to stick to a routine as best you can. Some days may be easier, some may be harder but setting your habits in place now will mean greater success of sticking to those habits in the coming months. With that said, I’m getting off my computer and going for a walk!

The Body Space Fitness 5 Pillars to Fitness Success

Fri, 23 Dec 2022 14:11:15 GMT

Set Your Self Up for Success on Your Fitness Journey Starts Here...

Over the last few years, the team at Body Space Fitness has worked hard educate, motivate and inspire out clients. We often focus on the work done in the gym but also put a lot of focus on the things that need to be done outside of the gym. We're happy to share with all of our clients, followers and friend a sort guid that we've put together that helps highlight the 5 components that we feel our clients should focus on to help them reach their fitness and wellness goals.

The 5 Pillars Are :

Exercise – Working hard in the gym
Movement – Staying active outside the gym
Sleep and Recovery –Doing the things that get your body in a hormonal balance and a nervous system state for optimal performance
Stress Management – Learning how going with the flow can impact your fitness
Nutrition and Hydration – Fueling for optimal performance, whatever that means to you.

You ca n read the full PDF below or download for viewing and sharing later. Enjoy and as always ask questio n

21 Questions with BSF’s New Coach, Ivana!

Wed, 22 Nov 2017 18:11:00 GMT

To help BSF’s clients get to know Ivana better, we played 21 questions with her. Find out the celebrity she’d like to train, her story before becoming a coach, her best advice, and much more here!

1. How did you first hear about BSF?

Almost 3 years ago, my best friend and I found BSF when we were looking for a new class to take together. At first, I only took classes because I was a little nervous to work with a Coach but within a few months, I started semi-private training with Fran and it completely changed my perspective on fitness…so much so that I wanted to become a Coach too!

2. What made you want to work in the health and fitness industry?

I recently quit my full-time job in hospitality to focus fully on fitness and coaching. Working with a client to reach a fitness goal or hit a PR is such a satisfying feeling. My main goal is to continue to help people move better, lift heavier, and overall, feel stronger.

3. Where can we find you in between teaching classes and training clients?

Eating…now that I’m always on the move, I find myself starving ALL. THE. TIME.

4. What do you do when you’re feeling unmotivated to workout?

I’ll find a friend to come with me so there’s accountability.

5. What does your typical workout look like?

Mostly strength and resistance focused (similar to our LIFT classes) with occasional cardio mixed in.

6. What is your morning ritual?

I am such a breakfast person: coffee, eggs, and catching up on emails.

7. What will we never find you working out without?

A towel for all of the sweat.

8. What do you do to relax?

Read (I love thrillers!) or go for a walk. Also, eat…

9. What do you tell clients who are intimidated by working with a personal trainer?

There’s a misconception that variety (taking all different kinds of classes, jumping from studio to studio) is better for overall fitness but the truth is, if you really want to see long-term changes in your body, you need consistency. Personal trainers develop programs that are based on YOUR goals, with an emphasis on reaching them in a safe and effective way. We also really focus on educating the client so that they can feel more knowledgeable and confident when working out on their own.

10. Who is your “fitspiration”?

Beyonce or Blake Lively

11. Favorite cheat meal?

I have a ridiculous sweet tooth. Ice cream, pastries, candy, cake…you get the idea.

12. Favorite NYC restaurant?

Bunker , in Williamsburg.

13. What’s your biggest pet peeve?

People that take themselves way too seriously.

14. What does your typical Saturday look like?

The epitome of Netflix and chill. Documentaries are my new favorite.

15. What would you do with one extra hour in the day?

Spend more time outside, especially if it’s sunny and warm.

16. What did you want to be when you were growing up?

A doctor.

17. What was your nickname growing up?

Vonnie, Von, Vonsicle.

18. What celebrity would you love to train and why?

Serena Williams because we could lift some serious weights!

19. What is your favorite song to workout to?

I always enjoy a good 80s remix!

20. What will we find in your gym bag?

Lotions and potions…I love all kinds of cleansers and creams.

21. What is the best advice you ever received?

Actually, it’s a quote from Jen Sincero: “Time wasted rationalizing the mediocre could be time spent creating the magnificent”

Starting today, Ivana is coaching semi-private training, private training as well as BSF classes! Get your chance to train with Coach Ivana HERE ! Classes your thing? Sign up HERE .

The post 21 Questions with BSF’s New Coach, Ivana! appeared first on Body Space Fitness .

4 Things You Need to Know About Bone Health and Exercise

Thu, 12 Oct 2017 21:37:00 GMT

Need to Know #1: What is Osteoporosis and How Many People are Affected by it?

Osteoporosis is the condition of having bones which have weakened to the point of being at risk of fracturing. It is estimated to affect 200 million people worldwide, most of them being postmenopausal women.

Degradation of healthy bones is inevitable over time but you can have a much greater quality of life by building up as much Bone Mineral Density (the quantification of how dense and strong your bones are) before you begin to lose it.

Of course, you’re going to need to consume the building blocks of strong bones in order to grow them. So, what foods can you eat to support your bone health?

Need to Know #2: What Foods can You Eat to Have Stronger Bones?

While most people think that milk alone will build strong bones, not many know that green fruits and vegetables also contribute to maintaining bone health. Green apples, green grapes and kiwis (along with the foods pictured above) contain Vitamin K which has been found to aid in preventing osteoporosis.

However… while the research has been conflicting supplementing Vitamin D, Calcium, and Vitamin K whether in pill or powder form is not proven to build stronger bones. According to recent (2015) meta analyses these vitamins and nutrients need to be taken in from whole foods, not lone supplements.

Drinking whole milk allows you to absorb the Vitamin D because Vitamin D (along with A, E, and K) are fat soluble vitamins. Meaning, our bodies CANNOT absorb them unless they are eaten with fatty foods, such as eggs or other animal products.

So, the next time you’re eating kale make sure to eat some chicken with it (or some bacon, it’s ok if you eat bacon once in a while).

By this point you’re probably wondering, “But what about exercise?”

Need to Know #3: What About Exercise?

Exercising as little as once a week has a positive effect on bone health! But, what if your time is limited? What if you’re in a risk group and want to maximize your bone density before it starts to degrade? Is your training the best it can be to help you reach this goal?

As you can assume, lifting heavy weights and engaging in high intensity resistance training puts stress on your bones, tendons and ligaments. This stress acts as a stimulus which tells your body that you need to have sturdier bones and (if you are well-nourished) will result in greater bone mineral density.

And yet, strength training is only the second best method found for building stronger bones. The best method of training is actually Power Training. Power training involves explosive movements and absorbing a fair amount of impact. You can perform explosive movements and absorb impact without weights by jumping, sprinting and changing direction, or performing other plyometrics. However, you’ll get the greatest stimulus to get stronger (muscles and bones) by performing power training with weights. The Power Clean is my favorite example, and is pictured below.

( Important: Don’t perform any complicated exercises like the power clean unless you’ve had a coach teach you the proper form)

Need to Know #4: So, What Should You Take Away From This?

To highlight the importance of the more critical points be sure to get your vitamins from whole foods instead of pills; be sure to add some power training to your training regimen; and obviously, spend less time sitting. Sitting is the new smoking, and the more time you spend at rest the weaker your bones will get. For the sake of your physical health break up your day by exercising. If you work a sedentary desk job make the effort to get out of your chair and walk around for just ten minutes.

None of us are perfect and no one expects you to be perfect, but if you can commit to one of the key points of this article and nothing else, that’s at least something. Make small commitments, build up some momentum, and slowly get better and better.

-Coach Andreas

Interested in training with Andreas? Click here for more information on how you can get scheduled with a strategy session.

The post 4 Things You Need to Know About Bone Health and Exercise appeared first on Body Space Fitness .

I Don’t Believe in Motivation!

Mon, 18 Sep 2017 16:51:00 GMT

How do I stay “motivated”?

Recently, many have asked how do I stay motivated all the time. There must be a secret potion or pill you can take to remain motivated. In reality, I don’t believe in motivation. It is not about being motivated but living a healthy lifestyle. It is about making training and eating well apart of your life. When those habits become as automatic as brushing your teeth, who needs motivation?

How do we get there? Where do we start? It sounds difficult! When we’re overwhelmed, we tend to continue the same vicious cycle we’re on. However, I am here to help break that cycle and provide some direction on ways of creating healthier habits that are apart of your life like brushing your teeth.

Find your WHY!

The best way to get started is finding your WHY. We all want to be healthier, to feel better, to move better but why? What is your purpose? Ask yourself these questions and dig down deep to create a strong connection to becoming a healthier you. Creating a specific and intrinsic why will form a greater connection and will result in a lasting habit. Do some digging and create an internal why as opposed to using punishment or rewards to keep you “motivated”.

Find what will make you happy and what is important to you, not your coach or the person working out next to you, but you! By looking inside you will be reminded of what you want, as opposed to what everyone else wants. Making a specific connection to your “why” will keep you focused as the new habit develops (99U.com).

How to put your WHY into action:

Now you have your WHY (a reason behind a new habit), let’s make it lasting! How do you make it automatic, a part of your daily routine, how long will it take? Any change to your daily routine will be challenging because there are several distractions and you’re breaking something that is already automatic. Instead of throwing out certain habits to replace new ones, create behavior changes to the already existing habit. Sticking to a new habit will be easier if you incorporate it to your current routine. Multiple studies confirm this to be successful when developing a new habit. For example, your new habit might be to “eat breakfast with my coffee”. Instead, try “with my coffee, I will eat an apple & oatmeal.” You are no longer relying on will power but connected your new habit of “eat breakfast” to a current habit “morning coffee.” Start out with a small habit you are connected to. It will take daily practice but living a healthier and happier life is worth it.

Creating a new habit takes time and it is important to remember the process. It takes an average of 66 days to create a lasting habit not the 21-day myth. This is according to new research by Phillippa Lally and colleagues from the Cancer Research UK Health Behaviour Research Centre based at UCL Epidemiology and Public Health. The team of researchers completed a groundbreaking investigation on how people form habits. The research explains key factors in creating new habits and breaking old ones ( http://www.ucl.ac.uk/ ). The research found that it took people an average of 66 days to reach a point of self automaticity to perform the new behavior. In the beginning visualize yourself performing the new habit automatically and connect an emotion to it. How will you fill when this new habit becomes as routine as brushing your teeth? This will also help you focus on developing the new behavior.

Making changes that you want require time and commitment but as habits become routine, you will no longer need to rely on motivation. As you continue to develop healthy habits, remember to be kind to yourself and to take one day at a time (APA.org). It will be challenging, but you can do it . You deserve to live life ane healthiest and best version of you. Be specific, be patient and enjoy the process to creating a healthy lifestyle free of motivation.

~Coach Sarah

Meet Coach Sarah on the turf Wednesday and Friday evenings. Click here to schedule with her!

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Can The Right Shoe Prevent Injury?

Wed, 06 Sep 2017 15:58:00 GMT

Welcome back to the world of shoes! It’s a messy world when it comes to making sense of finding the right fit, but we’re going to try and simplify things today.

In a past BASE blog post regarding what running shoe is right for you, we got a sense of where the modern cushioned shoe came from and what all that terminology in running stores means for you. We also learned that as all of this shoe technology has advanced, it hasn’t necessarily reduced overall injury rates for the running population as it exists today .

Part of the reason we haven’t seen significant improvements in injury rates amongst runners could be because current shoe design isn’t backed up by research . In other words, shoe companies can’t claim that by choosing the right shoe fit, people will have fewer injuries. The research simply doesn’t exist to verify that claim.

The current research

Here’s a brief synopsis of what researchers have found when asking the question: Does wearing a particular type of shoe affect injury rates in runners?

If you’re confused because these studies present confounding results – you’re right. There is no clear answer. Why?

Myth-busting

Here are a few problematic statements that reflect what most people believe when it comes to shoes:

None of these statements have been proven! So why are we all so obsessed with foot pronation and shoe selection!?

Ultimately, picking the right shoe probably isn’t as important as we all think it is.

When it comes to this puzzle of shoe fit, running culture and injury prevention, we have to change where we place the most emphasis. Currently there is far too much emphasis to shoe fit. With what we know right now, finding the perfect shoe just isn’t going to be the magic bullet to prevent injury. The good news is that there’s a lot we can do besides shoe selection to prevent running injury, and it’s backed up by good research.

So What Can I Do To Prevent Injury?

When it comes to injury prevention, there are a multitude of factors, but for our purposes, let’s keep it simple. Here’s are easy-to-adopt, evidence based actions you can take to reduce running energy:

1. Use a graded exercise program that builds slowly.

An estimated 60-80% (depending on which study you look at) of running injuries are related to training error. What’s training error you ask? Simply put it’s doing too much, too fast . This could be related to running volume, duration, frequency, intensity or any combination of these factors.

Runners before the running boom of our time, and especially those before the 70’s ran their entire lives! They ran on hard surfaces without cushioned shoes. They weren’t starting to gear up for a marathon mere months before the race. There isn’t record of a whole lot of injury for those folks. And they certainly didn’t have the ‘high-tech’ shoes we have either. Coincidence?

The runners back in the day used a graded exercise program by default . They didn’t have the large spikes in training intensity we see in the general running population today.

2. Use the 10% rule as a guideline for training

Some of you may have heard of the 10% rule. The 10% rule means that you don’t increase any factor of your training (volume, duration, frequency or intensity) by more than 10% per week.

The Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy published a study in 2014 that put the 10% rule to the test. They followed 873 runners for a year. They found that runners who increased their mileage by less than 10% per week had a significantly lower injury rate that those who increased their mileage by more than 30% per week. The greater than 30% group suffered a number of types of injuries such as runner’s knee, IT band syndrome, shin splints, jumper’s knee. The LOWEST injury rates were found amongst the runners who only increased their mileage by less than 10% every TWO weeks.

3. Pick the right shoe

At the end of they day you still need to pick a shoe though (unless you choose to go barefoot running – more on that in another post ). Luckily – there is a proposed solution that has been put forward by a research group from Alberta, Canada. Dr. Nigg, who works with the Human Performance Laboratory at the University of Calgary has proposed a new paradigm for approaching the world of running shoes and running injuries. He proposes that we choose our shoes based on the ‘comfort filter.’ This is partially based on a study that found that those who picked a shoe insert based solely on how comfortable it was had 53% less injury than the control group . Only half as many injuries!

Key Takeaways

So keep it simple. Here are 2 things you can do to help yourself stay healthy while running.

At the end of the day there isn’t very clear data on how shoe fit affects injury yet, most runners place a high importance to picking the right shoe to prevent injury. I don’t blame runners though – shoe companies and health care professionals continually reinforce the ‘dangers’ of over-pronation and high impact forces. Unfortunately these beliefs are not rooted in scientific evidence and when it comes to buying a pair of shoes it complicates what should be a pretty easy decision. So keep it simple and just wear what feels right.

Thanks for reading, and stay healthy this running season!

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How To Make Your Outdoor Workout a Great Success

Mon, 24 Jul 2017 22:21:00 GMT

The weather is beautiful and the sun is out; why not make New York City your gym! There are several parks in NYC that are perfect for calisthenic training, equipped with pull-up bars, benches, monkey bars, and more. I am here to share the benefits of training outdoors, guide you to the hot spots for outdoor fitness, and provide a bodyweight workout for you!

Benefits of Training Outdoors

When the weather heats up, take the time to get off machines, become more creative and have fun with your training. There are several benefits connected to outdoor fitness. Moving in a natural environment will improve your mental and physical health. Many times when working out we are focused on the physical benefits. However, taking your fitness outdoors is an excellent mental boost. A team of researchers from Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry analyzed a population of adults and found outdoor exercise not only increased their energy and revitalized them, but decreased confusion, anger, depression and tension (https://www.sciencedaily.com). Participants also enjoyed their workout more than those that kept their fitness indoors, which is key to sticking with a regime.

Not only is outdoor fitness beneficial to mental health, it is a great opportunity to catch some D3. Vitamin D3 provides healthy bone and metabolic function. Also, exposure to sunlight during the day can help you sleep better, improve immune system, and increase endorphin – those ‘feel good’ hormones (http://www.healtharticlesworld.com). Use the summer months to change up your typical routine once or twice a week and explore some outdoor fitness.

The Hot Spots in NYC

Once a week my training partner and I will take our training outdoors and use the equipment in the park to design a workout. It’s an excellent option to get out of a traditional gym and provides a wide variety. There are several parks in the city that are equipped for outdoor fitness and I have provided some of my favorite places.

Top NYC Parks

1. * John Jay Park

Located on the Upper East Side; the space is small and equipment minimal but it still has what you need for a total body workout.

2. East River Park

Part of a beautiful riverfront view of the East River and runs under the Brooklyn Bridge. It includes athletic courts, a bike trail, a 400 meter track, and more. Taking your fitness to the East River Park will provide endless options.

3. Tompkins Square Park

Located in Alphabet City near the East Village. One of New York City’s well known park made popular by Al Kavaldo. It is equipped with monkey bars, a variety of pull-up bars, arched horizontal ladder, and many of the city’s strongest calisthenic athletes. Meet Al Kavaldo at Tompkins Square park

4. Marcus Garvey Park (Mt. Morris Park)

A beautiful park located between 120th Street and 124th Street and Madison Avenue. The park contains a hill with plenty of stairs. The fitness area contains a variety of equipment – pull-up bars, two taller and shorter ones, monkey bars, vertical ladder, diagonal bar, and push-up bars.

5. * Astoria Park (My stomping ground)

With a gorgeous view of the East River, the park sits between the Triborough Bridge and the Hellgate Bridge. The conditioning workouts are endless that can be done on the track, bike trail or open field. It’s newest addition is the adult fitness area that includes pull-up bars, parallel bars, diagonal bar and more, along with guidance on how to use all the equipment.

* My favorite parks to train

Try This Park Workout

Warm-Up: 5 minutes

Work: 10 repetitions of each exercise/ 3 sets

Looking for more park workouts? Stay up to date on @bodyspacenyc for announcements on the next BSF outdoor workout with me!

~Coach Sarah

Sarah teaches classes Monday mornings and Friday nights. Click here to sign up for a class with Sarah and ask all your burning questions regarding outdoor fitness and eating right in person!

References:

The Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry. “Benefits of outdoor exercise confirmed.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 5 February 2011. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110204130607.htm>.

Leo Eigenberg . “4 Benefits of Using Outdoor Fitness Equipment.”

HealthArticleWorldYour PremiumHealthArticlesSource. 3 March 2017.

http://www.healtharticlesworld.com/fitness/4-benefits-of-using-outdoor-fitness-equipment/

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The Power Of The Plank

Fri, 21 Jul 2017 20:10:00 GMT

Posted By Amy Schlinger on The Fine Line | February 2, 2017

It may look like an easy exercise, but the plank can be a beast.

It may look like an easy exercise, but the plank can be a beast. That beast is one of the most basic — and most effective — core exercises. It recruits multiple muscle groups — abdominals, hips, lower back, and shoulders — and because there are many variations, women of any fitness level can benefit from the plank.

When you think of a core exercise, it’s important to realize that your “core” means more than just the abdominals, says Michelle Lovitt , exercise physiologist and celebrity trainer in Los Angeles. “Your primary movers in a plank are your erector spinae, your rectus abdominus and your obliques. Secondary muscles that are working are your rhomboids, gluteal muscles, quadriceps, gastrocnemius, and deltoid muscles.” And depending on what variation of the plank you’re holding, it’s possible you may work more than that.

As we get older, exercises like the plank become even more important. “Core strength and proper functioning of the core are critical to coordination and motor control,” says Kelvin Gary , owner of Body Space Fitness in New York City, “two things that we start to loose as we get older.”

So why is something that looks easy so difficult to do? Most people don’t have much sense about core strength unless they have an active lifestyle, explains Matty Maggiacomo, master trainer at Barry’s Bootcamp in New York City. “If you spend a lot of time sitting down, either at work or on the couch, it’s very important to start integrating core exercises such as planks into your routine,” he says. “If you’re just starting out, try the most basic form of planking: the forearm plank.”

ANYTIME YOU CAN’T ENGAGE IN ANY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, ESPECIALLY IF YOU DON’T HAVE TIME FOR THE GYM, I’D ENCOURAGE PLANKS. PLANK HOLDS REQUIRE NO EQUIPMENT AND LIMITED SPACE. PLANK ON!

To get started: Come to your hands and knees and place your forearms on the ground, elbows bent 90 degrees, so your shoulder are stacked directly over your elbows. Extend your legs straight out behind you, come onto your toes, and, using your core, push through your forearms and toes to raise your legs and core off the ground. You want to try to create a straight line from your head to your feet, so pull your belly button into your spine, squeeze your shoulder blades together and down your back, and tighten your glutes as you push your heels back, explains Maggiacomo. Attempt to hold for 30 seconds. Over time, increase that to 45 or even 60 seconds. But don’t be surprised if it’s difficult at first.

Once you hit the 60- or 90-second mark, Kelvin suggests adding arm or leg movements or a dynamic component, such as sliding your feet on a towel or glider to make your plank more challenging. Below are more plank variations to try once you’re comfortable with the basic elbow plank. Add these into your daily fitness routine — or you can even try holding a few while you’re watching television at night.

PLANK EXERCISE VARIATIONS

1. Extended Plank
Place your hands on the floor, shoulders stacked directly over hands. Extend feet out behind you and come onto toes. Activating abs, glutes, and pulling shoulders back and down, push through your feet and hands to raise your core and legs off the ground. Be sure you’re in a straight line from head to toe. Hold 30 to 60 seconds.

2. Side Plank
Lie on the ground, on either your right or left side. Depending on the side you choose, bend that elbow and place your forearm on the ground in front of you, so that it is perpendicular to your upper arm. Stack your legs on top of one another. Using your core, glutes, and legs, push your forearm and bottom foot into the ground to raise your body off the ground. Body should be in line from head to toe. Your top hand can rest on your hip or reach upward toward the ceiling. Hold 30 to 60 seconds; repeat on the other side.

Modification: If you’re unable to balance with your feet stacked, simply place one in front of the other.

3. Decline Plank
Come into forearm plank position but have your feet elevated on a bench or a stair. Hold 30 to 60 seconds.

4. Extended Plank With Shoulder Taps
Come into extended plank position, hands on the floor, shoulders stacked above wrists, feet extended out behind you, body in a straight line head to toe. Without moving your core, shift your weight into your left hand as you lift your right hand off the ground and tap your left shoulder. Return your right hand back to the ground. Shift your weight into your right hand as you lift your left hand off the ground and tap your right shoulder. Continue alternating for 30 to 60 seconds.

5. Long-Lever Plank
Come to extended plank position. Without moving the rest of your body, walk your hands forward 4 to 6 inches. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds.

“Anytime you can’t engage in any physical activity, especially if you don’t have time for the gym, I’d encourage planks,” says Maggiacomo. “Plank holds require no equipment and limited space. Plank on!”

Read the article >>

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The Workout Rule That Will Help You Lose Weight

Fri, 21 Jul 2017 19:39:00 GMT

Posted By Alexa Tucker on SELF | May 25, 2016

Six trainers share their best tips for staying consistent, accountable, and on track.

Getting your fitness on is a key component of weight loss, and even though certain types of exercise are known for their fat-burning capabilities, at the end of the day, there’s one rule that trumps all when it comes to working out for weight loss: consistency. Easier said than done, but 100 percent worth it.

Put simply, “in order to lose weight, you must burn more calories than you are consuming,” explains Jacqueline Kasen , a trainer at Anatomy at 1220 in Miami. Of course, your body burns calories just by livin’, but exercise helps create an even bigger calorie deficit. However, “the magic doesn’t happen overnight,” says Kelvin Gary , C.P.T., owner of NYC’s Body Space Fitness . (But, let’s be honest: Wouldn’t it be nice if it did work that way?)

“The whole process [of burning fat] takes time and energy,” adds Gary. “Consistency in the gym keeps the process moving in the right direction. It also helps you create the good habits that will eventually be your new normal, helping you reach those goals in a sustainable way.” Plus, if you take extended breaks, you risk losing some of the progress you’ve made from that rise-and-grind life.

Consistency means different things to different people, depending on your goals and what’s realistic for your lifestyle. Kasen reccomends aiming for four to five workouts per week—but you can start smaller, if you want. “Make the commitment to exercise at least three days per week—that will likely lead to wanting to exercise even more, like four or five days,” says Jenn Seracuse , director of Pilates at FLEX studios. “We are human and things happen, but it’s important not to let life completely derail you from your routine.”

Here are trainers’ best tips for staying consistent, accountable, and on track.

1. Try exercising at the same time every day.

Set yourself up for success as much as possible by picking a specific time to work out daily, suggest Kasen. Choose a time of day that works best for your schedule. It might take a couple of weeks to get comfortable with the new schedule, but before you know it, it’ll feel like a natural part of your routine. “Just like when you get up, the first thing you do is shower or brush your teeth—this is the same concept,” Kasen says.

Make a plan that actually fits your life,” says Jackie Dragone , director of barre at FLEX studios . “Take a look at your schedule and the extra pockets of time you have when you can truly commit to working out. If you know you are exhausted in the evening, commit to two workouts in the morning before work and two on the weekend. It’s about making it work for you.”

And if a regular routine just isn’t an option, schedule your workouts at the beginning of the week and stick to your plan (that means writing them down, too).

2. Try the hairband trick.

“Have a visual reminder that you see every day,” suggests Amelia DiDomenico , C.P.T., master trainer at Crunch Gyms . This can simply remind you to actually get your workout in, or it can be something that keeps you focused on your larger goals—whatever is motivating for you. “Just a small sticky note or even an image that reminds you where you’re going. You can use your bathroom, kitchen, or even your desk,” she says. Another sneaky trick? “Wear a rubber band or hair tie around your right wrist, and put it on your left wrist when have completed your workout.”

3. Do workouts you actually like.

Find ways to get active that you actually enjoy so you’re not tempted to skip your workouts—plus, you’re more likely to do it often and consistently if you have fun. “It’s different for everyone,” says Seracuse. “If you don’t love it and look forward to it, you won’t do it.” Consistency doesn’t mean doing the same thing every day— variety is important , and you should enjoy all (OK, most) of your workouts.

“If you dread boxing, try indoor cycling. Not a yogi? Maybe Zumba is for you,” adds Kara Hermes , a trainer at YG Studios . “There are so many fun and challenging types of fitness! With warmer weather approaching, experiment with outdoor workouts, too.”

4. Stay accountable with paid classes or workout buddies.

“Take group classes,” suggests Seracuse. “Signing up (and paying for) a group class keeps you accountable, because someone is expecting you and you’re also making a financial commitment to be there.” Not into classes? “Find an accountability buddy,” she suggests. “This doesn’t even mean you have to work out together. Set goals and share them to keep each other on track. Text each other your workout plans, and then let each other know when you’ve completed them. I do this with one of my best friends and it’s very effective. Whenever I don’t feel like following through, I think about having to text her and tell her I bailed.”

5. Above all, keep your goal in mind and remember why you started.

Being consistent isn’t easy at first, but it’s crucial to meeting your goals and setting up healthy habits. “Generally, when starting a new routine, you make sacrifices to stay on course,” says Hermes. And if you’re having a hard time sticking with your new routine, or are thinking about skipping your workout, remember why you started in the first place. “What you put into your goal is what you get out of it, and if you don’t put the work in you won’t see change,” says Dragone.

Be specific about your goals, too, suggests Gary. “If you’re clear on your goals, you can be clear on what you need to do to get there, and you’re more likely to work harder towards them.”

Personally, a morning workout makes me feel energized, positive, and capable of taking on whatever the world throws at me—and when I do hit that snooze button instead of lacing up my sneakers? I usually regret it. And let me tell you, I never thought I’d see the day. These trainers know what they’re talking about, huh?

Read the article >>

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Enjoy A Summer Barbecue, The Healthy Way

Mon, 26 Jun 2017 20:28:00 GMT

Summer barbecues; the days are long, the weather is warm, and the grill is fired up. Everybody loves a barbecue until we think of the staple dishes like hot-dogs, chips, potato salad, beer, and other tempting dishes that wreak havoc on one’s eating plan. No need to stress; I have tips to enjoy those summer festivities and stay focused on your goals.

1. Eat Before the Barbecue

Arriving to the barbecue on an empty stomach can lead to overindulging and choosing unhealthy dishes because they seem satisfying at the moment. Eat something before the party, this will help you exercise control and keep your favorites in smaller portions.

2. Bring a Healthy Side Dish

To make sure there is at least one healthy dish; bring your favorite one or try a new recipe. I do this for every family gathering; especially for barbecues. It is a great opportunity to share a healthier alternative with friends and family. They may hesitate at the sight of greens set next to the baked beans; but be the example! At the end of the party I am sure many will ask for the recipe; it happens all the time with my family!

Check out these two delicious recipes: Purple Cabbage and Apple Slaw from The MilletownPress and Tomato-Basil Freekeh Salad from Whole Foods Market.

3. Use the Power of Colorful Veggies

Take the focus off all the grilled meat. Create colorful kabobs using eggplant, onions, mushrooms, bell peppers, squash and more! Let’s not forget about the summer staple, corn! By cooking corn, the levels of antioxidants and other healthy phytochemicals become more readily available (Berkleywellness.com). Be sure to leave the butter and salt out of the equation and enjoy the sweet savory flavor of summer corn.

4. Make a Lap Before Filling the Plate

Take a lap around the table before filling your plate and prioritize your selections. Swap out the traditional store bought baked beans, cole slaw, and macaroni salad – which are high in saturated fat, sodium and added sugar for a homemade version. Also, when filling your plate use the three-quarter rule. Your plate should contain grains, vegetables, legumes and/or fruit which leaves just a quarter for meat. This will help keep your portions balanced and make an excellent mixture of nutrients (Berkelywellness.com).

5. Think Before you Drink

Choose your beverages wisely. Even light beverages like wine coolers can have 150-300 calories in a 12-ounce bottle. Also, stay away from the ‘fancy’ alcoholic beverages like pina coladas, margaritas, and strawberry daiquiris which are high in calories and sugar. Even non-alcoholic beverages like sweet tea and fruit juices are filled with sugar. Be sure to read the labels and try to stick to water or flavored seltzer in order to stay hydrated and avoid drinking many empty calories.

6. Finish Eating? Time to Play

When you finished eating instead of spending time around the food table where it will be tempting to go back for seconds or thirds get moving. Toss the ball around with the little ones or organize a game. It can be anything to get you and others moving and doesn’t need to be too strenuous. Keep it light, keep it fun and everyone will want to participate!

The Takeaway

Through the next couple weeks, you may celebrate outdoors with friends and family. The summer is a wonderful time to share, live, and enjoy. Stay focused on your goals and remember it is the time you spend with your company that is important and not the hamburgers, potato salad, or beer. Have a happy and healthy Fourth of July and see you on the turf soon!

~Coach Sarah

Sarah teaches classes Monday mornings and Friday nights. Click here to sign up for a class with Sarah and ask all your burning questions regarding outdoor fitness and eating right in person!

References:
“13 Tips for a Healthier Barbecue.” Berkeley Wellness, 2017 Remedy Health Media, LLC. Web. 19 June 2017. http://www.berkeleywellness.com/healthy-eating/food/slideshow/13-tips-healthier-barbecue

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Improve Mental Health With Exercise by Coach Tony

Sun, 21 May 2017 17:14:00 GMT

Hey Famiglia,

Coach Tony here to talk about the benefits of exercise on mental health. The physical benefits of exercising go without saying. The focus of this post though, is of the more underlying benefits that are not as obviously observed. The psychological and emotional benefits of regular movement show us the real value of having a fitness routine. With anxiety disorders affecting about 40 million adults and depression hitting more than 15 million adults in the U.S. alone, the advantages of finding your preferred form of exercise can be life changing.

The Benefits On Mental Health

As you become more active, neurotransmitters (such as norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine) and endorphins are released in your brain that specifically help you feel better, manage stress better and reduce the perception of pain . In addition, regular exercise has been shown to be connected strongly to help keep you cognitively sharp into later life as it helps prevent degeneration of the hippocampus, which is used in memory and learning. Moving on a regular basis can also help you get a better night’s sleep , which again goes hand in hand with stress reduction. Also, various studies have shown that keeping fit can create new brain cells and improve overall brain performance .

Put simply, if you want to have a higher sense of overall well-being, you should start moving.

Where Do I Start?

Now that we know exercise is good for you, let us make a game plan.

Now I know that life happens and then priorities start to shift. Try not to have an all-or-nothing mentality. Instead, see if you can have more of an Always Something . See if you can do just a little something most days of the week. Just a 5 min walk will help, if you feel like you can’t do it because you are exhausted.You can also schedule physical activity just like you would with work to fit small amounts into an already overwhelmed schedule. If you do not want to start out being in front of people, maybe home workouts may be better. Need to be held accountable? Find a walking buddy.

Walking is good way to start slow with something that is low impact if you are starting from scratch and not sure what to do first. All it takes it moving 30 minutes a day a few times a week. If you don’t have that kind of time in one block, try breaking it up. Go for 3 10-minute walks or 2 15-minute walks. If the work week does not even allow for that, then become a weekend warrior and fit in physical activity any way you can. Moderate intensity is a good place to start. If you are going for a walk with a friend, you should be able to have conversation comfortably and feel a little bit warmer.

Also, set yourself up for success. If you have higher energy levels in the morning, go for a walk or a jog when you wake up and make yourself a nice breakfast when you get back home. Busy work schedule? See if you can get yourself moving in the middle of the day.

The Takeaway

The body and mind are closely related. When you start to treat the body better through exercise and relieve physical tension, the mind will start to relax. The mind-body connection is strong. Capitalize that fact and leverage it to your advantage. Tend to the body and mind will reap the benefit. Find something you enjoy and stick with it. I should mention though, that if you do want some of these benefits faster, you will have to bump up the intensity. Do with this what you will. Have fun and be healthy.

Until next time Famiglia,

Tony

Want to learn more? Click here and here to learn how to adjust your diet to eat, move and live better .

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Tips On A Healthier Breakfast by Coach Tony

Mon, 01 May 2017 17:00:00 GMT

Hey Familia,

The post Tips On A Healthier Breakfast by Coach Tony appeared first on Body Space Fitness .

3 Reasons Why a Pushup Should Be in Everyone’s Training Program

Wed, 22 Feb 2017 22:21:00 GMT

The top three reasons I think a pushup should be a mainstay in everyone’s training program:

In a recent article in Shape Magazine, I gave my advice on what form I think you should use while doing a pushup. I want to take a second to step back and be clear on why are we doing a pushup and why I think they’re a great exercise that should be in every training program.

Number one, a pushup is a great core exercise. What a lot of people don’t realize is that you’re using force generated in your upper body to affect your dead weight in your lower body. That force needs to be transferred in your core, so in its most basic state, a pushup is a core exercise.

Number two, a pushup is metabolically challenging, meaning relative to other exercises, you can get a lot more metabolic response out of doing a proper pushup potentially than doing, say, a dumbbell chest press, or a bench press, or a cable press.

Number three, no matter what the situation, a pushup is easily measurable. What I mean by that is you may have a gym, you may not have a gym. You may have a gym with a bench, with dumbbells, you may not have a gym with a bench with dumbbells. No matter where you are, no matter what you’re doing, no matter what equipment you have access to, you can always do the exact same pushup. Therefore, it’s an exercise that you can measure consistently no matter what the situation.

Now, that being said, a couple of things about a pushup that I do want to mention is A, I try as much as possible not to do pushups from our knees. That pretty much takes the need to have a strong core not necessarily out of the picture, but it reduces the need, and that’s one of the things that we’re going for. B, I do want you to have a full range of motion with my neck in line with my shoulders. C, when necessary, I do want you to regress or progress the pushup, meaning if I cannot keep proper form, I want to first elevate my hands.

What I mean by this is put my hands up on a 12-inch box, a 6-inch box, an 18-inch box, or even a bar on a squat rack. When ready, I then want to maybe potentially put my hands on an unstable surface, or elevate my feet to progress. Enjoy reading this, and enjoy reading the article in the March edition of Shape Magazine, and feel free to ask questions if you have them.

Kelvin and his expert advice were featured in the 2017 March issue of Shape Magazine . Grab one at your local bodega and skip ahead to page 68 to get the deets!

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Not a Snacker? Why you should be!

Wed, 13 Jul 2016 19:45:00 GMT

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15 Surprising Insider Secrets From Personal Trainers

Fri, 06 May 2016 22:11:00 GMT

They don’t all yell at you till you’re in a sweaty heap.

Sally Tamarkin BuzzFeed Staff
posted on May 6, 2016, at 12:05 p.m.

BuzzFeed Health spoke with three personal trainers who all work one-on-one with clients: Kelvin Gary, owner of Body Space Fitness , tran.com/”>Jason Tran , personal trainer and instructor at SWERVE Fitness , and >Lauren Williams , head coach at Tone House. Here’s what they really want you to know about personal training:

1. Their job isn’t to get you major results in a super short period of time.

“People still show up and expect to be handed results and don’t fully realize the amount of work that needs to go into those results,” says Gary. So, no, they probably won’t make you drop a few sizes in a week.

If you want to make major changes to how you look or perform, it can take weeks or months months of hard work and maybe even significant lifestyle changes, depending on how drastic the results are that you’re after.

2. They struggle with workout motivation, too.

“I don’t always wake up and think ‘Ten miles! I’m going for it today!’” says Williams. But that also makes her a better trainer because it helps her relate to her clients who also struggle with staying on track.

3. They’re probably going to ask about your diet.

If your goal is to lose fat or gain muscle, the way you eat has a huge impact on reaching your goals — no matter how much you’re sticking to your workout plan. So, don’t be surprised when they ask all about your diet and even request a food log.

4. But they won’t judge you for whatever you ate and drank last weekend (though they will hold you accountable).

Trainers do want to know about your boozy brunches and pizza benders, but not because they want to make you feel bad about them. Rather, they want to know about your life outside of training so they can understand why you might not be reaching your goals. And they want to help keep you accountable to the goals you set.

“I never want people to feel bad. I want them to feel empowered. But you do have to be honest because at some point they might start blaming you for not getting the results they want,” says Williams.

5. When it comes to weight loss, losing about a pound a week is actually considered really good progress for most people.

Of course every body is different and a multitude of factors come into play when it comes to weight loss, but Gary says that many clients are surprised to learn what’s realistic when it comes to weight loss expectation. Sure, there are all kinds of extreme diets and detoxes that promise huge weekly weight losses. But when you’re going about it in a healthy and sustainable way, Gary says that for most clients seeking to lose weight, this is typically considered steady progress.

6. Contrary to popular belief, they are not making you do stuff you hate just to torture you.

We tend to love doing the stuff we’re great at and dread doing the movements that feel super difficult or awkward or make us feel weak. If you hate burpees because they’re so cardiovascularly challenging or you hate side planks because you always feel off balance, these are clues to trainers that you have a gap in your fitness that they want to address.

But a good trainer won’t make you tackle that stuff immediately. They’ll usually work on establishing trust with you and also getting you more comfortable working out so that doing something you don’t like doesn’t seem so intimidating. “Once people start working out, they view themselves differently. People start to trust themselves and their bodies and get excited about their strength and they often become ready to move onto something they thought they hated,” Williams says.

7. Most of the work they do for clients happens outside of training sessions.

All three experts talked about how much time they spend outside the gym preparing for the next session with each of their clients. This includes planning clients’ sessions for the next week, researching new exercises and workouts, creating playlists, and following up with clients to confirm sessions, says Tran.

8. And most of your results will come from what you do outside of your sessions.

Even if you work hard every time you see your trainer and are committed to the programming they’ve created for you, it’s the time between sessions that is most crucial for progress, no matter what your goals are.

“We might see the average client two hours per week. There are 168 hours in a week. The magic happens in those other 166 hours,” says Gary. Williams agrees that progress results are more impacted by rest, recovery, sleep, and nutrition, than they are by your workouts alone. So don’t be surprised if your trainer texts you throughout the week to check up on your eating, sleeping, and de-stressing habits.

9. Whether or not a trainer looks shredded has nothing to do with how skilled they are.

“I think there’s a misconception that to be a personal trainer you have to have a super ripped body and a six-pack. But you can still be super motivational and a great coach even if you don’t meet that image,” says Tran.

Get this pin for $2 on Etsy .

10. Not all trainers are all about that “go hard or go home” mentality.

“A lot of people think personal trainers are there to yell at you and make you do a lot of burpees and get a crazy burn. Traditionally you think about a trainer kicking your butt and making you sweat or lift a lot of weight,” says Williams.

And sure, some trainers might do that for some clients — if those workouts fit their goals — but working with a trainer doesn’t by default mean you’ll be doing super high-intensity workouts only or all the time. Because trainers are tailoring your programming to your goals, they’ll likely incorporate a mix of different kinds of workouts.

11. And yelling at clients isn’t actually a go-to motivational tool.

There are trainers who choose to employ that drill-sergeant-at-a-boot-camp style, says Williams. But a good trainer wouldn’t interact with every client the same way, because everyone responds to different kinds of motivation.

“Some of my clients love CrossFit or Tone House; they love that intensity and they might want you to bring that into their session. But maybe others want something more gentle, a softer communication style. You have to get to know them,” she says.

12. You don’t have to be 100% injury-free to work with a trainer.

If you’ve only ever worked out by yourself or in group fitness classes you might think that being injured or having that on-again-off-again knee thing means you have to sit out of exercise completely till you’re healed. But a skilled trainer can write workouts that not only allow you to exercise without aggravating your injury, many times they can help you get stronger in ways that aid healing.

13. You don’t need to have an aesthetic goal to hire a trainer.

Sure, lots of people have goals around changing their bodies, and plenty of people are pursuing overall health and wellness, but people also see trainers to get better at something they like doing — like become a faster runner, better cyclist, or stronger swimmer, says Gary. You might even hire a trainer to get back into working out safely after an injury or a long hiatus. Basically, no interest in changing your body? No problem!

14. They can also help you get over your intimidation about working out.

Trainers don’t expect their clients to already be great at exercising or not-at-all-self-conscious about working out. In fact, part of what they can help you do is feel more comfortable with moving your body.

For instance, Williams helps people feel less awkward by starting them out with simple bodyweight moves and talking them through how their bodies should be engaged. She might ask someone to do a plank and tell them to push their hands into the floor and open their chest. This helps them connect what they’re doing to how their bodies feel, which can make them feel more comfortable and proficient using their bodies.

15. And as much as they love training you, they get super excited when you’re able to take the reins.

Of course any trainer’s goal is to get you the results you want. But Williams says what’s even more rewarding is when clients master what you’ve worked on with them and can maintain their own base of fitness. When this happens the trainer gets to think of new goals to pursue or “problems” to solve, which is a fun challenge.

Read Article >>

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5 Kettlebell Moves You’re Probably Doing Wrong (and How to Fix Them)

Thu, 07 Apr 2016 22:03:00 GMT

Used correctly, kettlebells can be a great addition to your strength training routine. Find out if you’re making these common mistakes—and learn how to fix them too

By Alyssa Sparacino | Apr 07, 2016

Kettlebells are everywhere, and for good reason: They’re a great way to add strength and resistance to your workout in moves that engage your muscles from head to toe. (Try this Killer Kettlebell Workout .) However, reaping the benefits is dependent on performing the moves correctly. Practice incorrect form, and you’re setting yourself up for injury, or at the very least, an inefficient exercise.

Here to help you get the most out of your kettlebell moves is Kelvin Gary, owner and lead trainer at Body Space Fitness in New York City. Gary is a big believer in the power of kettlebells—a quick browse of his Instagram will prove that—and has seen how these bell-shaped weights can both transform his clients’ bodies when used correctly, and really mess up their progress, if critical mistakes are made. Take a look at these five basic kettlebell moves, and the most common form errors associated with them. Don’t worry, we show (and tell) you how to do them the right way!

Kettlebell Swing

The Right Way

With the kettlebell on the floor in front of you and legs in a wide stance, grab the bell by the handle with both hands. Hinge at the hips, bringing the kettlebell back and between your legs. Keeping your core engaged, forcefully propel the kettlebell forward by thrusting your hips forward and contracting your glutes. The kettlebell should swing to chest height before you let gravity take over, bringing it back between your legs. Repeat the move from start to finish in a fluid motion.

3 Mistakes You’re Making

Kettlebell Clean

The Right Way

Grab the handle of a kettlebell with one hand and sit back into your hips (as you would when prepping for a deadlift). While maintaining a neutral spine, propel the kettlebell up vertically by thrusting your hips forward, pulling your elbow back and tight to your side. When the kettlebell becomes weightless, quickly punch your hand around the bell, bringing it to a stop in the racked position (at shoulder level). Bring the bell back down to hover just above the floor and repeat.

3 Mistakes You’re Making

Kettlebell Front Squat

The Right Way

Bring the kettlebell to chest height, gripping the bottom of the bell in both hands; thumbs should be through the handle. Keeping your elbows tucked in, perform a full squat, pressing into your heels to drive your body up to standing position. Squeeze your glutes at the top of the move to fully extend your hips. Squat back down to repeat the move, never letting the bell drop below chest height.

3 Mistakes You’re Making

Kettlebell Overhead Press

The Right Way

Start with feet shoulder width apart and a kettlebell in the racked position (near your sternum). Press the kettlebellstraight up and overhead without using your legs to advance the motion. You should finish with your arm fully extended and in line with your ear. Bring the bell straight back down to starting position and repeat.

Mistakes You’re Making

Kettlebell Single-Arm Row

The Right Way

Step your right foot back, keeping the leg straight and directly behind you, as you bend your left knee. Place left forearm across and perpendicular to your left thigh as your torso falls forward, coming parallel to the floor. Pick up the kettlebell (on the floor beneath your shoulders) with your right hand, pulling or rowing the weight up. Elbow should be tucked close to your side as you squeeze your shoulder blade back. Bring bell back to starting position and repeat.

3 Mistakes You’re Making

Read Article >>

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New York City’s Best Gyms and Studios for Personal Training

Wed, 06 Apr 2016 18:41:00 GMT

If you have already signed up for a new gym membership this year but aren’t what to do beyond hitting the elliptical machine, investing in a short-term personal training program can help you not only achieve results but also do it efficiently and cost-effectively. Sure, having the privilege for someone to sculpt your sweat sessions doesn’t come cheap, but the money that you might spend tapping it back two or three times a week at fancy fitness studios could go towards personalized workouts that you can replicate on your own in the future.

Below, we’ve highlighted eight fitness facilities that are known for their top-notch personal training options, as well as the pricing breakdown for each.

Read Article >>

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21 Questions with BSF’s New Trainer, Stephany Bolivar!

Wed, 02 Mar 2016 14:03:00 GMT

To help BSF’s clients get to know Stephany better, we played 21 questions with her. Find out what she tells clients who are intimated by working with a trainer, her personal “fitspiration,” favorite workout song, and much more here!

1. How did you first hear about BSF?
I met Eddy through a Crossfit training facility in Astoria, then we ran into each other on the train one day, he told me about Body Space Fitness and we exchanged info. The rest is now history!

18. What did you want to be when you were growing up?

An astronaut. I find stars and space so fascinating!
19. What celebrity would you love to train and why?
Ryan Reynolds or Ryan Gosling…so I have an excuse to touch their butts!

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A Few of the Perks of Being a Female Athlete by Coach Nicole

Tue, 01 Mar 2016 17:20:00 GMT

Almost a year ago, I officially ended my career as a student-athlete at Princeton. Upon concluding the season, I wrote a similar article to this for my weekly column in the “Prince”, our school newspaper. It focused mainly on the sense of identity I formed as a female athlete, and consequently, the confidence I developed with regards to my body and its athletic abilities. Having been in the “real world” now for nearly 8 months, I am pleasantly surprised to find that these lessons I learned as a college student have allowed me to further evolve as a female athlete and fitness professional. Here are a few of the “lessons” I’ve learned throughout this ongoing journey- which I think every woman should embrace, regardless of her level of athletic experience.

1) I own my body and its strengths

Throughout the last few years, I have noticed how almost all women are self-conscious about their bodies (I am not exempt from this). However, being a female athlete has made me much more aware of and also more comfortable with my body. Sure, there are times when I wish I could wear flowy frocks that look good on thin, frail models. But then I remember how weak I feel on the squash court after having failed to fuel properly before a practice. I remember how my body helps me to run, bike and hit a squash ball. The sense of accomplishment and personal pride I gain from success in athletics far outweighs the feeling of being a delicate model. Is my butt too big for those pants? Oh well, I can lunge on the squash court. A sweater is too tight on my shoulders? Hm, well I (almost) did a chin-up yesterday and that was pretty cool.

In my opinion, if you feel good in your body, it probably looks good too. And to be honest, who is scrutinizing it anyway? Playing squash, which appeals to a wide range of body types, has certainly opened my eyes to the variety of talent and skill which is used in the game, and for that I am grateful.

2) I appreciate eating well

Another topic that is somewhat contentious amongst females in our day and age besides body image is food intake. As an athlete, I eat to perform. My primary reason for eating well is not to keep a certain body fat percentage so I can wear a smaller-size squash dress (which, to be honest, fits me like a long shirt anyway). I eat well so that I can play well in the dress. Furthermore, I feel fortunate to not worry about being judged for what I eat. I truly enjoy good food, and being an athlete not only gives me a pass to eat as healthy as I want, but to splurge on “other” foods as well. Having a specific reason (such as an upcoming tournament) not only helps me stay on track, but also helps me avoid judgement from my friends and dinner companions.

3) I can beat guys (and I like it!)

Throughout my 12 years of competitive squash, I have had my fair share of games against both women and men. This has taught me that the battle of the sexes on court can be evenly matched. Some of my best performances have been against men, who, on paper should annihilate me. Developing this confidence from the squash court has transferred over to my professional and personal life, where I now feel comfortable competing against, training, or working out with anyone- regardless of gender. (In other words- I’m no longer intimidated by the buff guy at the squat rack!)

4) I have an excuse to wear cute workout gear

Gone are the days of yoga pants being restricted to the yoga or spin studio- and thank goodness! Not only are workout clothes extremely comfortable, but they have also become increasingly more stylish! I don’t know exactly which store or which celebrity we have to thank for creating “Athleisure”, but my legs and shoulders thank you. It can be difficult being a tall woman with an athletic build trying to fit my butt into certain skirts, and my shoulders into fitted blouses. I can truly say that wearing cute workout gear makes me feel both confident and comfortable. Win-win!

The post A Few of the Perks of Being a Female Athlete by Coach Nicole appeared first on Body Space Fitness .

Release Tight Hamstrings: Tips by Coach Stephany

Thu, 25 Feb 2016 18:13:00 GMT

Let me say that I am so excited to be joining the BSF team! I cannot to start coaching all you beautiful people and be a part of your journey to be the happiest and fittest YOU that you can be. Today, I want to cover a topic that plagues just about every person I have encountered as a trainer…the dreaded tight hamstrings. We have all been there. Walk into the gym, start stretching, try to reach down and touch your toes, and BAM! You can barely get past your knees, let alone reach your toes. We all blame it on tight hamstrings, and while that’s a possibility, it could also mean that we have a weakness elsewhere, but that’s a conversation for a different day. Today, I want to share with you my top 4 things I do to help my hamstrings.

4. Toy Solder/Zombie Walks
This is usually my first dynamic stretch I do every day. It is very simple movement.
Step 1: Raise your leg as high as YOU can. Read: Don’t try to be Misty Copeland and reach the ceiling. This should NOT hurt.
Step 2: Opposite hand reaches for your foot. Attempt to keep a neutral spine through the movement.
Step 3: Switch sides. I typically do about 10‐12 ‐ possibly more if I had a tough workout the day before. This video is an example. She is stationary, but I walk forward with each step.

3. Eccentric Stretch

2. COLD Showers
I know, I know. Sounds crazy but funny enough, taking a cold shower has so many health benefits (besides waking us up in the morning!). I’ve been doing this since middle school cross country and I still swear by it to this day. No, I don’t do it everyday, but it’s great after a tough workout, or lots of squatting or deadlifting. Now, I’m a chicken when it comes to cold water so I typically only make it cold for the last 2‐3 minutes. I just let the water hit my legs and do some quick stretching. Such a simple thing will truly help with DOMS or delayed onset muscle soreness.
Here is an article that shares a few other reasons why cold showers are so great for us!

1. Foam Rolling

Alright guys, these are my top 4 ways that I help my hamstrings out in the gym! Nothing crazy and something we can all do without having to go out and spend thousands of dollars. I look forward to meeting you all personally!

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How to Fire Up Your Metabolism For the Rest of the Day Before 7 am

Tue, 19 Jan 2016 22:04:00 GMT

On a freezing cold weekday morning at 6:15am, many New Yorkers lay nestled in their beds, not daring to venture outside, at least until the sun comes up. At that same time on 14th street, 8 people dressed in workout clothes stand on a bright green indoor turf. Before them stands Kelvin Gary, who begins to explain the plan for their upcoming express 45-minute workout, “Cardio Strength”. For first-timers, this workout may appear both contradictory and easy. How do you combine cardio and strength? Aren’t they considered opposite? Doesn’t a workout need to be at least 1 hour to be worthwhile? These are only a few of the millions of fitness myths that exist today. Contrary to most thinking, the cardio does not need to involve some sort of stationary equipment, like an elliptical, or to be performed for hours at a time. Along the same lines, strength training does not require one to lift an insane amount of weight like a football player. In fact, these two forms of exercise can be combined, and in turn provide a complete, efficient, and effective workout.

One of the founders of Cardio Strength , Robert dos Remedios , CSCS, informally known as “Coach Dos”, claims that Cardio Strength training gives you the biggest bang for your buck. There are a few different ways to compose workouts, but the main premise lies behind performing exercises at a high intensity, while having minimal to no rest. This format keeps your body guessing, and creates a lot of metabolic disturbance which forces it to continually adapt.
Cardio Strength training can increase your fitness and conditioning while decreasing fat loss and increasing your VO2 max. In turn, this creates the “after-burn” effect, where your body continues to burn calories at an elevated rate even after your workout is over. Oh, and the cherry on top? If you’re short on time, you can still reap the benefits from Cardio Strength training in as little as 10 minutes.

Like most things which promise amazing life changing results, this sounds almost too good to be true. Guess what? It isn’t! The only catch is that this kind of a workout is hard. Really hard. It’s short and intense, but you need to earn the “afterburn,” so to speak. Bottom line: if you’re considering implementing Cardio Strength into your regime, be mentally prepared to push your limits.

So, if you’re short on time and want to get a head start on your day, come check out our newest class, Cardio Strength, offered on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 6:15am-7am, taught by our owner and head coach, Kelvin Gary. While you may look at him with dreary eyes beforehand, we can promise that afterwards you’ll walk out with an elevated metabolism, feeling energized, and ready to tackle the day!

To sign up for Cardio Strength, visit our class schedule signup , call the front desk at 646-684-4912, or shoot us an email at bodyspacefitness@gmail.com.

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Ultra-Effective Workout Moves That Top Fitness Trainers Love

Thu, 14 Jan 2016 18:22:00 GMT

The exercise Kelvin Gary , personal trainer and founder of Body Space Fitness in New York City, swears by is the kettlebell swing. “This move is a great way to get your heart rate up while at the same time working your backside, your hamstrings, and your core.” See more beginner-friendly kettlebell exercises here.

Try It: First, you’ll need a kettlebell. Start with on that is 10 to 15 pounds (4 to 6 kilograms) if you’re a beginner, 15 to 20 pounds (6 to 8 kilograms) if you have experience with them. Now to the swing: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, gripping the kettlebell with both hands. Bend knees, then hinge at hips to swing kettlebell between legs. Stand as you swing it to chest height.

Read Article >>

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Do Men and Women Need to Train Differently?

Thu, 07 Jan 2016 18:24:00 GMT

Considering the question of whether men and women need to train differently, my first thought is, “Boy, I could write a whole book on this topic, let alone a quick-read blog post.” So here is my short but sweet take on the topic, based on both facts and opinion. Do men and women need to train differently if they have the same goals? Not really. Do they need to train differently for differing goals? Absolutely, but at that point sex doesn’t matter. It’s the goals that set the tone of the training — and that goes for both men and women.

Let’s first lay down a few facts. First, we can’t totally ignore the impact of the hormone differences when training men vs. women. We also can’t write off the impact of anatomical differences between men vs. women. For example, we know that women tend to be more quad dominant than men. It’s also known that females may have a reduced ability to recover from a workout as quickly as men, so the volume of work in their workouts may need to be reduced. With the last few points in mind, it’s known that, “despite sex related differences, men and women respond to resistance exercise from their pretraining baselines in similar ways.” [1] Since muscles themselves work the same way in men vs. women, there is no sensible reason why strength-training programs for women need to be different from those for men. Other research has shown that while age matters with relation to how fast you see results and how quickly you lose those gains after you stop training, sex does not matter as much.

Hence, we get back to “GOALS” as the driver of what we do and how we do it. For example, if one person wants to increase muscle, they’re going to have to do more sets of lower repetition ranges with a weight that’s a higher percentage of his/ her one rep max. If someone else on the other hand, has the same goal, the training plan wouldn’t really change. While men may see a greater change in strength, from a relative strength standpoint, both men and women will see similar changes. If your goal is to “get lean” then I think the same applies and the general movements, sets, rep ranges, and relative loads should be about the same.

So you ask yourself, where do the differences between what men vs. women do at the gym come into play? What you’ll find is that it is less about what to do, and more about what you don’t do. One of the big issues I think for both men and women is that people usually have a plan that doesn’t take into account all of their issues. Research aside, I believe that on average, women are more willing to do all of the “body maintenance” work that will allow them to be ready to perform at their highest levels. What I’m talking about here is stretching, foam rolling, and all of the things that you think are annoying but you really do need. Even taking a Yoga or Pilates class, because it’s what you “need” to do, should be in the mix. Quite often it’s the men who need this the most.

Basically, men and women don’t need to train differently for similar goals. What they do need, however, is a proper plan that takes into account their needs and where they are starting from with relation to their goals. These two points alone will determine “how” you train, more so than gender!

Kelvin Gary is the Founder and Owner of Body Space Fitness, NYC, as well as a Trainer and Coach, and a Health Expert. After graduate school and feeling the effects of working in the corporate world, Kelvin Gary saw a better way for himself — and his eventual clients. The positive-minded fitness guru traded in his dress slacks for gym shorts and never looked back.

In 2012 Kelvin founded Body Space Fitness (BSF) in New York City, a boutique personal training gym that specializes in private and semi-private training, as well as small group fitness classes. Kelvin’s aim for BSF was to create a teaching environment where he and his coaches would be able to deliver lasting results to clients, by using full-body, functional training. He created a training format that delivers workouts specific to each individual using kettlebells, TRXs, sleds, and battling ropes, while minimizing the use of typical machines seen in big box gyms. BSF’s complete wellness program geared towards on-the-go New Yorkers, working in the worlds of fashion, film, music, finance, and technology, was made to keep clients fit, injury free and performing at their highest level.

BSF’s approach to fitness is unique in that the coaches go beyond just their clients’ time in the gym, helping clients with fitness and nutrition routines for their out of BSF time too. This comprehensive approach helps to deliver solid results that reinforce structure and good habits into one’s life for years to come. Influencers, including Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Cover Model Veronica Varekova and CFDA Fashion Designer, Rebecca Minkoff, are notable clients of the gym. Kelvin Gary’s fitness expertise and Body Space Fitness have been featured in SELF Magazine, SHAPE Magazine, NY Times and many other publications.

Read Article >>

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Kettlebell Sport Competition Reflection from Coach Tony

Mon, 04 Jan 2016 13:47:00 GMT

BodySpaceFitness@Gmail.com

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3 Tips for Healthier Holidays

Mon, 21 Dec 2015 22:36:00 GMT

Despite the unseasonably warm weather in NYC, the holidays are in fact upon us. For most, this means gatherings with friends, family, and of course…food. You know the drill: an evening of several bacon wrapped dates washed down with a glass of wine, followed by ham and stuffing, and topped off with a slice of figgy pudding. This (delicious) cycle continues until the New Year arrives, at which point, you find yourself feeling overly stuffed from stealing all the chocolates from the family advent calendar. So, before you find yourself in complete despair, and nibbling on the kids’ gingerbread house, check out our top 3 tips for staying (or getting back) on track throughout the rest of 2015. (And no fear, we’ll be ready for you in January in case you don’t adhere to them quite as well as you had hoped).

1. Make it a (fitness) date. Instead of catching up over an Eggnog latte, bring your friend for a workout at Body Space Fitness! For the remainder of 2015, you can bring a friend to any class for $15 (that’s 50% off!). Just be sure to call ahead of time to make sure there’s room, and reserve your spot.

2) Be the proud potluck health nut! Going to a potluck holiday party? One of the most difficult parts about attending holiday parties is that the food is out of your control. Fortunately, if you are given the chance to bring something, you can remedy the situation and bring a healthy dish! That way, if the food turns out to be fried, loaded with sugar, or saturated with fat, you have a healthy option at your fingertips.

3) Dress to impress (and eat less!). Put your hand up if you have a pair of stretchy pants or a loose shirt that you reserve for the big feasts. While these garments are sure to be comfortable, they also manage to hide food bellies. By wearing form-fitting clothing, you are less likely to overeat at a party. So, instead of letting yourself off the hook and wearing your comfiest pair of jeans or leggings, challenge yourself and wear something a little more form fitting.

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What Your Trainer Really Thinks About You

Tue, 15 Dec 2015 23:39:00 GMT

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The 1 Surprising Secret to Getting a Booty You Can Instagram

Tue, 15 Dec 2015 23:12:00 GMT

There’s one thing every Insta-famous person with an enviable butt will tell you: The secret to building a round, tight tush is lifting weights.

Katya Henry is perfect proof. The 21-year-old Instagram fitness star ( @katyaelisehenry ) hails from Miami and has racked up nearly 2 million Instagram followers since she launched her account during her senior year of high school.

Katya is in the final stages of earning her personal training certification, but she’s already figured out which butt exercises work for her — and it’s no coincidence that most of them involve lifting prettttty heavy weights.

“The only way to make the muscles in your butt stronger and bigger is to push them toward doing something they can’t do in their current state,” explains Kelvin Gary, certified fitness trainer and owner of Body Space Fitness in NYC. The goal is to cause micro tears in the muscles so when they repair themselves (as muscles do), they grow back bigger and thicker. And bigger muscles in the butt are exactly what you need to turn your butt into a bona fide ~booty~.

Lifting heavy weights is the most efficient way to micro-tear your muscles because it tires them out more quickly than doing a million reps of a less strenuous exercise. To build a butt like Katya’s ASAP, try the weight-bearing moves she performs twice a week:

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Kelvin Gary of Body Space Fitness Workout Wednesday

Wed, 02 Dec 2015 18:55:00 GMT

I always said I would never endorse a product, person, or company I didn’t 100 percent believe in. When Body Space Fitness first approached me about a workout I was hesitant. I like my routine because I know it works, bu the minute I stepped into the large studio with top of the line equipment I knew it would be a good match.

5:15am

I’m out the door of my apartment heading over to Body Space Fitness where I’m the owner, head trainer, CEO, CFO, head chef and whatever other titles I’m given for the day. I get in early, usually before any clients or staff. This way, I have time to sit, meditate and visualize the day ahead of me. I’m a firm proponent of visualization, especially in the context of fitness. Planning and setting up your day mentally is the key to navigating the madness and staying on track no matter what happens.

6am – first client!

10am

11am – “self-improvement time”

I read up on training and fitness specific blogs, or, if I’m working on another certification, I’ll spend the hour studying for that exam.

1pm – lunch

After or during lunch, I’ll spend time with my trainers discussing training, client programs and class plans for the day/week. It’s extremely important for our training philosophy to be executed in everything we do, which takes a lot of communication and coaching on my part. Luckily, I’ve surrounded myself with some really smart trainers, who don’t mind me constantly quizzing them with “nerdy trainer questions.”

2:00pm

3:30pm

4:45pm

5pm

8pm

If I make it home in time to tuck my daughter into bed, we read her favorite book, Brown Bear and then I catch up with my wife, Erin, on our days.

10pm- PLAN!

If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Before bed, I plan out all my meals for the next day, my workout and my schedule. Not only that, but I visualize all my sessions for that day.

10:30pm – Goodnight !

I use my Headspace app to meditate and then get into bed. Before I know it, it’s time to do it all over again!

To book a session at Body Space Fitness and learn more check out their website https://www.bodyspacefitness.com

Be sure to catch the latest on Instagram @bodyspacenyc and Facebook
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Garlic Chili-Maple Roasted Butternut Squash & Brussels Sprouts

Thu, 19 Nov 2015 17:00:00 GMT

Thanksgiving is a week away and we are already getting hungry for those quintessential Turkey Day recipes! We made this roasted squash and veggie side dish for our Friendsgiving meal on Sunday and to say it was a fan favorite would be a serious understatement. Swap out the traditional sweet-as-dessert yams for this better-for-you (and tastier!) recipe from Ambitious Kitchen.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes

Total time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

Instructions

Image & recipe source: Ambitious Kitchen (www.ambitiouskitchen.com)

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Scare Away Your Sugar Cravings with Banana Ghost Pops!

Fri, 30 Oct 2015 16:00:00 GMT

The endless offerings of Halloween junk food can make it challenging to stick to any healthy eating program. Thankfully, there are fun ways to scare away your sugar cravings! Our new favorite Halloween treat? Banana ghost pops!

Ingredients:

Yield: 6 pops

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 4 hours (freezing)

Turn a banana into a frightful ghost! Cut the banana in half widthwise and insert a popsicle stick into the flat end. Freeze for a few hours, then dip in orange juice, followed by shredded coconut. Be sure to grab the dried shredded coconut. We found that moist coconut flakes did not stick to the banana well. Place two chocolate chips for eyes and a plump raisin for the mouth.

Image Source: POPSUGAR Studios

Recipe: Nugget Market

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21 Questions with BSF’s Newest Trainer, Eddy Bayardelle!

Thu, 29 Oct 2015 14:51:00 GMT

To help BSF’s clients get to know Eddy better, we played 21 questions with him. Find out what he thinks about when planning a group fitness class, his (surprising) post workout fuel, and much more here!

1. How did you first hear about BSF?
Through Fran (Fontan), my former colleague at Equinox.
2. What made you want to work here?
Initially, it was the gym’s aesthetics. Where else in New York City can you find 60 feet of AstroTurf?! Then I had a conversation with Kelvin and I could tell he was a really smart dude. Our philosophies on fitness are very similar and I loved the family atmosphere BSF has.
3. Where can we find you in between training clients?
Working out, Bed Bath & Beyond or Whole Foods, probably at the almond butter grinder.
4. What will we find in your gym bag?
Lots of Gatorade mix, Whey protein, 2 changes of clothes and Fig Newtons.
5. What do you do when you’re feeling unmotivated to workout?
Flip through Dwayne Johnson’s (@therock) Instagram.
6. When you are planning out a class, what do you think about?
How can I make everyone’s ass look better?
7. What is your favorite exercise to do?
Squat.
8. What is your favorite exercise to teach?
Kettlebell swings. Because I get to use words like “junk.” If I tell people to keep the kettlebell close to their junk, everyone knows where to keep it!
9. What will we never find you working out without?
A caffeinated beverage.
10. What do you do to relax?
Netflix and chill.
11. What do you tell clients who are intimidated by working with a personal trainer?
It’s like renting a best friend for an hour! The personal trainer is there to keep you safe and teach you exercises you would never do on your own. Some people will walk by a kettlebell rack and never touch it because they don’t know what to do with it! I can help you do all that and more.
12. Who is your “fitspiration”?
Bo Jackson.
13. Favorite cheat meal?
I don’t think you have enough room on this page for all of that but Bareburger is a good start.
14. Pre workout fuel?
Gatorade and Whey protein.
15. Post workout fuel?
Fig Newtons!
16. Personal theme song?
“Black Skin Head” by Kanye West.
17. What did you want to be when you were growing up?
Over 5’6” because that’s how tall my father is.
18. Are you a Giants/Yankees or Jets/Mets guy?
This isn’t even a relevant question. There is no other option besides Giants and Yankees.
19. What celebrity would you love to train and why?
Bill Murray. Because it’s Bill Murray, why else?
20. What is your favorite song to workout to?
“Blood on the Leaves” by Kanye West. That song comes on and I can do anything!
21. What is the best advice you ever received?
Work smarter, not harder.

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Tone Your Entire Body In One Week: A Workout Move For Every Day

Thu, 08 Oct 2015 19:55:00 GMT

By: Emily Arata Emily Arata on Healthy Habits

On an average day, our mental dedication to living a fit, steamed broccoli lifestyle wavers no less than 15 times.

We read an article highlighting a hot new technique in outer thigh-toning, then instantaneously crave pizza.

We fear the dreaded “secretary spread,” an affliction in which your ass cheeks begin to flatten and widen simultaneously, but can’t be bothered to leave our chairs for a ten-minute walk.

It’s a tough life, stuck between a rock and a fast food place.

In an effort to get our rapidly-spreading cheeks off the couch, we contacted Kelvin Gary, owner of Body Space Fitness. He specializes in workouts that make efficient use of the whole body in the time you have to spare. His unofficial motto, “easy gets us nowhere,” is only an example of the tough-love, common-sense attitude he brings to his clientele.

In just one week, you can renew your dedication to fitness by making a pledge to try one move a day. In seven days, you’ll have worked out from head to toe. Repeat each move 10 to 15 times for a three-set circuit.

What you’ll need:

Stability ball
Two dumbbells, between 12 to 15 pounds each
Yoga Mat

Monday: Kick ass with a marching bridge.

Lie down on the mat situating your feet in front of your hips. Push in with your heels and up with your butt, bringing the body to a bridge position.

Pull one knee toward your face, keeping the foot flexed and back straight. Repeat using the other leg.

Tuesday: Take on abs of steel in a moving plank.

With a straight back and impeccable posture, bring yourself into a plank pose. One arm at a time, reach out and gently tap the ground in front of you. Make sure to keep your hips straight!

Wednesday: Rip out dumbbell rows.

Lunge forward with your left arm grasping the dumbbell. Bend your arm on the knee that’s at a right angle. With your weight, concentrate on pushing the elbow back while bringing the weight to your chest.

This is a balancing act, and you’ll push straight through to the last rep. Repeat on the other side of the body.

Thursday: Catch up on TV while lunging.

Lunges are a fan favorite. You can do them while focusing on other things, like catching up on the latest episode of “Scream Queens.”

Start off standing with your feet squarely under your hips. Stepping back with your left foot, swing it across the other leg into a deep curtsy. Then, swing that leg out to the side as you come up, bending into a side lunge.

Repeat focusing on the other leg.

Friday: Get in touch with your obliques during side plank.

This one’s a doozy of a workout. Side planks were created to remind you of the existence of what seems like a million tiny ab muscles.

Get into a side plank, squaring your bent elbow under your shoulder. Move mindfully, dipping your hip down to the ground and slowly raising it back to the beginning position. When you’ve done your reps, flip over and repeat.

Saturday: Squat for a booty that’ll turn heads when you’re out.

Holding a dumbbell in each hand, slowly lower into a weighted squat. As you come up, pivot the right food and turn at an angle, raising one arm straight above you. Then, sink back into the squat as you turn to face forwards.

This move can be a little tricky, so don’t be discouraged if it takes you a few tries to get the form absolutely perfect.

Sunday: Breathe easy after a chest press.

Our favorite exercises involve sitting and this weighted chest press is no exception.

Seated on a stability ball, step forwards until just your shoulders rest on the ball. Keeping a straight back, hold the dumbbells in line with your shoulders. Then, press up slowly lowering the weights back down again.

Read Article >>

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Can You Fit into your Skinny Jeans?

Wed, 23 Sep 2015 17:26:00 GMT

You know that hot pair of jeans that’s hiding in the back of your closet? Well…they used to be your hot jeans- once upon a time. Now they’re a couple sizes too small, just gathering dust and craving to see some daylight! You know the ones I’m talking about: that gorgeous pair of jeans that used to show off your curves in all the right places, but now squeeze a little too tight, almost making it a workout just to put them on. Well, it’s time to bust those jeans out of the depths of your drawers and dust them off, because in just 8 weeks, you could drop up to two sizes and look just as smoking as you used to in those fabulous hip huggers, regardless of whether it’s been a few months or a few years since you’ve last tried them on.

The “Skinny” on the Skinny Jean Slim Down

We challenge you to bring your “skinny jeans” into Body Space Fitness, and let us guide you through the second annual Skinny Jean Slim Down – an 8 week program including 4 workouts a week, daily meal plans and weekly grocery lists workouts, as well as constant coaching and support.

You will have 24/7 email/text access to your trainer, Nicole, who will answer any questions you may have throughout the journey. Last year’s Skinny Jean challenge was a huge success , and we’re pumped to have a new group of ladies who are interested in becoming fitter, healthier, and happier!

Want to Learn More?

For more details, check out the flyer above, and come to our free info session at Body Space Fitness, Thursday October 1 ^st at 7 pm.

You can sign at the front desk at Body Space Fitness, at the free info session, or online by emailing bodyspacefitness@gmail.com . If you have any questions regarding the program, feel free to email Nicole at nsbunyan@gmail.com.

Hope to see you there!

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Fit for Free

Wed, 08 Jul 2015 20:02:00 GMT

Source: Kelvin Gary, personal trainer and owner, Body Space Fitness, New York City

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Total Body Toning With Just One Move

Mon, 15 Jun 2015 18:40:00 GMT

An Exercise that hits it all – arms, abs, legs and butt.

Mondays are rough: mornings are rushed, there’s seemingly endless traffic and the workday is extra busy-Making the whole day feel extra long. That’s why Kelvin Gary, owner of Body Space Fitness studio New York City gave us a one-and-done exercise – so you can tone everything quickly, getting in your workout while also ticking off your entire list of to-dos. (Bonus: it’s a crunch-free way to great abs.) Grab a set of dumbbells that feel slightly heavy (so no, not those 2-lb cuties) and follow our how-to below.

Start standing with arms hanging in front of your body, a dumbbell in each hand. Hinge at hips and lower into a deep squat. Pause at the bottom of your squat and curl dumbbells to shoulder (as shown). Squeeze your gluten and push through heels to stand while simultaneously pressing both dumbbells overhead, flipping wrists so palm face out. Lower arms back to start to complete 1 rep. Do three sets of 10 reps. And then, just like that, your Monday workout is done.

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The Power of One Chin-Up pt.2

Thu, 04 Jun 2015 21:56:00 GMT

In the last installment, we touched on the importance of the chin-up and the beginnings of how you can get to your first one. In this article, we’ll continue the conversation with some things you can work on towards that goal. The main thing you can do on a constant basis is eating clean. Carrying around a 50 lb backpack while trying to do a chin-up is no fun (unless you are into that kind of insanity). Having larger portions of vegetables (spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts) to starch (sweet potatoes, yams, quinoa, amaranth) as well as clean sources of protein (whole eggs, LEAN meats, poultry, game, and fatty fish) will help to decrease extra weight that you may be carrying on your person.

In addition, exercises that work the same pulling muscles provide the essential foundation for getting your first chin-up. Rows of any type whether they with Dumbbells, Cable Machines, TRX or a Barbell have obvious carryover to the pulling motion of a chin-up. With rows, the more you start to adjust the exercise to make it more difficult, the closer you will start to be towards your goal. For example, if you are on the cable machine rows, start to move from a standing position to kneeling to eventually a sitting position. When you eventually are in a seated position, be sure to place the cables at a higher point and pull the handles or bar down to your chest. To complement that adjustment, be sure to keep your core tight and exhale as you pull. With suspension toys like the TRX or jungle gym. the closer your feet are to the anchor point, usually the wall or column, the harder rows become. If you want to really try an advanced exercise, you could try putting your feet on the wall itself. Now that takes total body tension that wakes everything up. Another exercise that will have a lot of benefit to your chin-ups will actually be the deadlift. Although most may think it a leg exercise, the deadlift works so many muscles throughout your body including your back, arms, forearms and grip that you should start noticing an improvement in your grip immediately. As with any exercise, be sure that your form and understanding of the technique is established so that you don’t end up hurting yourself.

In the next article, we will take a look at more advanced exercises that will get a little closer to having you fly over the bar to get that first chin-up. If you are interested in learning more, please call (646) 684-4912 or e-mail bodyspacefitness@gmail.com to discuss using the Inbody scale (to assess you body composition) or scheduling a strategy session (to discuss health history and goals, as well as review body composition and movement patterns). If you wanted to start working towards that first chin-up right away, call and see which one of our classes may be the best fit for you.

Until next time Familia,

Coach Tony

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LACE UP & GET RUNNING

Wed, 03 Jun 2015 20:10:00 GMT

By: Hillary Sheinbaum

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Tips to train for a full or half marathon

Tue, 02 Jun 2015 23:41:00 GMT

By HILARY SHEINBAUM

C9 Champion Women’s Tech Tee Gear to help you train for your marathon
Training for a half marathon? Here’s how to Here’s how to train for a half marathon
Running a day of errands in the city can feel like a marathon — but literally running 26.2 miles (or 13.1 for a half) takes a bit more practice and precaution. In preparation for race day, we asked experts to give their input on how to train, keep motivated and what to know before lacing up those running shoes.

Put in the leg work first

Don’t start a training schedule cold.
“You should be running for at least two months, 8-10 miles a week before beginning a half- marathon running program,” said Mike Zieminski, a NYC-based master trainer and home wellness manager at Technogym.

Choose a training program wisely

“When signing up to train for your first, or 20th, marathon or half marathon, make sure to choose a training program that fits your current fitness level,” said Jennifer McCombs, an instructor at NYC’s Focus Personal Training Institute. “A beginner runner’s training program is going to look a lot different from an intermediate or advanced runner’s program. With first time or new runners, your goal should be just to finish.”

Run with a buddy

Friends keep you motivated, even when you don’t want train.
“New Yorkers are busy — try multi-tasking by running with your boss or a friend to get fitter, while hashing out a work issue or catching up on the gossip,” said John Honerkamp, a New York Road Runners running coach.

Do a fun run

Training doesn’t have to be so serious, especially if you’re looking to get friends on board.
“Try anything ranging from a school fundraiser to something like The Chardonnay Run, a national 5K event that not only benefits charity, but rewards racers with wine at the finish line,” said NYC personal trainer Steve Ettinger

Stretch it out

“A good pre-run routine will have a mix of foam rolling or fascial release, static stretching, dynamic stretching and activation drills,” said Kelvin Gary, a trainer at Body Space Fitness in the Flatiron. “The purpose of this would be to make sure that your muscle tissues and nervous system are ready to be put to work before you run.”

Cross train, too

Avoid fatigue and switch up your routine.
“In addition to running, you have to find balance,” NYC SoulCycle instructor Emily Turner said. “Blend a couple of days of strength and cross training and one rest day.”
Rebecca Goldstein, clinical director of midtown’s Professional Physical Therapy, suggests spinning, swimming or hitting the elliptical.
“The other days should be committed to strength training for your core and legs,” she said.

Drink up before the big day

When race day comes, you can’t run on empty.
“Pre-marathon, you must keep yourself well-hydrated at least 24 hours before, otherwise you will be left cramps with horrible aches and pains,” said Adam Nadelson, CEO of the NYC-based The IV Doc.
If you find it hard to drink just water, there’s help for that, too.
“For those who don’t love drinking water, you can add electrolyte tablets for flavor,” said Lole running coach Belly Perez.

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The Power of One Chin-Up

Fri, 22 May 2015 23:11:00 GMT

Ever since I was a kid, all I could dream about was flying through the air like one of my favorite superheros. While reality has changed the path, the dream still stands. These days though, I am looking at a different way to reach the skies – the infamous chin-up bar. Having the ability to vertically pull your body up is a liberating sensation. The benefit that comes to your body is immense. In a chin-up, the muscles in your forearms, biceps, and back are worked in one of the most functional exercises that could potentially be life saving should you need to literally pull yourself up over a ledge. The real magic though, comes from the emotional and psychological benefit that completing a chin-up can have. Knowing that you have the relative strength (the amount of strength you have given your body type or size), balanced body composition (muscle-fat-weight ratio), and training (exercises done to prep you for the chin-up) to get you over that bar will do wonders for self-esteem, confidence, and goal setting.

Getting to your first chin-up is not something that comes easy nor fast. There are a few factors that need to be in place first to ensure that you will get that first chin-up. The first ones that provides the foundation is a balanced body composition and pulling strength in back and arms. Having extra weight with regard to fat never helps in life, let alone athletic endeavors. The cleaner the eating habits, better controlled the portions, and better timing of meals will all point you in the right direction of losing fat and increasing muscle. In addition, there are some exercises that you should become comfortable with to assist you on your journey to being able to do a chin-up. Exercises that directly stimulate the back, biceps, forearms, and grip are necessary. This includes rows of all types (bent over, cable machine, suspension, inverted), lat pulldowns, deadlifts, etc.

In the next article, we will take a look at what you can do both at home and in the gym to get you closer to that first chin-up. If you are interested in learning more, please call (646) 684-4912 or e-mail bodyspacefitness@gmail.com to discuss using the Inbody scale (to assess you body composition) or scheduling a strategy session (to discuss health history and goals, as well as review body composition and movement patterns). If you wanted to start working towards that first chin-up right away, call and see which one of our classes may be the best fit for you.

Until next time Familia,

Coach Tony

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Not Going to the Beach This Memorial Day? Come to BSF!

Wed, 20 May 2015 21:52:00 GMT

Memorial Day Special Offers!

Buy one 12 pack of Group Sessions for $298 and get 4 FREE! (33% More!)

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We’re a friend, not a foe, to fitness studios

Wed, 29 Apr 2015 20:49:00 GMT

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7 Foods That Will Ruin Your Workout

Tue, 21 Apr 2015 20:39:00 GMT

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Fat Loss 101: Join Kelvin to learn tips, tricks & tools to transform yourself

Sat, 21 Feb 2015 21:48:00 GMT

FAT LOSS 101

Eat, Clean, Train Mean and Get Lean!

Tips, Tricks, & Tools to Transform Yourself into a Fat Burning Machine!

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Space is limited! Sign up today for our FREE Kick-off Seminar

Fri, 20 Feb 2015 21:43:00 GMT

Summer Bodies are made in the winter

Drop 2 sizes and feel like a confident, new you on the beach this year!

FREE Kick off Seminar March 7th at 2:00pm

Hurry! Space is limited, SUGN UP TODAY!

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Join BSF on Valentine’s Day for a day full of Fitness and Fun!

Wed, 04 Feb 2015 21:05:00 GMT

Spread The Love!

Classes All Day!

Including Two Boxing Classes:

Battle of the Sexes! 1pm and 2:30pm

BRING A DATE FOR FREE!

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ALL ABOUT FAT LOSS FROM PRECSION NUTRITION

Mon, 03 Nov 2014 18:25:00 GMT

Credit www.precisionnutrtion.com orginal article http://www.precisionnutrition.com/all-about-fat-loss )

With our intense focus on macronutrients, dieting and processed food consumption over the past 30 years, body fat levels have also increased. In other words, more information, more dieting, more junk food has given us more fat.

What is fat loss?

We store fat in adipose tissue in our bodies — mostly under the skin (subcutaneous) or in the body cavity (visceral), with a small amount in our muscles (intramuscular). Body fat is an energy storage depot.

When the substances providing energy become sparse in your bloodstream, the body detects this and calls on fat reserves for backup.

Fat storage and energy

Fats are stored as triglycerides in fat cells and are released via the activity of an enzyme known as hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL). This allows fatty acids to enter the blood, where they circulate bound to a protein called albumin and enter muscles to be “burned.” “Burning” of fat is also known as beta-oxidation.

Tissues can break down fatty acids by way of this beta-oxidation. The process of beta-oxidation ultimately produces ATP, which is the energy source for cells. This takes place in the mitochondria. Fatty acids enter the mitochondria via carnitine.

When high amounts of fatty acids are being broken down and flood the mitochondria (as in starvation), there may be no immediate need for them. In this case, they form energy-rich fragments known as ketones. This is important, as fat cannot be converted into glucose, but it can provide fuel for the muscle and brain in the form of these ketones.

ATP produced from the breakdown of fat is used for metabolic processes in the body including breathing, body temperature regulation, digestion, and excretion. At rest and very low intensity exercise, we get approximately 70% of the ATP produced from fats.

Why is fat loss so important?

We need to lose fat…

As a group, people in most industrialized societies are likely to be over-fat.

This isn’t just a cosmetic problem. Excess body fat can negatively affect nearly every facet of life, including:

Fat cells can act as endocrine factories and produce hormones that influence numerous processes in the body — most of which lead to more fat accumulation.

Beyond the health of it all, carrying a lower body fat is often considered more attractive and desirable as the underlying musculature is revealed.

Further, carrying a lower body fat is advantageous for many sport competitors (barring sumo wrestlers, linemen, etc) as extra fat weight adds drag and additional resistance that must be overcome.

Bottom line: Carrying a lot of excessive body fat makes health, body composition, and athletic performance worse.

…but it’s hard.

But here’s the problem — collectively, we’re not very good at losing fat either.

Even modern advancements in obesity treatment (e.g., bariatric surgery, medication, etc) have a success rate of less than 10% for permanent weight reduction/management.

About 95% of those who are overweight go on repeated diets, only to gain most or all of the weight back within one year. Nearly 70% of the United States is overweight or obese. The percentage of 12 to 17 year olds who are overweight has doubled since 1980.

We need a better solution. Knowing how fat loss works may be helpful.

What you should know

Fat cells are a major storage site for body fat, and are in a continuous state of turnover. Fat metabolism is regulated independently by nutritional, metabolic, and hormonal factors; the net effect determines levels of circulating fatty acids and the extent of body fat.

Fat loss and hormones

Fatty acid release and use requires lower insulin levels and an increase of the hormones glucagon, cortisol , epinephrine, and growth hormone. These “anti-insulin” hormones activate HSL. The other major hormone that influences fat metabolism is thyroxine (thyroid hormone).

After a large feeding, glycogen is synthesized until stores are replenished. If high blood sugar persists, glucose is converted to fatty acids. Amino acids can also be converted to fatty acids. The enzyme necessary for cells to accept triglycerides is lipoprotein lipase.

In the un-fed state, insulin concentrations fall, and the anti-insulin hormones increase. This accelerates fat use.

Fat loss and caloric deficit

When we decrease our caloric intake significantly, the body preserves fat stores very efficiently. Since insulin is low, thyroid hormone production is decreased. With this, resting metabolism is lowered. This can take place within 24 hours of starting an extreme diet.

The body’s response to calorie deprivation makes rebound weight gain all but definite once the diet is discarded. Muscle is usually lost, so the body usually becomes fatter.

Fats are more than just a fuel source during rest and lower intensity exercise. Fats restore phosphagens that have been exhausted during high intensity exercise. After intense exercise sessions, oxygen uptake is increased, which allows restoration to pre-exercise conditions (the “afterburn” effect).

Fat loss is a complex problem

With our focus on specific nutrients, intense nutrition counseling, dieting and processed food consumption over the past 30 years, body fat levels have also increased. In other words, more information, more dieting, more junk food has given us more fat.

While some of this may seem counter-intuitive, it illustrates the importance of body awareness (hunger/satiety cues), avoidance of processed foods, regular physical activity and influential food advertising.

Summary and recommendations

To maintain a low body fat and/or lower body fat:

For extra credit

Aspartame was approved for use in 1981, and while this non-caloric sweetener was hypothesized to help control body weight, since 1980, levels of body fat have increased.

Factors associated with lower levels of body fat include:

While cortisol can break down muscle tissue, it can also break down body fat.

If you increase physical activity and nutritious food intake, metabolism will increase.

Blaming weight gain on calories is like blaming wars on guns. The diet is not the cause of excessive body fat levels. Rather, it’s the entire lifestyle.

Severe calorie deprivation inhibits the production of serotonin, a brain chemical needed to control appetite and maintain harmony with food.

References

Click here to view the information sources referenced in this article.

Potenza MV & Mechanick JI. The metabolic syndrome: definition, global impact, and pathophysiology. Nutr Clin Pract 2009;24:560-577.

Borer KT. Exercise Endocrinology. Human Kinetics. Champaign, IL. 2003.

Mahan LK & Escott-Stump S. Eds. Krause’s Food, Nutrition, & Diet Therapy. 11th ed. Saunders Publishing, Philadelphia, PA. 2004.

Murray RK, Granner DK, Mayes PA, Rodwell VW, eds. Harper’s Illustrated Biochemistry. 26th ed. McGraw Hill. 2003.

Barnard ND, et al. Nutrition Guide for Clinicians. 1st ed. PCRM. 2007.

Howley ET & Franks BD, eds. Health Fitness Instructor’s Handbook, 4th ed. Human Kinetics. Champaign, IL. 2003.

Bullo M, et al. Inflammation, obesity and comorbidities: the role of diet. Public Health Nutr 2007;10:1164-1172.

Garcia OP, et al. Impact of micronutrient deficiencies on obesity. Nutr Rev 2009;67:559-572.

Anderson AS & Caswell S. Obesity management – an opportunity for cancer prevention. Surgeon 2009;7:282-285.

Dennis EA, et al. Beverage consumption and adults weight management: A review. Eat Behav 2009;10:237-246.

Learn more

To learn more about making important improvements to your nutrition and exercise program, check out the following 5-day video courses.

They’re probably better than 90% of the seminars we’ve ever attended on the subjects of exercise and nutrition (and probably better than a few we’ve given ourselves, too).

The best part? They’re totally free .

To check out the free courses, just click one of the links below.

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Changing Lives at BSF!

Mon, 03 Nov 2014 18:18:00 GMT

Here at BSF, we strive each day to make your training experience the best it can be. We love to hear what you as the clients have to say about the time you spend in the gym, how it has impacted your everyday life, and how we can continue to improve. Never hesitate to send us an email, stop by the front desk, or review us on Yelp, Rate Your Burn, or Village Voice! A long time client, Sarah Jennerjahn, has been kind enough to provide us with a wonderful testimonial about her positive experience at BSF so far:

“Body Space Fitness is the best thing that has ever happened to me. Kelvin came in for dinner at my restaurant in early June with his wife and as he was walking in the front door I was literally standing there bemoaning my lack of fitness and poking at my own stomach with my finger to a co-worker. It was a sign. I have a tendency to get in physical fitness kicks that last approximately 3 weeks before trailing off into the ether.

S o later that week I got myself to BSF and was slightly scared I would be the most out of shape person there and that I would be a giant wuss because I have some lower back issues. To my delight all the coaches there know how to work with any kind of injury because of their wonderful training and experience!

I got excited.

Thanks Sarah for your awesome feedback! BSF is ecstatic to play such a huge role in your fitness journey. Keep training hard!

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This Workout Delivers Real Results In Just 4 Minutes

Wed, 22 Oct 2014 19:27:00 GMT

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Best Boot Camp New York 2014 – Body Space Fitness

Fri, 17 Oct 2014 20:12:00 GMT

Kelvin Gary’s vision for Body Space Fitness included economic alternatives to personal training, which makes this bright, well-equipped studio attractive to the city’s cash-strapped workout-minded population who’d like a little help achieving athletic goals. The boutique gym offers three levels of small group classes, most capped at 10 students, that put participants through ever-changing circuits of high-intensity, full-body exercises designed to boost metabolism and make rapid and dramatic changes to the body. What really sets this place apart, though, is the caliber of the trainers leading the classes, an attentive and extremely knowledgeable set who make form corrections and performance-enhancing modifications for every individual in the group, thereby accomplishing Gary’s goal of bestowing the benefits of personal training sans the private session. You’ll sweat hard at Body Space, you’ll never be bored, and you’ll see results. You’ll also never wonder if you’re in danger of hurting yourself in the process of getting in shape.

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How To Cut Your Workout In Half

Thu, 09 Oct 2014 23:58:00 GMT

Multitasking isn’t just a way to get things done, it’s a way of life. Every new beauty craze is a one-and-done product, and we can’t sit through a whole TV show without checking Instagram or shooting off a few emails. Hey, what can we say? We’re children of the digital age. It’s no surprise that we want our fitness routines to work double-duty, too.

So, we tapped Kelvin Gary, trainer and owner of the New York-based studio Body Space Fitness , to come up with three exercises that challenge different muscle groups at the same time. Even better, all the moves count as strength training and cardio — meaning you’re free to skip the treadmill session (a definite win in our book).

Fitness addict and stylist Lindsey Calla of Saucy Glossie is no stranger to doubling down on her workouts. “Your body is a machine with so many parts that work together, so why train them separately?” she says. Who better to demonstrate each move for us? And, since temps are starting to drop, she shows off how to maximize the fitness routine in fall-appropriate adidas gear that wicks away sweat while keeping you warm. With this workout, you’ll be ready to multitask your next to-dos in no time.

PHOTOGRAPHED BY BEN RITTER ; STYLED BY ALISON MAZUR ; HAIR AND MAKEUP BY ANNA WEBBER

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10 Pre-Gym Habits That Destroy Your Workout

Wed, 27 Aug 2014 19:12:00 GMT

Wouldn’t it suck if you ruined your workout before you even broke a sweat? Yes, yes, it would. So avoid these habits that can make your workout less efficient, enjoyable, and effective:

1. You chug a ton of water before you work out.
You know you need to keep the water coming on days when you work out. But if you down a whole liter of water before a workout, it will sit in your stomach and could lead to nausea and cramping that makes you want to cut your workout short, says Amanda Foti, a registered dietitian from Selvera, a nutritional counseling company based in New York City. Drink a few sips before your workout (especially if it’s first thing in the morning), and bring a water bottle to the gym to sip while you sweat. Just don’t force it down.

2. You sweat on an empty stomach. Your car doesn’t run on an empty tank and neither do you. When you eat carbohydrates in particular, your body turns the food into fuel that your muscles store and release when you exercise, Foti says. Eat a small snack — like a low-fat Greek or regular yogurt, a low-fiber granola bar, whole-grain toast with a schmear of peanut butter, or a handful of trail mix — about 20 to 30 minutes before a workout to help you burn and use that stored fuel efficiently. If you work out so early in the morning that breakfast feels like a midnight snack, go for the bare minimum: a piece of fruit.

3. You eat a Thanksgiving-size meal before your workout. While it might seem like a good idea to fuel up, then work off those seconds (and thirds) at the gym, digestion is hard work in and of itself: It drains your body of the energy it needs to pick things up and put things down at the gym. Plus fullness + treadmill = nausea. If you work out in the evening, do it after a snack (see above) but before dinner, Foti says.

4. You lose sleep to hit the gym. When you skimp on sleep, your body has to work extra hard to keep things like your nervous system running smoothly, says Kelvin Gary, certified head trainer and performance coach and owner of Body Space Fitness in NYC. This elevates your heart rate and tires you out even before you add weight lifting and cardio to the mix. And if you do power through? Lack of sleep can impact your ability to balance, focus, and burn calories efficiently, meaning you probably won’t work as hard as you usually do. Instead of going through your workout like a zombie, sleep in and go to the gym later.

5. You overdo it on the coffee. If you’re used to drinking coffee, an eight-ounce cup of it can help you stay hydrated and boost your energy so you can work out for longer or at a higher intensity than you would without the caffeine boost, Foti says. However, people who don’t regularly drink coffee or drink too much (Put. Down. The. Trenta.) could experience some icky digestive side effects, like the urge to sprint to the bathroom in the middle of class.

6. You eat a bowl of high-fiber cereal right before. Because you digest high-fiber foods slowly, it takes especially long for your body to turn the food into energy, Foti says. And while fiber can help you feel full longer, it won’t help you if your goal is to turn food into fuel ASAP and get through your workout. If you’re not used to eating loads of fiber, you can bank on bloating and gas and an all-around uncomfortable workout. If you must fiber up, Foti says to go in for the kill two to three hours before your workout.

7. You don’t set a goal or make a plan to reach it. You don’t have to be training for a marathon to set a fitness goal: Goals give your workouts purpose and direction, so you can focus on exercises that deliver the results you’re looking for, Gary says. For example, if your goal is to lose weight, you might want skip the treadmill and opt for squats with an overhead press. The efficient move activates multiple large muscle groups and builds lean muscle mass that amps up your calorie burn at rest. If you’re not sure where to start (besides the empty treadmill), check out CosmoBody, the new fitness video channel.

8. You grab a protein shake on your way to the gym. Sounds healthy. Tastes good. But loading up on protein right before you work out won’t do your body any favors. Because it takes so much time and energy to digest protein, Foti says the nutrient is your body’s least favorite kind of fuel. Make sure most of the calories you eat right before you sweat come from carbohydrates, and never eat more than 20 grams of protein right before a workout. (Many protein shakes and bars have that much or more. Save them for after the gym, when your muscles can use that protein for recovery.)

9. You go to drunch or happy hour before the gym. Is it OK to drink just a little bit before you hit the gym? Common sense says that it’s hard to stop at one mimosa and that workouts where you feel even a little bit tipsy are dangerous. Plus, who wants to waste a perfectly good buzz on a workout? Terrible idea.

10. You skip the stretch. Dynamic stretches (like lunges and high knee grabs) increase the temperature and blood flow in your muscles. This reduces your risk of injury and increases your flexibility so you can do the actual workout more effectively, Gary says. Stretch for up to five minutes — you’re done when you start to sweat or feel your heart rate go up.

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Stark und straff mit POWERTOOLS

Thu, 21 Aug 2014 18:01:00 GMT

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BSF owner, Kelvin Gary speaks out on 6 packs and how to get one … or 6!

Sun, 03 Aug 2014 16:59:00 GMT

Take a look at the August issue of Details Magazine!

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THE ANTI-GRAVITY TREADMILL

Sun, 20 Jul 2014 00:14:00 GMT

State-of-the-art rehab tools and equipment are often found so effective they make their way into the gym for general population training. The latest piece of equipment to do so is the AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill, which I had the opportunity to check out last week at Body Space Fitness in NYC. Originally designed by Nasa, AlterG treadmills can unweight up to 80% of a person’s body, allowing for stable support, unencumbered movement, and continued training through injury. These treadmills are used by professional athletes such as LeBron James, Derek Jeter, Kobe Byant and Kara Goucher, and can be found in the training rooms of many NFL, MLB, and NBA teams, in addition to collegiate sports programs and Olympic Training Centers.

As Body Space Fitness owner, Kelvin Gary, told me, “running is a contact sport”, and for those with joint and mobility issues, the AlterG allows them the benefits of running without the impact to the body. Wearing neoprene shorts with a skirt that is zippered into the inflatable chamber, the treadmills use Differential Air Pressure that literally lifts you while you run. Kelvin integrates intervals on the AlterG into training sessions with his clients, and they also book time on their own on the treadmill as part of their regular cardio training regimen.
Training for the NYC Marathon myself right now, I am happily still healthy. With a few more months of training to go and bigger mileage ahead, the AlterG would be an ideal way to keep running should overuse injuries arise. I am hoping, however, not to have to put it to the test. One way or the other, see you at the starting line November 2nd!

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Summer Lovin’

Thu, 17 Jul 2014 05:50:00 GMT

By Rachel
Strenght + Sole

Summer is in full force and mine’s been filled with sun, fun, sneakers and cycling.

In between outdoor training runs, I’ve been mixing things up with charity workouts, like last week’s Body Space Fitness “Sweat for Yellow” bootcamp to benefit LIVESTRONG .

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10 New York City spots where you can tap your inner athlete

Wed, 02 Jul 2014 19:51:00 GMT

(Photo: Simon Mcdermott Johnson for Tone House)

Got World Cup fever? You may not make it onto Team USA anytime soon, but you can get in on the action by working out like the players.

“Soccer players are some of the best conditioned athletes in the world because the game requires so much cardiovascular endurance. Players run up to 13 miles in a single game!” says Tone House owner Alonzo Wilson, who was an athlete himself before transitioning into training them. “Agility is also incredibly important as the sport requires quickness and changes of direction—and all with control.”

So where can you find drills that will get you moving like Neymar? Thankfully, New York is currently full of sports-inspired workout destinations that want to help you tap your inner athlete. We’re talking places that use equipment and techniques proven to work on the pros.

Here are ten (in no particular order) to check out as the finals approach. —Lisa Elaine Held

…… 10. Body Space Fitness
Body Camp classes on the Astroturf at this small functional gym feel more like after-school team sports practices than workouts, and its Training for Warriors program is meant to mold you into the athlete you once (or never?) were. They’ve also got lots of athletic personal training options, on-site physical therapy for injury prevention, and a partnership with Hot Bird Running if your sport of choice is pavement pounding. www.bodyspacefitness.com

To read the full article go to: http://www.wellandgoodnyc.com/2014/07/02/10-new-york-city-spots-where-you-can-tap-your-inner-athlete/

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Coach Tony gets certified in Progressive Calisthenics

Tue, 01 Jul 2014 18:13:00 GMT

Congratulations to coach Tony for his certification in Progressive Calisthenics!

have always enjoyed calisthenics since I was a child since it only requires one’s own body weight as the resistance. No equipment necessary. When I first learned of The Progressive Calisthenics Certification taking place in NYC on Fri 6/20 – Sun 6/22, I knew I had to be there. I’ve always loved doing body weight exercises and saw this as a great way to not only expand my knowledge base, but to also see how far I can take my own body. Participants traveled mostly from North America, and we even had a few folks from Australia in attendance.

The workshop was facilitated by Al and Danny Kavadlo, two brothers born and raised in NY that have streamlined their teachings in a deliberate way that can be used by everyone from those new to strength training to athletes training for American Ninja Warrior (of which we had a few). The 3 days were filled with constant information and coaching. It was almost as taxing on the mind as it was on the body. Keyword being almost. Over the course of the weekend, there were countless repetitions being pumped out in every possible movement pattern imaginable as everyone fought to perform the hardest version of each exercise: one-arm pushup, one-arm pullups, human flags, muscle ups, single leg squats, stand to stand bridges, back levers, front levers, hanging leg raises, l-sits, headstands, and one arm handstands. An enlightening weekend to say the least.

As if all of this wasn’t enough, the actual test that everyone had to pass to be certified as a PCC instructor is The Century – 100 repetitions comprised of 40 squats, 30 pushups. 20 hanging knee raises, 10 pullups. All to be performed within 8 min after 3 straight days of making your body fatigued and sore in ways not previously imagined. Not the easiest when mixed with nerves of the other 30 something people watching. Especially when you are fatigued and quite literally stuck at the very last pullup that will determine if you pass or fail (it happened to me). The main things that will be useful in bringing this new found knowledge back to BSF is that we have a whole new way of working out our clients. It is easy to see that during busier times, space and equipment can become an issue. Having an understanding of how to coach a whole new plethora of exercises will allow everyone to be pushed to their limits in the safest way possible. In addition, while I love most of the other toys that we use, there are very few things that top being able to move your body unassisted for the first time. It’s just as a liberating moment for an athlete to get their first human flag as it is for someone being able to do their first pullup on their own. It feels like you’re flying on top of the world. Hopefully, I’ll be able to help others obtain that feeling with all that I have learned.

Piya Tony Vacharasanee – New York, NY, Coach at Body Space Fitness
ATHLETIC ACHIEVEMENTS: -National Academy of Sports Medicine – Certified Personal Trainer, -Training For Warriors – Levels 1 & 2, -Kettlebell Athletics – Level 1, -American College of Sports Medicine – Cancer Exercise Trainer, -Functional Movement Systems – Level 1
The PCC is a great learning experience for both trainers and fitness enthusiasts alike. The exercises and information presented are done in a deliberate and friendly manner. The whole weekend proved to be educational, intense and a lot of fun. The quality of training and knowledge of the instructors was top notch.

The PCC is a great certification and is in the top 2 along with DVRT. The practical use is obvious and easy to convey to clients. The scope of material is expansive and sometimes felt never ending (in a good way). The quality is superb and presented in a very authentic way.

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REVIEW: BODY SPACE FITNESS

Thu, 26 Jun 2014 20:58:00 GMT

Before I was able to workout with Tony, I had to first schedule a Strategy Session with Tony.

After coming off marathon training and a really long winter, I decided it was time to get my butt back in better shape. So who did I call? I contacted Tony from Body Space Fitness, a training studio in NYC’s Union Square that focuses on functional fitness: exercises and workouts that help your body not only look great but help you live life better, stronger, faster, and efficiently.

What is a Strategy Session?

A Strategy Session at Body Space Fitness is an hour-long session spent evaluating where you are now, and where you want to be. Tony took my measurements and body fat percentage (YIKES!), but also spent time with discussing my history and what my goals are. He had me write them down. Gasp! When you write goals down, they become real and even achievable. After the paperwork, Tony began the physical portion of the evaluation. Unlike other physical fitness tests, the strategy session does not measure your fitness level. Instead, it evaluates how functional your body is and how it moves. Tony didn’t time my mile, or count how many curl-ups I could do in a minute (I would’ve killed those!). Instead, he measured my flexibility, my motion, my agility, and some of my strength. He then scored me for each movement from 1 to 3, ranging from below average to above average. I scored above average in everything except push-ups (I could’ve told you that Tony) and the hurdle-esque movement because of my issues with my right hip.

How was the work out?

I had one of my best workouts with Tony at Body Space Fitness. The workouts at Body Space Fitness all vary depending on the type of class, the trainer, and you. There are group classes, semi-private training session, boxing among other classes, and private training sessions. After my strategy session, I came back for my private training session with Tony. Tony has custom-created a workout for me based on the results of my Strategy Session. The exercises were strategically chosen to target my weak spots and help me reach my goals.

A Body Space Fitness workout is similar to the intensity of Cross Fit, but with strategy and science. Tony was able to explain every movement and what muscles I was targeting. I LOVE a trainer who explain why I’m moving one way and not another way. The workout incorporated a lot of the basic movements we know but on a more advanced level, using medicine balls, sand bags, and traditional weights. I even got to use the TRX – I LOVE TRX suspension training !

To read the full article, go to: http://leangirlsclub.com/fitness/review-body-space-fitness/

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How the Cause of Injury Can Also be the Cure

Wed, 28 May 2014 18:07:00 GMT

Any good strength and conditioning coach can write a program for a client that will progress them toward their goals in a safe way. Such a program will address any mobility issues or inefficient movement patterns that the client has in order to avoid injury and establish a solid foundation of strength and power. While the idea is that a well-written program will prevent injury, no coach or program will ever prevent injuries altogether.

When injuries do inevitably happen, a good coach will know that in most cases, the key to rehab is not to lay off the particular body part, or “let it rest.” The coach knows this because resting the injured body part does nothing to strengthen it; in fact, avoiding certain activities and movements often results in altered movement mechanics and increased stress to other areas of the body that compensate for the injured area(s). While it seems antithetical at first, injury rehab as well as injury-prevention programs must incorporate the very exercises that cause the injury in the first place: hence, the cause is the cure.

To further illustrate this point, let’s use the vaccine as a metaphor. Vaccines are tremendously useful in the prevention of disease. In simple terms, a vaccination involves injecting a small amount of a disease-causing virus into a host in order to spur such host’s immune system to create antibodies to fight off the disease should actual infection occur. The cause of the disease (the virus) is also the cure (the vaccine), albeit in small doses. As strength and conditioning coaches, the “disease” that we are trying to prevent is injury. The “cause” of the “disease” is generally a combination of the following: muscle imbalances and inefficient movement mechanics; poor balance and/or flexibility; and lack of strength/stability. How will the strength and conditioning coach prevent his or her clients from catching the “disease”? By administering the vaccine in the form of a well-designed program. Such a well-designed program reduces the risk of exposure to infection by incorporating exercises that mimic the movements that cause the “disease.” These exercises—the “antibodies,” if you will—strengthen the joints, increase range of motion, and improve stability.

Deceleration work is the definition of when the cause of injury is also the cure. Deceleration is trained with plyometrics, and is defined as the athlete’s ability to stop, change direction, and slow down as quickly as possible. The faster an athlete is moving, the greater control he or she will need to decelerate. This is why so many injuries occur during deceleration: many athletes don’t possess sufficient control over their bodies to safely transfer their weight from one plane of motion to another. Injuries as a result of poor deceleration mechanics most often occur at the ankle, hip or knee. Therefore, movements that train control of these joints during deceleration must be included in the program.

Coach Michael Boyle, a renowned strength and conditioning coach, has discussed the importance of deceleration training in the context of ACL injury prevention in several articles. He acknowledges that since most ACL tears occur in a single-leg hop or bound scenario, a program that only focuses on plyometric jumps (double-leg) to train proper deceleration technique is inadequate. Unfortunately, many trainers and coaches ignore this fact, and as a result, athletes are getting sidelined with knee injuries more than they should. Boyle advocates for a sound plyometric program that not only includes single-leg hops and bounds, but trains in all three planes of motion: sagittal, frontal, and transverse. Due to its complexity and level of difficulty, decelerative work in the transverse plane should be approached with caution, as it most closely resembles the injury mechanisms that coaches and athletes alike are trying to avoid. Thus decelerative work in all three planes of motion is the vaccine that coaches need to administer so their athletes can ward off disease, particularly ACL and other injuries that can occur due to poor motor control.

References:

Are the Causes of Exercise Injuries ALSO the Cure? By Kevin Yates. http://functionaltrainingcoach.com/are-the-causes-of-exercise-injuries-also-the-cure/

ACL Prevention. By Michael Boyle. http://strengthcoachblog.com/2009/03/19/acl-prevention/

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Coming Soon to Body Space Fitness and Base PT…

Wed, 28 May 2014 18:03:00 GMT

BSF and Base Physical Therapy will soon be the home of an AlterG Anti Gravity Treadmill®. The AlterG is the latest in physical therapy and rehab, and clinical research supports its ability to help athletes, physical therapy patients, and lay people alike recover faster from lower body injuries; improve sports performance; and improve mobility.

Check out this video of Base PT owner Nina Figueroa testing out the AlterG!

Nina on the AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill

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SHAPE in Action

Tue, 27 May 2014 18:00:00 GMT

In last month’s newsletter, we announced that Coach Kelvin was featured in the May 2014 issue of SHAPE Magazine. The awesome workout that Kelvin put together included several total-body exercises, all of which are demonstrated in the videos here below by BSF Coach Lauren!

Up your workout ante by including battle ropes, kettlebells, and sandbags. Battle ropes are great for training power development; kettlebells are great implements to increase strength in multiple dimensions and improve deceleration and stabilization; and sandbags’ instability provides dynamic variability to the workout so you have to engage more muscles to stabilize the load.

SHAPE in Action: Circuit #1

SHAPE in Action: Circuit #2

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Back in the Game

Mon, 19 May 2014 05:18:00 GMT

By Rachel
STRENGTH+Sole

Getting back to it with Body Space Fitness.
On the morning of my first workout at Body Space Fitness, I was feeling a little…mushy.

I recently took a few weeks off from hard core exercise (speed walking, which was allowed, doesn’t do it for me) and now that I’m approved to really get moving again, I couldn’t wait. But, I also felt a little hesitant. Should I have scheduled my session after I’d had the chance to get in a few solo runs or straightforward elliptical? In any case, the appointment with BSF’s founder was set and suddenly, there I was–lunging while gripping a 30-pound duffle bag filled with water.

But, let me start from the beginning.

Body Space Fitness was founded two years ago by Kelvin Gary, an NYU Stern MBA grad with an engineering background. Like many people in fitness, Kelvin started in the corporate world and ultimately decided that he could put his skills (hello, chemistry!) to better use helping others do what he loved most.

The BSF concept is largely based around semi-private training where a small group of clients work out together for team spirit, but, each performs a personalized program designed by Kelvin to meet his/her pre-defined goal, whether that’s weight loss for an event, race training or all-around muscle tone. Programs are centered around functional fitness, so, you’ll work with kettlebells more than free weights, for greater range of motion, and spend a lot of time pushing, pulling and planking.

On the morning that I was there, a pretty ripped woman in her 40s was wrapping up her prep for her daughter’s Bat Mitzvah, while designer Rebecca Minkoff was on her way out after a typical bi-weekly workout (she’s a long-time client and Kelvin fan). I spent my session using TRX ropes, doing speed drills, pushing and pulling the infamous sled and of course, lunging with Kelvin’s pink aqua bag.

When I caught my breath 45 minutes later, I decided that what I liked best about Kelvin’s approach is that it’s very real. His workouts make sense. And, he’s super intelligent about the way our bodies work, especially when it comes to diet–one of the most important factors when you’re simply fine-tuning vs. trying to lose a lot of weight. Based on natural body type, Kelvin can rattle off the percentage of carbs, protein and fat that will help shed those last few pounds and reveal the muscles that you’ve been building underneath. And, if you’re looking to make excuses for abandoning the routine while traveling for business, forget about it. Kelvin informed me that we can all source salads, chicken and yogurt in any U.S. airport.

As for me, I worked out 4 of the 6 days that followed my session at Body Space Fitness. Which means that I’m back in the game. And, soon to be better than ever.

Read Article >>

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DAY 2: CORE-ARMS-SHOULDER-LEGS

Wed, 14 May 2014 06:19:00 GMT

1. CURTSY LUNGE + DUMBBELL PRESS (Quads, Glutes, Triceps and Shoulders). Start with a dumbbell in your right hand with your elbow flexed and the dumbbell at shoulder height. With your right leg, step behind your left leg and bring your right knee towards the floor. Stand back up by using primarily your left leg and at the same time press the dumbbell overhead. Return to the starting position and repeat.

2. V-SIT-UPS (Core). Start by lying face up on the floor with your arms and legs fully extended. Simultaneously bring your feet and shoulder blades up off the floor. Touch hands and feet at the top of move.

3. SPLIT STANCE DUMBELL CHOP (Core, Back and Shoulders). Stand with your left foot in front and your right foot behind you. Holding a small dumbbell from the sides, swing the dumbbell from just outside of your right hip to just above your left shoulder. Return to the beginning position and repeat. You can rotate your torso or not – either way is fine.

4. SINGLE LEG DEADLIFT + DUMBBELL ROW (Core, Glutes, Hamstrings, Back and Biceps). Stand with the dumbbell in your right hand. While keeping your back flat (neutral), lift your right leg off the ground and reach the dumbbell towards the floor, stopping the dumbbell at your knees. Once the dumbbell reaches your knees, pause and row the dumbbell up towards your torso. Stand up tall by contracting the your glutes and hamstrings on the balance leg and return to the starting position.

5. ICE SKATERS (Legs and Cardio). Stand balancing on your left leg. Take a big hop to your right and switch to balancing on your right leg. Pause and stabilize, then hop back to your left. Repeat.

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Go For The BURN

Thu, 01 May 2014 23:54:00 GMT

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Journey to Wellness-Body Space Fitness Review

Sat, 26 Apr 2014 20:47:00 GMT

On my personal journey to wellness, I love taking the time to experiment and try different exercises, classes and training facilities. You never know what you will find mentally and physically inspiring. Or who can motivate you to reach your goals. When Tony Vacharasanee, a trainer at Body Space Fitness , invited me to come into their facilities, I jumped at the chance. I had heard whispers about this facility located near Union Square in NYC, but I hadn’t had the chance to make it there.

The second I walked into the studios, I could tell that this was going to be a bit different from the usual NYC boutique gym or training facility. First and foremost, the facilities look, feel, and smell brand spankin new! When I enter any workout facility the worst thing that can happen is having your nostrils take in sweaty, gym-sock-funky, stale air… But this facility was different. I felt like I was in an athletic training facility but didn’t have to be intimidated by “real” athletes. There were people of all sizes and nationalities working out.

Before I started my session, I headed to check out the locker rooms which were pristine AND had free automatic locks on the lockers. Small details like this make going to the gym so much easier in NYC. I took a few minutes to chit-chat/lightly question some women in the locker room about their experience and one of them actually happened to be an intern. They gave me the run down, and assured me that Tony was phenomenal. I grabbed my gloves and got ready to work!

Before getting into the actual workout, Tony asked me some questions about my prior training experience, injuries, and general dos and don’ts. I was tempted to cancel doing this review because I was having knee issues, but I took the chance and I am so happy that I did. Can you guess how many training certifications Tony has, please? 6. You know what that means to me? This man is not only passionate about the craft of helping clients reach their optimal fitness goals, but he is more than competent. A little bum knee like mine shouldn’t deter me from getting a great workout!

We started with something Tony called RAMP (Range of motion, Activation, Movement, Prep) to get my body warmed up and ready for some circuit training. Below are the warm up exercises:

This may look like a lot, but it didn’t take too long. After the warm up, we went into traditional weight training and agility moves. We did everything from free weights, kettle bells, squats, the ropes, and my new favorite exercise below. I think I enjoyed it since I could see my shoulder muscles pop a bit. #justsayin But overall it was a great experience and I would go back in a heartbeat! I also loved that they have physical therapists on staff to help clients like me who struggle with injuries OR to assist anyone who runs into any issues during a session.

Overall it was a great experience, and I look forward to making my way downtown to the studio again to try one of their group classes. For more information on Body Space Fitness go to : their website // Twitter // Facebook // Instagram . And if you want to see who I trained with, Tony, AND see some intense workouts, follow him on Instagram or Twitter .

***Images of BSF are from their website. I didn’t feel comfortable taking shots while others were working out cause Lord knows I run from the camera when I see other people snapping pics.**

Have you ever worked out in a group before?

If you are located in NYC, have you heard of Body Space Fitness?

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Get in Shape for Summer with Body Space Fitness

Wed, 23 Apr 2014 20:41:00 GMT

(This is Tony. He’s amazing.)

Ahhh, finally!! It looks like this loooong winter is finally over. The sun is coming out to play, and you know what that means: summer -AKA bikini season- is right around the corner.

If you’re like us, you’re probably thinking that it’s time to get your ass in shape, so we were thrilled when Tony from Body Space Fitness reached out to offer us a few simple lessons in how to kick-start a new fitness regime.

I’ll precedent this article with the following: Tony was probably the nicest person that we’ve ever met. Incredibly genuine and enthusiastic, he put great effort into creating a fun and effective workout. Phil and I talked about him for days afterwards- and have since put many of his health and fitness theories into effect. While the orginal intent of the article was highlight Body Space Fitness as a whole, we couldn’t help but focus on The Man, The Myth, & The Legend: Tony Vacharasanee.

Q. What’s your background and your specific approach to health/fitness/nutrition?

A. My background is an interesting one that provides me with a nice perspective on things. When I was 15, I was diagnosed with Leukemia. I spent my adolescence in and out of hospitals, and when it came time to enter the real world and find a job, working for Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center was the most logical choice. I spent 7 years in various capacities trying to find my way and see how I could make a living while also doing what I could to give back to other cancer patients. I found that sitting behind a desk wasn’t what I was meant to do. I have always loved martial arts and fitness so looking into becoming a personal trainer was an easy choice. Some of my coaches at my fight gym pointed me in the right direction, to getting my first certification and by introducing me to Kelvin Gary, owner and founder of Body Space Fitness . While training and working at BSF, I have learned to take training with a functional approach. That is to say: to train the whole body in a deliberate way that still pushes specific prime movers (chest, back, quadriceps, hamstrings). No muscle, joint, or limb truly moves in isolation is real life. Your body needs to learn how to move as a whole unit if you’re going to be both strong and safe.

Q. We spoke a lot about balance during our session- both physical balance and the challenge of living a balanced life. What do you personally do to achieve balance?

A. In terms of physical balance, I try to make sure I get in no less than 4 hours of exercise in a week, although 3 will be enough for most people to continually make progress. Of those workouts, I make sure to have one day dedicated to strength and one day metabolic. On my strength days, I cover the major movement patterns – Knee Dominant (squats), Hip Dominant (Deadlifts), Horizontal Pushing (Pushups), Horizontal Pulling (Cable Rows), Vertical Pulling (Pull-ups), and Vertical Pushing (Overhead Press). Whatever movement I’m doing, I try to make sure my core is also involved in some kind of anti-rotation or stabilization capacity. On these days, I load myself up with weight. With regard to my metabolic days, I usually go through a Training For Warriors Hurricane (sprints combined with strength exercises) or run Speed, Agility, Quickness Drills with some other modalities (Agility Ladders, Box Jumps, Agility Cube, Cone Shuffles, Sleds, Ropes). On these days, I look to jack up my heart and breathing rate as much as possible. My passion will always lie with martial arts and combat sports , so anything I do in the gym is a supplement to that. In terms of living a balanced life, I try to make sure that I dedicate as much time to my family and friends as I can. Working 6 days a week and during times when the general population is out of work makes it a little challenging to find the balance. I’m still working on it, and have been getting a lot better.

Q. Bikini (or mankini, if you’re Phil) season is right around the corner. What are 3 things you would recommend to anyone looking to get in shape this spring?

A. LOL awesome visual! The top three thing I would recommend is nothing new or surprising. 1. Feed appropriately – shop the perimeter of your supermarket and only drink water. Visualize what you what to feel and look like. Imagine every scenario that you go through right now in your day to day, and then put your ideal version of yourself in it. Let your goals be stronger than the temptations. It’s difficult, but it reaps a lot of benefits. If you need guiding principles, Precision Nutrition and Food Babe are great blogs that I always read. 2. Lift heavy – you need strength days to build muscle. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn while you’re resting. Besides, when you become stronger, the looks will follow. 3. Move fast – the final piece of the trifecta is a metabolic session. Move fast, and sweat a lot. Whether it’s going through a TFW Hurricane, spinning at Fly Wheel, running intervals in the park, or doing animal crawls – keep moving.

To read the full article, go to: http://bigcitylittleblog.com/get-shape-summer-body-space-fitness/

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Style of Sport-Body Space Fitness

Tue, 15 Apr 2014 23:38:00 GMT

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Team BSF Rides for a Good Cause

Mon, 14 Apr 2014 17:59:00 GMT

On March 29, BSF staff and clients teamed up with Flywheel for a charity ride benefiting the Livestrong Foundation. The Foundation “serves people affected by cancer and empowers them to take action against this disease that is now the world’s leading cause of death” (www.livestrong.org). Together, Team BSF kept hope alive for those battling cancer by raising $1,500 through their efforts.

“The event was a great success,” said participant and BSF co-owner Erin. “We were so honored to have such an awesome group of people riding with us for such a good cause. We’re really looking forward to more Sweat for Yellow events and raising more money for the Livestrong Foundation.”

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BSF Culture: A Few Words from BSF Client, Eddie E.

Sun, 13 Apr 2014 17:56:00 GMT

At BSF, we want to see our clients achieve all their goals: success for the client means success for us. Eddie E. is a client who came to BSF hoping to get strong and improve his marathon time. Here’s what he had to say:

How long have you been a member? Since June 2012.

In this last year, thinking back, what did you enjoy most about being a member at Body Space? I like the atmosphere and I always feel welcome. It’s my personal gym as far as I’m concerned. It’s the most at ease I’ve ever felt working out at a gym not in my own home.

What was your absolute favorite workout this past year? And how about your lease favorite? TFW (Training for Warriors) is my favorite. I don’t have a least favorite, although Kelvin (coach and co-owner of BSF) likes to experiment with me when he has a new workout he wants to try. I usually end up enjoying it also.

Did you accomplish any new goals or have anything over the year surprise you? Yes, absolutely. I’d run two marathons before I started training here and two since and the difference in my recovery and overall performance has been a complete 180. My overall health and knowledge have improved tenfold.

To wrap up, how has the Body Space Fitness team helped you to accomplish these goals this past year? I repeat, they practice what they preach and it shows. They are very knowledgeable and make sure everyone’s goals are catered to. From seasoned athletes to casual athletes, all goals are welcomed.

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Coach Lauren Gets DVRT-Certified, Working Towards Precision Nutrition Certification

Thu, 10 Apr 2014 17:51:00 GMT

Congratulations are in order! Last month, Coach Lauren completed courses 1 & 2 of the rigorous DVRT (Dynamic Variable Resistance Training) Certification. She passed the written portions for each course, as well as the tough physical exam that required her to clean and press a 40lb-sandbag 40 times in 10 minutes. Wow, totally impressive!

Coach Lauren will also soon add another specialty to her expansive trove of health and wellness knowledge: nutrition! This month kicked off a four-month course in Precision Nutrition. Precision Nutrition education teaches both the science of nutrition and the practice of coaching. According to the website, Precision Nutrition provides “A comprehensive nutrition education and certification program designed specifically for use in a personal training/strength coaching environment.”

Coach Lauren looks forward to sharing all that she learns with clients and coworkers!

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A Little Bit about HIIT and How It Kept Our Ancestors Strong and Lean

Mon, 07 Apr 2014 17:50:00 GMT

There are many exercise “buzzwords” peppering the fitness landscape these days. But there’s one that you might have heard more often than others: HIIT, or high intensity interval training. Chances are you’ve heard the term from your trainer, gym buddy, or maybe you read about it. According to a survey conducted by the American College of Sports Medicine , HIIT is one of the two top fitness trends for 2014, along with bodyweight training.

HIIT is characterized by short bursts of intense exercise in which the aim is to give a 100%, all-out effort. The intervals are followed by short and sometimes active rest periods. HIIT is extremely effective and versatile. There are many benefits to high intensity interval training, including: a higher basal metabolic rate (rate of oxygen consumption while awake but at rest); more efficient metabolism; it’s quick and convenient, and no equipment is required to do it if you can’t make it to the gym or are traveling.

Nearly any form of exercise can take the form of HIIT. For example, by pairing exercises that work opposing muscle groups (called supersets) and performing them back-to-back with little rest, you can achieve the HIIT effect. Running sprints on the treadmill interspersed with short periods of walking for recovery achieve the same end, too. Creating a circuit of 4-5 bodyweight exercises performed in rapid succession with minimal rest is also an effective way to incorporate HIIT in your training regimen.

So given all these factors, why hasn’t HIIT caught on beyond the fitness community? Why is traditional cardiorespiratory exercise still the crowning glory of the mainstream fitness world? For one, it’s hard to retrain people about exercise habits when popular wisdom of the past 40-odd years dictates that sustained aerobic exercise is the key to a healthy ticker and weight loss. Marathoners, cyclists, and other athletes are exalted for their endurance and mental fortitude. An endurance race such as an Ironman bestows permanent bragging rights to its competitors. It is a point of pride for people to log the miles run and cycled. Time spent slogging away on the elliptical has value, or “financial currency,” one might say. But do cardio adherents ever cash in? What’s the return?

Let’s look at some statistics. Today, just over one-third (1/3) of American adults are obese and over sixty-eight (68%) percent are overweight. Simply put, we are the fattest and the unhealthiest we’ve ever been as a nation, a nation that loves its cardio.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: “Those statistics are a result of the exceedingly sedentary nature of our lives. Most folks who do cardio exercise regularly are not the ones contributing to those statistics.” While that’s mostly true, there are people who “do cardio” and are overweight and unhealthy. They hit the gym or the pavement with the best of intentions, but they’re probably not seeing the results they want. Why is that? Why might our bodies, from a biological standpoint, respond better to short bursts of intense exercise? What explains the disparity in body composition of a sprinter v. a marathoner? Could the answer lie in our DNA blueprint?

Mark Sisson, author of The Primal Blueprint and several other books about the Paleo lifestyle, certainly thinks so. A self-proclaimed recovering cardio enthusiast, Sisson argues that as a species, we have not evolved to “aerobicize” at the “chronic and sustained high intensities” that many people choose to do these days to optimize their health and ward off disease. He argues that HIIT is one of the key elements to recapture, in modern times, the lifestyle that kept our ancestors lean and healthy. Sisson successfully cured himself of several debilitating autoimmune diseases by trading in the endurance cardio for a program characterized by short sprinting workouts interspersed with long walks, hikes, and easy bike rides. Coupled with altering his diet, Sisson’s workouts helped him increase his aerobic capacity and build muscle by working out less, but smarter.

In order to understand why his methods were successful, you have to look back to how we evolved as a species. Humans evolved two primary energy systems that make physical activity possible. The first energy system uses fat as fuel for metabolic activity. This system sustains us through periods of rest, and provides continuous fuel for low levels of aerobic activity. When in the presence of lots of oxygen, fats are efficient and burn easily, allowing us to take those long walks, hikes, and bike rides without too much difficulty. The reason this system evolved is because it allowed our hunter-gatherer ancestors to cover long distances on foot, foraging for food, and kept them from starving when food was scarce.

The second energy system, or ATP-PC system, enables us to perform short bouts of intense work for brief intervals. This is called the ATP-PC system. ATP (adenosine triphosphate) provides for a quick burst of energy, while PC (phosocreatine) replenishes ATP when depleted. Both molecules work together to push us through grueling sprints and other HIIT-based workouts, but they can only sustain such levels of intensity for 10-20 seconds. This is why we can’t sprint or do other high intensity activities for prolonged periods of time.

The interesting fact about this ATP-PC energy system is that these brief bursts of high intensity exercise force a small “growth spurt” in the muscle, a beneficial adaptation for both prehistoric and modern man. In other words, when you engage in high intensity interval training, you encourage muscle growth and strength. Your body responds in the way evolution designed it to!

HIIT is an incredibly effective and efficient way to burn fat, build muscle, and get on with your life which, let’s face it, is most people’s goal. Most of us don’t want to spend hours in the gym, and HIIT makes it possible to both cut down the time spent exercising and up the fun factor. As previously mentioned, nearly any physical pursuit can be modified into a HIIT workout, so do what you enjoy: just do it faster! Take a cue from prehistoric man and adapt your exercise plan to make those evolutionary adaptations work for you! No doubt you’ll have more fun, more time, and a more lean and sculpted physique to show for it!

For more information about Mark Sisson, visit his website: www.marksdailyapple.com .

The post A Little Bit about HIIT and How It Kept Our Ancestors Strong and Lean appeared first on Body Space Fitness .

Personal trainer Kelvin Gary on why you should skip the workout machines

Fri, 21 Mar 2014 23:43:00 GMT

Kelvin Gary is the personal trainer behind Body Space Fitness, a newly-renovated boutique gym in NYC offering a unique, time-efficient, and affordable approach to working out. With a background in business, Kelvin knows the physical constraints of an office job, and works with clients (pssst..we hear Rebecca Minkoff is one of them!) of all different fitness levels to help their bodies function at their best capacity. We worked out with Kelvin before our interview, and we have to say — he’s the real deal. Read our Q&A with him below to find out why you should be avoiding workout machines, why “ab days” and “arm days” don’t always make sense, and how you can stay fit at the office.

StyleList: You started out your career in the corporate world. What pushed you to make the jump to personal training?
Kelvin Gary: I was in corporate finance, and before that I was a manufacturing engineer. Long story short, I got to the point in my life where I was like, “You know what, I’m 26 and I’m overweight, and my knees are hurting. It’s not just my diet or that I have a stressful job, it’s that I’m stuck behind a desk.” So, I got my personal trainer certification. I did it more for me in the beginning. I wanted to figure out what was going on with my own body as the result of being stuck behind a desk most of the day. Next thing you know some of my friends from business school found out i was a personal trainer, and they said “OK, you gotta start training us!”.

SL: And then you opened Body Space Fitness?
KG: I started to think that maybe I’d missed my calling when I realized I enjoyed training and helping people get results — whether they want to lose weight, run faster, or move around pain-free when they run around with their grandkids. I decided this was what I’m meant to be doing, not sitting behind a desk running numbers. With that in mind, I left my full-time job and went into training.

SL: What makes Body Space different than other gyms?
KG: I think more people should have access to good trainers. I knew that doing it in the fashion we do it, it would allow people to get a customized, individualized program, and lower the price point — that makes it more accessible. I want the gym to be a place people like to go, where they can be comfortable and not feel judged, and know that the people there are going to guide them to do the right thing for them. We definitely wanted to create a different environment, a positive mental space. Change is as much a mental thing as it is a physical.

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The Tale of Two Workouts

Wed, 05 Mar 2014 21:33:00 GMT

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Health Experts Share Their Ultimate Smoothie Recipes

Tue, 04 Mar 2014 23:15:00 GMT

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The Benefits of the Semi-Private Training Model

Mon, 03 Mar 2014 17:44:00 GMT

Here at Body Space Fitness, we pride ourselves in our approach to fitness. We believe that developing programs for our clients that focus on mobility, functionality and flexibility allow any client to progress to any goal. However, our methodology is only as meaningful as its implementation, and our semi-private training approach is a testament to that.

Semi-private training delivers the best of both worlds: clients get an individualized program designed for them by our team of expert coaches based on their experience and goals, and then work out alongside one, two, or three others in a fun, group setting. Semi-private training brings the best elements of private training and group fitness classes together to create a unique experience in which clients thrive and coaches create dynamic and fun workouts that emphasize camaraderie, motivation and teamwork.

Semi-private training is also more affordable for our clients. Clients who participate pay a lower hourly fee because they share the cost of the coach’s hour. However, because each client has a personalized program, every participant still gets specialized attention. What could be better?! As a semi-private training client at BSF, you’ll be working toward your unique goals using a program designed just for you while working out in a group, feeling the energy, and having fun while you work. You’ll save money and perhaps even make some new friends!

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Everything You’ve Ever Wanted to Ask a (Semi) Personal Trainer

Fri, 10 Jan 2014 23:24:00 GMT

Kelvin Gary founded Body Space Fitness on 14th Street after years at a desk job that left him wondering how he could be so young but feel so old. He got his personal training certification mostly to work on himself, but at the request of friends started training others and slowly growing a client list.

At Body Space Fitness, Kelvin’s team offers semi-private training—in addition to one-on-one sessions and small group classes—which efficiently uses a trainer’s time and a client’s dollar bill. After the jump, learn how Kelvin got the guts to leave his well-paid office gig, what exercise people bitch about the most, and why working out with a few strangers will probably get you results faster.

How did you get into this fitness?

In college I played a little bit of sports and have always been an athlete. When I started working as a full time professional, I was an engineer in the field—stressful job but it wasn’t too bad because I was on my feet a lot. When I moved into being an engineer behind the desk, I started to notice things that shouldn’t necessarily happen were starting to happen—like here I am in my upper to mid twenties and I’d have lower back pain, I was overweight, my knees hurt.

I actually did my personal trainer certification more so to figure out what was going on with me and how I could change it. A young adult shouldn’t be aging before his time. One night a couple of my friends from business school were out having a drink and there was a group of girls that were our friends that were talking about fitness and asking questions. I’d start to answer their questions and they’d look at me like, “How do you know all this stuff?”

I started training [other people] and realized that I really liked it and really enjoyed it, people I trained really enjoyed it they saw results they felt better and before too long I had a master client list of about ten clients that I would see in the morning before my normal day job and at night and the weekends. After a while I came to the reality that my current job—while it paid really well— was very rough and wasn’t what I thought my purpose was.

Was there any particular moment when you knew it was time to leave your desk job?

We were in the middle of my department fighting with another department and my boss sits down on my computer and types out an email to an executive in another department. Here’s this email that looks like it’s coming from me but it has the tone and the scathing wrath from my boss, but coming from my email. It got to the point where I would walk out at lunch and go to Duane Reade, sit on the blood pressure machine and my blood pressure would be like pre-hypertensive. I’m pretty sure I was put on this earth for something else.

Your gym focuses mostly on one-on-one training but you also offer group classes, correct?

The unique thing about us is that we do one-on-one training but that’s actually not our focus. We actually specialize in is something called semi-private training.

Do you take strangers into the semi-personal training?

Oh yeah. Think about it. Strangers show up to class together right? We assess everyone individually and we usually do one session one-on-one before people join a group. Within the group we will have no more than three clients with a trainer at a time but those three people could be doing three totally different workouts. Each client has their own program.

One of the things you out of [personal training] is the most focused attention [from the trainer] but there’s going to be some time frame within that session where it’s really me, watching you, counting. Alternatively, I can set you up with the core part of your work out, have you do that stuff, and have two other people going at the same time and be watching and coaching all three people, still giving them pretty individualized attention.

How does that impact cost for the client?

That instantaneously lets us decrease the cost by a third. Plus, it has been shown that clients get results faster when they do things in private groups with an individualized program. It definitely has a lot of benefits in addition to efficiency and in addition to lowering the price point. The faster [my clients] get results, the better the marketing is for me.

It seems like trainers right now have been very interested in battle ropes, kettle bells, and these almost medieval pieces—you never see trainers with clients on machines anymore. Why is that, and what do you attribute it to?

You need to get up, train the body as it was designed—as one fully integrated functioning machine. And this is where my engineering background comes into place. Whole body functional training is our philosophy. Am I going to get them their results faster by making them do shoulder day, leg day, or saying, “Hey, we’re going to work everything head to toe, we’re going to work it hard, you’re going to be sore the next day, you’re going to rest up, you’re gong to eat right, you’re going to come back and work everything hard again.”

We use tools that are simple, multifunctional, that you can get your entire body involved in. You can do tons of different things with a rope to work your entire body. A kettle bell swing is a total body exercise. People don’t really get that. It’s working top and bottom when done the right way. Um, sled. Pushing a sled that’s a total body exercise.

When it comes to designing a program for a client, do you take into account what they like doing or is that really not the point?

If someone tells me that I hate running on the treadmill, then chances are I’m not going to put you on a treadmill. If someone says I hate squats. I’ll say ok, well, a squat is a very basic exercise. It’s a pretty important exercise and we squat a lot in life. I try to dig into it. Why exactly do you hate squats? And it might just be a matter of, “That freakin’ bar across my back hurts like hell.” Has anyone shown you a sumo squat? Has anyone shown you a kettle bell goblet squat? Has anyone shown you a sandbag squat? Has anyone shown you a dumbbell goblet squat? Has anyone shown you a high low kettle bell squat?

You’re going to find a squat that they’ll do.

Exactly. Or is it just squats hurt you? Squats hurt my knee. Great. Well, pain is usually a sign that we need to step back and ask why does it hurt? Does that person need to do a bit more trigger point work before I have them do a squat. You know? When someone tells me that they don’t like to do something, I’ll say ok, well, why. And if their answer is I hate it. I walk all the time, I run on my own so I don’t have to run on the treadmill. I rowed in college so don’t put me on the rower. But if it’s like one of our basic movements and it’s something that I know is beneficial to them, I’ll dig in and try to ask you know questions that will hopefully lead me to something that will let me help them change their mind on it.

What exercise or moves do people bitch about the most?

Have you ever heard of the Versa Climber? I put people on that to do metabolic conditioning intervals and they hate it.

What’s the hardest exercise to do? It’s whatever you’re not doing. I go to a Flybarre class and for me, it’s hard as hell. I go take pilates and it’s hard as hell because I don’t do it.

Getting back to semi-personal training: When you do have groups of people who do know each other, have you seen any trends in relationships that seem to get results together better?

I think it’s probably a tie between sisters and roommates that do a good job. Roommates rat on each other. One will come in and say, “She missed this week.” Husbands and wives sometimes can be hard accountability partners for each other.

Are there any complimentary exercises or classes you recommend to your clients to do when they’re not with you?

Ninety percent of the clients that come in to the gym are looking for fat loss results. Resistance training and metabolic resistance training with a lot of cardio at the end is going to be number one behind a proper diet when it comes to decreasing body fat. Interval-style cardio is going to be number two. I recommend that they do some sort of interval training that is cardio-based in nature. They can do jumpsquats, they can do walkouts, they can do mountain climbers.

The post Everything You’ve Ever Wanted to Ask a (Semi) Personal Trainer appeared first on Body Space Fitness .

21 Fitness Pros and Models Tell Us How They Fuel Their Workouts

Tue, 05 Nov 2013 22:58:00 GMT

We asked some of the top fitness experts and models to tell us how they fuel for their workouts.

Kelvin Gary
Instructor at Body Space Fitness

“Try to stay away from sports drinks or sugary drinks before your workouts. You don’t want to spike your blood sugar and insulin levels prior to working out. One of my pre-workout snacks is an apple with almond butter. It is the perfect mix of carbs and protein. If you are on the go, I also recommend grabbing a Kind Bar with protein or a Quest Bar. After your workout is the best time to have carbohydrates. I prefer a wrap with grilled chicken (for protein), vegetables and a sweet potato. Protein shakes are also a great option if you are on the go as they are a great source of carbohydrates and protein.”

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6 Workout Ideas You Don’t Do but Should

Fri, 18 Oct 2013 19:23:00 GMT

You’re busy, you’re tired, and you’re just trying to get a quick workout in so you can get on with the rest of your day. We know the feeling. In moments like these it’s easy to assume that you can gulp down some water after the run, or that you can stretch later…but all too often, later becomes never. Then not only is your body missing out on much-needed TLC, but you’re also just working the same few muscles every time you hit the gym. Before you know it, you’re in a rut. Lame.The good news? Kelvin Gary, personal trainer and founder of Body Space Fitness, is sharing his best ideas for doing things right.

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7 next-generation gyms that focus on functional fitness

Mon, 07 Oct 2013 23:05:00 GMT

A gym used to just be a gym. Now, we have boxes, spin studios, barre studios, and boot camps, too. The newest category of sweat-producing spots popping up all over New York doesn’t even have a name—yet. “Instead of a gym or a studio, I say we are a full-service fitness training facility,” says Body Space Fitness owner Kelvin Gary.

Fair enough. These new-generation gyms are small centers focused on functional, often very athletic, workouts. Instead of machines, expect kettlebells, TRXs, sleds, battling ropes, and maybe even Astroturf under foot. All offer some combination of personal training and fitness classes that max out at around 10 people.

And while each has a slightly different fitness philosophy, they all focus on helping you move more efficiently in the outside world. “It’s not ‘today is leg day or today is arm day,'” Gary explains. “We train for your goals, whether you’re rehabbing from an injury or training to be in a Broadway show.”

Here, we introduce you to seven of the city’s top functional fitness spots… which is what we’ll call them for now. —Lisa Elaine Held

Body Space Fitness
Union Square

This 14th Street facility only opened in May 2012 but quickly generated lots of buzz. Its large Astroturf lawn is surrounded by battle ropes, kettlebell racks, colorful weights, and a few traditional machines like treadmills and spin bikes. In addition to personal training and small group classes like Body Camp and Training for Warriors, it’s known for its semi-private training model, where you get functionally fit as a duo or trio. Bonus: decent-sized locker rooms with stocked showers.

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Motivational Must-Haves: 50 Fitness Experts Share Their Favorites

Wed, 18 Sep 2013 22:35:00 GMT

We asked some of the country’s leading fitness pros, health experts and activewear designers to tell us what they put on to help motivate them to stay in shape.

Kelvin Gary
Owner of Body Space Fitness

“I love my Nike quote tees. They get me all fired up to work out and they get my staff excited and engaged.”

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Fashion Firms Emphasize Employee Health, Fitness

Tue, 23 Jul 2013 19:46:00 GMT

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Model Son Honored For Gift

Mon, 13 May 2013 22:27:00 GMT

Earlier this month, Evander Holyfield Jr. was recognized at the Delete Blood Cancer Gala for donating bone marrow to a teenager from Tennessee named Darian Craig. Mr. Holyfield, the son of boxer Evander Holyfield, originally was swabbed because he wanted to impress a girl he was dating.

“A few months later, I was contacted and told that I had a match,” Mr. Holyfield said. “Long story short, I was able to give and I’m glad I was able to.”

Mr. Holyfield added he wasn’t surprised the DKMS gala recognized his support. “From a marketing perspective, it’s a good story,” he said. “It is something we can all cure if we do our part.”

Though he spent most of his 29 years in Atlanta, Mr. Holyfield has lived in New York for the last couple of years, working both as a fashion model and, for the past few months, as a trainer at Body Space Fitness with Kelvin Gary on West 14th Street.

Mr. Holyfield had read and heard about the gym, “and I’d been following it secretly on Instagram. They have awesome things most gyms don’t have,” including AstroTurf.

As for his goals as a trainer for clients, “I want people to conquer themselves. I hope I can plant a seed with them to want to improve themselves.”

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Fitting In at the Fitness Center

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 22:51:00 GMT

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Healthier Choices: Kelvin Gary’s Daily Routine

Thu, 20 Sep 2012 20:03:00 GMT

My Greatist Routine asks fitness, health, and happiness all-stars how they stay on top of their game. Find the complete series here .

Kelvin Gary, former engineer and finance professional turned personal trainer, kicks clients’ butts with battleropes, sandbags, and kettlebells. Though he’s no longer crunching numbers daily, Kelvin uses his analytical mindset to tackle the human body, with his favorite tool: the kettlebell . Outside of the gym, it’s 30 to 50 mile bike rides plus plenty of charity miles at the Livestrong Challenge and the Bike MS City to Shore Ride (175 miles!). Read on to see what else makes Kelvin a greatist.

To learn more about Kelvin, visit www.bodyspacefitness.com and follow him on Twitter at @ KelvinGary and on Instagram at @KelvinGary.

Are you a greatist, too? Tell us about your #imagreatist healthy habits and routine in the comments below.

Photo courtesy of Kelvin Gary; Design by Bob Al-Greene

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Kelvin Push Page

Sat, 01 Sep 2012 20:29:00 GMT

Challenge your core with these plank variations from Equinox Trainer Kelvin Gary

www.pushpage.me/KelvinGary

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We Did It: Body Space Fitness

Mon, 18 Jun 2012 19:55:00 GMT

Photos by Jordan Shakeshaft

Somewhere in the middle of the battle ropes, sandbag lunges, and TRX sets, the friendly crew at Body Space Fitness told us to start smiling. But that’s exactly the point for the new, semi-private personal training studio located just west of Union Square. Body Space Fitness is as much about getting in shape as it is finding peace of mind and happiness in your health.

We quickly broke up into three teams — Team Ninja, Team Smiles, and Team “Jew ‘Fro.” Body Space Fitness is meant to get you fit and in shape, but it’s about improving the whole package, Kado told us. That attitude was evident when Greatist started its circuit. Team Ninja (Laura, Jordan, myself) started off down the turf, cheered on by the rest of the Greatist team close on our heels. We started with some simple exercises — knee lifts and lunges from one end to another, then moved on to an ab circuit using sandbags, medicine balls, and TRX Suspension Trainers. We were never doing the same thing for more than 30 seconds, which helped keep up the pace and prevent boredom. We then moved on to a series of metabolic circuits using a sled, battleropes, kettlebells, TRX rows, and sandbags.Upon walking into the bright, open gym, we were greeted by the friendly shouts of owner Kelvin Gary , and coaches Katherine “Kado” Simmons and Joanna Castro. The plan was to do a full circuit using the gym’s various equipment, including battle ropes, a sled, three TRX rigs, kettlebells , and more (there are also treadmills, a floor-length turf mat with 10-yard markers, and space for yoga).

The one downside of the workout was the amount we had to learn at every station, especially when nine people are doing something different — and switching — every half-minute. Once we nailed proper form, the circuits were a blast, and we’re sure on repeat visits the stations only gets easier and more effective.

The Greatist Team had a bunch of fun at Body Space Fitness. The coaches helped create a positive environment even when we were deep in the circuits. Body Space Fitness isn’t for everybody, even though there is something for everyone. People just looking to jog or lift in quiet might not care for the deep dive approach to training. The coaches all have multiple certifications and can create routines in a variety of systems. They can also pare down some of the more holistic elements (mind/body happiness) for those just looking to sweat. But Body Space Fitness is best for people trying to improve their overall health and fitness who don’t mind having some fun along the way.

The post We Did It: Body Space Fitness appeared first on Body Space Fitness .

I’m with the Band

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 20:24:00 GMT

exercise bands stretch your workout when traveling…

The post I’m with the Band appeared first on Body Space Fitness .

Is the way you move slowing you down?

Sun, 27 Feb 2011 01:16:00 GMT

I recently had the great pleasure of meeting personal trainer Kelvin Gary . We were both working in a cafe near Union Square and began chatting about our similar paths to a career in fitness (we both came from corporate backgrounds) and about how we might work together.

Kelvin then asked if I would be interested in doing a “functional movement test.” Happy to be a guinea pig for anything fitness or food related, I agreed. Little did I know what Kelvin had in store for me this week.

First, what’s a functional movement test? Functional Movement Systems , the company who developed the test, describes it as “the first dynamic battery of screens that helps to both prevent non-contact injuries and facilitate more effective training techniques.” It’s pretty basic, actually – a series of movements that you perform with a trainer versed in FMS concepts that determines your “functional movement” patterns. The test gives the trainer clues about corrective exercises that might help you – either just in life or with performance in a particular sport. It sort of bridges the gap between physical therapy and athletic conditioning.

Here’s how it went.

I met Kelvin at the Equinox gym on 19th and Broadway, where he trains. He walked me upstairs to a secluded area of the floor where no one could hear me scream (kidding!). He then proceeded to talk me through seven different exercises designed to assess the mobility, stability, and range-of-motion of various joints; stability of my core; and whether the different sides of my body and muscle groups were playing nice together (ie, working symmetrically). The exercises:

Pretty basic movements – with the exception of the “Trunk Stability Push-Up,” in which you lie flat on the floor and raise yourself up into a full plank with your hands placed in front of your shoulders. I did it, but it was NOT easy! (You can find descriptions of the exercises on the FMS website .)

Under Kelvin’s trained eye, these simple (sort of) movement tests became tools for recommending ways in which I could improve my running performance and better prevent injuries. Kelvin explains:

So, yeah, I discovered that my right side is a bit stronger than my left and that my hips and ankles aren’t as mobile as they should be. (Not a huge surprise, I guess, given how many years I spent wearing heels to and from work.) All of this is likely contributing to the pain in my left knee when I run. The next day, Kelvin sent me a list of corrective exercises – along with links to YouTube video demonstrations of them – to address the ankle mobility as well as hip mobility and glute strength.

All in all, a useful (and fun!) way to spend 30 minutes. I’m excited to start using the exercises as I begin training for my next half marathon. If you’d like to get a Functional Movement Test with Kelvin, give him a shout on his blog, Fitness for Thought , or find him on Twitter .

What do you think? Would you benefit from a Functional Movement Test?

The post Is the way you move slowing you down? appeared first on Body Space Fitness .

Body Space Fitness

Setting Goals In The Gym

Setting Goals In The Gym

Recovery Is Vital to Your Wellness

Recovery Is Vital to Your Wellness

The Importance of Getting Outside

Self-Care Series: The Importance of Getting Outside

The Body Space Fitness 5 Pillars to Fitness Success

Set Your Self Up for Success on Your Fitness Journey Starts Here...

21 Questions with BSF’s New Coach, Ivana!

Starting today, Ivana is coaching semi-private training, private training as well as BSF classes! Get your chance to train with Coach Ivana HERE ! Classes your thing? Sign up HERE .

4 Things You Need to Know About Bone Health and Exercise

Need to Know #1: What is Osteoporosis and How Many People are Affected by it?

Need to Know #2: What Foods can You Eat to Have Stronger Bones?

Need to Know #3: What About Exercise?

Need to Know #4: So, What Should You Take Away From This?

-Coach Andreas

I Don’t Believe in Motivation!

How do I stay “motivated”?

Find your WHY!

How to put your WHY into action:

~Coach Sarah

Can The Right Shoe Prevent Injury?

The current research

Myth-busting

So What Can I Do To Prevent Injury?

1. Use a graded exercise program that builds slowly.

2. Use the 10% rule as a guideline for training

3. Pick the right shoe

Key Takeaways

How To Make Your Outdoor Workout a Great Success

Benefits of Training Outdoors

The Hot Spots in NYC

Top NYC Parks

1. * John Jay Park

2. East River Park

3. Tompkins Square Park

4. Marcus Garvey Park (Mt. Morris Park)

5. * Astoria Park (My stomping ground)

Try This Park Workout

~Coach Sarah

The Power Of The Plank

ANYTIME YOU CAN’T ENGAGE IN ANY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, ESPECIALLY IF YOU DON’T HAVE TIME FOR THE GYM, I’D ENCOURAGE PLANKS. PLANK HOLDS REQUIRE NO EQUIPMENT AND LIMITED SPACE. PLANK ON!

PLANK EXERCISE VARIATIONS

The Workout Rule That Will Help You Lose Weight

1. Try exercising at the same time every day.

2. Try the hairband trick.

3. Do workouts you *actually* like.

4. Stay accountable with paid classes or workout buddies.

5. Above all, keep your goal in mind and remember why you started.

Enjoy A Summer Barbecue, The Healthy Way

1. Eat Before the Barbecue

2. Bring a Healthy Side Dish

3. Use the Power of Colorful Veggies

4. Make a Lap Before Filling the Plate

5. Think Before you Drink

6. Finish Eating? Time to Play

The Takeaway

~Coach Sarah

Improve Mental Health With Exercise by Coach Tony

Hey Famiglia,

The Benefits On Mental Health

Where Do I Start?

The Takeaway

Tips On A Healthier Breakfast by Coach Tony

Hey Familia,

3 Reasons Why a Pushup Should Be in Everyone’s Training Program

Not a Snacker? Why you should be!

15 Surprising Insider Secrets From Personal Trainers

1. Their job isn’t to get you major results in a super short period of time.

2. They struggle with workout motivation, too.

3. They’re probably going to ask about your diet.

4. But they won’t judge you for whatever you ate and drank last weekend (though they will hold you accountable).

5. When it comes to weight loss, losing about a pound a week is actually considered really good progress for most people.

6. Contrary to popular belief, they are not making you do stuff you hate just to torture you.

7. Most of the work they do for clients happens outside of training sessions.

8. And most of your results will come from what you do outside of your sessions.

9. Whether or not a trainer looks shredded has nothing to do with how skilled they are.

10. Not all trainers are all about that “go hard or go home” mentality.

11. And yelling at clients isn’t actually a go-to motivational tool.

3. Do workouts you actually like.

Read Article >>

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