How to Bring Circuit Training into Your Exercise Routine

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By Binu Dhindsa @zumbawithbinu

This post is for informational purposes only. Always consult with your family doctor before beginning an exercise program.

 

bigstock-Crossfit-fitness-TRX-training--45824431For the last 3 weeks the headlines have been all about how to lose weight after the holidays, how to get back in shape! Some of you may have jumped right into the new years resolutions of working out again like millions others do at this time of year. It’s the time of new beginnings and new routines. So here we are, the beginning of February and I ask you, has the new gym routine stuck? For some of us, yes it has. We were able to get right back into the routine we had going on so well in the fall. For others, we tried a new gym membership and we did well for a few weeks but soon enough life got in the way once again.

 

 

Don’t fret, as I have a solution. As much as I love gyms and love what they offer, my number one recommendation for busy moms is to start something small you can do at home. Start with something easy, something short you can do every day or every other day.

 

 

I always go back to dancing – maybe it’s the Zumba instructor in me, or the South Asian woman in me – I just love the Bollywood world of dance and music. So put on your favourite YouTube video in the morning and dance away. It will be sure to get the blood pumping and improve your mood as well.

The best way to bring exercise back into your world or to start a new routine is to work your way to creating a new habit, as opposed to jumping full speed ahead into a gym routine.  Home workouts are the way to go for many of us. We work so hard to create habits for our children, now we just need to do the same for ourselves.  Think about the babies. 

binu dhindsa, zumba, masalamommas

Fitness Columnist

They feed at the same time, sleep at the same time, and bathe at the same time. This way they know what to expect and don’t fuss much at all. So we need to do the same with ourselves. We need to create those habits in our lives so our bodies expect it, crave it. Then there will be no excuse.

A lot of women I see are unsure of what to do at home for exercise. Do you put a DVD in, put on the Wii Fit, or do you just do your own thing? Any of the above will do if you are trying to create a new habit. Even consider purchasing a new piece of equipment to get you motivated.

 

My favourite at home workout these days is using my TRX (trxtraining.com). It’s a great piece of equipment that can go anywhere with you. It’s great whether you travel for work or are at home with the kids. It’s portable and so effective.

 

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The beauty of the TRX is that you use your own body weight yet you are able to increase the resistance and still keep perfect form. This will help to reduce injuries and make the workout more effective. The TRX is a strap that is suspended from the ceiling or a door.  You use it not only for balance, but to hold yourself in the right position. It allows you to isolate the particular muscle you are working on as well. So for example, if you are doing a squat, the TRX allows you to get nice and low in the squat, allowing your knees to stay in line with your ankles allowing the resistance to be focused right on your quadriceps which is where you want the squat to focus. Your knees are protected which is a common body part that is injured while doing squats. Many people allow their knees to fall too far forward past their toes, which puts pressure on the knees.

 

 

My other favourite move on the TRX is the pushup. Oh the pushup!!! So many of us hate pushups, but with a TRX you will love it. You can set the angle you want and use the TRX for suspension and resistance. Then as you get stronger you can decrease the angle of your body to make it more challenging.

 

 

Whether you have a TRX or not, here is my favourite home workout that can be done anywhere at anytime. You can run through the circuit once, twice or three times depending on the time you have available to you.

 

 

12 Squats

 

12 Pushups

 

12 Lunges per leg

 

12 Back Rows

 

 

End with a series of 10 crunches and a 30 second plank and repeat.

 

 

For more information about circuit training, contact me at binu@binu.ca or check out my website for circuit training classes using the TRX www.binu.ca

 

 

 

 


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