Whether you’re already following a structured workout program or looking to get started at the gym for the first time, have you thought about how you’re going to fuel those workouts with food? We often focus on the workout itself, but don’t think about whether we will have maximum energy to execute the workout. The good news is that it’s not complicated. At Alliance Fitness Center, we call it “bookending your workouts with protein and carbohydrates.” The purpose for fueling up before your workout is to increase your performance and recovery. By eating protein and carbohydrates (via vegetables ..read more

Looking to tone up for the summer? Or, perhaps you are ready to ditch the sleeves and start building arms worth of replacing them. These goals revolve around muscle growth, or hypertrophy. Simply picking up a dumbbell and moving it from point A to B is not enough to achieve the muscle growth you seek. The exercises you choose and the way in which you do them has to challenge the muscles appropriately for them to respond and grow. To achieve optimal muscle growth you cannot lift too heavy and you cannot lift too light (well, light weight does work under certain circumstances). There is a sweet ..read more

Gyms are becoming popular more and more these days. You see all the marketing through social media, articles and the news on how strength training and working out can change your life for the better. Maybe your doctor even suggested you try it. So you want to make this change, you want to follow your doctor’s advice…but entering the gym for the first time can be nerve-wracking and even cause a lot of anxiety. This is super common! We’ve all felt that way in one way or another. But guess what? It won’t feel like that forever! Here are a few strategies to feel more comfortable and overcome that ..read more

So, what’s the deal with strength training? And should moms strength train? Personally, I’ve always been kind of a cardio queen, but recently I decided it would be a smart change of pace to start lifting and building up my lean muscle. After all, I want to be strong and confident in my abilities to do ALL THE Things at home and at the gym. We can all agree that strength training is a key component of overall health and fitness for EVERYONE! Especially for us moms. Strength training is essential for building lean muscle, but did you know that if you don’t continue to use those muscles you will ..read more

Summer is the season of crawling out of the darkness of winter and enjoying the sunshine! And it generally involves shorts, tank tops, bathing suits, and wishing you had started making changes before the temperature hit 70 degrees. I get it and I feel your frustration. I’ve had those same feelings of wishing I had done more, questioning why I couldn’t find the time to go for (bundled up) walks, lift weights, or prep some better-choice foods/meals. That answer might be because you have a family that keeps you busy, or because you don’t like the cold, or because of seasonal depression, or becaus ..read more

Active strength training or stress exposure can enhance or overdo a tissue, it depends on the dose. And the appropriate dose will vary depending upon the tissue, joint position, volume, etc. For example, if I want a tissue to get better at producing force, it has to be in a position to do so. Think about an elbow bent at 90 degrees. The elbow can easily work in both ways. Now, hyperextend that elbow and ask it to work. It becomes more difficult/impossible depending upon the leverage the muscles have to do work. I can still load that hyperextending elbow (that can’t actively do work) and it/th ..read more

When it comes to fitness, working out in a group setting can boost motivation and get you excited to exercise! Are you ready to take the challenge? Alliance has plenty of options to keep you in shape while perfecting your form & of course, having tons of FUN! So, let’s chat about group fitness classes! My favorite class is Strong… why do you ask? Well, because it makes me feel strong! I am proud to say I can stack my arms with groceries and unload in only 2 trips from the car (lots of groceries, a family of 5!), many thanks to lifting the heavy weights at the gym! And the added benefits su ..read more

If you are someone that exercises regularly, then you know how important it is to keep up with your workouts to maintain the strength and progress you have made. What is equally important, if not more important, is maintaining your joint health and joint range of motion. Our bodies are in a constant state of “use it or lose it” which applies to our mobility in addition to our strength in order to assist injury prevention. Every joint in our body can move in various positions. The only way to maintain mobility in our joints is by taking the time to move our body through those positions daily/we ..read more

You are more likely to die of something heart-related than you are strength or flexibility-related. Coronary heart disease is killing a quarter of us and that’s a problem. (1) Cardio falls into two general categories: Long, slow at medium intensity Short, fast at high intensity What’s the difference and what should you be doing? Let’s discuss… Your body’s arteries are like highways. They can be wide, 6-lane highways that accommodate many cars at a time (eccentric hypertrophy) or they can resemble narrower 2-lane highways where cars would have to drive faster in order to transport the same n ..read more

Healthy Weight Week (January 17th-23rd) serves as an annual observance to kick off healthy eating habits as a way of life instead of dieting to lose weight. One week is rarely enough time to establish any permanent changes but it is a great launching point to start a new journey of better choices. The best way to start a healthy habit is to determine a potential change that excites you. When you think of a stereotypical checklist of healthy living, what comes to mind? You probably think of things like eating more fruits and veggies, working out, drinking more water, etc. Which healthy action p ..read more