Lee Wratislaw loves to travel. But unlike most vacationers, you won’t find him just lounging in the shade with his feet up. Travel can be demanding, and it’s important to stay in shape so you can enjoy it. Lee makes time to break a sweat while he explores a new destination — and shares how you can customize your fitness plan to be sure you stay in shape while on vacation. “Just because I’m traveling doesn’t mean I stop working out or eating healthy,” says Wratislaw, a GOLD’S AMP™ coach. “I set aside time like I would at home doing my regular routine. You can use GOLD’S AMP™ anywhere without ..read more

You’ve probably used weight plates in your workout before — but not like this. Typically, they’re attached to a barbell or dumbbell to adjust resistance. But weight plates can be used for so much more — even as a free weight. Here’s why a weight plate workout is worth a try: It helps with grip training. Unlike when you hold a barbell, which requires you to roll your wrists slightly to make your hands grip a straight line, holding a weight plate puts your hands in a more natural position. That position, combined with the fact that you’re using your fingers more to hold the weight, can help buil ..read more

Compression sleeves, leggings and knee-high socks are standard accessories for many pro athletes. Most players in professional sports wear some kind of compression clothing. The thinking is that this clothing helps with circulation, support and muscle recovery. But does it actually work? Before you decide whether compression clothing is right for you, it helps to know the history and the science. Start at the bottom Compression clothing began at the feet. Compression socks were created in the 1940s by inventor Conrad Jobst, who used elastic fabric — another new invention — to relieve pain caus ..read more

You’ve probably heard of intermittent fasting. Celebrities like Jennifer Lopez and Beyoncé have talked about it on Instagram. Hugh Jackman used it to get shredded to play Wolverine. It’s a whole different approach to dieting. There are so many different diets today — paleo, keto, Mediterranean, raw vegan — but they all focus on what to eat. Intermittent fasting is different because it focuses on when to eat. That’s also why intermittent fasting, or IF, is also called a time-restricted diet, with one form called an “eight-hour diet.” The basic idea behind IF is that you put your body into a fas ..read more

Heat up your summer fitness routine by adding resistance bands into the mix. Resistance bands can take everyday bodyweight movements and kick them up a notch. Jackie Vick, a Gold’s Gym fitness expert and GOLD’S AMP™ coach, created this eight-move Resistance Band Full-Body Burner Workout that you can do anywhere! Resistance Band Full-Body Workout: You will be performing all the movements with a looped resistance band. Lateral Side Steps Kneeling Rows Glute Kick-backs Bicep Curls Fire Hydrants (abduction) Alternating Isometric External Rotation Glute Bridges Bicycle Crunches Lateral Side Steps ..read more

Gold’s Gym has chosen 30 national winners of the Gold’s Gym Challenge, its signature 12-week body transformation challenge offered exclusively to Gold’s Gym members. $100,000 in cash prizes has been awarded to the Gold’s Gym Challenge winners for their incredible and inspiring results.Starting in January, thousands of participants from across the country competed in five age categories ranging from 18 to 60+ as part of their Gold’s Gym Challenge journeys. Over the course of 12 weeks, participants worked to make a change in their lives, improving their physical fitness and overall health while ..read more

The 2019 Gold’s Gym Challenge National Winners (Top 15 Per Category) are: 2019 OVERALL CHALLENGE WINNERS: Christine B.,  Dutchess County (50-59) Kwabena M., Walker Springs (40-49) 2019 NATIONAL FEMALE WINNERS: Top 15 Per Age Category Age Category 18-29 1st Place –  Alexandra D.,  SoCal 2nd Place –  Mary Beth L.; Gwinnett 3rd Place – Christine A.;  Lockhill Village 4th Place – Mackenzie F.; Clarendon 5th Place –Shonessi L.; Largo 6th Place – Rebecca C.; Tezel 7th Place – Sara D.; Hwy K (O’Fallon) 8th Place – Kelsey B.; Victoria 9th Place – Bejaze H.; Walzem 10th Place – Alyssa G.; H ..read more

Buddy workouts can help you exercise more often, give you additional motivation to do that extra rep and provide you with more support when you need it. Grab a gym buddy and try this workout. Each move incorporates a high-five, which is what you’ll deserve for pushing each other. The High-Five Workout High-five shuffle Squat jump with a high-five High-five twist Plank, push-up with a high-five High-five sit-ups High-five shuffle Facing your gym buddy, begin doing a high shuffle to the side by taking a big lateral step and follow with your back foot moving to the side. As you both lateral shuff ..read more

When childhood sweethearts and Gold’s Gym members CJ Finley and Erin Kinnevy reconnected as adults, they realized right away that they still enjoy the active lifestyles they shared growing up in the Northeast — she as a competitive dancer turned marathoner, he as an athlete turned fitness competitor. Unfortunately, they also share similar challenges. CJ lives with Celiac disease and is beginning to show signs of Crohn’s disease, a chronic inflammatory bowel disorder that runs in his family. Erin struggles with food allergies that at one point caused her weight to fall dangerously low. The sudd ..read more

They live 1,000 miles apart, but that doesn’t stop Tory Hale in Dallas and Taylor Witty in Greensboro, North Carolina, from keeping each other on track to reach their fitness goals. Taylor, the national development manager for Gold’s Gym fitness programs, met Tory, Gold’s Gym director of fitness operations, a few years ago while becoming certified to teach GOLD’S FIT®. It didn’t take long for the pair to know that they would be close — in fact, their friendship started with their shared competitive spirit. “Tory led the certifications and shared his workouts and his numbers,” Witty says. “I lo ..read more