So I was reading through some blogs today and came across an article bashing gym goers. This particular blogger goes on to talk about how people only go to gyms for socializing and how most are out of shape and not getting results.

I will actually agree that most of the people are out of shape and rarely do they achieve the desired results that they are looking for. This is not due to the fact the actual process of working out in a gym does not work though. This is a direct result of the lack of education and or motivation of the individual. You will NOT get in shape by simply showing up at a gym or getting a membership.

The truth is that most people will fail without applying the proper components of fitness which include:

1. Proper Nutrition
2. Cardiovascular
3. Strength Traininig
4. Proper Supplementation
5. Professional Assistance

Most people will have a difficult time achieving there desired results without applying these components. They will also not likely achieve this without working out in some kind of facility that can provide you with the proper equipment for strength training and cardiovascular exercise.

Some may argue that they can achieve this at home with equipment. Although it is possible if you had thousands of dollars in equipment, it’s not likely that you will stick to it at home. There are way too many distractions in your home for you to really get a good workout in. Home workouts are great and I use them myself, but they are best for supplementing your routine to help maximize your time. If you really want to achieve your goals, then a structured environment with professional help is going to be your best bet.

You can get some results from working out at home. The problem arises when you plateau and everyone will. There is only so much that you can do at home with limited education and equipment. If you are lucky enough to have a background in fitness and can keep yourself motivated, that’s great! You are well on your way.

I will leave you with this. It’s great that people voice there opinions, I’m all for it. But don’t be discouraged by others who have there own personal beliefs about things. Unless you have the proper education and equipment, then I would recommend getting some professional assistance at a gym, training studio or rec center. Talk with a professional, educate yourself and achieve your goals!

There are all different types of fitness facilities out there. Find one that fits your needs and that you feel comfortable in. Not every gym is full of muscle heads, social bees and other intimidating people.

Here are a few tips to help you feel better in the gym.

1. Remember that you are there for yourself. Who cares what other people are doing.
2. Listen to music. People won’t usually bother you when you have headphones in.
3. Don’t make eye contact. If you avoid eye contact, most people will never talk to you.
4. Stay focused on the goal of why you are there.
5. Get in and get out! It’s a myth that you need to spend hours in the gym to get fit. 20-30 minutes of intense strength training is more than enough. Alternate your strength training and cardio days, then do the rest of your cardio outside walking, running, biking or hiking.
6. Get a few sessions with a professional trainer to learn the best way to maximize your time and efforts while there.

I found a great product. It’s called perfect pushups. I know, it Kinda sounds like a bra commercial, but I assure you it’s not. It is safe to watch the video, I promise…..

You can check it out a perfectpushup.com. I am not an affiliate. I bought them a few months back and absolutely love them.

People always forget about body weight movements. This is a great home exercise tool for a reasonable price that you can use at home or one the road if you are traveling.

If there is a Walgreens near you I would buy them there. They are $10 cheaper than online.

They even come with a cool little exercise chart with demonstrations and a routine for beginners to advanced.

Pilates Routine From Ford Models. These are great instructional videos for workouts that can be done at home such as pilates and yoga

Joggers have it made. Not only do they tend to weigh less, be nonsmokers, have fewer chronic health problems and enjoy better overall health than their non-jogging peers, they have stronger bones as well.

These are the findings of a recent study of 4,254 black, Mexican-American and white males that took part in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Those who reported jogging at least once per month (about 900 men) had higher bone density than their sedentary counterparts. And those who jogged nine or more times per month had the greatest bone density.

In this case, more may not necessarily be better, as those who reported jogging 20 or more times per month had about the same bone density as less frequent joggers.

In a recent study, British researchers confirmed that some exercise is better than nothing.

Researchers found that for sedentary people, even a few minutes of daily stair climbing - a vigorous but easily accessible form of exercise - can improve cardiovascular health.

Previous studies have shown that accumulating short bouts of exercise can make a difference; this one shows just how short those bouts can be.

Twenty-two sedentary college-aged women walked up 199 steps - more than you’re likely to find at home, but doable in a high-rise - in 2.25 minutes, a “brisk but comfortable” pace which shot their heart rates up to 90 percent of their predicted maximum.

They progressed from one ascent per day during the first week to six ascents per day, for a total of 13.5 minutes over the course of a day, during the sixth and seventh weeks.

By the end of this modest exercise program, the women were measurably more fit: Heart rate, oxygen uptake and blood lactate levels during climbing were reduced, and their HDL (”good”) cholesterol levels had increased.