BlackDoctor.org talked with two certified personal trainers to get their perspective on getting fit on a budget. Throw out those “it’s too expensive” excuses and let’s get fit.
READ: Blast Belly Fat!
Jeff Warley is a certified personal trainer in New York City and the founder of 50Grand Health and Fitness. The company has issued a fitness challenge to those approaching the age of 50. Jeff provides our men readers with some awesome tools to get fit without making the gym rich.
JW: Many men think that in order to get in shape and build muscle, they need to purchase expensive equipment. The fact is that the most valuable piece of equipment can’t be found in any infomercial; men take it everywhere and best of all, it’s free to use.
For men, their own body can be the tool that helps them get in shape, and ultimately attain the body they want. Their first go-to where fitness is concerned is weight training, with dumbbells and barbells. These are great for building strength, but I submit that if men cannot move effectively, lift and control their own body weight, they are not getting truly fit.
For me, an African American male approaching age 50, being truly fit is important. It means controlling my fat mass, building lean muscle, and maintaining stamina and a healthy diet.
JW: Body weight exercises such as push-ups, sit-ups, mountain climbers, and burpees (also referred to as squat thrusts) can be the most effective exercises for weight loss, hypertrophy (muscle growth), and stamina building. Since building lean muscle is the best way to burn calories and fat, these exercises are key.
EPOC is the acronym for Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption. What it means is: Sustained bouts of physical activity, especially those mentioned here, boosts the body’s metabolism in such a way that men continue to burn fat for as much as two hours afterwards.
READ: Cross Fit At Home! 3 Moves For Strong Arms & Legs [VIDEO]
JW: I always recommend that my clients engage in exercises that build up their stamina and build muscle. Exercises that combine resistance (such as squats), plyometrics and cardio (such as jumping jacks), are very important to the muscle building process and maintaining a good fat-to-muscle ratio.
Combo exercises like jump squats or burpees combine these three elements into one power-packed exercise.
Want to build those triceps? Grab a chair and do body dips. Better yet, do push-ups, and work the chest AND triceps. Men can do
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