Salon & Spa Grand Opening!!!

Grand Re-Opening on July 12, 2010 4pm-7pm
Cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, raffles, discounts, and special offers!
Check out our newly renovated Salon & Spa,
introducing the most current trends in salon & spa services!

908 Riverside Dr, 3rd Floor
Palmetto, FL, 34221
941-729-6900

3 Month Summer Special!

Happy Mother's Day!

The Perfect Gift For Mom.

AGE Smart Treatment Facial $70 (reg. $80)
Treatment designed to help, firm, smooth, nourish, regenerate and energize while controlling the biochemical triggers that lead to skin aging.

Rose Petal Massage $80 (reg $85)
A tranquil Swedish massage, using essential rose oils and rose petals.

Mother's Day Package $199 (reg. $246)
AGE Smart Facial - Rose Petal Massage - Manicure & Pedicure
Shampoo & Blow Dry - Lunch

Call Today and Give the Gift of Love to Mom.

941-729-6900

Hip and Knee Injury Prevention and Exercise

By Paul Boisvert NSPA Certified Conditioning Specialist

Understanding the relationship between the hip and knee joints will have a positive impact on your workouts and other regular activities. From my own observations as a personal trainer and a group fitness instructor, it is safe to say that the majority of us are not aware of the intended role for the hips and knees when it comes to basic movements of the body. Most neglect the use of the hip and over use the knees. The result is a very tight, weak hip structure prone to such issues as low back pain or sciatica. The knee joints also break down from overuse and improper weight distribution.

FREE Hip and Knee Injury Prevention and Exercise seminar

on Tuesday,May 18th at 10AM

Is designed to help you come to a better understanding of how to prevent or work around these problems for a better quality of life. As for effective workouts, the muscle groups involved with the hips and knees are large, powerful, and burn excessive amounts of calories when trained properly. Through demonstrations, I will show you how to apply these muscles for safe and effective strength and aerobic training.

Exercise is an investment of your time. Let me help you make the most of it.

You have nothing to lose except pain, fat, and calories.

Please contact me with questions or comments.

Paul Boisvert

(941) 729-6900/paul@electrahealthclub.com

Spa Month for Young Adults

Spa Month for Young Adults, at Electra Health Club and Spa.

We got you covered with prom and graduation just around the corner, for the month of April and May!!

Dermalogica “Clean Start” Facial (for young adults)
Be blemish free and give your skin more clarity!!

$60

“Prom Package”
Updo, Pedicure, Manicure, Make-up

$115

“Graduation Package”
Shampoo/ Style, Manicure, Pedicure, Make up

$95

Add on a “mini Facial” for $15. Also get 15% off all Clean start products.


Call today to reserve your appointment!

941-729-6900

Offer expires May 31, 2010

Footwear and Fitness: Do you have the right match?

By Paul Boisvert

NSPA Certified Conditioning Specialist/Group Instructor

A few years back (I won’t say how many) I helped manage the footwear department for a major sporting goods chain at the start of its expansion outside of its home state. Different reps from all the major brand names i.e., Reebok, Nike, New Balance, Wolverine, etc. would hold an occasional clinic on the use of their products. From hunting boots to basketball shoes, the theme remained the same from one brand rep to the next. Footwear should be used for the activity that it was designed for. While some differences in footwear may be obvious, there are others that are more subtle. I’ve noticed that running shoes are the most abundant sneaker at most footwear stores. Many people will purchase a pair of runners with no intention of running in them. Because of the wide selection, it’s easier to find runners that fit the style that you are in the market for. However, most running shoes are not a good fit for some of the lateral (side to side) movements performed in step classes, boot camp classes, and kickboxing classes. Their soles do not offer the lateral traction that training footwear have. This is important when it comes to performing side to side movements with agility especially as the momentum increases. More control means that there is less risk of injury. Runners and walking shoes generally only offer heel/toe traction for their specific use. In fact, the design of entire shoe is mainly focused on the heel/toe movement. A training shoe, on the other hand, will provide support for heel/toe and lateral movements.

The tricky part is to make sure that you are purchasing a training shoe. The best way to get around this would be to look on the internet for training shoes and make note of their model number. Stores don’t always label these sneakers as trainers.

If you have given up on activity because it did not feel right, you may want to take another look at your sneakers. They could be the culprit. Don’t throw them out. Keep them for that 5K that you’ve been putting off.

Speaking of Women's Health ® Event

You are invited to the Eight Annual Speaking of Women's Health ®

This event will take place on Saturday February 13, 2010 from 8:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. at the Manatee Convention Center in Palmetto, FL.

Speaking of Women's Health is much more than the "typical health fair". It is designed to pamper, empower and educate the attendees to make wise decisions about their health and well-being.

The event includes:
•20Health & Well-Being Breakout Sessions
•Formal Luncheon catered by Michael's on East
•Free Health Screenings
•Interactive Exhibit Area
•Gift Bags

Besides being Manatee/Sarasota’s premiere women’s health event, Speaking of Women’s Health is a fundraiser for the Manatee Memorial Hospital Foundation, a non-profit that offers nursing and medical scholarships.

At the event both Electra Health Club & Spa and The Blend Institute for Age Management and Wellness will be featured as guest speakers
.
First off, Timothy Blend, MD, FAARM will be conducting two seminars.

Title: Bioidentical Hormones: What Every Woman (and Man) Needs to Know

Description: Bioidentical hormone therapy has been available for many years, and has recently been popularized by the likes of Oprah, Suzanne Sommers, and Dr. Mehmet Oz. Yet many women still are not getting the correct information they need to enable them to make informed decisions concerning their health. Learn how natural bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) can help you maintain good health, feel great and help prevent disease at any age.

Title: Anti-Aging Medicine: Beyond Botox, The Real Anti-Aging Secrets

Description: Age management which is the preferred term, deals with maintaining an optimal metabolism, through the use of readily available testing techniques, and utilizing what we now know through recent advances in medicine to help all of us maintain a productive HEALTHSPAN. Besides preventing and treating disease we want to optimize the way you live and feel. Patients enjoy superior healthcare, a higher quality of life with increased physical and sexual energy while preventing or delaying the onset of age related disease.

Also fitness expert, Eduardo Lorenzo, NASM-CPT, will be talking about the benefits of fitness for today’s women.

Title: Women's Fitness: Looking & Feeling Good at any Age

Description: When it comes to your body, knowledge is power. Understand how exercise can help you stay healthy and look your best at any age. Learn proper techniques that you can do no matter how busy you are, and notice how these improve your posture, build better balance, boost your energy and sculpt a lean and sexy body.

For more information on the event please visit: http://www.speakingofwomenshealth.com/Events/florida_feb.pdf

We look forward to seeing you there.

Child Watch Hours Update

We would like to announce the new change on the Child Watch Hours service.

Effective Monday January 25, 2010:

Monday through Thursday:

• 8am till 11am
• 4:15pm till 7:45pm

Friday and Saturday

• 8am till 11am

Sunday there is no Child Watch Service.

We welcome the opportunity to better serve you, our members. If you have any questions please call us at 941-729-6900 or ask at the Front Desk.

The Blend Institute for Age Management and Wellness

Electra Health Club & Spa is proud to announce the arrival of Tim Blend,MD and Kim Blend, ARNP. They have moved their medical practice to our facilities here at Electra Health Club & Spa.

Dr. Blend and his staff at "The Blend Institute for Age Management and Wellness" believe the primary goal for health care should be the optimization of health and the prevention of disease rather than waiting until treatment is required. This preventive medical approach will continue to help all of us put an end to the aging effects caused by stress, toxins and poor nutrition.

The experienced Team at "The Institute", offer state of the art clinical services in the following categories:

• Women's and Men's Health through Natural Hormonal Balancing


• Anxiety, Depression and Insomnia testing and balancing


• Physical Therapy


• Weight Loss, Medical Aesthetics


• IV Therapy and Chelation


• Functional Internal Medicine


• And along with Electra Health Club & Spa, Personal Fitness and Nutrition.
  

At Electra, we are very excited about this opportunity. And as you can see this goes hand in hand with the vision we share. Our commitment is to help improve the overall quality lifestyle of our members, by creating love for health and fitness. This is just another step in the right direction.

Soon you will see the start of the initial phase of their practice at our facilities. The "Institute" will be fully operational by the end of February 2010.

IT Difficulties... Sorry!

Hi everyone just wanted to let you know we had some IT issues with some of our e-mails and our blog account.

That is the reason we haven't been able to post more frequently since December. Thankfully things have been fixed and everything is going well.

Besides that at Electra we are having fun and enjoying the start of the new year. So many new faces and some folks who come for the season, or have been away for a while from the gym are back!!!

We are glad to have you at our facilities and we promise to keep working hard to provide you with the best service.

Thank you!

Protect Yourself Against The Flu

The flu season is here and with the arrival of the H1N1 influenza, its wise to take some extra precautions for you and those around you in order to ensure that you stay healthy.

There is so much that could be said about the flu and the H1N1 but you've probably already read or heard about it through the media. If you are concerned about the symptoms or need more information, I encourage you to go to the CDC website or to WebMD.com There is a recent blog at their website "2009 H1N1 Influenza Vaccine Safety"... make sure to check it out.

From my personal stand point, I have never taken a flu shot and I don't know if I ever will. By taking the flu shot I can either feel better or get worse... you know there are side effects, as many people report they don't react well afterwards.

Most people that actually get the flu shot every year just do so as a preventive measure. I guess that's OK, after all it's a personal decision. But there is no guarantee that they will work.

However when it comes to staying healthy, what we put in our bodies truly makes a difference and can affect our daily actions. And while we can't avoid every germ we can prepare our body to fight the cold and flu viruses. So proper eating and a healthy lifestyle may help to fight the germs and boost your immune system.

Sometimes the combination of proper eating, supplementing, exercise and rest goes a long way in helping you to stay healthy.

There are a few things you can do to improve your chances of staying healthy:

1. WASH YOUR HANDS!!!!
2. WASH YOUR HANDS!!!! Yup its that important. Washing your hands is still the best thing you can do everywhere you go, especially if you are at the gym. This is a place where people sweat, sneeze, rub their eyes and this easily makes it a scenario to spread germs. At most gyms, like at Electra Health Club & Spa, there are hand based alcohol-based hand cleaners and cream.
3. If at the gym, wipe all the equipment before and after using it with a disinfecting or sanitizing wipe. It is important to do so in order to help stop the spread the germs.
4. If you are sick... stay home!
   
5. Eating healthy foods enriched with vitamins and minerals will keep your immune system up.
   
6. Load up on vitamin C, D and Zinc.
   
7. Get plenty of rest. Lack of sleep can weaken your body defense system to fight germs.
8. Drink water!!!
   
9. Exercise if you are feeling well enough. If you have body aches along with the rest of your symptoms, get some rest or go to the doc. If you exercise outdoors like we do at Boot Camp wear appropiate attire especially during cold weather or for when it rains.
   

This is by no means a miracle cure and it doesn't guarantees that you won't get sick. But it sure improves your chances of being healthy and staying fit.

Get fit - Stay fit!

Author: Eduardo Lorenzo, NASM-CPT specializes in sports performance, injury prevention, corrective exercises, physique enhancement, Boot Camp and weight loss programs.

CLEAN UP YOUR DIET

Have you ever heard of term “Clean Eating or Clean Diet”? If you have then you’ve come to realize that in essence it’s not actually a diet at all, just a way of eating… cleaner and better.

Let me explain what it means to eat clean. It means to eat foods, as best as possible, in its natural state. Instead of thinking about this or that diet, it comes down to developing a smart approach, a lifestyle change on how we look at food and what we end up eating; which in turns lead to a healthier, fitter, leaner, sexier YOU.

There a many diets out there that perhaps to an extent will help you lose weight for a short period of time. In essence because any time you modify you calorie intake or deprive yourself of eating like most of these encourage you to do, you will lose weight. The issue with this is that your body will quickly catch up to it and will adjust itself to the low calorie intake. Not to mention that when you do lose weight its actually essential lean muscle tissue your body is getting rid off while storing on fat. And add to it the lack of nutrients that will make your body unhealthy, weak and saggy…

So instead of depriving yourself or starving, when you eat clean you are being mindful and responsible with your body. It’s not something you “will try and see”. You commit and eat healthy. I am not saying you’ll become a vegetarian, I’m not… but the foods you eat should be low in fat (you can’t eliminate fat entirely from your nutrition as they are essential for your body, you need fat to absorb fat soluble vitamins and nutrients, they also provide energy, protects your organs and bones, etc.), also you’ll eat foods low in salt, sugar and additives.Sodas, candies, sweets, processed, refined foods, refined flour, sugar, trans fats, fried foods and even alcohol, becomes your enemy. HEY! Before you jump out of your chair and scream at me for putting alcohol on this list, just remember that sugar-alcohol is a toxic substance that your body has difficulty processing. If you can eliminate it completely, the better, if not then use moderation and as best as possible eliminate the bad and unhealthy foods that aren’t part of your clean diet.

I understand that on occasions, if you’re like me, you will eat pizza and cheesecake and maybe have a drink here and there. But eating clean most of the time will make you feel better, look better, food even taste better.

Eating foods such as fresh fruits and veggies, oatmeal, whole grains, poultry, fish, beef, milk, peanut butter (organic or as natural and low in sugar as possible), beans, olive oil, flaxseed oil, eggs, low fat yogurt, nuts and natural spices and herbs are all great choices for your meals.

So this is my challenge for you: try going the next four weeks eating nothing else but these foods, while doing exercise and cardio. Take some measurements of your weight and if possible your body fat percentage. And to keep you in check, you will track everything from your daily meals to your workouts. Nothing fancy, just a notebook or on your PC, if you go online there’s a web site called http://www.fitday.com/ that is free and easy to use to track your meals.

After four weeks or during this period get back to me and let me know your progress report, also if you have questions regarding this or what your workout program should look like in order to achieve maximum results during this time frame drop me a line and I’ll get back to you or post it online to help everyone else.

Author: Eduardo Lorenzo, NASM-CPT specializes in sports performance, injury prevention, corrective exercises, physique enhancement, Boot Camp and weight loss programs.

Stay On Track During The Holidays

by: Eduardo Lorenzo

Ok so the holidays are just around the corner (heck it’s already here!) and you need to keep your guard up if you plan to stay healthy and if your goal is to keep losing weight and getting fit.

Undeniably during these times you will eat more than often, and may I presume more of what you know you shouldn’t, but hey who can say no to family and friends…

So what you need is a plan to keep you at the very least on top of your game. There are many options to have healthy meals during the holidays, but I won’t get into meal recipes here. Tammy has already posted some great recipes we can all benefit from and I sure know she has something in store for the next couple of weeks.

So my goal today is to remind you of some simple things that if done right and consistently will help you avoid the pitfalls of holiday eating. This way when January comes up, you have no guilt feelings and instead of having: “lose weight” as your #1 goal… it could be stay fit, go extreme, do something new!

Things to keep in mind:

• Consume whole foods that are high in fiber and low in sugar such as lean protein (lean beef, chicken, fish, and whey protein), fruits & vegetables (oranges, apples, strawberries, blueberries, broccoli, peppers, asparagus, carrots, nuts (almonds, cashews, & walnuts), and whole grains.
• Eat low-glycemic carbohydrates such as vegetables, whole-wheat products and oatmeal instead of refined processed carbohydrates which usually come in a box or a bag.
• Eat some type of lean protein at each meal. Protein helps to satisfy hunger and provide the necessary building blocks to maintain lean body mass while losing body fat
• Don’t overeat. Don't eat anything your great grandmother wouldn't recognize as food. Eat meals. Cut out snacking, stick with structured meals.
• If you have gatherings during the week… plan ahead your meals for the rest of the week. This way at the very least you ensure that you will eat properly 75 to 80% of the time. Hey – something is something.
• Go easy on alcohol…. One or two drinks a party here and there won’t spoil your progress, but don’t over do it.
• EXERCISE!! You can lose weight by just following a nutrition plan on its own but very few succeed at it and it takes much longer than when you eat properly as well as exercise. I am not talking about just getting on a treadmill for 30 minutes every other day. Though you can lose weight this way, it is not the most efficient use of your time, nor is it maximizing the ability to burn calories. The most effective way to lose fat is by strength training or some type of interval training utilizing strength training and cardiovascular exercises. A properly designed program can burn more overall calories in 20 minutes than 20 minutes on a treadmill. Also, the X factor in all this is that you will burn more calories per minute hours after you finished strength training because of the EPOC effect (Excess post-exercise oxygen consumption). Static exercise on a treadmill doesn’t produce this X factor.
• Don’t forget your food journal. You will be amazed at what you consume and not even realize you did it until you right it down and reflect back on the day. Keeping a food log is critical to your success because if modifications need to be made you need something to be able to evaluate and analyze. If changes aren’t happening like you had hoped the answer can usually be found in the food and or exercise journal, plus it makes you more accountable of your actions.
  

There it is! Just remember to let yourself have some fun, balance is necessary in life. Enjoy!

I’ll post a few extra reminders and tips to help you stay on track and keep your waistline down during these next few weeks.

Let me know how it goes and if you have questions or issues. I’ll post my responses by e-mail and on this post.

Author: Eduardo Lorenzo, NASM-CPT specializes in sports performance, injury prevention, corrective exercises, physique enhancement, Boot Camp and weight loss programs.

RECIPE OF THE MONTH

RECIPE OF THE MONTH

Marsala Chicken
2 tsp olive oil
1 medium chopped onion
1 cup Marsala cooking wine
1 cup mushrooms
1 1/2lb chicken breast pounded to 1/4 inch thickness
1 tbsp cornstarch
3/4 cup fat free chicken broth
1 pinch salt
1 pinch ground pepper

Heat oil olive over medium heat in frying pan. Add onion, mushrooms stir for 5 minutes. Add in chicken and cook thoroughly, 5 minutes both sides.Pour Marsala wine over chicken cook 4 minutes or until wine is syrupy.Add cornstarch stir till dissolved and cook for 2 minutes until sauce is thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste.

(Bested Served with Garlic Mashed Potatoes)

Nutrition Facts:
Calories 187.2
Carbohydrates 5.6g
Fat 3.1g
Saturated Fat 0.6g
Unsaturated fat 2.5g
Protein 30.2g

If you would like to post a recipe, send it to Tammy@electrahealthclub.com. Thanks and enjoy.

It’s Time To Get Cross!!!!

by: Paul Boisvert - NSPA Certified Conditioning Specialist

Wednesday morning marks the start of Electra’s Cross Conditioning Class. The class is designed to take you to places that you would not go alone. Cross Conditioning constantly shifts from core training to aerobic training to weight training with 60 second intervals. This method raises the intensity level as it conditions your body for more overall strength and endurance. This will enhance your performance with all your workouts throughout the week. As I have said before, performance is what brings on the results. It’s not just a matter of showing up. Ideally the objective of each workout session is to set the stage for a stronger performance in the next workout. If you are not striving to take it up a notch with each workout, your fitness goals will remain a fantasy. The fact remains that your body adapts to the same workout pattern quickly so it is in your best interest to vary the way you train. A body that is well adapted to a fitness program does not reach its fat-burning potential. The Cross Conditioning class changes each week. Each class consists of continual transitions from one type of training to the next. Please check out our updated class schedule for Cross Conditioning and other changes.

When you attend:
Please bring a water bottle. A heart rate monitor is highly recommended but not mandatory.

Please use the following contact information regarding any questions or comments. paul@electrahealthclub.com (941) 729-6900

Five reasons to avoid too much sun exposure! Part 1

By: Lindsey MacDonald

Most men and women don’t attribute there skin conditions, and/or ageing skin to the sun. People feel that it is an unavoidable result of time. Well, on the contrary, 90-95 percent of our “unavoidable” skin conditions and ageing is most definitely caused by the sun. Here are a some results to prolonged exposure to the sun: Pre-cancerous cells (actinic keratosis) and cancerous cells (basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma), benign tumors, fine and coarse wrinkles, freckles, discolored areas of the skin, called hyper pigmentation, and Telangiectasias—the dilation of small blood vessels under the skin. There is an urgent need to consider the damage the sun has on skin. Here are my top five reasons for taking appropriate protective action.

Reason #5: Most skin ageing is caused by sun damage.

Only 10% is caused by time, when almost 80% is from prolonged sun exposure. The sun breaks down elastic tissue. The body has to work harder to replace this tissue, which is increasingly difficult as the body matures. Androgens naturally flow through our blood stream and go into the skin cells where they turn into Dihydrotestosterone, also known as DHT. DHT stops the production of elastin. Anti-Androgens help balance out our DHT level and keep the skin’s elasticity. As we age, the production of our anti-androgens decrease and our production of DHT increases. Therefore, if we are continually exposing our skin to the sun, we are continually destroying our elastin tissue, which will have a domino effect. Our skin will never have time to recover from its last “beating” and will start to appear rigid, and prematurely age. So for men or women who are trying to repair skin which has already been damaged, I recommend Dermalogica’s Age Smart line. This unique product line combines salicylic acid; Vitamin C and Vitamin A. These ingredients help exfoliate and promote a rapid cell turn over rate. Your skin will feel moisturized, and keep that soft glow of youth.

Reason #4: People who have Rosacea will experience more break-out activity.

Rosacea is a vassal motor instability, where the skin is most often characterized by inflamed blood vessels and a red undertone in the skin. (Telangiectasias is another term for dilated or inflamed blood vessels.) You may also experience dry patches at times, itchiness, and break-out’s similar to acne. Rosacea affects approximately 13 million Americans and ranges in the ages of 30-50 year olds. If a Rosacea client goes out into the sun they increase the risk of having a Rosacea break-out, which in turn could cause fine capillaries in the skin to burst. Most of my clients notice there skin is most under control when they are using there Dermalogica sensitive skin products daily, receiving a monthly facial maintenance and avoiding over-sun exposure.

Reason #3: Increases the chances of hyper pigmentation.

Hyper pigmentation is also a skin condition both men and women can have, but women seem to be the prime candidates because of hormones. Women, who have been pregnant, are pregnant, are on birth control, going through menopause or are advent sun worshipers probably have or may experience some degree of hyper pigmentation. It is identified as darker/brown areas on the skin. These areas can be anywhere on the skin, and can even cover most of the surface area. Those who have hyper pigmentation should not have frequent sun exposure, because the sun increases the hyper pigmentation on the skin.

At Electra we carry the Dermalogica skin care line which has the most supreme products for hyper pigmentation, or any pigmentation problem; it is the ChromaWhite Trx. This line of products will have everything from the right cleanser to the right spot treatment for your problem areas.

Stay tuned and read Part 2 for the Top Two Reasons to Stay out of the Sun!

Work Cited for Part One and Two: Statistics done by the Country for Rosacea. August 14, 2009. <http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com>.
Web MD Medical Reference. Cosmetic Procedures: Sun Exposure and Skin Cancer. August 13, 2009. <http://www.medicinenet.com>.
Peter T. Purgliese. M.D Chapter 11 Elastin: The youth protein. August 14, 2009. http://www.ethocyninfo.com>.

Bigger IS Better for Losing Body Fat

by: Paul Boisvert - NSPA Certified Conditioning Specialist

There is a common misconception about how to go about reducing body fat with exercise. Some people will obsessively focus on the areas of their bodies that are flabby or loose. Most people are very conscious of their abdominal area. Women tend to dwell on their thighs, hips, and upper arms. Some men are concerned about areas beyond the abdominals especially the chest area. It only stands to reason that the course of action would be to attack the muscles located in these areas, right?

With this line of thought we could say that side bends will melt away those love handles. Abdominal muscle training alone will give us a shredded mid section. Dumbbell kickbacks will firm up the back of our upper arms. Finally, the list would not be complete without those ever -popular inner/outer thigh exercises. While these exercises do contribute to an effective workout, they should not be the main areas of focus.

So what's a quicker, more effective way to a leaner body?

It should be obvious that nutrition is a giant factor. The concept is easy to understand although it often proves difficult to act on without result oriented coaching.

Aerobic or cardiovascular training is also necessary. It is usually not a hard sell. Most people understand the positive effects of regular aerobic exercise.

The science of cardiovascular training is also fairly easy to comprehend. Yet like nutrition, professional guidance may be needed to stay consistent.

That leaves strength/core training and stretching. The large muscle groups would be the main areas of focus as you start on your journey toward a shredded, cut, and ripped physique. (It might be easier to invest in some cutlery). Moving these large muscles through their full ROM (refer to my last blog) will promote more flexibility and a complete strengthening of the muscle body. When we train large muscles, several other muscles are used to assist with the movement and stabilization of the body. The large muscle groups include the upper back, chest, thigh, and gluteal muscles.

Our smaller muscles are usually located at the fat storage areas (oblique muscles, triceps, inner/outer thigh, etc.) They do not require as much assistance to move. Therefore, they do not need to expend as many calories as the larger muscles.

Large muscle training also lends to a more potent recovery as several fuel-burning chemical processes fortify our muscles in anticipation of the next challenging workout.

Effective training is not usually learned without interaction. Someone should be there to steer your mind through the workout and give you feedback on your technique. DVD's, Magazines, and other media fail to do this.

Performance is everything when it comes to results.

I am open to questions and comments so please feel free to contact me.

Email: paul@electrahealthclub.com Phone: (941) 729-6900

Back To Basics

by: Paul Boisvert - NSPA Certified Conditioning Specialist

There comes a time in everyone’s workout program where the workout routine starts to feel stale. The exercises that initially challenged us no longer seem to be as potent as they once were. The cure for this could be as simple as revisiting the techniques that you learned at the start of your fitness experience.

Effective workouts rely heavily on basic skills. If you want results, just going through the motions will not cut it. The basics need to be applied with every repetition. I have seen barbell bicep curls that look like a poor attempt at an overhead barbell toss. I have witnessed some lifters do a fine job with their impression of a folding chair while attempting squats. There are some things I can’t see because of the intense speed at which the exercise is being performed. Unfortunately these common occurrences are more likely to get you into rehab before they transform you into a physical specimen.

The other side of the spectrum is occupied by fitness enthusiasts who don’t challenge themselves enough simply because they try to avoid the work part of the workout or they are not sure of their limits. There’s always that fear of turning into a muscular freak of nature too. That keeps me up at night.

There are a lot of factors that will contribute to fine tuning your basic skills.

Learning how to have your targeted muscle lead the movement is big. For example, you don’t want to tax your biceps with an exercise meant for the upper back.

Become more conscious of your muscular range of motion (ROM). When we go beyond a muscle’s ROM, we risk injury by overtaxing other areas of our body. A muscle must also be worked through its entire ROM. Otherwise it will become tight and injury prone. These considerations are especially important when it comes to the muscles that involve the hip and shoulder joints.

Practice proper body alignment while training. Most of us are out of line when it comes to our bodies. By maintaining proper alignment throughout your workouts, you’ll create a stronger support system throughout your body.

These are just three of the things I look out for when training my clients or instructing a class. There will always be exceptions to these rules depending on the circumstances. That’s what makes professional guidance so beneficial.

For a free consultation, please contact me at paul@electrahealthclub.com or attend my Power Play class on Wednesday evening at 5:30 and Saturdays mornings at 8:00.

Stay Healthy!!!!!!

This Month Food Recipe

Hey everyone is Tammy once again with the recipe of the month.

This month recipe: MANGO SALAD AND GRILLED SHRIMP

Serve with baked tortilla chips - Make 4 Servings:

MANGO SALAD
2 table spoons dark brown sugar packed
2 table spoons fresh lime juice
1 fresh red hot chile, sliced thin, including seeds (4 inches long)
2 tablespoons fresh chopped mint
1 medium shallot, sliced thin
1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro
2 mango's firm-ripe, thinly sliced

Make mango salad: Whisk together lime juice and brown sugar in large bowl until sugar dissolves, whisk in shallot, red chile, mint and cilantro. Add mangoes, toss gently.

SHRIMP
16 Jumbo shrimp, shelled, leave tail on and devein (1 1/4 lb)
1 medium jalapeno pepper fresh, minced and include seeds
1 tablespoon oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cumin

Prepare shrimp: begin by inserting thick end of shrimp onto water soaked wooden skewer lengthwise, and put on tray.

Prepare the grill: Whisk together jalapeno, salt, oil and cumin, then brush on skewered shrimp. Grill shrimp, turning occasionally, you want the shrimp cooked through until lightly charred about 4 minutes.

Toss mango salad and divide onto 4 plates. Arrange grilled shrimp (4) on top of each salad and garnish with lime wedges.

Per Serving: 284 Calories, 1g Saturated Fat, 6g Fat, 27g Carbohydrates, 30g Protein, 3g Dietary Fiber

Hope you enjoy the recipe of the month, please e-mail me with your comments to our blogs. Keep working hard and thanks.

Tammy Bryant, ISSA, Fitness Specialist

Ladies Get in Shape this Fall

by: Eduardo Lorenzo

You’ve probably been thinking all summer long you need more time in order for you to get your sexy back. I know with the entire summer craze and being a busy mom, it’s tough to get your workouts in during the summer with all those summer activities kids have these days like travel, sports, SAT classes, and anything else that comes up.

News flash: summer is gone, fall is here! This opens the opportunity to focus on yourself (since you have the extra time) no excuses ladies! Now is your time to get your sexy back and be in the best shape of your life… YESS! Before the holidays!!!

Your question might be where do I start? You are not alone, however depending on your fitness level and health status you might be a mere 8 to 12 away from your ideal body!!! Your program should be focused on intensity and progressive overload (meaning challenging the weight or speed at which you complete each workout).

A sample workout could be a 3 to 4 a day’s of 30 to 50 minutes of resistance training, core training and Plyometrics. You should also add a 3 to 5 days of high-intensity interval training cardio, depending on your conditioning. Focus on the exercises that challenges your body and speeds the fat loss process such as squats, lunges, deadlift, chest press on a stability ball, rows for your back and proper core training; which means challenge your body with more than just crunches, such as planks, hip extensions, bridges on a stability ball, etc.

Your high-intensity interval training cardio should be performed in series of 20 minutes workouts twice a week.

1. Start by performing sprints at an Intensity Level of 7-8 on The Perceived Exertion Scale of 1-10 (10 being maximum effort), for about 1 minutes.
2. Rest for about 1:00 minute or till your heart rate is down to your normal rate (usually you are able to perceive this is if you can carry out a conversation without hyperventilating).
3. Start again sprinting for 1 more minute and continue this trend till you finish your 20 minutes cardio workout.

Also you may want to perform a twice a week cardio routine at a steady pace or fat burning zone (low to moderate intensity Level of 5 on The Perceived Exertion Scale of 1-10 (10 being maximum effort) for about 40 to 60 minutes.

One way to ensure you are getting the best of your workouts is by joining the Boot Camp program. As you may know we have several times in the day you can do this and work around your schedule. Boot Camp will make you burn calories like crazy, plus I usually add a nutritional component to this and just recently we have added the Natural Detox program. There is no way this plan won’t work for you. We are hitting it aggressively to help you get in your best shape fast. If you’re interested keep in mind we have Ladies Boot Camp Tuesday and Thursday at 9:30AM and Afternoon Boot Camp 6:45PM at Rossi Park (just across the Green Bridge).

I realize this is not the only way to get in shape, but it sure is a great start on journey to a new you this fall. Keep in mind you have about 4 months left this year and 3 before the holidays…

I have a plan to get you in shape and ready for January.

Author: Eduardo Lorenzo, NASM-CPT specializes in sports performance, injury prevention, corrective exercises, physique enhancement, Boot Camp and weight loss programs.