1. WHAT STRENGTH LOOKS LIKE This is David Simmons, fitness coordinator at the 92Y May Center for Health, Fitness & Sport, offering his impression of a flag for the camera. No big deal. Okay seriously, this photo has not been shopped. Performing flagpoles requires a ridiculous amount of total body strength so think twice about trying this stunt at home. However, David and the personal training team can help you develop your own version of ridiculous strength.

    WHAT STRENGTH LOOKS LIKE

    This is David Simmons, fitness coordinator at the 92Y May Center for Health, Fitness & Sport, offering his impression of a flag for the camera. No big deal.

    Okay seriously, this photo has not been shopped. Performing flagpoles requires a ridiculous amount of total body strength so think twice about trying this stunt at home. However, David and the personal training team can help you develop your own version of ridiculous strength.

  2. SHOULD YOU STRETCH BEFORE YOUR WORKOUT? Do you want to maximize your workout or game performance? Try a warm-up instead of a stretch. While many of us hold the idea of pre-workout stretching as a sacred truth, recent studies say stretching before your workout can not only inhibit your performance, but the practice may also be harmful. “Warming up does more to prepare your body for physical activity than stretching can. You want to increase your body’s’ temperature, loosen your muscles and lubricate your joints before the workout,” says Michael Hughes (pictured), a group exercise instructor at the 92Y May Center for Health, Fitness & Sport. “You don’t want to force your cold body into a deep stretch. That’s a good way to invite injury,” adds Hughes. Rose Tirado, a personal trainer at the 92Y May Center for Health, Fitness & Sport, also endorses warming-up over pre-workout stretching. Tirado says a warm-up can be performed with cardio exercise equipment such as a treadmill or elliptical trainer. “If my clients don’t have access to aerobic equipment, I tell them to perform dynamic stretching – movements that closely resemble the main activity to be performed,” says Tirado.

    SHOULD YOU STRETCH BEFORE YOUR WORKOUT?

    Do you want to maximize your workout or game performance? Try a warm-up instead of a stretch.

    While many of us hold the idea of pre-workout stretching as a sacred truth, recent studies say stretching before your workout can not only inhibit your performance, but the practice may also be harmful. “Warming up does more to prepare your body for physical activity than stretching can. You want to increase your body’s’ temperature, loosen your muscles and lubricate your joints before the workout,” says Michael Hughes (pictured), a group exercise instructor at the 92Y May Center for Health, Fitness & Sport. “You don’t want to force your cold body into a deep stretch. That’s a good way to invite injury,” adds Hughes.

    Rose Tirado, a personal trainer at the 92Y May Center for Health, Fitness & Sport, also endorses warming-up over pre-workout stretching. Tirado says a warm-up can be performed with cardio exercise equipment such as a treadmill or elliptical trainer. “If my clients don’t have access to aerobic equipment, I tell them to perform dynamic stretching – movements that closely resemble the main activity to be performed,” says Tirado.

  3. What’s the one exercise you can’t live without? We tossed that question to 92Y May Center personal trainer Jake Allyne and he demonstrated a movement he calls “Hi Definition.” Performing one Hi-Definition as shown in the chart above means you’ve completed a squat, a curl, a squat-thrust, 10 mountain climbers, a high lunge on each leg and a push-up while never allowing your two dumbbells to leave your hands. You just might have a legitimate shot at being fit for life if you did three sets of ten Hi-Defs three times a week. Jake’s got you covered if you can’t perform Hi-Defs right away. A photo album of prerequisite exercises can be found on the May Center’s Facebook page. While you’re there, take a look at the Abs by Jake series and get some ideas for putting higher definition on your six-pack.

    What’s the one exercise you can’t live without? We tossed that question to 92Y May Center personal trainer Jake Allyne and he demonstrated a movement he calls “Hi Definition.”

    Performing one Hi-Definition as shown in the chart above means you’ve completed a squat, a curl, a squat-thrust, 10 mountain climbers, a high lunge on each leg and a push-up while never allowing your two dumbbells to leave your hands. You just might have a legitimate shot at being fit for life if you did three sets of ten Hi-Defs three times a week.

    Jake’s got you covered if you can’t perform Hi-Defs right away. A photo album of prerequisite exercises can be found on the May Center’s Facebook page. While you’re there, take a look at the Abs by Jake series and get some ideas for putting higher definition on your six-pack.

  4. When 92Y May Center personal trainer Christian Hernani isn’t squatting nearly a quarter of a ton, he finds time to tell the rest of us puny beings why squats are among the best weight training exercises on the planet – even if we work with lighter payloads. For more free tips on getting buffed by summer, visit the 92Y May Center’s Facebook page.

    When 92Y May Center personal trainer Christian Hernani isn’t squatting nearly a quarter of a ton, he finds time to tell the rest of us puny beings why squats are among the best weight training exercises on the planet – even if we work with lighter payloads.

    For more free tips on getting buffed by summer, visit the 92Y May Center’s Facebook page.

  5. Power, Strength or Stamina – Which One? For those of you who lift weights – and there are plenty of good reasons for why you should – what is your weightlifting goal? Do you want to be stronger, more powerful, or have more stamina? 92Y May Center Personal Trainer Ken Watts, pictured above, provided some definitions to help you make up your mind: STRENGTH is the ability to produce force (e.g., lifting a heavy medicine ball) POWER is the ability to produce force quickly (e.g., throwing a heavy medicine ball) STAMINA is the ability to sustain the force you produced over a prolonged period of time (e.g., performing sprints while carrying a medicine ball) Judging from the size of Ken’s arms as well as his background as a bodybuilder and fifth-degree black belt, we’ll take his word for it. Ken also gave some great pointers a few months back on the 92Y May Center Facebook page about choosing the right medicine ball for you.

    Power, Strength or Stamina – Which One?

    For those of you who lift weights – and there are plenty of good reasons for why you should – what is your weightlifting goal? Do you want to be stronger, more powerful, or have more stamina?

    92Y May Center Personal Trainer Ken Watts, pictured above, provided some definitions to help you make up your mind:

    STRENGTH is the ability to produce force (e.g., lifting a heavy medicine ball)

    POWER is the ability to produce force quickly (e.g., throwing a heavy medicine ball)

    STAMINA is the ability to sustain the force you produced over a prolonged period of time (e.g., performing sprints while carrying a medicine ball)

    Judging from the size of Ken’s arms as well as his background as a bodybuilder and fifth-degree black belt, we’ll take his word for it.

    Ken also gave some great pointers a few months back on the 92Y May Center Facebook page about choosing the right medicine ball for you.

  6. Wrongfully relegated by many to the fringes of ancient fitness lore, the rowing machine remains a highly effective way to condition your entire body while building endurance and stamina. Besides, who doesn’t want to burn almost 800 calories per hour? (Have you seen House of Cards?) Janelle Sanchez, a personal trainer at the 92Y May Center for Health, Fitness & Sport, offers three tips to make the most out of your rowing workout: Make sure the rowing machine’s foot straps fit snug. Retract your shoulder blades when pulling back. Bring arms together, then bend knees, when moving forward. Janelle recommends a ten-minute row session at 50 percent of your maximum effort if you are new to rowing. More experienced rowers may want to tackle a more challenging routine such as Tabata.Look for more fitness tips on the 92Y May Center’s Facebook page.

    Wrongfully relegated by many to the fringes of ancient fitness lore, the rowing machine remains a highly effective way to condition your entire body while building endurance and stamina. Besides, who doesn’t want to burn almost 800 calories per hour? (Have you seen House of Cards?) Janelle Sanchez, a personal trainer at the 92Y May Center for Health, Fitness & Sport, offers three tips to make the most out of your rowing workout:

    • Make sure the rowing machine’s foot straps fit snug.
    • Retract your shoulder blades when pulling back.
    • Bring arms together, then bend knees, when moving forward.

    Janelle recommends a ten-minute row session at 50 percent of your maximum effort if you are new to rowing. More experienced rowers may want to tackle a more challenging routine such as Tabata.

    Look for more fitness tips on the 92Y May Center’s Facebook page.