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sites • 13 February 2022

Home Gym vs Gym Membership: Which Is Best?

Working out from home sounds comfortable and easily accessible. But, is it your best option? Read here to learn about home gym vs gym membership.

Despite all the hype about the benefits of exercise, only 16% of Canadian adults report getting the recommended amount of physical activity. That means that 84% of Canadian adults aren't active enough to get the health benefits of being active.

With 2022 still in its early weeks, now’s the perfect time to incorporate more exercise into your routine. The goal would be to get at least 150 minutes of heart-pumping physical activity per week. For those making this resolution, chances are they’ll have a home gym vs gym membership decision to make.

Both options have their pros and cons. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at each of the two approaches to working out, so it’s easier for you to make a decision.


Exercising at Home 

Setting up a home gym is something many Canadians look forward to. It’s a home upgrade that’ll definitely increase your property value. But it also makes it possible for you to work out at home. So what strengths and drawbacks do exercising at home have?


The Benefits

There are many things you get to enjoy when you invest in a home gym. These include:

You Get to Save Money

One of the top advantages of garage gyms is that they save people money on gym membership fees. Considering that the average gym membership in Canada is $15.91 per month, the savings can add up when you choose to use a home gym. Add that to the savings on the commute to the gym, and you’ll find that you’re saving a tidy sum every year.

You Don’t Need to Wait for Equipment

One of the common inconveniences of using a public gym is that you sometimes have to wait for someone to finish using particular exercise equipment before you can use it.

When you have your own gym, all the equipment is readily available for your use. Besides, you can take as much time as you want on any piece of equipment without worrying about having someone standing a few feet away waiting for their turn to use it.

You Get to Practice Without Feeling Self-Conscious

It’s difficult to be completely oblivious to the opinions of others. When you work out at your home gym, you get the privacy and freedom to exercise as you please. You can wear whatever you want, yell whatever you want, and even fart without being judged.

You Get Your Family Members Interested in Fitness

It’s likely that you’re not the only one in your family affected by the physical inactivity crisis in Canada. Your parents, spouse, kids, and other family members could be trapped in it as well.

When you set up a home gym, it becomes easier for them to get into exercise because they can easily get to the gym.


The Drawbacks

Working out at home exclusively has its disadvantages as well. Here are two of them.

Limited Access to Exercise Equipment 

Not many Canadian homes have all the space needed for a well-equipped gym. And even if you do have space, you may not have the uber deep pockets necessary to outfit your home gym with all the latest gym equipment, including cardio machines. In the end, you may find that your choices are limited.

Constant Distractions

Having a gym that’s attached to your home can inhibit your progress when it comes to getting enough exercise. The cares and responsibilities of home life can be difficult to ignore, both literally and mentally. Your children and pets may interrupt you during your workout sessions, which is something you want to avoid when you're trying to get fit.


Choosing Gym Membership

The alternative to working out at home is to enroll in a gym in your area. This move has both advantages and disadvantages, just like having a home gym. 


The Pros

A gym membership will set you back well over $75.00 (this varies with promotions)each month, but the benefits are well worth it. These include:

Sufficient Amenities and Services

Becoming a member of a gym lets you enjoy a wide variety of amenities. In many gyms, you have access to a physical trainer, top-grade exercise equipment, towels, smoothie bars, and more. The gyms do what it takes to help members reap all the strength and conditioning exercise benefits.

Childcare Services

It’s a massive benefit to know you can drop your children off while you focus on working out in the gym. Many top gyms offer childcare, making it convenient for you to exercise regularly.

Social Interaction

A neighborhood gym can be a good source of new friends. This is especially the case if you attend a smaller establishment where you get to meet the same people regularly. It’ll hardly take a lot of time before you have a gym buddy who could potentially become a lifelong friend. 


The Cons

There are certain costs associated with a gym membership. These include:

Membership Fees

You need to pay membership fees to be able to enjoy the benefits of a commercial gym. For those without enough cash, it could mean not being able to continue with exercise. The commute costs involved can also add up.

There Are Open and Close Hours

Unlike in a home gym where you have access to the gym any time you want, commercial gyms have set operating hours. Many will also close when the weather doesn’t allow and during public holidays, when you may still be itching for some exercise. 


Home Gym vs Gym Membership: Know How to Choose

The home gym vs gym membership decision ultimately comes down to your personal preferences and budget. For those self-motivated Canadians with the space and cash to build a private gym, a home gym is a good option. But if what you want is to enjoy an array of amenities, services, and some social interaction, then a gym membership is what you need.

Are you looking to start working out? Check out our services today.

7 Glute Exercises to Tone and Build

by sites • 14 February 2022
Toning and building your glutes can be done at home or in the gym. Read here for eight can't miss glute exercises for men and women. Most people would never say that they wouldn't prefer a great butt. However, many think they're unable to achieve this. But you can build great glutes by doing the right exercises consistently. Do you want to tone and build your glutes? If so, you're in luck! In this blog post, we will discuss eight glute exercises that are perfect for anyone. Understanding Glute Muscles Glutes may seem like one large organ but they're actually a little more complex. Your gluteal region consists of three major muscles ─ the gluteus medius, gluteus maximus, and, and gluteus medius. Since we often sit on these muscles all day, they tend to "fall asleep". The only way to build muscle here is to wake it back up through glute activation, strengthening, and growth exercises. You can learn what these are by checking out our list of glute exercises to help you tone below. 1. Glute Bridge Glute bridges are a great warm-up for your rear. They work the glutes and hamstrings, as well as your calves. This is a home workout that only requires a mat and a body! To start a glute bridge, lie flat on your back with feet flat on the ground and shoulder-width apart. Keep your legs bent to 90 degrees. From there, drive your heels into the ground and lift your torso and upper legs into the air. While in the air, you should be extending your hips until your thighs and torso are in line with each other. Hold this position for two seconds then slowly lower your body back to the start position, and repeat. 2. Glute Kickback A kickback is a low-impact glute exercise that mostly focuses on all parts of the glutes (with proper form) and the hamstrings. One of the variations for this exercise requires you to kneel on all fours with palms flat on the floor and shoulder-width apart. Your legs should be bent to 90 degrees. While keeping your core engaged and back level, slowly lift one leg straight back until your hamstring is parallel to the floor. Stay in this position for two seconds then slowly lower your leg back to the start position, and repeat. The other variation of glute kickbacks is performed standing up while slightly bending forward. Follow the same instructions but try it without the hold. 3. Glute Bridge with Band A glute band can add an extra challenge to some exercises. If you want to do a glute bridge using one, start by lying flat on your back with feet flat on the ground and shoulder-width apart. Remember to bend your legs to a 90-degree angle. Place the band around your ankles and press your heels into the ground as you lift your torso and upper legs into the air. Do this while extending your hips until your thighs and torso are in line with each other. Try to hold each rep for two seconds. Slowly lower your body back to the start positioning after the hold and repeat the movement. 4. Wall Sit If you've heard of some of the wonders that squats can do for your glutes then you'll appreciate this exercise. Wall-sits start with you standing with your back against a wall. From there, you'll assume a "sitting in a chair" position with your feet shoulder-width apart and legs bent to 90 degrees. Slide down the wall until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Slowly bring yourself back up the wall and repeat this movement for a few more reps. Wall-sits work the glutes, quads, calves, hamstrings, and core muscles. Want to exercise ideas to increase intensity? Grab a medicine and hold it out directly in front of you as you perform the exercise. 5. Hip Thrust Hip thrusts are similar to glute bridges but are typically done while lying halfway on a bench. Start with your back on a supporting surface (chair, bench, etc) and knees bent at 90 degrees. Place a barbell over your hips and rest it against your thighs while keeping your feet flat on the floor hip-width apart. Drive heels into the floor while pushing hips up until they are aligned with shoulders. Hold for two seconds and slowly lower your hips back to the starting position. For extra comfort, use a pad or wrap something soft around the barbell to relieve some of the pressure from your hips. 6. Weighted Walking Lunge Lunges are well-known classic exercises that help strengthen and tone muscle . Weighted lunges can be just the workout you need to get your glute muscles firing. Place a barbell on each shoulder and stand up straight with your core tightened. Start taking one step forward with the right leg so that the left heel is lifted off the floor. Bend at the hips and knees until the front knee forms a 90-degree angle while the right thigh is parallel to the floor. Reverse this motion and repeat it with the opposite leg. If you don't have enough space in your workout area to walk, try stationary lunges instead. 7. Clamshells Working out the glutes properly requires movements that hit different angles and ranges. Clamshells are ideal for strengthening the gluteus medius and your pelvis . Begin this exercise by lying on your side with feet and knees together with your hips and shoulders stacked. Let your head rest on top of the arm on the side you're lying on. Place one hand on top of the other then use them to lift your upper body slightly off the floor. Keep your knees to a 90-degree angle and slowly raise your top knee. If you need extra support, consider using a yoga block or towel for your neck. Use These Glute Exercises for Building and Toning Muscles Strengthening and growing your glutes starts with being able to properly activate them then applying the right intensity of stimulation. The great news is that all of these glute exercises can be used in a gym workout or a home workout. Start using these movements today to build and tone your glutes. If you need assistance with improving your fitness, visit us to learn more about the resources we have to help you reach your goals.

7 Benefits of Strength and Conditioning Exercises

by sites • 15 January 2022
Are you wondering if strength and conditioning exercises are right for you? Click here for seven great benefits of strength and conditioning exercises. Strength and conditioning exercises lead to stronger muscles. Many athletes embrace strength training to improve their performance. Young people greatly benefit from conditioning exercises. However, some seniors wonder if they are too old to do strength workouts. They wonder if the benefits are still present and if it makes sense for them to start. Strength and conditioning exercises provide benefits to anyone, regardless of age. We will outline some of the benefits of adding these exercises to your schedule. 1. More Confidence Confidence will boost your happiness and provide a greater sense of self-worth. Seniors should take advantage of any opportunity to increase confidence. Strength training leaves seniors with a sense of achievement. They see age as a number rather than a limiter. Completing each rep of the workout will reaffirm these beliefs. You may decide to do an extra rep. People do extra reps to discover their true potential. Anytime someone exceeds their limits, they become more confident. Strength and conditioning exercises create this possibility. You can become more confident one workout at a time. 2. Stronger Muscles Strength training enhances your muscles. You will notice the gains in the mirror and like how you look. Everyone needs strong muscles. We use our muscles to lift heavy loads such as grocery bags. As we get older, our muscles get weaker. Strength and conditioning put a pause on this trend. Stronger muscles will help you live a longer and happier life. The impacts of aging get reduced with conditioning workouts. 3. High Energy Having high energy helps in many areas. You can better manage stress while getting more done. Exercising provides an outlet for your energy to grow. You'll feel invigorated during your workout. Seniors need the energy to keep going. A lack of energy may result in less time with family and friends. Seniors lacking energy will get tired sooner. You'll feel tired after strength and condition exercises. However, this type of tiredness is beneficial. You can feel the high of a successful workout. After getting out of the shower, you'll feel ready to tackle the rest of the day. 4. Strength and Conditioning Gives you a Challenge Challenges are fun. They give you an objective, and you can see progress over time. Conditioning workouts provide a challenge. Participants complete a series of reps and get the feeling of achievement. Some seniors get bored easier because of fewer things to do. Giving yourself challenges will keep you busy. You'll go into each workout, striving to perform better than the last one. You can also take the challenges with others. Some personal trainers and gyms offer remote training sessions . You can train virtually with an instructor or group. Training with others will make you take each challenge more seriously. Outside of the challenges, training with others makes you feel like part of a community. Many seniors suffer from loneliness and want to find like-minded people. A fitness group can provide them with camaraderie. 5. You Will Lose Weight Losing weight remains a universal goal across age groups. People have various reasons to shed a few pounds. Some people want to look more attractive. These people want to lose pounds to create a leaner look. Other people want to feel better and more energized throughout the day. Carrying fewer pounds will help with your mood and energy levels. Many people set New Year's resolutions around losing weight. However, most people follow a diet with a low probability of success. While a diet can help, strength and conditioning workouts provide greater upside. Each exercise will burn calories. As you burn calories, you will gradually trim off the pounds. You won't see significant weight loss right away. It takes time to lose a few pounds. It's easier to see results if you stick with conditioning exercises for months. Instead of striving to lose 20 pounds in a few weeks, aim for 1-2 pounds every month. This smaller goal is more doable and does not require drastic actions. 6. You Lower Your Risk of Injury No one likes getting injured. However, injuries are more devastating for seniors. Some seniors don't fully recover from their injuries. Their bodies aren't the way they were back in the day. However, you can still improve your body while lowering your risk of injury. Strength and conditioning workouts target your bones, major joints, and other parts. You will gain extra flexibility and mobility, further reducing your chance of injury. Strength training gives you greater control over your body's balance. When you exercise, you reduce your chances of falling. Many senior injuries take place because of a fall. Workouts reduce the likelihood of this scenario. 7. Better Heart Health Heart disease is a common cause of death. Getting older makes you more vulnerable to this disease. Exercising can act as a preventative measure. Exercising improves your heart health and maintains your blood sugar levels. A rising blood sugar level comes with an increased risk of heart disease. Strength and conditioning workouts keep you in check. The improved heart health will help you live a longer and happier life. Join Us for a Strength and Conditioning Session Strength and conditioning workouts will help you in many areas of your life. You'll gain confidence, energy, and happiness. We offer various sessions to accommodate your strength and conditioning needs. You can select from private or group sessions. We also offer discovery calls, nutrition plans, and other resources. Check out our offerings to see how we can help with your fitness goals.

9 Exercise Ideas for Senior Fitness

by sites • 15 January 2022
Are you wondering how you can stay active as a senior? Click here for nine amazing exercise ideas for senior fitness that you're sure to love. Are you a senior citizen who is looking for ways to start a fitness routine? There are numerous benefits to staying physically active. Exercise can help to lower your blood pressure, improve cardiovascular health, and give you more energy. The problem is that it's hard to know how to get started in creating a regular routine, especially when you might not have the strength and mobility that you had when you were younger. The good news is that there are several senior fitness workouts that you can easily get started with. Read on if you want to find out more. Easy Ways to Get Started With Senior Fitness If you're looking for help to be motivated to work out on a regular basis, consider developing a "no excuses" exercise routine . If you're just getting started with exercise, don't worry. All that you need to do is commit to working out for five minutes a day for three days every week. One common obstacle that many seniors have with starting a workout routine is that they don't want to go to the gym. Maybe it's because the machines intimidate you. Or it could be because you're afraid of comparing yourself to all of the others around you. You also might live somewhere that doesn't have a gym nearby. The thing you might not realize is that it's not actually necessary to go to the gym in order to get started with senior workouts. There are plenty of easy workouts that you can do from home. What Does a Balanced Exercise Plan Look Like? There are three basic elements of a balanced exercise plan: cardiovascular exercise, building strength, and stretching and flexibility. When you're developing a plan, keep in mind that you don't need to include all of these qualities into every workout that you do. If you choose to work out for three days per week, maybe you want to dedicate one weekly workout for each of these three areas of focus. It's also important to check with your doctor before starting an exercise routine. Let her or him know what kinds of exercises you plan on doing, and how often you plan on doing them. Once you get their approval, there are several exercises that you can get started with. Another important thing to do before you start working out is to get a calendar out and create a weekly exercise schedule. In order to do this, there are several important things to consider. Decide how often you feel comfortable exercising and how long you'd like each session to last. Choose the days and times that work best for you to exercise. Lastly, schedule your workouts for the week ahead on your calendar. By putting them on a calendar, you're more likely to follow through. It will also be easier for you to keep track of your progress. Exercises You Can Do Without Going to the Gym 1. Tai Chi One of the great things about starting a regular Tai Chi practice is that it helps increase muscle strength while also making the arteries stronger and more flexible. If you're trying to improve your balance, this practice will help you out as well. There are various studies suggesting that Tai Chi is helpful for those who suffer from Parkinson's disease and arthritis. 2. Qigong This practice is similar to Tai Chi and involves making various flowing movements that will help you to cultivate and balance energy through your body. If you've been feeling stressed, this will be a helpful exercise for you. When you finish you'll probably feel yourself to be in a more peaceful and meditative mood. 3. Yoga Even though it's easy to feel intimidated if you've never done yoga before, don't worry. There are many easy poses that you can get started with. Yoga helps people to become more flexible and to feel more relaxed. Since it's so popular all around the world, you won't have a problem finding free senior fitness ideas that involve yoga. All you need to do is search the internet. 4. Walking One of the great things about walking is that it gives you the chance to breathe fresh air and to connect with your surroundings. You don't need to go for long walks in order to feel the benefits. Many people simply choose to make a circle around their block. If you have a treadmill at home, you can easily go for a walk while sitting in front of the television to watch your favorite program. 5. Doing the Hula Hoop Do you have memories of hula hooping as a child and want to recover the youthful energy that you once had? If so, this can be a great way to work out. If you don't know how to hula hoop, don't worry. By hiring a remote or online personal trainer , you'll surprise yourself with how quickly you'll be able to gain the strength and flexibility for doing this enjoyable activity. 6. Go Bicycling Bicycling is a great low-impact way to exercise that is a great option for those who are suffering from arthritis. Not only does help you to build muscle in your legs but it is also a great aerobic activity. 7. Dance Videos You can easily find fun and engaging dance videos online. You can also choose to hire an instructor if you wish. Some people like to follow certain dance techniques, and others prefer to close their eyes and simply enjoy moving however their body wants to move. 8. Nia Nia is an interesting workout that brings together martial arts, dance, and meditation into a single activity. You can easily find videos online in order to get started. 9. Cross Country Skiing If you live somewhere in the North and if it is wintertime, why not do some cross country skiing? Even though it's only something that most people can do in the wintertime, it's a nice option for those who want to get outside and improve their cardiovascular health. Start Working Out Today It is never too late to start a workout routine. No matter what you're age is or what kind of shape you're in, there are ways for you to get started with a senior fitness routine. If you need support from a trained professional in order to get started in improving your senior health, we're here to help . If you're recovering from surgery or an injury, we can help you to rehabilitate. If you're simply looking for help to start exercising, we also offer remote and personal training.
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