Genesis Health Clubs Blog

Pre- and post-workout meals play a key role in the effectiveness of your training sessions. They help you perform your best and shape your results. Let’s take a deeper look into the purpose of pre-workout vs. post-workout meals, meal timing, and what to eat. Pre-Workout Meals The purpose of a pre-workout meal is simple: to fuel your activity and give your body what it needs to perform at its peak. … Read Article

Are you a workout junkie? Maybe in the gym more than five times a week or sometimes putting in two workouts a day? For this alone, we applaud you! It’s truly incredible that you take the time and put in the work, day in and day out, to reach your fitness goals. That being said, if you overwork your body and find yourself asking, "am I working out too much?" you might be overtraining, which can halt your… Read Article

The Health Benefits of Spinning & 6 Reasons to Cycle It may come as no surprise that there is a mountain of benefits when it comes to spinning. Great for weight loss, heart health, mental health, legs, butt, and core. If you haven't tried this incredible way to work both your mind and body, we highly recommend that you join a spin class at Genesis Health Clubs and see what all the fuss is about. Improved Heart Health … Read Article

What keeps you up at night? It’s probably not the monsters in your closet. The amount of sleep needed varies from person to person. One person may be happy with four hours of sleep each night, while another person may easily sleep ten hours. No matter how long you sleep, quality sleep is essential for quality wellness. If you’re not sleeping through the night, your body could be telling you something import… Read Article

How do I get a set of rock-hard abs? Isn’t that the question we are always asking ourselves? Unless you are the person with rock-hard abs already... If so, then KUDOS! The truth of the matter is, most of us want the six-pack but are a bit far away or maybe just nearly there. So, how does one get from flab to fab? Nearly there to there? Can you work your abs every single day to get there? The answer to … Read Article

How will you be celebrating Memorial Day this year? As we celebrate, it’s important to remember what Memorial Day is truly about: remembering those who we have lost and those who have fought for our country. To all those individuals, inside and outside the Genesis gym walls, we thank you for your selfless service. You will not be forgotten. A significant holiday of remembrance and … Read Article

One HIIT Workout, Three Variations! Depending on your workout experience level – beginner, intermediate, advanced – perform the workout that best suits your skills and ability. Perform each move 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off for however long the workout takes: Beginner (10-15 minutes) Intermediate (20 minutes) Advanced (30 minutes)   Wanting to know what HIIT can do for you a… Read Article

BMI stands for Body Mass Index Body Mass Index (BMI) is the calculation of body weight in relation to height. It’s used to indicate whether a person is underweight, overweight, obese, or at a healthy weight for his or her height. BMI isn’t as accurate as methods that directly measure body composition, like hydrostatic weighing or Bioimpedance Analysis (BIA). But, it provides a reasonable estimate of body fat for most … Read Article

If you’re trying to live a healthier lifestyle, you’re most likely going hard in the gym, avoiding fast food or dieting fads, and probably focusing on your carb and healthy fats intake, along with squeezing more protein into your diet to fill you up and build lean muscle. What you probably haven’t been thinking about? Micronutrients. While it’s incredibly common to zoom i… Read Article

Yoga and Pilates are often put into the same category, but they each have key differences. They both look like a relaxing way to exercise, so how do you choose between them? Pilates and yoga both use a mat, both are available as a group fitness class at the gym, and both help to create a lean, toned physique. Here are the main differences between Pilates and yoga so you can decide which is best … Read Article

Alrighty, folks. The holiday season is over. What does that mean? It means we have no excuse! It means we have the opportunity to lower our sugar intake with fewer temptations around. Without Grandma asking you to try her new batch of freshly baked Christmas cookies, without those holiday parties and dessert trays calling your name, without those ever-tempting chocolates going on sa… Read Article

Complete all exercises for a whopping total of 500 reps, and feel confident and accomplished today! Rest when needed. 500 Rep Challenge   50 high knees 50 pushups 50 sit-ups 50 snap jumps 50 pulse squats 50 burpees 50 mountain climbers 50 tricep dips 50 step-ups – 25 each side 50 ab bikes   Workout from https://www.froyotofit… Read Article

High-Intensity Interval Training, or HIIT, is an ideal workout for people who have busy schedules. Research shows you can achieve more progress in a fifteen-minute interval training session, three times per week than you could by just jogging on the treadmill for an hour. Find more details on the differences between steady state cardio and HIIT through the blog below: HIIT vs. Cardio It… Read Article

Grab some light to medium dumbells, it's time for an awesome shoulder workout!  Genesis Shoulder Workout: Weight external rotation - 2x8 reps each side Hold weights out in front of you and rotating to either side Lateral Raises - 3x10 reps/12 reps/15 reps Front Raises - 3x15 reps Up Right Rows - 3x20 reps Overhead Shoulder Press - 3x15 Shoulder Shrug - 3x15    … Read Article

Arms and Abs Workout Complete each circuit as many times within 8 minutes then repeat! This 30-minute arms and abs workout is sure to make you sore tomorrow. Circuit 1 Jacknife Abs – 20 total (10 each leg)   Tricep Dips – 15   Striaght Leg Situps with a Twist – 10 each side   Pushups – 15       Circuit 2 Toe Taps … Read Article

Medium to heavy weights or no weight at all. It's up to you! Don't have weights at home? Find items at home to use such as a gallon of milk or laundry detergent. 30 seconds each move 15-second rest – 1 minute per combo 1-minute rest between each set   Set 1 Squat (Option: Hold weights at shoulders) Reverse Lunge - alternating (Option: Hold weights at sides) … Read Article

Recipe adapted from The Yummy Life Slow Cooker Cinnamon Apple Oatmeal Makes 7 (3/4 cup) servings Ingredients: 2 apples, peeled, cored, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (2-1/2 to 3 cups chopped) 1-1/2 cups fat-free milk (or substitute non-diary alternative like almond milk) 1-1/2 cups water 1 cup uncooked steel-cut oats 2 tablespoons brown sugar (or substitute maple syrup or other desired sweetener) 1-1/… Read Article

3 sets – 5 moves per set – repeat for 2 rounds 30 secs per workout with a 15-second break in between A 1-minute break between each set Want to learn about the differences between steady state cardio and HIIT, or the benefits of HIIT altogether? Read the blogs below! benefits of HIIT HIIT vs. Cardio   Set 1 Cross Jacks – Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and arms straight out. … Read Article

Accomplishing fitness goals requires hard work and dedication, but one of the most crucial components of living a healthy lifestyle is attitude. Believing you can do something is the first step toward actually doing it. September 13th is National Positive Thinking Day, and although that date is a bit far away, it's never too early to celebrate or recognize the importance of an optimistic ou… Read Article

Wanting a better breakfast that will keep you going all day long? Here’s one for you that’s sure to keep you satisfied.This recipe was made by Nutritionist Amy Lemezis, and make about 12 servings. Healthy Oatmeal Breakfast Bars Ingredients: ½ cup vegetable oil ¼ - ½ cup white or brown sugar 1 cup applesauce (no sugar added)  2 cups plain… Read Article

QUICK & EASY PROTEIN FIX: PROTEIN BALLS Ready for a delicious and healthy snack that provides a boost of energy? Check out this quick and easy protein ball recipe - a perfect pre-workout snack that combines essential protein with good carbs and healthy fiber! INGREDIENTS 1 cup of oats 2/3 cup unsweetened coconut (optional - toast it for extra flavor!) 1/2 cup creamy or crunchy peanut butter 1/2 cup ground flaxseed … Read Article

30 seconds per move, 15 second rest – 1 minute per combo move 1 minute rest per set   Set 1 Skaters Burpee Combo: 4 skaters – 1 burpee   Set 2 Squat Jump Bound – shuffle back Cross Jacks Combo: Sqaut Jump Bound Forward – Cross Jacks Back   Set 3 Butt Kickers In and Out Jump Squats Combo: 4 Butt Kic… Read Article

Work out those abs with this intense core workout!     Part 1 Dead Bug 3 sets of 15 reps Plank Punches 3 sets of 10 reps V-ups with Toe Reach 3 sets of 15 reps Rest 30 seconds!   Part 2 Plank Leg Extensions 3 sets of 15 reps Straight Leg Sit-ups with a twist  3 sets of 15 reps Crunch Leg Lift  3 sets of 15 reps Rest 30 seconds!    Par… Read Article

Stretches for your Arms, Back, and Neck! After arm day, stretch it out! Help yourself recover and get back to it, with these amazing upper body stretches! Do each stretch in 3 sets of 5 reps. Hold each stretch for 5 seconds.   Part 1 Single Arm Pec Stretch 3 x 5  Single Arm Lat Stretch 3 x 5 Forearm/Bicep Stretch 3 x 5     Part 2 Double Arm Lower… Read Article

Stretches for Your Glutes and Legs! Extra sore from a hard-core workout at Genesis Health Clubs? In need of some major stretch time? We got you! Here are some amazing lower body stretches that will help you recover. Do each stretch in 3 sets. Hold each stretch for 5 seconds.   Part 1 Hip Flexor Chair Stretch 3 x 5 reps each leg Inchworm 3 x 10  90/90 Hip Mobility 3 x 5 reps each leg … Read Article