What happens when Poland Springs doesn't pick up all the empty water bottles from a personal trainer? You use them to work out of course!
Ok so maybe you don't have 8 empty Poland Spring bottles laying around like we do. However, this is great lesson in using what you have to stay active and in shape! Hope everyone has a great weekend and we'll see you back here on Monday for our move of the week.
Many of us on the East Coast got pummeled with snow this weekend. After shoveling out for 2 days, many of you are probably nursing sore a tight muscles this Monday morning. Because of that, today we're not focusing on a muscle building move, but on more of a stretch. This Yoga Plex stretch is great for releasing tight muscles in your hip flexors and your upper back.
There you have it! Hopefully this has helped ease some of your discomfort today. See you back next week for another Move Monday by J-Tab Training.
I know this video is a good laugh, but did you know that 80% of people experience back pain in their lifetime? Did you also know that the #1 cause of back injuries is everyday activity - like picking up a pen off the floor. While it may not seem important, you should always put in the same thought and effort you would put into doing a deadlift at the gym, as you would picking up something light. Tips to keep in mind:
- Bend at the knees and hips
- Keep your core engaged and tight
These two quick things will go a long way towards protecting your lower back and keeping it pain free for the long haul.
It's MLK Day and at J-Tab Training we don't take a day off! The gym is rocking today and we're back with a brand new move for you. Goblet Squats are an awesome way to work your glutes and tighten and tone your legs all while using your abs to brace yourself. By holding a weight in front of you it forces your abs tight throughout the entire exercise. You can use a dumbbell, kettlebell or anything you have at home that can add some weight. If you need a little more of a gauge of how to far squat, put a low box behind you.
Things To Remember:
- Keep your abs tight and locked to work them, as well as protect your lower back
- Keep you spine straight and shoulders down and back
- Knees follow your toes and point slightly out
- Squeeze your glutes at the top.
The Half Kneel One Arm Pull Down is one of those multi dimensional moves that is designed not only to work your body but to assist you throughout the rest of your workout. By working your lats and back, this pull down is the perfect way to strengthen if you struggle with doing the more traditional pull up. On top of that, this move is designed to assist you in other workouts, like deadlifts, so you can continue to increase your lifts safely and effectively.
Check out the video below to see how to perform this move as well my tips and tricks to get the most out of this workout:
Things to remember about your form:
- On the kneeling leg, keep your glutes tight and engaged
- Use your opposite hand to hold down your rib cage
- Make sure your elbow move straight down your side
- Feel your lats squeezing (think about crushing someone's fingers in your armpits)
Check back next Monday for another exercise to add to your workout routine. Now get out there and get stronger!
What a difference a year makes!
As JTab Training celebrated one year at our new location in East Greenwich, I have to look back at how far we’ve come and how much we’ve grown over the past year. Moving from a cramped 450 square feet to over 1,600 has completely transformed how our clients work out. For those who were with JTab at the old gym, you may remember strict work out schedules, less equipment and a much more crowded space. Now, at our new location we are able to fit over 10 clients at a time (with room to still move around), more equipment, and multiple trainers. Because of this, we can be much more flexible with the time people can show up to work out, as well as offer multiple options for trainers (although lets be honest, we all know who the best is….)
Another big change is that our clients all receive personalized sheets with a workout each visit. These sheets break down the days workout, as well as reminds everyone what they should be doing, how many reps they need to do and how much weight to add. This allows more people through while still getting my personalized attention. Some people like more direction during their workout, while others prefer just an intermittent check-in. With the sheets and the new space, I am able to effectively split my time between helping those that need it more and those who don’t need as much attention.
With more people in the gym at one time, the open layout still allows me to see everyone working out at once. Even with multiple people working out at once, I can watch everyone’s form, help set up exercises and make sure everyone is working out safely and effectively.
While I will always be grateful for the business’ roots and where it started, I must say (and I hope my client’s agree!) that our new location has allowed for some awesome changes. While we may be here for the next few years, keep an eye out for even more changes in the future. Like our clients strength training, we are a work in progress, and will continue to grow bigger and stronger.
To quote a famous strength coach, "The cool thing about stealing is that most of the good coaches encourage it." With that in mind, I was browsing through Men's Health Thrive video series and an exercise "tweak" caught my eye. When I watched the video I really started digging it and began using it for many different client progressions.
What it is? 1 Arm DB Row on all 4's (quadruped).
Why I like it? It "corrects" many clients' rows and also teaches good contralateral "bracing". Also can be used for hypertrophy or high rep due to it's safeness.
And now for a video, from yours truly, on how to properly perform one of my new favorites.
Here we are 2015. High School athlete are training more and more and pushing harder and harder. That's the good(great) part. Lifting weights to become strong(er) to jump higher, throw harder, run faster, hit harder, hit further... and doing smart strength based conditioning ie:sprints, ropes, kb swings, etc. Awesomeness!
The "other" part of the equation is the recovery and nutritional component. I have seen and chatted with many young athletes and their parents to really see enough of the picture(think a very sad looking puppy face).
Some of my young athletes do not know what a veggie or fruit(who doesn't like fruit??!?!!) are. Enough is enough. This is the harder part for sure. Until now. Jtab Training has partnered with Purium to bring only the best organic nutrition to help fuel recovery and have more "Awesomeness" on the court or in the field. Jtab Training has put together monthly packages that when used as directed will help young athletes achieve more with less soreness, recovery time and potential for injury. Note: although these products are all whole food and organic based, we still need allergy info for athletes beforehand.
The Varsity Pack $145/month
Best Recovery/Nutritional Support - High Level
1) Super Amino23- Organic Legume(non-soy) Protein Pills for muscle recovery, muscle mass and preventing muscle breakdown during season and during lifting sessions. 30 servings(5 pills/serving)
2) Power Shake(Apple Berry)- Organic Greens Shake combining many organic superfoods give you sustained energy during games/lifting. Added benefit for those that don’t like veggies it will count towards your daily veggie intake. Energy, endurance and strength preworkout/pre-gametime. 15 servings
3) Super Xanthin- Organic Astaxanthin, nature’s highest antioxidant superfood. Will prevent muscle tissue damage, buffer lactic acid accumulation, improve recovery time. This is a game changer! 30 servings
4) LOVE Supermeal- Organic high protein, high nutrient meal replacement to further aid in workout/game recovery. Purium’s L.O.V.E. Super Meal(TM) is composed of 36 pure, premium, natural, whole food ingredients. It contains 12 green foods, 10 vegetables, 9 sprouts, and 5 mushrooms - and only 2 grams of naturally occurring sugar. It can be considered 7 products in 1: Weight Loss Formula + Protein Drink + Fiber Supplement + Essential Fatty Acid Supplement + Super-Antioxidant + Immune Support Supplement + Energy Drink(non-stimulant, from natural energy)! 10 servings/container(20 half servings/container)
The JV Pack $115/month
Best Recovery/Nutritional Support- Medium Level
1) Super Xanthin 30 servings
2) LOVE Supermeal 10 servings(20 half servings)
3) Super Amino23 30 servings(5 pills/serving)
The Freshman Pack $70/month
Best Recovery/Nutritional Support- Basic Level
1) Super Xanthin 30 servings
2) LOVE Supermeal 10 servings(20 half servings)
To Be Added to Any Pack: Apothe Cherry- Purium’s Apothe-CherryTM is made from Montmorency Tart Cherries, which are nature’s most nutritionally dense food. They contain a wide variety of antioxidants and phyto-chemicals, and each serving contains 7,000 ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) units. $25/16 servings(32 half servings)
Simply come visit Jtab Training here in East Greenwich, RI and place your order or ask any questions about components. You can contact me(Joey of Jtab Training LLC) 401-529-5089, via Facebook(Jtab Training LLC) or on this website(www.jtabstrength.com).
Here is the first installment of things I've been "digging" (Yes, I was a H.S. and college volleyball player and H.S. coach back in the day, so theres a little volleyball humor for you). These days my cousin and I have been crushing an intense bodybuilding program called Super Hero Muscle. I would usually be sore each week (lifting 4 times a week can do that to you). About a year ago I was introduced to a great line of organic nutritional components called Purium (PURe and PremIUM). Recently I tweaked my peri (pre and post) workout nutrition to match my recovery needs and have been seeing great results. Here is my exact routine:
Preworkout: 2 scoops Power Shake (organic greens and slow release carbs), 2 Super Xanthin (see below info on Astaxanthin), 4 Super23 Aminos (organic vegan protein amino pills).
Postworkout: 2 Super Xanthins (see below), 4-5 Super23 Aminos and a serving of LOVE Supermeal Protein Meal Replacement Shake.
Ever since, I've been doing this almost to a T every lifting day and have had no muscle soreness and can actually function the next day. Years before finding this organic nutritional support there were days after lifting I wouldn't be able to move well and this does not bode well when trying to show exercises to clients.
Sound like a lot? You could say so. Important to note A) I live for intense lifting (stress relief for me) and setting personal records, and B) My body is a walking billboard of my business. While you may not have the same lifting goals (or needs) that I do, we could all benefit from a little more nutrition and a little less soreness in our lives, can't we?
This doesn't happen to me anymore!
Purium`s Super XanthinTM is made from nature`s most powerful antioxidant, which studies show is 550 times stronger than vitamin E. It helps combat free radical damage to muscles and helps reduce the buildup of lactic acid that causes post-workout soreness. We recommend combining this product with our Super Amino 23 so you can get the most out of your workouts.
What has the world come to that even personal trainer and strength coaches "have to" write articles and "blogs" to keep up with the cool kids. It used to be we just lifted things up and put them down (ok, you knew I had to put that quote in here somewhere, right?). So yes, Jtab has now entered the "blogosphere". Check back regularly for exercise and nutrition posts as well as updates on "what Joey and the crew at Jtab Training have been up to lately". In fact, Jtab Training is coming up on one year at the current location (3399 So County Trail, EG, RI) and growing organically as I type this. It's been a hell of year, and we can't wait to show you all the awesome things we have in store for year 2.
