Men’s Interests

As long as men have been on a quest to attain the perfect body there have been countless questions as to how exactly to go about it.

Well wait no longer, I’m going to put an end to this debate right now. Which is better for attaining the best body, weight lifting or bodyweight exercises?

The answer - neither one is necessarily better than the other. Truth be told there is no one perfect way to develop the ultimate physique, that’s why you have so many proponents of both methods. In the development of your fitness regime you have consider a lot of different factors:

1. What are your exact goals, what type of shape are you in right now and what type of body do you want to achieve

2. How much money can you invest or are you willing to invest in equipment for your home or gym/health club memberships

3. How much time do you have to invest in your fitness program

4. Will you have a training partner at your disposal should one be necessary

Inevitably what you will find after considering these and other factors is that a mix of weight training and bodyweight exercises will help you achieve your fitness goals in the shortest time possible.

If your new to working out, you may want to stick entirely with simple calesthenics at the beginning until you develop sufficient strength and coordination to tackle a more complete workout program.

Exercises like push-ups, bodyweight squats, dips, handstands and pull-ups will greatly improve your strength, balance, coordination and endurance and once these exercises become “easy” to perform you can begin adding weighted movements to your routine to (1) build areas these exercises don’t completely develop - like bicep curls; or (2) to increase body mass, if that’s your goal, with barbell squats or deadlifts.

A lot of what it takes to attain your goals in fitness, as well as other areas of your life, lies in the doing not in the search for too good to be true shortcuts.

One thing I can not stress enough - always, always, always consult your doctor before beginning a new workout program - even the best workout program in the world will do nothing for you if you injure yourself during the first session and can’t continue.

If you’re looking for quick workouts you can perform when your strapped for time or unable to make it to the gym, keep coming back. I’m going to try and put up some 15 minute maintenance workouts every week or so to keep your blood pumping when the clock’s not on your side.

workout program, bodyweight exercise, free weight exercise, choosing the best workout

Like me, this guy decided he needed to lose weight so he joined the Discovery Health National Body Challenge.

Discovery Health’s National Body Challenge is a FREE, eight-week, comprehensive fitness and weight-loss challenge that provides the tools and inspiration to get in shape, shed extra pounds and adopt a healthier lifestyle.

I’ve begun the journey by registering for the Challenge, which you can do here. Registration includes:

• 8-week membership to Bally Total Fitness ® (certain terms and conditions apply)
• Customized online Meal Plans with over 1,000 healthy recipes
• Multiple chances to win $1,000,000* (effective 1/13/07-3/10/07)
• Expert healthy lifestyle information
• Personalized Fitness Tracker and Plan
• Individualized Weight Tracker

I won’t be attending a scheduled weigh-in, but I may utilize the free 8-week membership to Bally’s Fitness. I wish there was a facility in my town, but the closest one is about 30 minutes away. Luckily I just received a coupon for one free week at a gym within walking distance of my home. If you live near one of these centers you can attend a weigh-in on January 13 or January 14:

• Brea Mall, 1065 Brea Mall,Brea, CA 92821
• Roosevelt Field, Old Country Rd & Meadowbrook Parkway, Garden City, NY 11530
• Woodfield Mall, 5 Woodfield Shopping Center, Schaumburg, IL 60173
• Westfield Montgomery, 7101 Democracy Blvd, Bethesda, MD 20817
• Bally Total Fitness®, 256 Mall Blvd, King of Prussia, PA 19406
• Bally Total Fitness®, 13350 Northwest Freeway, Houston, TX 77040
• Bally Total Fitness®, 2528 Old Denton Rd, Carrollton, TX 75006
• Bally Total Fitness®, 11060 Alpharetta Highway, Roswell, GA 3076
• Bally Total Fitness®, 3235 148th Ave. SE, Bellevue, WA 98007
• Bally Total Fitness®, 203 W Big Beaver, Columbia Center, Troy, MI 48084
• Bally Total Fitness®, 3554 Mayfield Dr, Cleveland Hts, OH 44118
• Bally Total Fitness®, 12235 N. Cave Creek Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85022
• Bally Total Fitness®, 180 El Camino Real, San Francisco, CA 94080
• Bally Total Fitness®, 285 Middlesex Ave, Medford, MA 02155

Discovery Health will be airing a television special about the Challenge on Sunday, January 14 and Monday, January 15 at 8 p.m. ET/PT

See how obesity affects a vegetarian family, as well as a meat-loving one. Watch as a family of musicians, eager to hit the charts, hits the gym first. And finally, see the amazing transformation of Jeff White and his family from last year’s Challenge, who have lost a combined total of 200 pounds.

Wondering if all this trouble will be worth it? Let’s have a look at that guy after he lost weight.

I’ll be honest, I won’t be following the diet plan exactly as written. I’ll be using some of it, but I had such good results with the diet plan I created two years ago, I have to use that too. I lost five pounds a week for six weeks, was never hungry and had tons of energy. Don’t worry, I’ll be sharing some of my secrets with you in later posts.

Will you join me in the Challenge? I’d love to hear from you. Let’s compare our results.

NexGym is the new thing for parents looking for an indoor play facility for the younger set. What sets NexGym apart from other indoor play facilities is their focus on fitness.

Do you have a child who is hooked on video gaming? Have trouble getting him on a bicycle? Take him to NexGym where he can ride a stationary bike hooked to a video screen. The faster he rides, the faster his character rides in the game.

Do you have a child who is hooked on music videos? Have trouble getting her off the sofa? Take her to NexGym where she can play Dance Dance Revolution. She’ll burn calories and get fit, all while listening to her favorite tunes.

Kids 6-14 can play dodgeball or skip rope with other children, as well as participate in all of the high-tech activities like:

Makoto Interactive Sports Arena

This revolutionary fitness game puts you at the center of intergalactic hand-to-hand combat while providing dramatic improvement in hand-eye coordination, reaction time, concentration, and mental acuity. It’s a serious cardio booster to boot.

Cybex Trazer

Step right up and launch yourself into an interactive world where reaction time, acceleration, speed, power, and balance drive on-screen activities.

Treadwall Climbing Wall

It’s challenging, yet anyone can do it. It’s daunting at first glance, incredibly fun once you try it, and entirely safe for even the smallest mountain climber. Kids develop gross-motor skills, grow stronger and more flexible, and exercise their brains at the same time.

Kids FitnessNexfit Bike

An ingenious exercise bike that plugs into any video game and becomes the joystick, putting the rider in control. The result is an effective and entertaining cardiovascular workout.

Sportwall

This challenging team sport uses interactive technology that requires players to simultaneously track a ball, multiple targets, sounds, scores, and a time clock. The faster they play, the higher they score. While they’re having a blast, their bodies and minds are getting exercised.

Southlake Dance Dance Revolution

Hit dance numbers and exclusive new songs are the soundtrack for guided dance steps that teach you all the right moves as you follow along on your connected dance pad. This is a #1 smash hit with kids of all ages and a terrific aerobic workout.

Eye Toy

A digital camera trained on you and hooked up to the game player puts you at the center of the action. Your every move connects with kung fu fighters and other characters on the screen. Playing Eye Toy improves posture, balance, breathing, and stamina.

Potty-trained toddlers can be dropped off for morning playtime, and children 3-7 can take these classes:

Pre-K Sports Skills

This class teaches the fundamentals of sport skills. The emphasis is on teamwork and fun.

Pre-K Dance

Progressing principals of ballet, jazz, and hip-hop, taught by accredited instructors. Proper shoes and attire required.

Pre-K Hip Hop

A fun, high-energy dance class that teaches children the techniques of hip-hop dance while enhancing their coordination and rhythm.

Pre-K Yoga

This is FUN Yoga. Children play yoga by imitating animals and nature, and by using creative expression, games, and storytelling.

Children 5 and over can take Karate.

Traditional martial arts values (Integrity, Respect, Humility, Concentration and Indomitable Spirit) taught with a modern approach for developing self-defense and situational awareness. This challenging and rewarding program will maximize physical and mental development. Students will develop TRUE STRENGTH, not over others, but over their own bodies and minds. Southlake classes taught by experienced instructors from the American Defensive Arts Academy.

Kids 7-14 can take the following classes:

Sports Training

This class pumps you up with speed, agility, strength, and cardio drills. A true fitness class with warm-up, cardio, strength, and stretch segments.

Boot Camp

Come join the troops! You will love the challenge of circuit training, and basic fitness drills. You will learn weight training, cardio endurance, and more!

Strength and Conditioning (Parents Welcome)

This is a customized class, combining Mat Pilates, Yoga, body isolations, balance, core strength, and stretching. Kids Yoga

Yoga (Parents Welcome)

Balance, core strength, and flexibility are the key components of this invigorating class.

And kids 8-14 can take:

Kick Hop

This class is set to the latest (clean) version of your favorite Hip Hop tunes. Using a combo of Kickbox and choreography. A true cardio workout!

Hip Hop

We will do a jazz/ hip hop warm up, progressions, and create a routine so you’ll be ready to perform during half time at the Mav’s game.

You can schedule a birthday party at Nexgym, they have special classes for special needs children, and they offer Music Together classes.

NexGym is now available in Southlake, Texas, with a second location opening soon.

Southlake Town Square
1430 East Southlake Blvd., Suite 110
Southlake, TX 76092
Phone: 817-488-9300

See a News8 video report on NexGym by clicking HERE.

I hope this concept takes off and we see these facilities all over the country.

children fitness play birthday party