Dynamic Fitness Continues Its Safety Protocols

By now most of you should have received our email regarding Dynamic Fitness’ position regarding the removal of Texas COVID mandates. We ALL started this journey a year ago this month. We remember why we started…Our compliance was never one of personal or political bias. This remains true today. We set forth processes that ensured all our members and team members felt welcomed and safe. We will continue these processes moving forward – we’re excited to gradually ease our internal policies in the weeks and months ahead. Dynamic Fitness will continue to monitor data and take prudent steps as necessary. We appreciate your continued cooperation and support in advance.

• Our Team Members will continue to wear face coverings when on their scheduled shifts.

• We will continue our cleaning and sanitization focuses within our clubs.

• We strongly encourage you to continue to wear a face covering while not exercising.

• We ask you to continue to be mindful of your neighbor and remain appropriately distanced.

• We as that you continue to wipe down your equipment before and after use.

• We ask that you wash your hands before and after your workout

• We ask that you continue to self monitor: if you feel unwell, showing signs or symptoms or have been exposed to COVID please stay home.

Watch for your Medallia Surveys and please respond – we truly appreciate your feedback and your voice is what makes us better as a team.

The Amazing Advantages of Hiring a Personal Trainer

Is it time for you to get in shape and reach your fitness goals? For people who are experienced exercisers, this may not be a huge feat. For anyone who’s new to the game, though, how can you even get started? 

Hiring a personal trainer is a great way to start getting your fitness in check. A personal trainer isn’t an unnecessary expense. These trainers are educated in how to help you reach the fitness goals that you want to focus on so you don’t end up spinning your wheels or giving up.

Not convinced? We’re here to talk about it. Keep reading to learn all of the benefits of a personal trainer when you’re trying to get in shape.

Motivation

It can be difficult to feel motivated to go to the gym and work out. Between busy schedules, soreness, brain fog, and anything else hindering your desire to work on your fitness, one bad day can disrupt your schedule.

A personal trainer is there to help motivate you and give you the drive and confidence that you need to keep working towards your fitness goals. They aren’t just there to teach you best practices for exercise, they’re also there to be your advocate and cheerleader. 

Your trainer can help to hold you accountable and make sure that you stick to your schedule. While trainers have to be flexible (after all, needs and schedules change from time to time), they want to watch you succeed and that means making sure that you feel motivated to continue. 

Avoiding Injury

Have you ever been injured after a workout that’s gone wrong?

In 2019, nearly half a million injuries were the result of exercise with or without equipment. Exercise doesn’t have to be dangerous, but if you’re not careful, you can experience serious consequences. 

This is where a personal trainer can be a big help.

One common cause of injuries is poor form. When you’re working out, your form is everything. It’s more important than the amount of weight you’re lifting, the speed at which you’re running, or the intensity at which you’re doing the exercise in question. 

Bad form means that you’re not targeting your muscles in the right way, but it also means that you’re putting your body at risk. Bad form in a squat, for example, can cause knee problems. In a deadlift, you can tweak your back.

Your trainer will show you the right way to do exercises and adjust your form if you’re doing them wrong. They’ll also make sure that you don’t overtrain, another leading cause of exercise injuries. 

Quicker Progress

Have you been feeling like you’re spinning your wheels when it comes to your workouts? If you don’t know how to adjust your exercise for your body and goals, or if you aren’t keeping a consistent schedule, you might be messing up your progress.

When you hire a personal trainer, you’re hiring someone who knows all about basic nutrition, exercise splits, routines, and more. This means that you won’t be struggling through plateaus or even reversing your progress.

While fitness isn’t automatic, there are ways to boost the speed at which you advance. 

Targeted Exercise

Do you have specific goals in mind? 

Everyone wants something different out of their exercise routine. Some people want to lose fat while others want to increase their muscle tone or mass. Some people even have targeted areas in which they want to increase mass and others still only care about getting more energy and feeling healthier overall. 

Your trainer knows how to manage any of these things so you don’t have to do it alone.

When you’re working out on your own and you’ve never worked out before, you may go about weight loss in the wrong way. Many people think that excessive cardio and ab workouts are the path to a slim belly, but this isn’t true. 

While cardio is good for weight loss, it’s not good for muscle growth. Ab workouts are good for muscle growth, but they won’t help you spot reduce fat.

Your trainer knows how to incorporate both strength training and cardio to help you reach your weight loss, weight gain, or energy goals. 

Increased Challenge

How often have you gone to the gym and phoned it in? You start doing a workout, but you lift too light, run too slow, and don’t stretch afterward. 

It’s easy to do these things when no one is watching, but you’re only failing yourself. You’re making your workout too easy.

A personal trainer will make routines that are sure to challenge you without going overboard. They want to push you to your limits and they’ll make sure that you don’t give up. 

You don’t have to rely on yourself. Your trainer will challenge you enough. 

Education You Can Take With You

There will come a time when you and your trainer will part ways. That said, you can still keep the information that you learned while you were working together. 

When someone gets their personal trainer certification, it means that they’re educated in fitness science. They can impart some of their knowledge that will help you even when they’re not training you.

This also helps when you’re on “off days” from the gym. They may help you with targeted home workouts or stretching routines. Take notes from your trainer and use them whenever! 

Is Hiring a Personal Trainer Right for You?

Hiring a personal trainer might be the difference between losing your drive to exercise halfway through the year or reaching the body that you want.

Your trainer will motivate you, develop a personalized workout routine, and help you define and reach your goals. What’s not to love? Start working with a personal trainer and see results in no time. 

Are you looking for a great personal trainer and a great gym to train in? Visit us! Join us at Dynamic Fitness and start working towards your goals. 

What to Look for in a Personal Trainer

personal trainer

With the new year well underway and summer on the horizon, many people are looking to start achieving their fitness goals. Getting a good personal trainer is one of the best ways to do that. 

A personal trainer can help you set the right goals, balance your workout schedule, and even help with nutrition. Whether you’re looking to lose weight, gain weight, tone up, or reach specific lifting or cardio goals, they’re who you turn to. 

But how do you find the best personal trainer for you? We have a few ideas of what to look for so you can get started on the right track. Keep reading to learn about how to find a personal fitness trainer that will help you reach your goals. 

They Listen to You

A key trait of a good personal trainer is the ability to communicate effectively. This doesn’t just mean that they should be able to convey information while they’re training. It also means that they have to be able to listen.

When you’re entering personal training, you have goals and ideas in mind. You also have limitations and a set starting point. Your personal trainer needs to listen to you so they can best understand how to create your fitness plan.

Some trainers make the mistake of putting together a plan that works for most clients, or one that they like for themselves. This means that you won’t be getting the program that you deserve and that’s suited to your individual needs.

If your trainer seems like they’re not taking your suggestions into consideration, they’re not a good trainer. 

They Use Technology to Their Advantage

There are so many ways to use technology in the effort to create and track an effective fitness plan.

The days of tracking weight and muscle mass through inaccurate means and writing measurements on paper are behind us. In their place are full-body scans to help measure muscle, fat, and all other things that you want to improve upon on your fitness journey.

You can track your fitness and progress with helpful apps and keep all of your information digital and easy to access.

A good personal trainer knows how to use and share this technology to help you reach your goals. 

They Offer Suggestions for At-Home Activities

Let’s face it; you’re not spending every waking moment at the gym. Normal people need to go to work, attend to responsibilities, and overall need days off to let muscles recover.

This doesn’t mean that you can’t be working towards your fitness goals while you’re at home. 

Good personal trainers know that days off are just as important as days on. While you’re in recovery mode, you can be doing stretches or gentle at-home cardio workouts to keep your muscles warm without overworking them. 

They may also offer nutritional advice so you don’t undo all of your hard work by eating the wrong foods. 

They’re Motivating, Not Pushy

There’s a common trope of personal fitness trainers running their clients around as if they were drill sergeants. While this is amusing in fiction, in real life you want a more compassionate trainer.

A good trainer knows how to motivate clients without embarrassing them. They know how to push clients to their limits without pushing them beyond those limits. Trainers who don’t know the appropriate time to pull back are putting their clients at risk of injuries. 

They’re also at risk of losing clients altogether.

Good trainers want to empower clients to be their best, wherever that happens to be at the time. That “best” is different for everyone, so trainers don’t feel the need to compare one client to another, or their clients to themselves.

They Know What They’re Talking About

Not anyone can be a personal trainer. Even someone fit who works out every day may not be qualified to train others. 

Good personal trainers have an education under their belts. They’ve learned about exercise science, human anatomy, and nutrition. This helps them train clients in a way that’s scientifically proven, not anecdotal. 

Good trainers are also interested in improving their knowledge over time. Best practices for personal training change. Trainers should keep up with their learning even when their formal education is over.

They can do this by watching online videos, reading journals, or networking with other fitness professionals to make sure they’re providing the best possible service. 

They Can Adapt 

Adaptability is everything for a successful personal trainer.

As we mentioned, everyone has different needs and a different starting point. These needs will change over time. 

If you experience an injury or you don’t find yourself progressing as quickly as your fitness plan made time for, you should be able to talk to your trainer so they’re able to make adjustments to your timeline and the exercises that you’re able to do.

On the other hand, if your goals change, they should be able to work with that as well. Sometimes people come into the gym with an initial goal of weight loss, but later learn that they’re more interested in gaining muscle first. Your trainer should be able to make these changes on the fly.

The Right Personal Trainer Will Help You Reach Your Goals

Not all personal trainers are alike and finding the right one can be a trial and error. When you do find the right one, though, getting a personal trainer is the best way to reach your goals in the most efficient manner possible.

You don’t have to try to reach your goals alone. Get set up with a personal trainer and get a professional’s help. 

Are you looking for a gym in Houston Texas so you can get fit this year? We want to help! We have personal trainers available for you, or you can work alone. 

Join us online or at one of our three locations and get working on those goals. 

7 Rewarding Benefits of Joining a Gym

joining a gym

Your New Year’s resolution is put in place. This is the year when you finally get yourself back into shape. While you can sit in your living room and watch videos or buy equipment and work out alone, it’s not as rewarding as joining a gym.

At a gym, you’ll have access to equipment that you may otherwise not be able to get your hands on. You’ll also be able to meet with a personal trainer who can put you on the path toward workout success.

These aren’t the only benefits that you’ll get by signing up for a membership. Keep reading to learn more about going to the gym.

1. Meet New People 

For some people, the answer to “should I join a gym” is a resounding no if they don’t have a workout partner. It can be hard to find someone who has the same workout goals as you. That’s why you have to go outside of your normal social circle. 

Everyone at the gym has pretty much one goal in mind. They want to get fit. You’re sure to find someone who will want to work out with you. 

After attending a few classes together and socializing over coffee, you’ll make a lifelong friend who can motivate you to keep up with your fitness journey. 

2. Workout Classes 

Workout classes are guided by trainers who will help you meet your fitness goals in the safest way possible. Taking these classes can also be pretty enjoyable. You’ll be surrounded by like-minded people and potentially make a few new friends. 

Spin classes aren’t the only options available to you. There’s almost an unlimited number of things that you can try out such as yoga, Zumba, and swimming. 

Classes are also an excellent motivator. As you’re most likely aware, they work on a set schedule. Once you’re signed up and locked into the session, you’re not likely to skip it.  

Attending classes is sort of like being part of a group project, too. You’re working with others to obtain your fitness goals. You can’t let them down by giving up. 

3. You Get Access to the Right Equipment 

When you join a gym near me, you get access to all the equipment that you need. There are heavy cardio machines like treadmills and bikes. If your goals center more around strength training, there are dumbbells and squat racks. 

Can you buy this equipment yourself? Yes, that’s not out of the realm of possibility, but it is expensive. You’ll spend thousands of dollars trying to fill up one room with the machines that you need. 

There’s also the added problem of space. Treadmills and other fitness equipment take up a lot of room. They might not be available to you if you live in a small one-bedroom apartment. 

Home machines can be a little limited as far as the number of things you can do. Your body needs access to a variety of equipment for you to see the results that you’re going after. That’s where having a gym membership comes in handy.  

4. You’ll Get an Energy Boost 

As you exercise, your body releases a series of feel-good endorphins. While it can’t replace your normal depression treatment, the surge of dopamine will help. Finishing a tough workout is a huge achievement that makes anyone feel good. 

Hitting the treadmill will make you less stressed out, as well. Most gyms have massages and saunas that you can take advantage of once you’re done exercising for the day. That will help some of the anxiety melt away and massages are great for muscle recovery. 

5. Personal Trainers 

Most gyms have personal trainers available upon request. They can help guide you along and find a workout regimen that suits your needs. Some may even create a meal plan for you. 

Using machines that you’ve never so much as looked at before can be a little nerve-wracking. If you’re not careful, you may injure yourself. Personal trainers are there to ensure that doesn’t happen. 

They’ll show you how to use each machine and watch your form to make sure you don’t get hurt. Trainers are busy people, so they’ll have a set time when they can work with you. They will hold you accountable if you’re not there. 

6. Fun Extras 

Most gyms aren’t just dumbbells and ellipticals. Many have access to fun little extras that you can take advantage of. You can get a massage or stop by the sauna. 

Want to skip the treadmill the day? That’s fine, you can get your cardio in by swimming in a pool. You don’t have to do a heavy workout to see results. 

7. Improve Your Overall Health 

Of course, the number one reason to join a gym is the health benefits. Regular exercise has been proven to fight heart disease, strokes, high blood pressure, cancer, arthritis, type 2 diabetes, and more. 

As you get older, your risk of falling increases. Depending on the severity of the fall, it could be fatal. By getting in regular exercise you’ll strengthen your core and improve your balance. 

Pros of Joining a Gym 

If you have a New Year’s resolution to lose weight, there’s no better way to do it than by joining a gym. It will give you access to a variety of different equipment and trainers who have your best interest at heart.

You’ll also get a boost of dopamine, increase your confidence, meet new friends, get to attend interesting classes, and decrease your chances of developing certain diseases. So, what are you waiting for? Join up with us today and begin your fitness journey. 

Why Being Flexible Is Great for Your Health

Overview

Stretching your body to become more supple and flexible offers many physical benefits. Such training allows for easier and deeper movements while building strength and stability. Stretching your muscles and joints also leads to greater range of motion, improved balance, and increased flexibility.

Continue reading to learn more about the benefits of developing a flexible, healthy body.

6 benefits of flexibility

Improved flexibility produces a wide range of physical benefits and can have a positive effect on your overall well-being. Here are a few ways that increased flexibility is likely to help you.

1. Fewer injuries

Once you develop strength and flexibility in your body you’ll be able to withstand more physical stress. Plus, you’ll rid your body of any muscle imbalances, which will reduce your chance of getting injured during physical activity. Correcting muscle imbalances requires a combination of strengthening the underactive muscles and stretching the overactive (tight) ones.

2. Less pain

Your body is likely to feel better overall once you work on lengthening and opening your muscles. When your muscles are looser and less tense, you’ll experience fewer aches and pains. Plus, you may be less likely to experience muscle cramps.

3. Improved posture and balance

When you focus on increasing muscular flexibility your posture is likely to improve. Working out your body allows you to have proper alignment and correct any imbalances. Plus, with an increased range of motion you may find it easier to sit or stand in certain ways. Yoga has been shown to improve balance.

4. A positive state of mind

Regularly engaging in poses that stretch and open up your body can bring about feelings of relaxation. The physical benefits can extend to a relaxed state of mind. You may find it easier to unwind once your body feels better.

5. Greater strength

It’s important to increase strength as you become more flexible. This ensures your muscles will have the right amount of tension so that they’re strong enough to support you and your movements, allowing you to become more physically fit.

6. Improved physical performance

Once you increase your flexibility to allow greater movement in your body you’ll be able to perform better physically. This is in part because your muscles are working more effectively.

5 Proven Benefits of BCAAs (Branched-Chain Amino Acids)

5 Proven Benefits of BCAAs (Branched-Chain Amino Acids)

There are 20 different amino acids that make up the thousands of different proteins in the human body.

Nine of the 20 are considered essential amino acids, meaning they cannot be made by your body and must be obtained through your diet.

Of the nine essential amino acids, three are the branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs): leucine, isoleucine, and valine.

“Branched-chain” refers to the chemical structure of BCAAs, which are found in protein-rich foods such as eggs, meat and dairy products. They are also a popular dietary supplement sold primarily in powder form.

Here are five proven benefits of BCAAs.

1. Increase Muscle Growth

One of the most popular uses of BCAAs is to increase muscle growth.

The BCAA leucine activates a certain pathway in the body that stimulates muscle protein synthesis, which is the process of making muscle.

In one study, people who consumed a drink with 5.6 grams of BCAAs after their resistance workout had a 22% greater increase in muscle protein synthesis compared to those who consumed a placebo drink.

That being said, this increase in muscle protein synthesis is approximately 50% less than what was observed in other studies where people consumed a whey protein shake containing a similar amount of BCAAs.

Whey protein contains all the essential amino acids needed to build muscle.

Therefore, while BCAAs can increase muscle protein synthesis, they can’t do so maximally without the other essential amino acids, such as those found in whey protein or other complete protein sources.

Summary BCAAs play an important
role in building muscle. However, your muscles require all the essential amino acids for the best results.

2. Decrease Muscle Soreness

Some research suggests BCAAs can help decrease muscle soreness after a workout.

It’s not uncommon to feel sore a day or two after a workout, especially if your exercise routine is new.

This soreness is called delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), which develops 12 to 24 hours after exercise and can last up to 72 hours.

While the exact cause of DOMS is not clearly understood, researchers believe it’s the result of tiny tears in the muscles after exercise.

BCAAs have been shown to decrease muscle damage, which may help reduce the length and severity of DOMS.

Several studies show that BCAAs decrease protein breakdown during exercise and decrease levels of creatine kinase, which is an indicator of muscle damage

In one study, people who supplemented with BCAAs before a squat exercise experienced reduced DOMS and muscle fatigue compared to the placebo group.

Therefore, supplementing with BCAAs, especially before exercise, may speed up recovery time.

Summary Supplementing with BCAAs
may decrease muscle soreness by reducing damage in exercised muscles.

3. Reduce Exercise Fatigue

Just as BCAAs may help decrease muscle soreness from exercise, they may also help reduce exercise-induced fatigue.

Everyone experiences fatigue and exhaustion from exercise at some point. How quickly you tire depends on several factors, including exercise intensity and duration, environmental conditions, and your nutrition and fitness level.

Your muscles use BCAAs during exercise, causing levels in your blood to decrease. When blood levels of BCAAs decline, levels of the essential amino acid tryptophan in your brain increase.

In your brain, tryptophan is converted to serotonin, a brain chemical that is thought to contribute to the development of fatigue during exercise.

In two studies, participants who supplemented with BCAAs improved their mental focus during exercise, which is thought to result from the fatigue-reducing effect of BCAAs.

However, this decrease in fatigue is unlikely to translate to improvements in exercise performance.

Summary BCAAs may be useful in
decreasing exercise-induced fatigue, but they are unlikely to improve exercise
performance.

4. Prevent Muscle Wasting

BCAAs can help prevent muscle wasting or breakdown.

Muscle proteins are constantly broken down and rebuilt (synthesized). The balance between muscle protein breakdown and synthesis determines the amount of protein in muscle.

Muscle wasting or breakdown occurs when protein breakdown exceeds muscle protein synthesis.

Muscle wasting is a sign of malnutrition and occurs with chronic infections, cancer, periods of fasting, and as a natural part of the aging process.

In humans, BCAAs account for 35% of the essential amino acids found in muscle proteins. They account for 40% of the total amino acids required by your body.

Therefore, it’s important that the BCAAs and other essential amino acids are replaced during times of muscle wasting to halt it or to slow its progression.

Several studies support the use of BCAA supplements for inhibiting muscle protein breakdown. This may improve health outcomes and quality of living in certain populations, such as the elderly and those with wasting diseases like cancer.

Summary Taking BCAA supplements
can prevent the breakdown of protein in certain populations with muscle
wasting.

5. Benefit People With Liver Disease

BCAAs may improve health in people with cirrhosis, a chronic disease in which the liver does not function properly.

It’s estimated that 50% of people with cirrhosis will develop hepatic encephalopathy, which is the loss of brain function that occurs when the liver is unable to remove toxins from the blood.

While certain sugars and antibiotics are the mainstays of treatment for hepatic encephalopathy, BCAAs may also benefit people suffering from the disease .

One review of 16 studies including 827 people with hepatic encephalopathy found that taking BCAA supplements had a beneficial effect on the symptoms and signs of the disease, but had no effect on mortality.

Liver cirrhosis is also a major risk factor for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma, the most common form of liver cancer, for which BCAA supplements may also be useful.

Several studies have shown that taking BCAA supplements may offer protection against liver cancer in people with liver cirrhosis.

As such, scientific authorities recommend these supplements as a nutritional intervention for liver disease to prevent complications.

Summary BCAA supplements may
improve the health outcomes of people with liver disease, while also possibly protecting against liver cancer.

Foods High In BCAAs

BCAAs are found in foods and whole protein supplements.

Getting BCAAs from complete protein sources is more beneficial, as they contain all the essential amino acids.

Consuming protein-rich foods will also provide you with other important nutrients that BCAA supplements lack.

The best food sources of BCAAs include

FoodServing SizeBCAAs
Beef, round3.5 ounces (100 grams)6.8 grams
Chicken breast3.5 ounces (100 grams)5.88 grams
Whey protein powder1 scoop5.5 grams
Soy protein powder1 scoop5.5 grams
Canned tuna3.5 ounces (100 grams)5.2 grams
Salmon3.5 ounces (100 grams)4.9 grams
Turkey breast3.5 ounces (100 grams)4.6 grams
Eggs2 eggs3.28 grams
Parmesan cheese1/2 cup (50 grams)4.5 grams
1% milk1 cup (235 ml)2.2 grams
Greek yogurt1/2 cup (140 grams)2 grams

The Bottom Line

The branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are a group of three essential amino acids: leucine, isoleucine, and valine.

They are essential, meaning they can’t be produced by your body and must be obtained from food.

BCAA supplements have been shown to build muscle, decrease muscle fatigue and alleviate muscle soreness.

They have also successfully been used in a hospital setting to prevent or slow muscle loss and to improve symptoms of liver disease.

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