Transformation Spotlight

Hey guys

Marie started working out with me at 185.4 lbs. Her body fat was 33%. Her goal: to improve her overall health and fitness and, of course, to lose weight.

Look at her now! 162 lbs and a body fat of 21%. That's a weight loss of 23 lbs and a drop of 12% body fat! Way to go, Marie! I'm so happy that you've made such good progress.

Keep up the great work!

AlejandroQ.

Cardio Tennis

Hey guys

For those of you bored with running or jogging in the park, here's an alternative — Cardio Tennis. With the US Open just around the corner, I thought this will be a great time to try it out. Frances Rivera of 7 News Boston had this interesting report about it:

Ever wish you had a body like Serena Williams or Anna Kornikova's? Well maybe you can. That's because the U.S. Tennis Association has developed a new exercise program called 'Cardio Tennis'. The program is brand new, but has attracted plenty of interest.

Wendy Callery of Andover is a frequent tennis player, but often feels she's not getting enough of a cardio workout. So when she heard about Cardio Tennis, she says, "It sounded like fun, so I signed up."

The Andover tennis player says she's not getting enough of a cardio workout from her doubles matches.

"When you play doubles, it's kinda start and stop, and this was keeping you going all the time

The basic idea of cardio tennis is a high impact workout - it incorporates many of the drills you'd see in a tennis class.

Cardio Tennis instructor Adam Molda explains. "We're trying to take away from people having that boring 30 minute bike ride. We're trying to get them to have fun on the tennis court, while having a workout."

Sue Bohenko, a Cardio Tennis player, gets quite the workout. "You gotta move, move, move. And they make sure you keep moving."

But don't worry if you're not a tennis pro - the program is designed for anyone - in fact, the tennis association is hoping that the program will attract new people to tennis.

Callery says that "It's less about focusing on strokes. It's more about the fitness."

And according to her, it works. "It was a fun way to exercise without noticing that you're straining that you're working so hard."

Cardio tennis is only available at a couple tennis centers in the area right now, but it will be fully rolled out to coincide with the US Open in September.

The cost of Cardio tennis classes varies depending on the club you join, but is comparable to any other aerobics class.

If you want to find out more, you can check out the Cardio Tennis site here. I'm sure you'll have lots of fun!

Enjoy the rest of your summer!

AlejandroQ.

Having a Puppy

Hey guys

I just wanted to share with you a photo of my puppy Lola. She is a beautiful teacup ChiHuaHua. I just got her this past Friday and have been dedicating all my free time to her.

You are going to hear more from me about her. I promise you!

Love you guys

AlejandroQ.

Inspiring Makeovers

Hey guys

For the past few months, I have been sharing with you some of the amazing and inspiring makeovers of my clients. I have finally consolidated those into a new section on my website, aptly called Inspiring Makeovers.

It's one thing to hear about it but totally another to experience the changes in front of you. Some of my clients wanted to just lose a few pounds while others wanted to tone up and/or gain muscle. In all cases, the transformations were astounding. I am so proud of each and every one of them.

I hope to bring and share with you more in the near future, so stop by and take a look. Perhaps you will be as inspired as I am. It's times like this that I am proud to be a trainer.

AlejandroQ

Transformation Spotlight

Hey guys

Brian is another client that I am extremely proud of. His goal was to put on more muscle. But let me state here, just for the record, that Brian was already in great shape (as you can see in the "Before" photo). His starting weight was 172.2 lbs while his body fat was only 4%.

In the 10 weeks that we trained, Brian put on an amazing total of 20 lbs of muscle. And he did this without sacrificing his definition. His muscles are now much fuller. Final stats: 192 lbs at 4% body fat!

I congratulate you on a most spectacular job! Thanks also for allowing me to share your success story.

AlejandroQ.

Biking: Good Cardio

Hey guys

There are three main types of bikes: the classic bike, the bike with arm levers and the recumbent bike (reclining). Stationary cycling is exactly like real cycling but without balance or scenery. The bikes may utilize a flywheel, resistance strap or air resistance mechanism, but they all provide the same basic workout.

Here is Noelle and me doing cardio biking on one of those days that we didn’t feel like running on the treadmill.

1. The classic bike is like the one pictured to the right: just a seat, handlebars and pedals. This is what most people think of when they hear the words "stationary bike".
2. Bikes with arm levers incorporate a push-pull movement to work the upper body as well.
3. The recumbent bike (where you sit back in a chair and the pedals are in front of you) is the most comfortable. This type of seat can alleviate any numbness you may experience when riding a bike with a regular seat. The recumbent bike position unblocks the hips allowing additional muscles, e.g. hamstrings and glutes, to engage. This burns more calories and takes stress off the knees by helping the quads perform the work.

Cycling Pro and Cons
Cycling, like any activity has its advantages and disadvantages.

Pros

• Cycling is good because it is completely non-impact, making it ideal for those carrying a lot of excess weight. There is no stress on knees or back.
• It is convenient to do. All you need is the bike.
• It requires almost no skill to learn.

Cons

• Bikes can have uncomfortable seats. This can be a major issue if you plan on using the bike for long periods of time.
• Since it only works the lower body, it doesn’t burn as many calories as an exercise that also involves the upper body. Some bikes have arm levers that address this issue.
• It can be fairly dull as the scenery never changes. Reading a book or magazine, listening music, watching television or having good company can help alleviate this problem.

Setting the Seat
When you are using a bike, it is important to set the seat correctly. Here are a few pointers.

• The seat should be set at a height so that when the pedal is at the bottom you still have a slight bend in your knee.
• If you have to lean over each time you push, it will get uncomfortable in a hurry.
• Set the seat too low and you will not get maximum extension and therefore you will not get maximum power.
• Most seats have a pin in the back that you pull out, allowing you to raise or lower the seat.

Spinning
Group stationary cycling classes have become popular recently. This is called Spinning. It is a similar concept to aerobics classes in that you have somebody leading the group but each person is on a bike instead of just on the floor or on step platforms. The instructor systematically varies the resistance and tempo, often to music, to keep the cycling from getting boring. It is similar to Fartlek (speed play) training on a bike. For those who find solo stationary biking boring, this can be a good alternative.

Last year when I decided to stop competing and to return to training for living, I got myself a spinning bike to help myself get back into shape. Let me tell you, it was a very good investment. Now, you may say that “I don’t have the room” or “I don’t want to leave that in my living room” but you know something, the spinning bike can actually look quite good as a home deco piece. After a year, I still love my bike.

Happy spinning!

AlejandroQ.