Why is Zoom so good?
So we’re stuck at home and can’t go swimming or go to our usual gym or exercise class. I know they didn’t design Zoom for group exercise but it couldn’t be more ideal! You can watch a video, see and hear other people doing the exercise and be seen and heard by a coach who can communicate with you as you exercise. We all need motivation and encouragement, especially if we’re a bit rusty or we’re new to this type of exercise.
Why is it a good way of Working Out at Home?
The reason going to a gym works is because you go there for the specific purpose of exercising. At our gym, the coaches would be expecting you, they’d greet you and coach you on your workout. If you came in and sat down and did nothing the coach would notice and encourage and help you to get started.
We can also do this on Zoom – you’re booked in for a specific session so the coach is expecting you. You won’t be able to sit and watch the video without participating because the coach would notice and work with you to solve any issue and help you get started.
Any of our members who are nervous about starting or worried about joints or injuries have a coach there to reassure them and correct them on their form and offer variations to protect joints. We are doing this on Zoom and, because the member can see the coach, they can demonstrate the variation to that member without interrupting the flow of the whole video or holding up other participants.
What you need for a Complete Fitness Program?
For complete fitness you need strength training AND cardio training. Strength training works the muscles and cardio training works the heart and cardiovascular system. Both are important. Cardio training is fairly easy to come by: brisk walking, running, swimming, cycling, aerobic dance, etc. can all be done without needing a gym or special equipment. As long as you raise the heart rate to the cardio zone and keep it there for at least 20 mins, you can call it cardio training.
For strength training you need something that provides resistance when the muscle is under contraction – this is normally where the gym equipment is necessary – hydraulic resistance, weight stacks, free weights, pulleys, etc.
So, what do you do when the gym equipment isn’t available? We also asked this question and a very convenient answer is – use the weight of your own body to provide resistance – it’’s always with you! This is Body Weight Exercise – what we use in our Zoom combination workouts.
What is our combination workout and why is it different?
There are loads of videos on Youtube, TikTok, etc. advertising “10-min cardio workout” or “10-min Abs workout”, etc. The problem with these is that 10 mins is not enough for cardio training and the strength training workouts generally only work one muscle area. You would have to do loads of videos to work all the muscles AND do cardio training properly as well. With these videos cardio is done separately to strength training so it takes twice as long to do both strength training and cardio.
Our combination workout solves both these problems. We alternate 30 secs of strength training, using body weight exercises, with 30 secs of aerobic exercise, and work our way round all the major muscle groups during the workout. In a 30 min workout, including warm-up, cool-down and stretch, the heart rate stays raised for at least 20 mins (cardio training) and all the muscles are worked at least twice (strength training).
If you do this 3 times a week you tick all the boxes for the right amount of cardio to stay fit and healthy and the right amount of strength training to get the shape and toning you’re looking for – all without having to spend ages doing videos!
What our Participants are saying
Yvonne: “I have now done 2 zoom fitness coaching classes and have thoroughly enjoyed them. It is great to be able to have the coaching while doing it and is lovely to be able to see other members taking part and having a little chat as well. They have both been very good workouts. Thanks for doing this Fran and Paul.”
Karen: “I thoroughly enjoyed todays workout. It was taxing and I’m sure I will ache tomorrow. It flowed quite well, but would be nice if it was all stitched together. It was really good having Fran able to keep an eye on us to see that we were carrying out the moves correctly and encouraging us. I still haven’t quite got the positioning of my laptop right in relation to my workout area so that Fran can see all of me all the time, but I’ll get there. Thanks again Fran and Paul.
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Judith: “Enjoyed the zoom meetings these past 2 days> It is so much better being able to see others and chat whilst working out under Frans’ tutorage.Would recommend to others to give it a go.”
Anne: “Thanks Fran I’m just having a restful drink …..of water…. before I ask my legs to move
I enjoyed myself Thank you”
What can YOU do about it?
