Abs of steel

Who doesn't want beach worthy abs? The abdomen has a few muscle groups that both men and women benefit from toning. When toning your abs you will also be working your obliques and a few other muscle groups depending on which exercise you are doing. There are a vast array of exercises you can do, both explosive and static, with or without equipment. Below are a few examples of how you can tone your tummy.

Due to the success of the member participation for our previous blog post on biceps/triceps, we thought why not stick to that format. I've found a new set of willing Body Shop gym members to model these exercises for photos. We're pretty lucky to have such dedicated members, it's always inspiring watching them all do their workouts.

Ab Crunches

Swiss-Ball Crunch
1. Lie with your hips, lower back and shoulders in contact with the Swiss ball.
2. Place your Fingertips behind your ears, elbows should be inline with your body. (alternatively you can hold a weight plate on your chest if you want to increase the resistance)
3. Raise your head and shoulders and crunch your rib cage towards your pelvis using your ab muscles to execute the movement. (Do not pull on your head with your arms, merely hold your hands there).4. Pause at the 'top' of the crunch, then slowly return to the starting position.

Choose how many reps to do in a set, the set should end with 3-4 reps that give you a bit of a burn, then you've reached the right amount of reps. Do three or more of these sets with a bit of a rest between each set. (You can always alternate with a different exercise that doesn't work the abs). Crunches can be done on a flat surface or a reclining surface, but the Swiss ball offers a very comfortable alternative, so you can do MORE reps!

P.S. Ab crunches are not sit ups, where your chest comes a lot closer up to the knees, a crunch is a smaller movement but can be just as effective when executed correctly.

Dan is showing you how to execute ab crunches using a Swiss ball. The instability of the ball woks the core a little bit extra and also offers a cushioned surface for your bum and back.

Leg raises

Vertical knee raise
1. Support the body by resting lower arms and elbows on the pads, gripping the handles firmly. Your back should be pressed up against the back support, legs hanging straight down with feet hovering above the floor.
2. Inhale and raise knees towards your chest using the abdominal chore muscles to do so. Your back will round slightly and press up against the back rest. (To increase the effects of this ab workout, try holding the knees to the chest for a few seconds on each repetition. For an even more intense variation of this exercise, try the same movement with straight legs.)
3. Release and let your legs go back to straight hanging position while exhaling.
4. Repeat for as many reps as you feel is necessary to come to a burn, then do a few sets during your workout.

This exercise can also be executed while hanging, gripping a high bar with your hands or using ab slings.

Leg raises with bent knees are demonstrated here by Chris, leg raises can be done with bent or straight legs.

Horizontal Stabilization (plank) with knee tuck

Static horizontal stabilization
1. Get into a push-up position, balance on your toes, but bend your arms so that you are leaning on your elbows.
2. Try to hold your body as straight as possible, like a plank, by engaging all your core muscles. This first version of this exercise is a static exercise (A blend of static and dynamic exercises allows engagement of all your ab muscles)
3. Breathe deeply and hold the position for 30 seconds, or however long you feel is necessary to make your muscles really work to keep you flat at the end of the time span.

Horizontal stabilization with knee tuck (or 'crab' move)
1. Start in the same position as above.
2. Lift one foot off the floor, bend at the knee and bring the knee up along the side of your body towards your elbow. You will be balancing on the toes of the foot that's still planted on the ground and your two elbows while performing this knee tuck. The leg you are tucking should not touch the floor, just hover above it. Try to keep your body as 'planked' as possible while executing the movement.
5. Return to the original position and repeat the knee tuck with your other leg. Breather in when tucking the knee, then breathe out again when returning to full plank position.
6. Repeat as many  times as you feel is appropriate to come to a burn, then do a few sets with the same amount of reps, resting between each set.

This one is a great all around core exercise since you have to engage muscles in your shoulders, chest, back, bum and legs, as well as the abs that we're targeting in this blog post.

Jessie is showing you the position for a static horizontal stabilization in the top picture. For a dynamic variation  you can add the knee tuck or 'crab' move demonstrated in this image

Hope this has helped you guys on your way to amazing abs. For more tips on exercises we have plenty of books available for our members to use and our trainers Bruce and Jennifer are always happy to answer any questions you might have. (Or why not book a training session with one of them if you want to work out a routine to target a specific area or just to get in general shape, contact details can be found under the contact tab at the top of the blog page).

Member profile August 2013

It's August. Mammoth is absolutely BURSTING with festivals and activities of all kinds. What a summer! Most of our members are all about getting fit for all the outdoor activities there is to do around here. Spending some time at the gym can prevent injuries when you're out exploring more natural terrain. Our member of the month this time is a lady who enjoys Mammoth summers with her husband and three kids.

BodyShop: Please state your name for us.

Member: Alicia

BodyShop: Do you live in Mammoth full time, seasonal or visiting? And how long have you been here?

Member: Seasonal, we have a house up here and mostly come up in the summertime.

BodyShop: What is your occupation?

Member: I'm a homemaker at the moment.

BodyShop: How long have you been coming to The Body Shop?

Member: This is my second summer. 

BodyShop: How often do you work out and what’s your favorite time of day for working out?

Member: I work out 6 days per week now, not in the gym every day, but always doing something active.

BodyShop: What’s your favorite work out music?

Member: I like pop music. Pink is one of my favorites, and you're gonna laugh, but New Kids on the Block are fab. Their new album is so good.

BodyShop: What other sports/recreational activities do you engage in?

Member: I hike and bike up here. Back home in Encinitas I play softball and tennis as well.

BodyShop: Which are your favorite spots to do those things around Mammoth?

Member: We have three kids and live in Old Mammoth, so we do the Town Loop a lot, but we also go to Crowley, Mammoth Ridge and hike to Rainbow Falls a few times each summer.
 

BodyShop: What do you like best about The Body Shop Gym? 

Member: I love how personal it is, it's so comfortable and friendly. I tried the other gym in town and it was not for me. I go to a similar gym to this one back home in San Diego.
 
BodyShop: Finally, what is the one piece of workout attire you own that should probably have been retired a long time ago? (oh, come on, you know you have at least one item like that)

Member: Well, I just recently had to update my entire workout wardrobe as I've lost 25 pounds this year, my sweat pants were literally falling off me during my exercises. I should probably replace my shoes more often though, but the ones I'm wearing today are fairly new, the old ones had holes in them!

Alicia rode in on her bike, did her workout and then got back on the bike. That's Mammoth living!

Member profile July 2013

It's July and Mammoths summer season is in full swing. The motocross and 4th July holiday brought an abundance of people to our town. We've had a many super nice visitors come use the Body Shop gym. But we never forget about our loyal regulars. The member of the month feature continues with a guy who is always a delight to have around.

BodyShop: Please state your name for us.

Member: Joe

BodyShop: Do you live in Mammoth full time, seasonal or visiting? And how long have you been here?

Member: Full time for nine years now.

BodyShop: What is your occupation?

Member: I work in property management.

BodyShop: How long have you been coming to The Body Shop?

Member: 5 months. 

BodyShop: How often do you work out and what’s your favorite time of day for working out?

Member: 3-4 days per week. I prefer afternoon evening, after work.

BodyShop: What’s your favorite work out music?

Member: Jam and funk.

BodyShop: What other sports/recreational activities do you engage in?

Member: I hike, bike, ski, climb, fish and more.

BodyShop: Which are your favorite spots to do those things around Mammoth?

Member: All of the High Sierras.
 

BodyShop: What do you like best about The Body Shop Gym? 

Member: It's close to where I live and I like the staff here.
 
BodyShop: Finally, what is the one piece of workout attire you own that should probably have been retired a long time ago? (oh, come on, you know you have at least one item like that)

Member: Old shirts and shorts. The T-shirt I have on today is a good example!

The t-shirt Joe mentioned, on display here, holes and all. You can wear whatever you want in here Joe, as long as you wear your smile too. :)

Protein is a muscles best friend

Protein is incredibly important when it comes to nutrition for building a healthy toned or muscular body. Muscles are basically made out of protein. In fact, protein is an important element of every cell in your body. It is a vital building block not only for our muscles but also for our bones, cartilage, skin, hair, nails and blood (among other things). With that said, if you don't get enough protein in your diet you can not build muscles, its that simple.

Many fitness enthusiasts supplement their regular protein intake with protein powder or pre-made shakes. We sell both of those here at the gym. However, for the average person the best way to ingest protein is simply to eat healthy and choose foods that are high in protein, avoiding low protein products. We thought we could help you along a bit and list foods that are high in protein.

Lets start with the animal kingdom:
*Turkey and chicken breast (make sure it's a quality bird and avoid the skin for a leaner option)

*Lean beef and veal (avoid any fatty pieces, the white stuff, that's the fat)

*Pork loin (chops that is. Again, avoid any fat bits, cut it off)

*Tuna, salmon and halibut (wild catches will be more nutritious than farmed as the fishes diet is more varied. And may I suggest choosing dolphin friendly tuna at all times, that part is more beneficiary to your conscience than the nutrition)

*Lobster and crab (seafood in general are good sources of protein)

Vegetarian options (which should also be eaten by meat eaters):
*Tofu (not all tofu products are all that good for you, a lot of soy is genetically modified etc. Choose organic tofu and fermented soy products like Tempeh)

*Soy beans (Same here, organic is best)

*Cheese (Low fat mozarella or cottage cheese will be among the best for you)

*Eggs (especially the egg whites. You might have heard about body builders drinking raw egg-whites, they don't necessarily have to be raw though, even though all food is most nutritious raw)

*Yoghurt, milk and soymilk (yoghurt has many benefits to it, especially the natural organic varieties)

*Nuts and seeds (Pretty much any nuts and seeds will be good sources of protein. Some of the best seeds are pumpkin, watermelon, squash, sunflower, flax and sesame, and for nuts I can recommend almonds, pistachios, peanuts and pecans)

*Spirulina (Possibly the least known to you on this list, it is a dried seaweed and it's is packed with protein)

A protein rich diet alone will not build muscle. Although protein is good for many functions in the body, if you want it to assist you in building muscle mass you will have to put in some work at the gym (or wherever you decide to exercise). One thing is for sure, eating less junk and more protein rich food will benefit any body tremendously, and in combination with exercise you are guaranteed to see and feel great change.

Choosing organic (when you can) will always insure that you need to eat less volume, as each bite will be more nutritious. Raw food will retain more of all the good stuff than cooked food, not possible with all foods naturally, but do try to keep your vegetables raw instead of cooking them. From the moment vegetables and fruits are harvested they start loosing their nutrients, it is therefore a good idea to shop for local and recently harvested produce (the ultimate is growing your own and picking things straight onto the plate). Fruit and veg that has traveled a long way to your dinner table will have lost a lot of their original goodness, which means you'll need to eat more to feel satisfied. Keep a balanced diet, nutrients and vitamins of all kinds are beneficiary to building good physique. A handy little trick to intake as many different nutrients as possible is to make sure there are a lot of colors mixed in any one meal, this helps keep a good spread of nutrition in your diet. We do recommend reading up a bit more on nutrition than that, but the colors is an easy thing keep in mind when shopping. P.S. Original colors are the only thing that counts, food coloring does not apply!!!

But don't just take our word on all of this, do your own research for a diet that is good for your specific body and training. We are all different and it's important that you find what works for you.

Member profile June 2013

It's June, already!??? Where did the ski season go? Mammoth Mountain has recently closed their doors to skiers and boarders and converted to mountain bike park. This usually means a bit of a switch in clientele here at the Body Shop gym. However, Mammoth has a good amount of year round residents too, and while it's fun to see new faces we love our regulars very much. Our member of the month this month is one of those people...

BodyShop: Please state your name for us.

Member: Sandra

BodyShop: Do you live in Mammoth full time, seasonal or visiting? And how long have you been here?

Member: Full time.

BodyShop: What is your occupation?

Member: I work at the Goodlife cafe. (For those of you who don't know, Goodlife is a locals favorite place to go for breakfast/brunch)

BodyShop: How long have you been coming to The Body Shop?

Member: Forever! 

BodyShop: How often do you work out and what’s your favorite time of day for working out?

Member: 4-5 days per week. 6 am is my favorite really, but if I can't make it early morning I try to come fairly late at night instead.

BodyShop: What’s your favorite work out music?

Member: Country.

BodyShop: What other sports/recreational activities do you engage in?

Member: I ride my roadbike.

BodyShop: Which are your favorite spots to do those things around Mammoth?

Member: Around town, to the lakes, up to the mountain, the scenic loop, to Crowley and to Bishop.
 

BodyShop: What do you like best about The Body Shop Gym? 

Member: I have to say the people who work here. Bruce always has nice employees that make you feel comfortable and welcome. (Bodyshop: Once again we'd like to point out that we are not bribing our members for answers :P )
 
BodyShop: Finally, what is the one piece of workout gear you wear that should probably have been retired a long time ago? (oh, come on, you know you have at least one item like that)

Member: I don't really have any! I love work out clothes so I keep buying more all the time. I purchase more work out gear than I do regular clothing.

Sandra always has nice colorful work out clothes, and she works out wearing earrings, sparkly snowflake ones today. She's an absolute sweetheart. Love her.

Biceps and Triceps toning

Here is one the boys will like, I should think. I've watched as some of our gym members approach Bruce (owner of the Body Shop) asking for tips for their gym routine and he is always more than happy to help out. However, I suspect many are too shy to ask, so thought we'd feature some suggestions for you here on our blog. First up, biceps and triceps, muscle groups favored by many guys (and some girls) when it comes to building their physique. How does one acquire those bulging Popeye arms, or Body Shop logo arms if you wish? With all of these exercises, start with a lighter weight and work yourself up over time. Pick a weight where you can do three sets of 10-15 reps, coming to a moderate burn at the end of each set.

Bicep work outs:
Biceps work out #1: Preacher curls

Sit or stand with the arms resting on the support pad. Grasp the bar or dumbbell with an underhand grip. Inhale and raise the forearm(s) by bending the elbows. Exhale at the end of the effort. Begin with lighter weights and be careful not to overextend the arms at the elbow joint.

Here's Joe demonstrating preacher curls with bar (top) and dumbbell (bottom).

Biceps work out #2: Dumbbell curls

Sit holding a dumbbell in each hand with arms hanging down and the palms of the hands facing the body. Inhale and bend the elbow, rotate the palm up before it reaches horizontal. To make this exercise work your muscles further continue by raising the elbow at the end of the movement.

Nelson is showing excellent form on the dumbbell curls here.

Biceps work out #3: Pulley curls (High and Low)

Using the tethered weight machine in two ways. With the tether anchored low, stand facing the machine, grasp the handle with an underhand grip. Inhale and bend the elbow, upper arms at the side of your body, raising the forearm only. Exhale at the end of the movement.

Or, for high  curls, stand between the two tethers, having them anchored in a high position. One handle grip in each hand, started with arms stretched out like a 'cross', inhale and bend the arms at the elbow bringing your fists towards your head. Exhale at the end of the movement.

Frederic is demonstrating both variations of the pulley curls, both high (top) and low ones (bottom).

Do remember to balance your biceps work outs with triceps work outs (and other muscle groups) in order to get a balanced healthy physique.

Triceps work outs:

Triceps workout #1: Push downs

Use the tethered weight machine with the tether anchored in a high position (use a bar or rope handle). Stand facing the machine, grasp the handle with an overhand grip, inhale and extend the forearms, keeping the elbows tucked into the body. Exhale at the end of the movement.

Eric is showing how to use the tethered machine for push downs, using one of several different hook-on handles we have available to choose from at the Body Shop gym.

Triceps workout #2: Triceps kickbacks

Gripping a dumbbell in one hand stand in a running start position with both knees slightly bent, lent slightly forward, maintaining a straight back. Hold the upper arm fixed alongside the body, bend and extend at the elbow. Inhale when extending and exhale at the end of the movement. This is a small movement and looks rather easy, but it can be very effective. Perform reps until you feel a burn for best result.

Grace is showing the stance and movement of this exercise.

Triceps workout #3: Lying triceps extensions (With bar or dumbbells)

Lie on your back on a horizontal bench, grasp the barbell with an overhand grip or a dumbbell in each hand with a vertical grip. Start by holding the weight with straight arms above your chest. Inhale and bend at the elbow lowering the weight to the forehead or behind the head. Return to the initial position and exhale there.

Here's Ramon demonstrating how to execute lying triceps extensions with a bar.

Kathy is showing a slight variation of the above exercise using a dumbbell. Lowering the weight across your face where you can see it gives you a bit more control and reduces the strain slightly, a good variation for women.

Don't forget warming up, stretching and eating right. One of the most important aspects of muscle building is diet. Your body needs protein to have a fair chance of toning, fast food and cereal doesn't cut it. See other posts for food and supplement tips, or talk to Bruce for more information.

We would like to thank all of the gym members who participated in the photos for this blog post, we have the best members in the world!!!

Member profile May 2013

Is it May already!? Good lord time flies. We've been busy fitting new equipment in the gym and signing up a bunch of new summer members. Time to get beach fit! So, there was a couple of months hiatus in our Member of the Month feature, but now we''re back with a bang. Enjoy!

BodyShop: Please state your name for us.

Member: Billy

BodyShop: Do you live in Mammoth full time, seasonal or visiting? And how long have you been here?

Member: Full time.

BodyShop: What is your occupation?

Member: I'm a chef at Petra's.

BodyShop: How long have you been coming to The Body Shop?

Member: For almost two years now, as long as I've been in Mammoth.

BodyShop: How often do you work out and what’s your favorite time of day for working out?

Member: 4-6 days per week. I like the mornings the best, there are fewer young folk around at that hour.

BodyShop: What’s your favorite work out music?

Member: The music you play on Saturday and Sunday mornings, we seem to have the same taste in music. (Billy is referring to the slightly down tempo folk/alternative country/singer-songwriter mix I like to sneak in when people are barely awake on weekend mornings)

BodyShop: What other sports/recreational activities do you engage in?

Member: A lot. I rock and Ice climb, hiking, biking, trail running, sky diving, skiing, among other things.

BodyShop: Which are your favorite spots to do those things around Mammoth?

Member: I love this whole area, but the 7 lakes basin and Convict lake is beautiful. There is so much climbing around there and I do most of my trail running around there too.
 

BodyShop: What do you like best about The Body Shop Gym? 

Member: I like the clientele here, the intimate feel and friendliness of everyone. Oh, AND, the staff of course.
 
BodyShop: Finally, what is the one piece of workout gear you wear that should probably have been retired a long time ago? (oh, come on, you know you have at least one item like that)

Member: Oh my gosh! My green t-shirt, it stands up on its own. It now has some not so nice holes under the arms as well, so it’s getting to be unwearable. This is probably the first time you’ve seen me wearing this gray one actually.

Here's Billy, always a ray of sunshine.
We're thinking it might be that open door Jeep he drives all winter long
that puts this frozen in time perma-smile on his face. :P