Updated Playlist - April

Updated Playlist

Sorry ladies and gents. Adam has made it painfully aware that I have not been good about updating my music blog. My apologies. Here it is:

Maroon 5 - "One More Night" 
Pitbull - "Back in Time"
Pitbull - "Give Me Everything"
Duffy ft. The Game - "Mercy Remix"
David Guetta ft. Sia - "Titanium"
Rhianna ft. Britney Spears - "S&M Remix"  
Crookers - "Cooler Couleur (feat. Yelle)"
Bjork - "Army of Me"
Blood Orange - "Sutphin Boulevard" >>>THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVS!
will.i.am - "Scream & Shout (feat. Britney Spears)"
Kid Cudi - "Pursuit of Happiness"
Florence + the Machine - "Spectrum (Say My Name)" Calvin Harris Remix
Jack Miz - "On My Phone (From the Film "Joyful Noise") >>>ANOTHER FAV
Usher - "Hot Tottie (feat. Jay-Z)" >>>ANOTHER FAV
Christina Aguilera - "Your Body"
M.I.A. - "Bad Girls (Nick Thayer Remix)"
Wild Belle - "Keep You"
Air France - "June Evenings" >>>LOVE LOVE LOVE
Placebo - "Running Up That Hill" >>>LOVE THIS SONG
Moby - "Extreme Ways"
Only Children - "Don't Stop (Bit Funk Remix)"
Mutemath - "Spotlight"
Alex Clare - "Too Close"
The Ting Tings - "That's Not My Name"
Sam Sparro - "Black & Gold (Marcussen Album Version)"

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Playlist October

Timbaland ft. Keri Hilson - "The Way I Arm (Nephew Remix)"
Junior Boys - "In the Morning"
Far East Movement - "Where the Wild Things Are"
Imagine Dragons - "Radioactive"
David Banner ft. Denim - "Dance the Night Away"
Justin Timberlake ft. Missy Elliot - "SexyBack Remix"
Massive Attack - "Paradise Circus (Gui Boratto Remix)"
Common - "What a World"
Snow Patrol - "Shut Your Eyes"
Skylar Grey - "Dance Without You (Ricky Luna Remix)"
MSTRKRFT ft. John Legend - "Heartbreaker"
Madison - "Sweet Life (Lost Girls Mix)"
Kylie Minogue - "Timebomb"
Linkin Park - "Burn It Down"
The Killers - "Mr. Brightside"

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SPX Fitness is Great for...Everyone

Kimberly here... most of the time Adam is the mouthpiece for us and he usually writes all of our blogs. However, this time I wanted to write a blog with him where I talked about SPX Fitness and why I am such a huge advocate for it. I recommend it for everyone whether you want to lose weight, tone up, or just maintain your fitness level. We feel like it is such a great system and everyone should take advantage of it. So before you make up your mind, here is a little bit more information on SPX with Adam's scientific analysis!

1. SPX Fitness is NOT pilates. We know that at first glance there seems to be an uncanny amount of similarities from the design of the machine, to the selection of exercise, to the benefits that can be achieved. Although SPX Fitness has some roots in pilates, it has some VERY significant differences as well. The creator of the SPX system, Sebastien Lagree, understood the immense benefit of cross training very early on. However, he found it challenging to deliver intensive strength training, heart rate intensive circuit work, and serious core strengthening in an one hour session without having to travel all over a fitness facility. This became the goal of the original patented Proformer machine - to combine strength training, cardiovascular conditioning, and core strengthening in a circuit format allowing for a high volume of work and very little rest. The exercises performed in our SPX Proformer class are done for a much longer duration of time than many are accustomed to in traditional personal training. In SPX we don't measure our workouts based on sets and reps rather we work on a timed format. For example, in a SPX class you will very likely find yourself doing sets of lunges for upwards of 2 minutes. Exercises are performed on a slow and controlled basis and your muscles will be under constant tension throughout the entire duration of work. This is often done in combination with other various exercises aimed at targeting similar muscle groups to achieve complete muscle failure.

2. The goal of SPX is muscle failure. The idea behind SPX is overload! If we are not consistently overloading muscles and providing adequate stress to the musculoskeletal system, we will not experience noticeable gains. When it comes to loading patterns, when you increase mechanical load (like traditional weightlifting), you run the risk of placing more stress on the joints and structures of the body and therefor potential injury risk increases as well. SPX addresses this by using spring loads to provide resistance so that you can induce more than optimal intensity without a heightened risk of injury.

SPX combines these substantial loading patterns with compound multi-joint movements and will focus 3 to 5 exercises per muscle group per side to ensure adequate muscular fatigue and failure. This accomplishes a few things. First, long duration high intensity training that induces extreme fatigue on muscle groups triggers an aggressive "lactate" response also known as "lactic acid". This is beneficial when training because lactate accumulation has a direct correlation to GH (growth hormone) response. Growth hormone is currently receiving a lot of attention for it's ability to trigger the body to burn more fat, give people a more youthful appearance, reverse osteopenia, and increase structural strength in the body. Secondly, extreme muscle failure creates a significant after burn effect when the workout is over known as "EPOC" (excess post exercise oxygen consumption). This means that the intensive training has triggered the central nervous system to increase metabolic function to recover and adapt to the training stimulus. During EPOC, the body increases oxygen consumption and energy utilization thereby raising resting metabolism and this is done AFTER your workout is over. So what you have is a two fold effect that includes output of hormones that are incredibly beneficial for fat loss and injury prevention as well as an elevated metabolism that may last 24-36 hours post workout.

3. SPX Fitness is great for fat loss but also for building strength & endurance as well. When someone wants to lose weight, the general thought is that they need to do a lot of cardio in order to achieve their desired weight loss. While cardio may help you lose "weight" it is not always quality FAT loss. SPX is great for fat loss because the long duration, slow strength approach guarantees that all energy systems will be challenged AND you will also achieve adequate muscle tone which is the real key to not just losing weight but losing fat.

I am a great example of how great SPX is for fat loss. A few years ago, I found myself in the corporate world and 30 pounds overweight (I have pictures to prove it!). I tried everything - going to the gym, yoga, cardio kickboxing, etc - and nothing seemed to work. It was not until I found a studio that did SPX that I really started to lose the extra weight. After 6 months of doing nothing but SPX 4-5 times a week, I dropped the weight - with no change to my diet. On top of this, I had a significant increase in strength, endurance, and muscular balance. Since my late teens, my right knee always bothered me after I worked out, whether it be running or lifting weights, and I just came to the conclusion that it was something I was just going to have to deal with for the rest of my life. However, one of the best side effects of SPX in addition to the weight loss, was that my knee pain became nonexistent. As a result, I'm able to take up running and heavier weight training in addition to SPX.

We don't offer SPX classes because we think its cool or a good "fad" workout. We offer it because I have seen first hand how effective SPX is and how it can really change one's fitness level. Most people look at me know and would never think that only a few years ago I was 30 pounds overweight and struggling to find an exercise routine that I enjoyed. But 3 years later, here I am - walking proof that SPX works so long as you are willing to put in the work.  So for those of you who are a little weary of taking the SPX Proformer class, I hope after reading this blog post you will at least consider taking it. We look forward to seeing you in class.

BT Likes Green Tea!

What makes green tea so powerful and why do we think it makes such a great companion for training? Recently, green tea has been getting A LOT of recognition for being a powerful metabolism booster and fat burner; however, the true powers of green tea are far greater than just a tool for fat loss. Green tea is also used as a powerful tool in disease prevention and in maintenance of optimal health. Here are 5 reasons why we regularly use this beverage as a powerful antioxidant and immune booster:

1. Green tea boosts the immune system: The antioxidant compound in green tea known as "catechins"have been shown in various research studies to have a profound impact on immune function. Specifically, green tea contains something called "theanine" which has been shown to have an impact on boosting T cell activity which helps to strengthen adaptive immunity. This is important to people engaged in intensive training because high stress workouts can cause an inflammatory response in the body. As a result, drinking green tea can help support immune function and thus speed recovery.

2. Green tea fights allergies in the body: The highly acclaimed "EGCG" (epigallocatechin gallate) is in green tea. This compound has been shown to help block the two compounds that are responsible for allergic reaction in the body: histamine & immunoglobulin E. This means that drinking green tea can help to reduce reactions such as watery eyes, coughing, and sneezing that occur from allergy to external stimuli.

3. Green tea lowers risk of cardiovascular disease: Research has shown a reduced occurrence of death from cardiovascular disease amongst people who drink green tea regularly. This is in part due to green tea's ability to help stabilize cholesterol levels. Green tea does this by reducing the amount of cholesterol that is absorbed by the digestive tract and increases the rate in which it is excreted from the body. Green tea also helps prevent LDL cholesterol from being oxidized which prevents it from turning into the sticky plaque that adheres to artery walls which increases risk of heart attack or stroke.  
4. Green tea promotes fat loss: Green tea is very beneficial for metabolizing fat. Specifically, the polyphenols in green tea help to dissolve triglycerides (substance made up of mostly fat and sugar) in the intestines and liver. Another benefit in aiding fat loss is the combination of EGCG with caffeine as this combination stimulates the central nervous system to release fat into the bloodstream to be used as fuel.

5. Green tea helps prevent tooth decay: Green tea has antibacterial properties that can help to reduce the accumulation of plaque on your teeth. Green tea has been shown to lower the risk of gum disease due to the ingredients responsible for improved immune function and also it contains fluoride which is helpful in preventing cavities. Preventing gum disease and tooth decay also has a two fold effect as periodontists are now beginning to find links between gum disease and other health disorders like heart attack, stroke, and diabetes.

So we say when it comes to green tea - drink up! It's a simple way to integrate a powerful and healthy addition to your current dietary strategies.

Spice Rubbed Mahi Mahi

This meal is great for summer! It is super easy to make, very healthy and great for recovery from a tough workout - not to mention delicious! We used a (wild caught) Mahi Mahi fillet with the skin left on (most of the healthy oils in fish that are great for your skin, cholesterol, and managing inflammation are found in the skin so we recommend leaving it on). The fillet was rubbed with a spice blend containing salt, pepper, granulated garlic, onion powder, chili powder, and lemon zest. When preparing your rub don't get caught up in exact measurements add the ingredients and then put a dab of the rub on you finger and adjust until you reach your desired taste. We let the rub sit on the fish for about 30min before searing the fish on a very hot grill. Depending on the thickness of the fillet, fish is usually good for about 5-6min on each side as you want the center to be slightly opaque and tender. While the fish was marinating we cooked the corn on the grill (in the husk), steamed some long grain organic rice, and made a fresh guacamole using avocado and a freshly made salsa which included diced tomato, red onion, garlic, jalapeno, a little lemon juice, and salt. All you need to do is mix these ingredients with your mashed avocados and BAM you have an amazingly fresh guacamole to serve as the perfect cool compliment to the spice rub on your fish. All in all this meal is only about 400 calories and has a perfect blend of protein, healthy fats, complex carbohydrate, and best of all it only takes about 45 minutes (tops) to make. Give this a shot - we know you will love it!    

The Perfect Breakfast

This breakfast has all of the components to fuel your body, give you adequate nutrients, and help to stave off hunger for at least a few hours. This meal is also super easy to make and really doesn't have to be eaten strictly for breakfast as it would also serve as a perfect POST workout recovery meal as well. The oatmeal is steel cut organic oats that we cooked for about 10min in some organic soy milk (about 1/2 cup oats per cup of milk) and a tablespoon of brown sugar. The eggs are sunny side up cooked in a little bit of vegetable oil and seasoned with some salt and pepper and then sliced strawberries gives you a great burst of sweetness and vitamin C. This meal contains about 300 calories and about 20g of protein and some serious complex carbohydrates and fiber to keep your blood sugar steady and to keep you adequately fueled for intensive training. Start your day with a breakfast like this and you are sure to ramp up your metabolism, feel energized, and avoid any unwanted morning snacking. Enjoy!