Written by:  Phenomenal Fitness   On March 21, 2013, Sean Armstead, co-owner of Phenomenal Fitness, participated in the Chicago Golden Gloves boxing tournament, which is considered the most popular event in amateur boxing.  He fought a tough competitor in the semi-finals for the Master Men’s division.     Sean will move on to the championship next week. ... Read more →

Written by: Galen Lundin     This exercise is a more difficult variation of the traditional plank for more experienced trainees. This version focuses on an increased amount of oblique (sides of the core) muscle group being used. Be sure to keep proper position throughout the movement:     1)  Begin in the plank position... Read more →

Written by:  Chris Lopez   The keys to successful endurance workouts lie in fuel you give your body.  Oats are a fantastic way to start your day. They are complex carbohydrates and are low on the glycemic index, which provides a steady release of energy into the bloodstream. Mix with simple carbohydrates, like fruit, to... Read more →

Written by:   dotFIT experts Revised by: Phenomenal FItness     A large, pre-workout whole food meal should be consumed approximately 2.5 to 3 hours before activity. However, to maximize each training session, athletes should always include a pre-workout snack.   The timing, type and amount of food eaten before workouts and events can drastically affect... Read more →

By:  Dr. Dumbbell   Over the years, the emphasis of training for a marathon has strayed away from strengthening a person to purely conditioning a person. The problem with that format is the benefits of conditioning may drop off after a much shorter period of inactivity than strength can.  This holds very true in the... Read more →

Written by:  Chris Lopez   Before a run or endurance workout, one should be used to ensuring your glycogen stores are full and ready to go the next morning. Stick to medium glycemic foods like sweet potatoes, pasta, or brown rice. If you love sweet potatoes, like I do, and want the feel of pasta... Read more →

Written by:  Galen Lundin   Start with the ball behind your head with legs straight above the ground.   Begin by bringing your hands and feet together by tightening your abdominals.     As your hands and feet meet, transfer the ball to your feet, and lower your legs.     Make sure to keep... Read more →

Written by:  dotFit Experts   Revised by:  Phenomenal Fitness   What is a carbohydrate-loading diet? Carbohydrate loading is a protocol that endurance athletes, and often bodybuilders, use to fill their body’s glycogen (carbohydrate/energy) stores in order to delay fatigue and maximize their muscle size, respectively, for vigorous endurance training days to day of competition. Carbohydrate... Read more →

Written by:  Dr. Dumbbell   Event registrations have opened meaning its time to get your strength programs together. The two main events I’m discussing for this article are not taking place until this fall but the importance is that for someone to be successful in either of these they need to be training for them... Read more →

Written by:  dotFit Experts Revised by:  Phenomenal Fitness   There are several simple dietary changes you can make to positively impact your cholesterol.  Here is a list of tips to combat having high cholesterol:   For one, increase your soluble fiber intake. Foods high in soluble fiber include oatmeal and oat bran, apples, pears, kidney... Read more →

Written By:  Dr. Dumbbell   Two of my favorite general conditioning exercises for the heart are sled drags and prowler pushes. Both of these conditioning exercises are done with you either pushing or pulling a load for either time, distance, speed, or a combination of goals.   Both of these modes of exercises require you... Read more →

Written by:  Chris Lopez   This heart healthy  recipe is very tasty with a kick.  See below for ingredients and directions:   Ingredients   Tilapia: 1 Fresh tilapia fillet 1 tbsp olive oil Mrs. Dash southwest chipotle Mrs. Dash extra spicy (for a kick)   Asparagus: 10-15 asparagus spears 1tsp olive oil Garlic powder (Not Garlic... Read more →

Written by: Galen Lundin   The standing cable twist exercise is a great 6-pack workout.  A recommendation is doing 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions.  Read below for directions:   1. Begin with cable at shoulder height and with arms straight out, with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart. 2. Initiate the rotation with the hips making... Read more →

Written by:  Galen Lundin   To tighten up the core, try this hard core exercise.  The Hanging Abs exercise is tough and challenging.  A recommendation is doing 3-4 sets of 8-10 repetitions.  Remember doing it safely is key.  Read below for directions.   1)      Start with legs straight and arms all the way in the... Read more →

Written by: dotFIT experts Revised by:  Phenomenal Fitness   Answer: Yes, as the most current pervasive thinking goes, we should all pay attention to our sodium intake and some people more than others. High sodium (salt) intake increases blood pressure and reducing sodium intake decreases it. If you are overweight, have high blood pressure, heart... Read more →

Written by:  dotFit Registered Dietitian   Skip going to a fast food restaurant.  Try this low sodium recipe for lunch.   Ingredients 4 Cups Organic California Salad Greens 6 Cherry and Yellow Grape Tomatoes (sliced in half) 4 Toasted Walnut Halves 1 Tbsp Golden Seedless Raisins 1/4 Red onion sliced thinly 2 Tbsp Goat or... Read more →

Written by:  Dr. Dumbell   It is a common misconception that running is the only source that can prevent cardio vascular disease (CVD). “In 2000, the AHA approved weight training for people with several kinds of heart disease. Now that cautious permission has become a ringing endorsement.”(1) That’s right weight training to help prevent and... Read more →

By dotFit Registered Dietitian    Ingredients 12 Cups Low Sodium Vegetable Broth 3 Cups Cooked Couscous in Veg. Broth 1 ½ Cups Great Northern Beans, Dried. Picked, Rinced & Drained 6 oz. Red Pearl Onions, Fresh 2 Tbsp Olive Oil 2 Tbsp Garlic, Fresh, Minced 6 oz. Fennel, Fresh, Julienne 6 oz. Carrots, Fresh, Julienne... Read more →

Written by: dotFit Experts Revised by: Phenomenal Fitness   Answer: Basically whichever one you like—mix it up, keep it fresh but go at high intensity for the best results if weight loss is the goal. Make sure you increase your intensity only as you can. Perhaps, try ‘phenomenal cardio” including battle ropes and the sled.... Read more →

Written by: dotFit Experts Revised by: Phenomenal Fitness   In addition to exercise, diet is medicine for a healthy heart. The Mediterranean Diet has been associated with many cardiovascular benefits, including decreased systolic blood pressure, decreased cellular lipid levels, and decreased low density lipoproteins (Whayne Jr. and Maulik, 2012). Phenomenal Fitness reveals what it is... Read more →

Written by: Julie Burns   One of the most crucial elements that determine the benefit of our aerobic exercise is intensity, or how hard we work. Most people hear this and assume, the greater the intensity, the greater the benefit. But this is not always true. Instead consider this, the greater the efficiency, the greater... Read more →

Berries are very heart healthy.  The most common berries eaten in the United states are cranberry, blueberry, strawberry,   black raspberry, and red raspberry.  The least common include acai, black currant, chokeberry, and mulberries.  They contain natural antioxidants.  The most popular antioxidants are vitamin C and E.   Research shows a diet high in antioxidants decrease... Read more →

According to American College of Sports Medicine and 2008 Federal Physical Active Guidelines, they have recommended how much TIME of physical activity (PA) it takes to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.   For sedentary individuals, they suggest 150 minutes of moderate-intensity of PA or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity of PA a week.  To get... Read more →

According to American College of Sports Medicine and 2008 Federal Physical Active Guidelines, they have recommended how much TIME of physical activity (PA) it takes to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.   For sedentary individuals, they suggest 150 minutes of moderate-intensity of PA or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity of PA a week.  To get... Read more →

Studies have shown  nut consumption being associated with reduced incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD).  In addition, nut consumption is unlikely to contribute to obesity and actually assist in weight loss.   Nuts are nutritionally dense foods containing high-quality vegetable protein, fiber, and minerals.  They do have a high total fat content, such as cashews and... Read more →

All throughout February, Phenomenal Fitness is celebrating American Heart Month. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the United States. Statistics show one in every three deaths is from heart disease and stroke equaling to 2,200 deaths per day.  We would like to help combat heart disease and stroke by providing a... Read more →

Written by:  Phenomenal Fitness   The banana is America’s top selling fruit.  The perception of bananas being eaten by a monkey on a tree is untrue.  The banana comes from the largest herbaceous flowering plant and not from a tree.  So, what is the nutritional value of eating bananas?  They are known to be loaded... Read more →

Written by:  DotFit Experts Revised by:  Phenomenal Fitness   Fiction:  The goal for fat loss is to burn more calories daily than you eat and drink. Exercise helps you increase your daily calorie burn and lets you get away with eating a bit more food than dieting alone. Ideally, you would want to burn the... Read more →

Written by:  DotFit Experts Revised by:  Phenomenal Fitness   You’ve heard it before: “Eat your breakfast.” Should you eat in the morning? And what if your goal is weight loss? How does breakfast affect your ability to burn fat at the gym?   One of the interesting things about the fitness world is the prevalence... Read more →

  Written by:  Galen Lundin and Brian Yabes, MS   If you made a fitness oriented new year’s resolution, we have listed 5 tips to stick to it.  Try one or try them all to get your ‘phenomenal’ fitness results.   1. Get in a routine   Be consistent with the days and time of... Read more →

Weight loss is the most common goal clients of all ages present as a desired training outcome.  While excess body fat does impose potentially significant metabolic and mechanical stress on organs, joints and connective tissues, when it comes to goal-specific training, many people need to rethink their focus and emphasize the development of structural integrity,... Read more →

Weight loss is the most common goal clients of all ages present as a desired training outcome.  While excess body fat does impose potentially significant metabolic and mechanical stress on organs, joints and connective tissues, when it comes to goal-specific training, many people need to rethink their focus and emphasize the development of structural integrity,... Read more →

You may surprised by the fact that losing weight is not the main challenge for most people. Keeping it off is much more of a struggle. In fact, only a small percentage of those who lose at least 10 percent of their initial body weight manage to sustain their results.1 The remaining majority regain all... Read more →

One factor controls your weight…calories. Controlling your weight comes down to one thing – managing calories.  Your body is a complex machine that requires fuel to run your metabolism and perform all movement. Calories from the food and beverages you consume provide this fuel. If you burn all the fuel you take in, your weight... Read more →

As we age, our ability to control our balance and coordination decreases, primarily due to being less active. This is why Phenomenal Fitness is raising awareness about the importance of exercise in our later years to reduce the risk of injury and falls. Factors such as reduced muscle strength, stiff joints, delayed reaction times and... Read more →

One of the most important components of Phenomenal Fitness’ approach to exercise is that our clients remain injury free, and ensure that they are able to perform at a high level into their later years. It is this aspect of ensuring longevity that sets us apart from many routine training programs. With aging comes a... Read more →

Do you know that approximately 50%-75% of runners will sustain an injury? These are typical overuse injuries that can put your running and daily exercise routine on hold for at least a week (Snyder et al. 2008). Changes in how your body controls your muscles, including muscle imbalances, altered muscle timing, muscle fatigue and muscle... Read more →

One of the biggest contributors to cardiovascular disease is obesity and its related conditions. Nearly ALL of these can be avoided by following proper exercise and nutritional guidelines. According to The Journal of Sports Scientists (2010), it is recommended that overweight individuals perform 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity physical activity to improve weight... Read more →

According to the Center for Disease Control, “cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States; one in every three deaths is from heart disease and stroke, equal to 2,200 deaths per day.” This is an alarming statistic considering that heart disease is largely preventable through proper diet, exercise and lifestyle choices,... Read more →

Many of us have poor eating habits, and due to our hectic lifestyle we aren’t always aware of it. Unfortunately, it is very hard to outwork bad nutrition so you have to be mindful of what you are eating. Do you see yourself in the list below?   1. The Snack Grazer: You eat whatever food... Read more →