When you’re at Keep It Tight, we want you to get the most out of your workouts!  Therefore, we want to be sure you know the proper way to complete a squat so you can maximize your workouts and reap all of the benefits!  These simple steps are a good way to be sure that you are performing them properly (and trust us, your booty will thank you!).

1.  Stand with your feet apart, directly under your hips.

2.  Standing up tall, put your shoulders back, lift your chest, and pull in your abdominal muscles.

3.  Bend your knees while keeping your upper body as straight as possible, as if you were lowering yourself onto a seat behind you. Lower yourself as far as you can without leaning your upper body more than a few inches forward. Tip: Don’t allow your knees to go too far forward. You don’t want them to stick out past your toes.

4.  Being careful not to lock your knees when you reach a standing position, straighten your legs.

Source:  www.realsimple.com

Some girls swear by a 6 a.m. bikini bootcamp to get their hearts racing and get them psyched up for the day. Others wouldn’t dream of breaking a sweat before noon, preferring a walk around the neighborhood after dinner. But is any one time of day the best time to exercise?
The truth is that there’s no reliable evidence to suggest that calories are burned more efficiently at certain times of day. But the time of day can influence how you feel when exercising.The most important thing, experts say, is to choose a time of day you can stick with, so that exercise becomes a habit!

If you have trouble with consistency, morning may be your best time to exercise, experts say.  “Research suggests in terms of performing a consistent exercise habit, individuals who exercise in the morning tend to do better,” says Cedric Bryant, PhD, chief science officer with the American Council on Exercise in San Diego.  “The thinking is that they get their exercise in before other time pressures interfere,” Bryant says. “I usually exercise at 6 a.m., because no matter how well-intentioned I am, if I don’t exercise in the morning, other things will squeeze it out.”  He recommends that if you exercise in the morning, when body temperature is lower, you should allow more time to warm up than you would later in the day.

As a rule-of-thumb, however, most people seem to be strongest in the afternoon or evening. Most studies reveal that muscle strength wanes in the morning and gradually improves until it peaks in the early evening. “The best time to work out is in the late afternoon,” according to Dr. Phyllis Zee of Northwestern University. “The reason for that is your muscle strength is at its peak, its highest. You’re going to be less likely to injure yourself. It’s also a time when people are most awake and alert.”  Also, working out before eating dinner is a good way to help limit how much you have.  The downside with exercising this late in the day are all the distractions that could impinge on your workout. Continued interruptions might leave you feeling frustrated and too willing to avoid exercising altogether.

The bottom line is that what really counts is that you exercise to begin with, regardless of the time of day.  Decide what works best for you and your schedule and you will be more likely to stick to a routine.  Here at Keep It Tight, we offer classes morning, noon, and night so we’ve got you covered – whatever your schedule may be!

Source:  www.medicinenet.com and www.cnn.com

1. Weight training tones your muscles which looks great and raises your basal metabolism…which causes you to burn more calories 24 hours a day. You’ll even burn more calories while you’re sleeping!

2. Weight training can reverse the natural decline in your metabolism which begins around age 30.

3. Weight training energizes you.

4. Weight training has a positive effect on almost all of your 650-plus muscles.

5. Weight training strengthens your bones reducing your risk of developing osteoporosis.

6. Weight training improves your muscular endurance.

7. Weight training will NOT develop big muscles on women…just toned muscles!

8. Weight training makes you strong. Strength gives you confidence and makes daily activities easier.

9. Weight training makes you less prone to low-back injuries.

10. Weight training decreases your resting blood pressure.

11. Weight training decreases your risk of developing adult onset diabetes.

12. Weight training decreases your gastrointestinal transit time, reducing your risk for developing colon cancer.

13. Weight training increases your blood level of HDL cholesterol (the good type).

14. Weight training improves your posture.

15. Weight training improves the functioning of your immune system.

16. Weight training lowers your resting heart rate, a sign of a more efficient heart.

17. Weight training improves your balance and coordination.

18. Weight training elevates your mood.

Article Source:  www.fitnessandfreebies.com