NIFS Healthy Living Blog

NIFS is excited to become a DEKA affiliate and bring DEKA group training and a new DEKA Strong event to NIFS this fall. You might be familiar with Spartan obstacle races, well, DEKA training and events are part of the Spartan brand, but this programming provides training and fitness options and events for ALL levels.

The DEKA Zones

With 10 DEKA Zones, training provides a well-rounded functional test for all levels of fitness. Every zone is based on rudimentary movements that don’t require any specific training to complete. Just think thousands of years ago when it wasn’t called exercise, fitness, or training. It was survival. Lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, kneeling, jumping/stepping/climbing over something, getting down on the ground and standing back up, and three basic forms of transportation – row, ski, & cycle.

No matter what your current fitness level is, you are an athlete who trains with the purpose of becoming a stronger version of yourself.

3 Weekly Workouts/3 Pillars

The DEKA training system is built on 3 pillars of fitness:

• #1 Strength and Power (DEKA FORGE): 10 Zones, 4 rounds, 30 Seconds ON/30 Seconds OFF
• #2 Anaerobic Conditioning (DEKA BURN): 10 Zones, 3 Rounds, 60 Seconds ON/30 Seconds OFF
• #3 Endurance (DEKA GRIT): 10 Zones, 2 Rounds, 90 Seconds ON/30 Seconds OFF

These 3 weekly workouts will elevate your fitness, improve daily performance and prepare you for your first DEKA event.

DEKA Group Training at NIFS

NIFS offers a 6-week DEKA training program that hits all 10 DEKA zones and helps participants track their progress. Nine training sessions will be offered each week, each class a different pillar. Attend at least three sessions a week, making sure to attend each pillar. Cost is $99 for members and $205 for non-members.

Training runs September 25th — November 4th and leads up to NIFS’s first DEKA Strong event on November 11th. All training session times are listed on our website. Click below to register.

Join us for free DEKA training preview days!

Try out the 10 zones and train for free at our preview days. September 18, 19 at 6-7a, 12-1p and 6-7p and again outside in White River State park on Sept 21 from 12-1p behind the NCAA building. Enter to win 6-weeks of DEKA training!

What Is a DEKA Event?

DEKA events are not just a competition, they are a milestone of your fitness journey. In the same arena, on the same day, using the exact standards, every level of fitness can come together and celebrate fitness.

• DEKA STRONG: Fitness testing, assessment, and event featuring our 10 DEKA Zones with zero running.
• DEKA MILE: A unique and memorable fitness challenge for the masses combining our DEKA Zones each preceded by 160 meters of running (1 mile total).
• DEKA FIT: This Super Bowl of Fitness event combines ten functional training zones (DEKA Zones), each preceded by 500 meters of running (5k total).

NIFS will be hosting our first DEKA Strong event on November 11. We are excited to run this competition for members and non-members and look forward to bringing this event to our facility. Registration information for this event willing be coming soon.

With the world now instantly accessible through technology, it’s easy to understand why a growing number of people expect things to be done in a shorter amount of time. Like many others, I’m a big fan of things that are fast and effective, and that includes my workouts. High-intensity circuit training does just that by providing an effective and convenient way to increase exercise results in less time.

Whether you’re a career-driven adult or hardworking student, you’re probably a time-conscious person, so it may not be realistic to devote half of your week to aerobic and strength training separately. To really hammer this home, let’s do the math:

ACSM’s standard guidelines for aerobic training recommend 75–150 minutes a week of exercise, depending on the intensity. Let’s say you do 30 minutes of moderately intense cardio 4 days per week. That’s 120 minutes. Now let’s add strength training. Typically done 2–3 days each week, strength training should hit each major muscle group in 2–4 sets with 8–12 repetitions per set. Depending on the muscle group, this could take you 45–90 minutes. Average that out to about 60 minutes, 3 days a week. That’s 180 minutes. 180 + 120 = 300 minutes of time spent in the gym. 300! That’s as impractical as it is exhausting. Honestly, I’m tired just from doing the math on that.

With HICT, you’re combining both traditional training methods into one complete, high-energy workout that you’ll leave with a muscle and endorphin pump. Plus, you’ll be in and out of the door in less than an hour. What more could you ask for?

Benefits of High-Intensity Circuit Training

The concept of high-intensity circuit training is simple. By increasing the intensity of exercises that elevate the heart rate and limiting rest time, HICT can prompt greater gains in a shorter amount of time. In several studies, it’s been proven that the benefits of this type of training surpass those of the traditional protocols of aerobic and strength training. Let’s start with fat loss.

If you’re looking to lose excess body fat, tone up, or lean out, this type of training is the ticket. The strength training component accelerates the amount of fat burned during the workout. When this is paired with little rest between sets, the aerobic and metabolic benefits skyrocket, with results lasting up to 72 hours after the session. Even more interesting, the combination of high-intensity aerobic activity and resistance training may have a greater impact on subcutaneous fat loss. This is the type of fat that is troublesome for some people around their waistline, hips, and other areas.

Another significant benefit is the fact that HICT elicits the same if not greater gains in VO2 max, or peak oxygen uptake, when compared to traditional steady-state cardiovascular exercise. With the exercise volume substantially lower, high-intensity circuit training easily stands up to its traditional counterpart in improving cardiopulmonary health.

Other benefits of HICT include

• Improved strength across all major muscle groups
• Increased stability and movement efficiency
• Lowered stress levels
• Improved mental health
• Increased adaptability to regressions and progressions of exercises
• Saving time during the week that would have otherwise been spent on traditional programs

Sample HICT Program

Strength exercises for this type of program should be in an order of opposing muscle groups. For example, an upper-body station would be followed by a lower-body station. This allows the individual to have alternating rest and work throughout the circuit. On the same note, a highly intense aerobic exercise should be followed by an exercise with a low to moderate intensity. An example of this would be burpees followed by a stationary plank. If this is executed correctly, you should successfully complete these exercises at fast and intense pace with minimal rest. A typical format for a HICT session is as follows:

• 9–12 exercise stations
• 15–20 repetitions or 30 seconds of work
• 30 seconds or less of rest time
• 2–3 sets/rounds

What’s Next?

Not all programs are created equal, and traditional workouts are still the most effective methods if you want to specifically improve your strength and power or aerobic endurance. However, if you are looking for a new and exciting type of workout that helps you burn fat and build muscle in a short amount of time, HICT is worth a try! Our newest class at NIFS, Triple Threat, uses this type of format across three different areas of fitness: cardio, strength, and power. Join in on the class and start your journey to better health!

This blog was written by Jessica Phelps, BS, ACE CPT, Health Coach. To learn more about the NIFS bloggers, click here.

Sources: https://www.acsm.org/docs/default-source/files-for-resource-library/high-intensity-interval-training.pdf
https://journals.lww.com/acsm-healthfitness/fulltext/2013/05000/high_intensity_circuit_training_using_body_weight_.5.aspx

Love to workout and need a date idea for Valentine’s Day? We have just the workout for you!

• AMRAP in 30 seconds followed by a 1-minute rest after each exercise
• Equipment: 2 “heavy” dumbbells, 2 “light” dumbbells, and a yoga mat
• Total Time: ~ 20 min

Circuit #1

• Dumbbell Thruster (squat with an overhead press)
• Glute Bridge (option for dumbbell on hips)
• Russian Twist (option to add dumbbell)
• Alternating Side Lunge with Forward Shoulder Raise

Repeat circuit twice

 Circuit #2

• Renegade Row (push-up on dumbbells with alternating single-arm row)
• Dumbbell Floor Press
• Burpee
• Forward Lunge (option to add dumbbell)

Repeat circuit twice

Spread the love and share this workout with your Valentine!

This blog was written by Payton Gross, Group Fitness Coordinator and Barre Above Instructor. Learn more about the NIFS bloggers here.

To achieve electricity, you need a complete circuit; the same thing goes for achieving a higher level of fitness, which is why circuit training is a great total-body workout. It can be classified as a type of endurance training, resistance training, strength training, or high-intensity interval training, which is why we can see great results from it.

Circuit training is great for activating all of the muscles in the body. Typical circuit training is performed in a style of circuits. You will complete one exercise for a duration of time, and then switch to a new exercise and repeat the total circuit multiple times. During each circuit, you’ll perform upper-body, lower-body, and core exercises for maximum body results. Baylor University did a study proving that circuit training is the most efficient way to enhance cardiovascular and muscular endurance.

Endurance Training

Endurance training is the ability to exert yourself over a period of time. It’s also the ability to complete any aerobic or anaerobic exercise relating to cardiovascular and muscular endurance. Cardio endurance allows you to pump oxygen to your body for an extended period of time. This type of training is great for your overall health. Some of the benefits include the following:

• Higher levels of energy
• Heart function improvement
• Increased metabolism
• Performing daily life tasks more easily

Resistance Training

Resistance training is muscle contraction from external resistance during exercises. The external resistance can come from many pieces of equipment, including weights, bands, balls, boxes, disks, sleds, and definitely using your body weight. Benefits of resistance training might include the following:

• Help keeping muscles strong during aging
• Decreased osteoporosis
• Lower blood pressure
• Increased metabolism

Strength Training

Strength training is lifting heavier weight to increase muscular strength. Benefits of strength training include the following:

• Lower abdominal fat
• Better cardiovascular health
• Controlled blood sugar
• Reduced cancer risk
• Lower risk of injury
• Stronger mental health
• Osteoporosis prevention
• Increased confidence

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

High Intensity Interval Training is a workout that alternates between intense bursts of activity and fixed less intense or rest periods. This type of workout is typically known as a “fat blaster” filled with many benefits that include the following:

• Efficiency
• Cardiovascular strength/endurance
• Muscular strength
• Weight loss, muscle gain
• Increased metabolism
• Can be done anywhere

So Why Circuit Train?

Circuit training is not just an exercise that can burn hundreds of calories. Based on the benefits of the types of training a circuit training class is made up of, it can lead to major results in total fitness and health. You can find circuit training on the NIFS Group Fitness Schedule with our highly educated staff Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 4:30pm.

This blog was written by Brittany Ignas, BS in Kinesiology, 200 Hour Yoga Alliance Certified, Stott Pilates Certified, and Fitness Coordinator. To find out more about the NIFS bloggers, click here.

Group Fitness is kind of a "thing" now. With so many gyms, studios, styles, formats, and other variables, how do you know what to choose that will work best for you?

Before jumping into a workout program, it's important to list your goals. Research has shown that mixing up your workout routine is one of the most beneficial ways to achieve results. That's one reason Circuit Training classes and HIIT classes aregetting so much attention nowadays. The results they create are amazing, but the the hole they burn in your wallet is not.

Specialty Classes are Included in NIFS Group Fitness Schedule

So is one of your goals to strengthen and tone your bod in a budget-friendly way? NIFS offers free circuit training classes all under our monthly membership cost. The average circuit-style class at a specialized studio is about $20 a class. Take three classes in a month, and you have already spent over $60. Did you know you could take three or more classes a week, plus have access to free individualized circuit training programming, all for a cheaper cost?

How about the yoga and Barre trend? Those classes are great for helping strengthen the core, stretching, and relaxing the body and mind, and are proving to have many other health benefits. Unfortunately, they are also not always beneficial to your budget. To take a barre or yoga class at a studio, the average cost is $30 a month. At a gym, you also would have to pay an additional fee for training of this sort. At NIFS, Barre Fusion is one of our group fitness classes! Brittany, our Barre Fusion instructor, comes to us with knowledge from NYC, where she was mentored by some of the top fitness and yoga professionals, and has trained red carpet celebrities. Brittany’s passion for helping others find body balance, but also budget balance, allows members to get this training as part of their NIFS membership. 

Other "specialty" classes included in our Group Fitness Schedule are TRX® and Bootcamp. Total body workouts with proven results, you wont have to pay extra for.

No Limits

When choosing a class, it's important to never feel limited. What is your goal? If it's to get a good cardio workout, yoga is a great workout, but in terms of cardio it might not completely fulfill your goal. Our group fitness schedule does not limit your workouts each day, but provides many options at once. The average studio or gym offers only one type of class during prime time hours of the day (mornings, afternoons, and evenings.) Our group fitness schedule offers a variety of classes at each prime time hour, so everyone's goals can be met! Whether your goal is a cardio, strength, or MINDBODY workout, you don't have to adjust your life for fitness; instead, fitness can conveniently fit into your life.

So what are you goals? If getting effective, trending fitness on a budget is, look into a NIFS membership. If having many options at all times of the day is another, look into a NIFS membership. Fitness is for de-stressing, not adding stress to your budget or schedule! 

This blog was written by Brittany Ignas, BS in Kinesiology, 200 Hour Yoga Alliance Certified, Stott Pilates Certified, and Fitness Coordinator. To find out more about the NIFS bloggers, click here.