NIFS Healthy Living Blog

What you eat before hitting the gym can significantly impact your performance and recovery. The right pre-workout nutrition can help fuel your workout, prevent fatigue, and optimize results. Here’s a guide on what gym-goers should consider eating before a workout.

Timing Your Pre-Workout Meal
Timing is crucial when it comes to pre-workout nutrition. Aim to eat 30 to 60 minutes before your workout. This allows your body some time to digest and utilize the nutrients for energy without feeling too full or sluggish.

Carbohydrates: Your Primary Fuel Source
Carbohydrates are your body's preferred source of energy, especially during high-intensity workouts. Aim for 30-45 grams of easily digestible carbs before your workout. Carbs help maintain blood glucose levels and maximize glycogen stores, which are essential for sustained energy. Good options include a banana, a slice of whole-grain bread with honey, or a handful of pretzels.

Moderate Protein for Muscle Support
Including a moderate amount of protein in your pre-workout meal can help support muscle repair and growth. Consuming around 10-20 grams of protein before your workout provides your muscles with the amino acids they need to begin the recovery process even before you start exercising. This can enhance muscle protein synthesis and improve overall workout performance. Opt for sources like a hard-boiled egg, a couple of slices of turkey, string cheese, or a small portion of cottage cheese. These options are easy to digest and work well alongside carbohydrates to fuel your workout.

Low Fat for Quick Digestion
While fats are an essential part of your diet, they should be limited before a workout. Fat slows digestion, which can make you feel sluggish and uncomfortable during exercise. Stick to low-fat options and save the healthy fats for your post-workout meal.

Keep Fiber in Check
Fiber is crucial for overall health, but too much fiber right before a workout can cause gastrointestinal discomfort. Foods high in fiber take longer to digest and can lead to bloating or cramping during exercise. Opt for lower-fiber options like pretzels, a bit of granola, or rice cakes.

Hydration is Key
Don’t forget about hydration. Drink 16-20 ounces of water about two hours before your workout and another 8-10 ounces 20 minutes before starting. Proper hydration ensures optimal performance and helps prevent dehydration-related issues like cramps and dizziness.

Sample Pre-Workout Snacks

• Banana with a small handful of almonds: Provides a balance of carbs and protein without too much fat or fiber.
• Whole-grain toast with honey and a slice of turkey: Combines carbs and protein, low in fat, and easy to digest.
• Pretzels with a low-fat cheese stick: Provides a good mix of carbohydrates and protein without adding too much fat. 

Choosing the right pre-workout nutrition can make a big difference in your gym performance. Aim for a balanced meal that’s high in carbs, moderate in protein, low in fat, and easy to digest. Remember, what works best can vary from person to person, so it may take some experimenting to find your ideal pre-workout snack. Listen to your body and adjust as needed to fuel your workouts effectively.

Fuel right, perform better, and enjoy your workouts to the fullest!

If you need assistance in finding your ideal pre-workout snack, feel free to contact Michael Horner, RD, LD.

Raise your hand if you’ve been here before: You get to the end of a great workout. You’re spent, fatigued, but in a good way. In a way that you know you’ve put in some quality work. But you look down at your watch and realize you’ve run a bit over your time. So you grab your things and rush out of the gym. You don’t have time for a cool-down, right? You’ve got to get to the car and rush to the next thing on the docket.

Without realizing it, you’ve kept up that same stimulus from your workout: that amped-up, fight-or-flight response. Only now it’s been hours since its conclusion. In short, your body has never left that stress response behind. Instead, it’s been carried around perhaps all day, and your body has not had time to transition into a rest, digest, and recovery mode. In other words, you’ve never shifted from a sympathetic (fight-or-flight) to a parasympathetic state (rest, recovery). This may sound like a “so what?” problem. But if left unchecked, this can not only stall out your workouts, but can also eventually lead to chronic issues with inflammation, sleep problems, or altered hormonal responses.

Appropriately managing your stress response isn’t something that only applies to workouts. We all face stressors on a daily, weekly, or hourly basis (perhaps in today’s world now more than ever!). If it starts to get out of hand, numerous aspects of our health and well-being are affected. Learning to mitigate and manage chronic stress can have positive effects on both physical and mental health. One way to do this is to address your vagal tone.

What Is Vagal Tone?

The longest nerve in the human body is the vagus nerve. It innervates numerous organs such as the intestines, stomach, heart, liver, and lungs (fun fact: “vagus” translates to “wanderer” in Latin; because it wanders around the body). The vagus nerve is a key part of the parasympathetic nervous system, and vagal tone refers to the activity of this nerve. If it is impaired, low vagal tone results, which is a contributor to stress and increased anxiety, a pro-inflammatory response, and a disruptor of normal gut functioning.

What Are the Benefits of Increased Vagal Tone?

A high vagal tone is associated with lower blood pressure, improved blood-sugar regulation, improved digestion, better mood, reduced anxiety, and reduced risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease. Perhaps one of the largest benefits of a higher vagal tone is the ability to relax faster after stress. So whether you’re talking physical stress from a workout or mental stress from everyday life, having an increased vagal tone can help you navigate the stressors of everyday life and be better prepared for the next one!

Additionally, researchers have discovered a positive feedback loop involving increased vagal tone, positive emotion responses, and physical and mental well-being. In short, the vagal response, or parasympathetic drive, actually works to mitigate stress and foster positive emotions. Definitely a win-win!

How Can You Increase Vagal Tone?

Okay great, now how the heck can I start working to stimulate the vagus nerve? Here are a few quick hitters that you can do today to improve your vagal tone.

Deep or Diaphragmatic Breathing

If you have virtually no time to cool down after a workout, a few deep, slow, diaphragmatic breaths can help quickly shift you toward more of a parasympathetic state. Lying on your back, elevating your legs so that your knees are at 90 degrees (on a box or bench), and taking 10–20 slow, deep breaths helps to gradually lower the heart rate and reduce blood pressure, all while stimulating the vagus nerve. Try having one hand on your upper chest and one hand over your belly button, and as you inhale try to see if your lower hand (belly) is moving upward. If you notice that only your upper hand is moving upon inhaling, take a few reps to practice filling your belly with air. This is a skill just like any other; it takes a bit of practice. But if you’re short on time, this technique is a bit of a cheat code. You can even try it before bed to help relax!

Singing, Humming, or Gargling

Yes, you read that correctly. One of the branches of the vagus nerve, the superior laryngeal nerve, actually innervates the vocal cords. As a result, we can mechanically stimulate it by singing, humming, gargling, chanting, etc. So belt out those tunes for car karaoke, hum that song that’s stuck in your head at work, and increase that vagal tone in the process!

Cold Exposure

For all us Midwesterners, we should have this one covered for about 7–8 months of the year! In all seriousness, gradually increasing your exposure to cold, and eventually becoming more habituated, causes a shift to greater parasympathetic activity. This doesn’t mean you need to go out and run two miles barefoot in the snow. You can start by splashing cold water (and I mean cold) on your face 10–20 times. Or going out to get the mail in December in a t-shirt and shorts. Or finishing off your shower with a quick 10-second blast of cold. Overall, try small interventions first to get the ball rolling. And if you’re looking for a laugh, check out my previous blog, when I put myself through hot-cold contrast showers for a week!

Omega-3s

The body cannot produce omega-3 fatty acids naturally, so they must come from the diet. They are found readily in fish (especially cold-water fish like wild-caught salmon), extra virgin olive oil, avocados, walnuts, and flaxseed, among other foods. Their benefits are wide-ranging: they positively affect brain and mental health, mitigate inflammation, and aid in improving cardiovascular health. Studies have also shown that omega-3 fatty acids also increase heart rate variability (a good thing!) and stimulate vagal activity.

Social Interaction

We are social creatures. As humans, we are hardwired to find and belong to a community. So it should come as no surprise that social connection, laughter, and having a stable support system improves our mental and physical health. While this may have been more difficult or a bit unorthodox with COVID-19, its importance has never been greater. Research has shown that laughter increases heart rate variability, and that even reminiscing about positive social connections and prior engagements improves vagal tone and increases positive emotions. So even if you can’t physically be near those you love and appreciate, making that effort to continue to reach out and connect goes a long way in your recovery from stress.

Jump-Start Your Recovery

We all face stressors on a daily basis. Whether it’s the low-level background noise of the news, or a large deadline looming in the future, learning to navigate and respond appropriately to stress is a must for maintaining physical and mental well-being. By increasing your vagal tone, you can help jump-start your recovery so that you’re more ready to tackle the next thing on your to-do list, be it a work project or a workout!

This blog was written by Lauren Zakrajsek, NIFS Assistant Fitness Center Manager, Health Fitness Instructor, and Personal Trainer. To learn more about the NIFS bloggers, click here.

Have you ever woken up feeling like a truck ran you over? This might be due to an underlying illness; whether it be a cold, flu, bronchitis, or some other bug, it seems to happen to everyone at least once per year. When it comes to fitness, we sometimes have to make a choice: “Should I work out or should I rest?” The answer to this is not as cut and dried as it might seem. We’ll look at when it’s a good idea to stay home and chill and when you can just “sweat it out.”

Making the Call: Should I Cancel My Workout?

Sometimes just keeping up with your daily routines can help you feel better, especially as you move through the day. You might even pick up energy from exercise and activity instead of staying idle at home. A few guidelines dictate whether you should green-light a workout. According to experts, a major factor to consider is body temperature. Having any kind of fever is an immediate red flag, especially at more than 101 degrees. Another obvious red flag is if you are unable to keep fluids down. Anytime you are dehydrated, your body does not function at peak capacity. Here are some additional ideas to help make the decision.

Going Back to Working Out After Being Sick

When you feel like you are ready to go back to the gym, try to ease into your workout. Your body (namely your T-cells) has been fighting a battle. A quick assessment of your symptoms should give you a good indication of whether you are good to go. Temperature, fluids, and blood pressure are all surefire ways to draw that line in the sand.

How to Keep from Getting Sick Again

Finally, you should hopefully, at this point in your life, understand the importance of illness prevention—not only for you, but also for those around you. The routine of washing hands wasn’t widely practiced until about 150 years ago when a Hungarian doctor named Ignaz Semmelweis discovered that when his crew washed their hands between patients, the number of diseased and dying patients dropped off immediately. The long forgotten disease, puerperal fever (sometimes known as childbed fever) was nearly eradicated by simply implementing a hand-washing regimen. Today’s world allows almost endless opportunities to not only transmit illness, but also prevent them. Enough history lessons, though. You get the point: wash your hands often, please.

Ask for Help from the NIFS Staff

NIFS staff can help you in a number of ways, especially when deciding whether exercise is right for you when you are not feeling well. Blood pressure monitors, both electronic and manual, as well as an oxygen sensor are available to all members. A well-stocked first aid kit and a staff well versed in first aid and safety are also on your side. Always remember, your workout is important, but your health is priceless.

Muscleheads evolve (and rejoice)

This blog was written by Thomas Livengood, NIFS Health Fitness Instructor and Personal Trainer. To read more about the other NIFS bloggers, click here.

Believe it or not, shoes do serve a higher purpose than just to make a fashion statement—especially when you’re choosing shoes to wear to the gym. Now, my first example is rather obvious, but it gets the point across. Would you ever enter the gym for a workout wearing high heels? That’s for you to answer, but there are safety issues that arise from wearing stilettos to the gym. More specifically, footwear is of concern if any of the big lifts such as squatting, running, jumping, and weightlifting are programmed into your workout.

Let’s start by laying the ground rules. Given that your footwear is the avenue by which you gain momentum necessary for movement, it is extremely important to be conscious of your goals, your workout, and your footwear. After all, the only object in contact with the floor is your shoes! A wide variety of shoes are made for different surfaces and sports; however, they fall into three basic categories: performance footwear, running footwear, and cross-training footwear. Let’s take a deeper look at each specific type of athletic shoes.

Performance Footwear

First, the broadest category of shoes is performance footwear. This includes shoes engineered for nearly every specific sport, indoors or outdoors. Each shoe is carefully designed for specificity of sport as well as durability of surface, especially at the elite and professional level. A good example is basketball shoes, which are usually high-tops to help prevent ankle sprains. Soccer cleats, track spikes, football and softball cleats, and others all have spikes that can dig into the playing surface to make cuts sharper and aid in injury prevention.

Other specific shoes occasionally seen in a gym setting are powerlifting shoes and Olympic lifting shoes. Powerlifting shoes are low and flat, with a solid sole that is good for deadlifts because it puts you closer to the floor. It also allows you to push through the whole foot throughout the entire lift. Conversely, Olympic lifting shoes are made with a slight heel to allow athletes better mobility during lifts such as a squat and snatch, where lack of mobility would decrease performance drastically. They are also designed with a solid surface for the sole, tailored to the demands of the sport.

Running Footwear

The next type is the running shoe. Keep in mind that not one foot is the same size or shape, perhaps not even your other foot. Therefore, sizing can be difficult.

A standard running shoe tends to be manufactured with more cushion than other shoes, which in turn allows for less force on the hip and knee joints when running. The shoe design should offer sufficient traction needed to grip the surface and optimum weight distribution in order to ensure safety. They are ergonomically designed to absorb the ground-force reaction when the mid-foot strikes the ground, instead of sending the shockwave up the shin to the leg, commonly known to cause shinsplints.

Cross-training Footwear

Last is the training shoe, also known as the cross-trainer. This shoe is the most versatile of the three and can be used for small amounts of running, jumping, and lifting, but is mainly used to do lateral movement as well as plyometric workouts. Because the shoe is primarily a lower shoe with good support, it is made so you cannot easily roll your ankle or twist your knee when planting your foot into the ground to change direction as quickly as possible.

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Choosing the right equipment for your workout is very important, so know the different types of shoes and choose the ones that are best for the activity that you will be doing.

This blog was written by Cara Hartman, NIFS Health Fitness Instructor. To find out more about the NIFS bloggers, click here.

Maximize Your Workout with the Functional Movement Screen at NIFS

Everyone wants to move better, to maximize their potential in their workouts, and to be free of any aches and pains that linger in the body. Some of these issues within the body can stem from imbalances between your right and left sides. Or maybe the issues lie within your mobility (the ability of your body to move freely and easily) or stability (the ability to stay balanced in both static and dynamic movement). We all compensate with movement even though we feel like we are moving “normally.”

However, the good news is that the majority of these things are fixable through corrective exercises. So where do we go from here? How do we figure out what those imbalances are and what to do to get better?

An Assessment of Limitations and Imbalances

The answer is to start with a Functional Movement Screen, or FMS. The FMS will take you through seven basic movement patterns that encompass all movement and exercise. The FMS certified trainers are looking for different things within each of the seven tests to help them score the assessment and understand what is going on in the body. And don’t let the word tests or assessments scare you off; the FMS is designed for all ability levels and ages! From the elite athlete in the NFL to the everyday exerciser, the FMS will help to identify functional limitations and imbalances in each individual.

Watch this video for a quick look at the FMS.

Get Your List of Exercises

Then what? Great question! Now it’s time to get your list of corrective exercises. You will then be entered into a database called FMS360. With this, you can have full access to your scores from the screen, exercises that are safe for you to keep doing, things that you should steer clear of until you earn a better score, and exercises that will help you work to correct those imbalances. Our trainers can also help you through how to correctly perform the exercises that are given to you.

The secret to success: You must consistently do the correctives! These exercises are simple and easily can be added into a warmup as you prepare for your workout. Stay on top of them and don’t let days go by without completing them; it’s only for the betterment of your movement!

The FMS will allow you to move as you should. No matter where you are in your training plan, I would highly encourage you to get one now, improve your movement efficiency, and reduce the risk of injury.

To schedule your FMS, call the NIFS track desk at 317-274-3432 or email fitness@nifs.org.

 This blog was written by Amanda Bireline. To read more about the NIFS bloggers, click here.

Starting from the ground up might sound like a daunting task, but with TRX it is possible. The TRX, which can be done as a group or individual, allows its user to perform various movement patterns with varying degrees of difficulty, all while using only body weight as resistance and a routine of exercises assigned to help you reach your goals.

The Equipment

The setup, designed by former US Navy Seal Randy Hetrick in 1995, is comprised of two straps, two handles, two cam buckles for adjustments, and a locking loop for safety. The equipment can be set up nearly anywhere, including but not limited to a TRX frame, a tree branch, or a sturdy piece of furniture. The unit is rather transportable and easy to set up. With that being said, it would seem to be the most ideal piece of equipment for home exercise and gym use. Although this is true, there still is a small learning curve, which you can easily overcome with some practice.

Adjusting Intensity and Difficulty Level

When you examine the exercises, you discover that the majority of them utilize angles to both increase and decrease intensity and level of difficulty. Furthermore, relying on the handles more and more can make things much easier. When it’s time to up the workload, you can grip the handles less (which requires you to utilize more body strength to get through the exercise).

When we program a TRX exercise into your routine or in a class, we would expect that at any time someone might need a regression or a progression, so there isn’t really a reason to stop or quit—just readjustments to help you keep moving!

How to Get the Most from this Equipment

Like all equipment, there are ways to best utilize this tool to get the most out of your time. When you understand that the difficulty level is determined by balance, stability, and angles, making just a few adjustments can really help you get a better workout.

Here are some tips that may also enhance your workout.

• Do not allow any slack in the straps. The constant tension will force you to be in control while working through your movements.
• Practice good form by having the straps as an aid. If you are having trouble with proper form at the bottom end of your squats due to ankle mobility or posterior chain flexibility, use it to help you move into and out of precarious instances where typically you would be uncomfortable. Once you are able to do the movements proficiently, try them again without the TRX and then eventually with a weight load.
• Add an exercise to a workout circuit. To mix it up and give you a great workout, the versatility and multitude of exercises allows you to change exercises, sets, reps, and intensity at a moment’s notice.

Most floor exercises with a TRX are more challenging due to the idea that you are using more energy to keep good form (including core muscles).

Try It in Group Fitness Classes at NIFS

What exercises have you tried? The group fitness classes offered at NIFS are for everybody. Your Fitness Specialist can modify an exercise if you aren’t ready for it or if you need a little more of a challenge. The classes also offer variety to help enhance your own “exercise library,” which will ultimately lead to more confidence. Remember that your exercises can vary from person to person, but as long as you can continue to challenge yourself, your body will continue to develop and become stronger.

Whether you are trying to improve form or get a total-body, no-nonsense workout, the TRX is an adaptable and highly useful tool you can use along the way. NIFS offers free classes weekly to help guide your workouts. If you still aren’t convinced, contact a NIFS Fitness Specialist to discuss ways we can help you reach your goals.

This blog was written by Thomas Livengood, Health Fitness Instructor and Personal Trainer. To read more about the NIFS bloggers, click here.

If you are short on time but still want to get your workout in, there are many ways to make sure you are getting the most out of your limited time in the gym.

Here are four exercises you should do if you don’t have time to do your usual routine:

• Bear crawl
• Squat and press
• Side lunges with an upright row
• Kettlebell swings

Bear Crawl

The bear crawl, if done correctly, is a great exercise that will work your entire body! You will feel this in your core and shoulders. Mix it up! You don’t have to just go forward; crawl backward or side to side. This movement will get your core firing and shoulders working.

Squat and Press

Multi-joint movements are a great choice if you are tight on time. You get more bang for your buck since you are working more than one muscle group. The squat and press can be done with any piece of equipment. Dumbbells, a sandbag, kettlebells, or barbells are just a few great options.

Side Lunges with an Upright Row

Most people go through life only moving forward or backward. It’s important to get some side-to-side movements in your workouts. Side lunges are a good way to get some lateral movement in. Adding the upright row to the lunge gets your arms and back working as well.

Kettlebell Swings

Kettlebell swings are one of my favorite short-on-time exercises! They get your heart rate up, work on the core and butt, and are especially good if you have been sitting all day. The kettlebell swing movement is a hinge pattern that is great for firing up your posterior chain (which doesn’t get worked if you sit on it all day).

Next time you go to the gym when you are in a hurry, try out these four exercises! If you need help learning any of the exercises, stop by the track desk and have a NIFS HFS help you out or check your form. Don’t let limited time be your excuse for not getting a workout in!

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Small Group Training (SGT) classes now available. Find out more and try a class for free!

This blog was written by Kaci Lierman, Personal Trainer at NIFS. To read more about the NIFS bloggers, click here.

For the month of May, we are highlighting Boot Camp as our group fitness class of the month. Have you outgrown some of the group fitness classes and want to take your training a step forward? Boot Camp may be just the thing you’ve been looking for to do that. This class is both challenging and exhausting, consisting of a 60-minute total-body workout. Let’s take a look at the benefits, class design, and who it best suits.

What does a Boot Camp class look like?

This is a good question, and the answer is simple: sweaty, exhausted people who need to jump into the shower immediately! Boot Camp takes place inside NIFS during the winter or stormy times; or often Steven, the class instructor, will take it outdoors. During the warmer months of the year, you will find Steven and his class along the Canal, downtown at the Indiana War Memorial, working out in White River State Park, or someplace around town that they find useful tools to utilize for their workout, all while getting a nice tan.

The format of the class typically involves some cardio, usually running or stairs and strength work like pushups, squats, lunges, and pull-ups. This class would fall into the categories of high-intensity, fast-paced resistance and endurance training.

Watch video.

What is it good for?

Boot Camp is beneficial in lots of different areas of the fitness realm: cardio, strength, calisthenics, social interaction, and the never-give-up mental attitude that we all need to have! Also, often it takes place outdoors because it’s good for everyone to get out occasionally and see nature (unless the mosquitos are biting).

This class helps those who feel they have outgrown some of the other group fitness classes and really need to take their fitness up a notch. You will benefit from the high-intensity workouts that boost your cardiovascular endurance and overall strength—not to mention, Steven has a good group of folks who love working out together and interacting socially.

I’m new to exercise; is this class for me?

While we never want to exclude anyone from our classes, it would be wise to work your way up to this one if you are a first-time exerciser. The goal at NIFS is to get everyone comfortable and confident in their workouts and not leave anyone discouraged. If you feel you are physically fit and ready to raise the bar a little bit on your own workout standards, this is the class for you to try next. If you are uncertain whether it’s too much, just show up a few minutes before class time and talk with Steven to guide you in the right direction.

Click here to see our full group fitness schedule and when classes are offered.

This blog was written by Amanda Bireline, Fitness Center Manager. To learn more about the NIFS bloggers, click here.

In a world where trying to gain a competitive edge is at an all-time high, everybody is searching for the next big thing to help bring their workouts to the next level. Many individuals end up using some type of ergogenic aid. According to the National Strength and Conditioning Association, an ergogenic aid is any substance, mechanical aid, or training method that improves sport performance. Dietary supplements and special equipment are two common avenues that athletes use (sometimes legally and, unfortunately, sometimes illegally).

Consider Music as a Motivational Aid

Do you use any ergogenic aids? You may think that you do not, but chances are you probably do. One of the most popular ergogenics that gym-goers currently utilize is music. “Music?”, you’re probably asking yourself. Yes. I know it does not really fall into the category of substances, mechanical aids, or training methods, but the music can have very similar performance-enhancing effects.

Do you listen to music while you work out? If so, what kind of music do you listen to? For me personally, music allows for a sense of focus to happen. I pick my favorite workout song (Guns N’ Roses: “Welcome to the Jungle”) and I find every bit of energy I have to push through a personal record attempt or final set of a hard training session. That is what training is all about.

In many cases, regardless of the type of exercise you perform, you must break the barrier that stands between you and that next step. Music also allows for a positivity to flow throughout your workout. It makes everything more enjoyable! Let’s face it: if every training session were boring and stagnant, how long would you continue on that program? My guess would be not too long. You have to enjoy yourself to some extent while you are busting your backside, and music might be a way to do that.

My Workout Music Preferences Survey

As I was contemplating music and this blog, I thought to myself, “Alex, does everyone listen to music when they work out? What kind of music do they listen to?” I decided to create a little survey that I sent out to the employees of NIFS to get the cold, hard facts about music. In total, 36 NIFS employees completed the survey. Check out the results below!

What best characterizes the type of exercise you perform most often?

• Cardiovascular (i.e., running, biking, etc.): 16/36, 44.44%
• Resistance training: 12/36, 33.33%
• Cross-training: 4/36, 11.11%
• Other (please specify): 4/36, 11.11%

Answers included: “Real work—kettlebells” (I wonder who that was), mental exercises, and combinations of resistance and cardiovascular training.

 What type of music do you generally listen to on a day-to-day basis? (not when working out)?

• Alternative: 3/36, 8.33%
• Blues: 0/36, 0%
• Classical: 2/36, 5.56%
• Country: 4/36, 11.11%
• Jazz: 0/36, 0%
• Metal: 1/36, 2.78%
• Rap: 2/36, 5.56%
• Pop: 11/36, 30.56%
• Rock: 1/36, 2.78%
• Classic rock: 2/36, 5.56%
• Techno: 1/36, 2.78%
• I do not listen to music: 0/36, 0%
• Other (please specify): 9/36, 25%

Answers included: Folk, Christian, Dance/New Age, and combinations of the above genres.

 Do you listen to music while you work out?

• Yes: 27/36, 75%
• No: 9/36, 25%

 What genre of music do you listen to while you work out?

• Alternative: 1/36, 2.78%
• Blues: 0/36, 0%
• Classical: 1/36, 2.78%
• Country: 1/36, 2.78%
• Jazz: 0/36, 0%
• Metal: 1/36, 2.78%
• Rap: 5/36, 13.89%
• Pop: 11/36, 30.56%
• Rock: 3/36, 8.33%
• Classic rock: 1/36, 2.78%
• Techno: 2/36, 5.56%
• I do not listen to music: 7/36, 19.44%
• Other (please specify): 3/36, 8.33%

Answers included: Skrillex, Dance, or “music in my soul OR Jerry’s loud music.”

 If you had to choose only one song to get ready for an intense training session, what would it be? (artist and song name)

• Booker T and the M.G.s: “Green Onions”
• Voodoo & Serano: “Blood Is Pumping”
• Pharrell: “Happy”
• Fall Out Boy: “The Phoenix”
• Steve Aoki: “Turbulence”
• Enrique Iglesias: “Escape”
• Sia: “The Greatest”
• Drake: “Started from the Bottom”
• Skillet: “Monster”
• Fetty Wap: “No Days Off”
• Foo Fighters: “Best of You”
• Avenged Sevenfold: “Unholy Confessions”
• Eric B. and Rakim: “Don’t Sweat the Technique”
• Rachel Platten: “Fight Song”
• Katy Perry: “Roar”
• Metallica: “One”
• Young Jeezy: “Put On”
• X Ambassadors: “Jungle”
• Macklemore and Ryan Lewis: “Can’t Hold Us”
• ANY Michael Jackson song
• ANY Carrie Underwood song
• Gym Class Heroes: “The Fighter”
• U2: “Beautiful Day”
• Avicii: “Wake Me Up”
• Metallica: “Fuel”
• Gym Class Heroes: “The Fighter”
• AC/DC: “Thunderstruck”
• Bruno Mars: “Uptown Funk”
• FOALS: “Mountain at My Gate”
• Carrie Underwood: “Before He Cheats”

Regardless of what type of music you listen to, try to make it part of your exercise routine. If you already do, keep at it. I think it will make your workouts more focused and potentially more fun. As the legend Lil’ John said, “Turn Down for What?” So turn up the volume and rock out with your weights out!

 Note all songs are trademarks This blog was written by Alex Soller. To find out more about the NIFS bloggers, click here.

 

Knowing whether you are an introvert or an extrovert can help determine what type of fitness plan/program will work best for you. Contrary to popular belief, being an introvert doesn’t necessarily mean you’re a shy person. Although introversion does have elements of apprehension, nervousness, and shyness, it essentially means that a person gets their energy from being alone or in a small group. They also tend to have their energy drained by too much external stimulation, such as being around a large group of people for too long. Therefore, if a person is not aware of their personality type, he or she may come to believe something is wrong with them when an exercise program does little to help them accomplish their goals.

The first step to discovering whether you are an introvert is to look at common behavioral habits of introverts all over the world.

You Might Be an Introvert If…

Here are 5 of 23 signs that you may be an introvert via the Huffington Post (click here to see the full list):

• You find small talk incredibly troublesome. 
• You often feel alone in a crowd.
• You’re easily distracted.
• Downtime doesn’t feel unproductive to you.
• You shut down after you’ve been active for too long.

Best Workout Tips for People Who Prefer Solitude

If you identify yourself as an introvert, consider a few things before planning a fitness program.

• Find smaller groups or solo exercise. The first thing you may want to consider is that introverts typically don’t need to interact as much with other people in order to gain energy. Therefore, things such as group exercise may not be necessary (unless you genuinely enjoy them). Solo or small-group exercise—such as yoga, swimming, and small group training—or working out with a partner are typically the best options for many introverts. Working out alone provides enough energy and focus for the individual to have a successful workout. This does not mean occasional group exercise is a bad idea, however, since introverts alternate between periods of solitude and social interaction.
• Keep workouts short. You may also want to consider that since introverts become energy deficient when exposed to external stimulation for too long, it’s a good idea to keep your workouts short and effective. This will allow for an efficient use of your energy systems without feeling drained. Exercise methods such as High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) provide extremely effective workouts without you having to spend a lot of time doing them.
• Use your brain power. Lastly, did you know that an introvert’s brain is wired differently than an extrovert’s? It has been proven that introverts have more gray matter in their prefrontal cortex, which is the area associated with decision-making. This means introverts devote more brain power to analysis, which you can use to your advantage. If you want to get in shape, start by using the power of your brain to do research and analyze the data that you find. Read, write, think, and reflect on topics that pertain to your specific goals. The more you learn and understand exactly what needs to be done, the more likely you are to stick with your program and become successful with it.

One of the most important aspects of an exercise program’s effectiveness tends to be how well it is catered to the individual. There is no one-size-fits-all program. Different people have different requirements when it comes to exercise programming. See a NIFS Health and Fitness Specialist today if you are in need of a program that fits YOU! 

This blog was written by Darius Felix, Health Fitness Instructor. Click here for more information about the NIFS bloggers.