Burning fat doesn't always require a combination of strict eating, fancy equipment and expensive running sneakers. It is possible to burn the blubber with some fairly simple exercises. Let's take a look at five easy exercises anyone can perform to get in shape.

Push-Ups
Most people dread getting down on all fours and pushing their body weight up and down. However, there are few better exercises for the upper body than push-ups. You can do them just about anywhere and they won't put your shoulders in jeopardy like some other weight-bearing exercises. Push-ups require a controlled movement of your body weight up and down. Keep your elbows toward the inside of your body. Maintain a straight torso, neck, head and hips.

Jumping Jacks
Jumping jacks will help you burn away that fat and increase your flexibility. Don't make jumping jacks the core of your workout. Jumping jacks should be used as a means of warming up. They will get your heart going and set the stage for an intense fat-burning workout.

Jumping Rope
Jumping rope is easy, quick and cheap. Like jumping jacks, jumping rope is an excellent means of warming up for a workout. If you find that you become a bit bored while jumping rope, ramp up your speed, put on some music or adopt a new technique. Give it your all and you will melt away plenty of fat and calories.

Burpees
Burpees burn away the calories, build strength and work the entire body. Focus on your form and you won't find burpees to be as difficult as they initially seem. Begin in a squat position. When you reach the bottom of your squat, move your hands outward in front of your body toward the floor. Move your feet back as you would for a push-up, then move them right back to the squat position as quickly as you can. Return to the starting position and repeat.

Squats
Fitness experts swear by squats as they work an array of different muscles and burn away a ton of calories. We've all squatted as infants when learning to walk. All it takes is a planting of the heels, a lowering of the body and a pushing back of the hips. Bend at the knees so your thighs are parallel with the ground.

If you are like most people, you desire some fitness and nutrition guidance. Look no further than the Downtown Athletic Club's personal trainers and state-of-the-art exercise space. Contact us today to schedule a tour of our facility.

The great part of incorporating planks into your workout routine is that they can offer a full-body workout. Your core and upper and lower body are worked hard, and your muscles are stretched for greater flexibility. Better yet, by doing different variations of the standard plank, you can target specific areas of your body.

Flutter Feet
This exercise targets your glutes, hamstrings and quadriceps.

How to do it: Begin in a standard plank position and lift one of your legs a few inches off the ground. Keeping your torso still, gently but quickly pulse your leg up and down, making sure to work your glutes, hamstring and quads. Five times constitutes one rep; do nine reps before switching legs.

Standard Plank
The standard plank can specifically target your abdominals.

How to do it: Start on all fours, hands directly under your shoulders, knees and feet about hip-distance apart. (Beginners should rest on their forearms instead of their hands.) Next, tuck your toes until your feet are flat, then extend your hips and push up until your body is in a straight line. Draw in your abs and hold for 30 seconds.

Heart-to-Heart
This exercise targets your back muscles and triceps.

How to do it: For this exercise you'll start in a modified plank position with your feet several inches wider than your hips and your hands beneath your chest. Form an upside-down heart with your hands by turning them until the thumbs and fingers touch. Using your toes, push your body forward so that the center of your chest is aligned over your hands. Hold this position for 30 seconds while making sure that your chest, backs and triceps are fully engaged.

Falling Leaf
The Falling Leaf plank specifically targets your shoulders.

How to do it: Start in the standard plank position and rotate your right shoulder and hip toward the ceiling with your abs engaged. Extend your arm and reach toward the ceiling. Return to the starting position and then repeat four times before switching sides.

Cross Body Plank
This form of the plank is designed to work the often hard-to-target oblique muscles.

How to do it: Starting in the standard plank position, lift your right leg a few inches off of the floor, toes pointed, and then draw your right knee toward your chest and in a diagonal motion across your body until it taps your left elbow. Return to the starting position and repeat this nine times.

The Downtown Athletic Club of Amarillo focuses on overall wellness, including group fitness, nutrition and personal training. The DAC's personal trainers are available seven days a week.

Think spectacular abs require tons of time on the floor with more crunches and planks than you care to count? Well that isn’t true. Those exercises can still be part of a good fitness routine but there are plenty of exercises that can work your abs from a standing position, too.

Standing ab exercises are effective. Your muscles are already working against gravity to hold you up, so they’ll work even harder exercising. If you already do exercises on the floor, adding some standing ones will use your muscles in a different way, helping take your workout to the next level.

For beginners, standing ab exercises can be easier to do correctly, which means less risk of injury. Most ab routines include 3 or 4 sets of 10 reps for each exercise, but beginners can start with less. Here are a few suggestions.

1. Cross body chop (the “woodchopper” exercise) - This exercise can be done with a cable, a medicine ball or a dumbbell. Stand with feet shoulder width apart. Extend arms overhead above one shoulder. Move your arms across your body while rotating your torso. Think of making a diagonal line down to your opposite knee. Return to start.
2. Standing core stabilization - Hold a dumbbell with both hands, arms extended in front of you at shoulder height. Keep your core muscles tight and move the dumbbell from center to one side, then back to center. Repeat on other side.
3. Standing pike crunch - This effective exercise engages all your ab muscles. Start with feet shoulder width apart and arms extended overhead. Tighten your core muscles and raise one leg to waist level, while lowering your arms and hands to meet it. Keep your arms and the leg you are raising as straight as possible. Return to start and repeat with the other leg.
4. Dumbbell side bend - Stand with feet hip width apart and a dumbbell in each hand. Tighten your core muscles and lower dumbbell to your knee. Return to start and repeat on opposite side.
5. Rotating deadlift - Stand on one foot with other behind you, knees slightly bent. Put hands behind your head and elbows out to side. Lean forward while engaging your core, keeping your back straight. Twist your upper torso to the side while standing back up.

Standing ab exercises are good for beginners, people that can’t (or don’t want to) be on the floor, and anyone trying to mix up their usual routine. If you need help choosing a workout or just some extra motivation, going to a gym like Downtown Athletic Club or scheduling some sessions with a personal trainer can be a real boost. Contact us today for more information.

There are a lot of reasons why a standard exercise routine may not work for you. You may lack the time due to your job or other obligations, or maybe you’ve been forced to stop running and other outdoor exercises because of the shorter days during winter.

Whatever the reason, you may find yourself wanting to get the most out of your time in the gym. One way to do this is with full body exercises. These exercises are beneficial in a number of ways, including the fact that they lessen the time that you spend exercising and are perfect for fat loss. To get the most out of your exercise time, choose the most effective full body exercises. Consider these three:

1. Kettlebell Windmills

It is important to note that this is not an easy exercise to master; however, kettlebell windmills are ideal for working your core, shoulders, glutes and hamstrings.

Start by placing the kettlebell on the floor with your feet slightly further apart than the width of your hips. Your feet should be in an "L” position, with your left toes forward and your right toes pointed to the right. Keep your knees slightly bent. With your left hand, raise the kettlebell overhead in pressing position, rotating your wrist so that your palm faces forward. Bend forward at the waist over your left leg while keeping both legs as straight as possible and holding the arm with the kettlebell at 90 degrees. Perform 12 reps and repeat with your right leg as the lead leg.

2. Plank Kettlebell Drag

Assume a plank position with your hands under your shoulders. Your arms should be straight and your hips level with your shoulders. Grip the kettlebell under your chest and drag it across the width of your body. Do 20 reps alternating arms.

3. Military Press (Single Arm)

Stand with a resistance band under the arch of one foot. Hold on to each end of the resistance band and press up at 90 degrees. Alternate arms as you perform this exercise while keeping the other arm still. Do 20 reps.

These are just some of the full body exercises that can help you to meet your fitness goals. If you are interested in learning more about time-saving and efficient workouts for your whole body, make an appointment with one of our personal trainers at the Downtown Athletic Club in Amarillo.

The importance of exercise cannot be understated. It's even more essential when you're trying to lose weight. The following exercises can help you burn fat in a hurry.

Jump Rope

Jumping rope is good for body-toning and weight loss.

How to: Hold the rope so that both hands line up with your shoulders. Swing the rope and jump over it.

Burpees

Burpees target your core, chest and legs.

How to: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Lower into a squat and reach your hands forward to the floor. Jump back so that your feet are in the plank position, then jump your feet forward and finish with a vertical jump.

Squats

When done correctly, squats engage your core and entire body.

How to: With feet hip-width apart and your arms at your sides, lower your legs and raise your arms in front of you. Lower yourself until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Rise back to the start.

Lunges

Lunges work multiple muscles at once.

How to: Standing with feet hip-width apart and arms at your side, take a step forward with your right leg. Lower your body until your leg forms a 90-degree angle. Repeat with your left leg.

Explosive Lunges

The high-explosive lunge will torch calories.

How to: With feet together and hands on your hips, step forward. Bend until your leg is at a 90-degree angle, jump, and switch legs in mid-air.

Mountain Climbers

Mountain climbers target obliques, glutes and hamstrings.

How to: Loop a resistance band around a couch leg. In the plank position, facing away from the the post, place your feet in the handles like stirrups. Alternate bringing right and left knees in toward your chest.

Tabata Drill

The intervals for these are short (20 seconds) but you'll appreciate the rest between exercises.

How to: With feet together and dumbbells held up to your shoulders, jump your feet outward as you lift the dumbbells straight up. Rest 10 seconds, then jab the dumbbells across your body.

Bodyweight Exercises

These increase body mass and burn more calories.

How to: With arms at your sides and feet together, do a jumping jack. Then place hands on the ground and jump feet out and back in.

Kettlebell Swings

Kettlebells engage the entire body.

How to: Grasp kettlebell with both hands in front of you. Squat and lift the kettlebell above.

Double Jump

This movement will increase your heart rate and provide core-strengthening.

How to: Add a jump and a lunge to your traditional squat.

Working with a personal trainer can help you reach your fitness and weight-loss goals. The trainers at the Downtown Athletic Club of Amarillo can guide you along the way.

If you've been working out for any length of time, chances are you've heard about High Interval Intensity Training. Perhaps you've even tried it. The philosophy and routine is simple enough: Combine short bursts of intense anaerobic exercise with less-intense recovery periods, and then repeat the intervals over a certain period of time. HIIT workouts can push your fitness to a new level.

Chances are, however, that you haven't heard as much about Low Intensity Interval Training (LIIT). Recent studies of walkers have shown that less intense intervals also have fitness benefits.

What Is LIIT?

Low Intensity Interval Training is similar to High Intensity Interval Training, but differs in the amount of effort expended during the harder intervals. Like HIIT, your workout consists of two paces: (1) a normal pace in which you could carry on a conversation, and (2) a faster pace in which you exert more effort for a certain length of time. But with LIIT, the faster pace isn't as intense.

Measuring LIIT

A recent study at Ohio State University measured the benefits of walking at varying speeds. Specifically, researchers wanted to measure the calories burned, or metabolic cost, of changing speeds.

Researchers determined that we could be underestimating the number of calories burned even while just walking in daily life, or playing sports. In fact, eight percent of the energy used during daily walking may be due to energy we spend just starting and stopping. Even just changing the way you walk — whether it's walking in a curve as opposed to a straight line, or wearing a backpack — can burn more than 20 percent more calories than walking at a consistent pace.

The study also showed that people walk faster when covering longer distances and slower over short distances.

LIIT Workout

There are a variety of ways to incorporate LIIT training into your fitness regimen. The important thing to remember is that you are altering your normal pace at various intervals of the workout.

One way to do this is to walk five to eight minutes at your normal pace. Then gradually increase your speed and hold that pace for 90 seconds. You don't want to increase your pace to an extent that you can't catch your breath, but enough that you feel the extra exertion. Return to your normal pace for three to five minutes, then add another faster interval of 90 seconds. Continue this routine for 30 total minutes.

If you're looking for someone to guide you and be a training partner in your fitness routine, then contact one of the professional trainers at the Downtown Athletic Club of Amarillo.

Do you have a history of breast cancer in your family and worry that you have a higher than normal risk of having cancer yourself? Do you already get mammograms and regular checkups in order to stay healthy and keep on top of your breast health? What else can you possibly do to reduce the risk of breast cancer? For Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, we bring you some healthy ways to cut your risk of cancer and live a healthy life.

Vitamin C

Studied since the 1970s, high doses of Vitamin C have been proven to reduce the risk of cancer. Though it's easier to get higher amounts of the vitamin if you receive it through an IV, you can also take oral supplements for benefits. Studies show that Vitamin C can slow the growth of cancer cells as well as improve other symptoms relating to illness, including fatigue, vomiting, and loss of appetite.

Weight Lifting

Exercising in general has proven to lower your cancer risk, but lifting weights specifically can help curb cancer risk. Vigorous strength training, incorporating weights, can actually reduce the amount of estrogen your body produces, which fans the flames of breast cancer. Building muscles can lower your estrogen, therefore decreasing your cancer risk. Try holding weights and doing bicep curls, squats, and chest presses.

These exercises can increase your metabolism and burn fat quickly. Building up your chest muscles not only tones and trims your physique, but offers health benefits against cancer, too. Try and put in workout time at least four hours a week to reap the benefits of exercise.

Cardio Workouts

Though any type of physical activity is good for you, a cardio workout regimen can reduce your risk of cancer up to 30%. You don't have to kill yourself exercising strenuously every day, but adding some cardio along with strength training to your workout several times a week can boost your benefits.

Though these benefits can help everyone, exercising is especially helpful for menopausal women. Not only does exercising keep your estrogen levels low, but it boosts your overall immunity for better health. If you're past menopause, carrying too much weight can actually increase your overall risk for breast cancer.

Though breast cancer is complicated and there are many factors for risk, exercise and maintaining a healthy weight is something we can control. Besides, living a healthier lifestyle not only makes you look and feel better, but improves your energy level and your quality of life.

Don't tackle a weight training regimen on your own without seeking the aid of a professional first, to help you plan a workout program that works for you. Most women will see benefits of exercise even with only 30 minutes of activity a day. Contact the Downtown Athletic Club in Amarillo to find out how you can start living a healthier life. We offer state of the art equipment, personal trainers to help you design a workout plan, indoor tennis courts and other amenities, and flexible scheduling. Call us today for details.

The squat is a powerful exercise, providing both aerobic and strengthening benefits. To enjoy the benefits from doing squats, you must maintain proper form throughout. The right form will produce better results while also being easier on your knees, hips, and back.

Using Proper Form

When performing a squat, your feet should be about hip’s distance apart and directly in line with your shoulders. Your feet should also be facing forward, with your heels planted firmly on the ground. Pull your shoulders down and back, but not so far down or back that holding them in that position becomes uncomfortable. Hold your abdominal muscles in, and keep your head and eyes facing forward.

Performing The Squat

Keep these things in mind while performing your squat:

• Keep your lower back slightly arched, and lower your body as a single unit.
  
  
• Go as low as you can comfortably, without allowing your knees to extend beyond your toes.
  
  
• Do not allow your knees to collapse inward while going down, as this can result in alignment problems.
  
  
• Press your buttocks into the ground as you lower your body.
  
  
• On the way up, lift your body as a single unit, paying close attention to your spinal alignment.
  
  

While performing your squat, keep the bulk of your weight on your heels and not the ball of your foot or the toes. This not only forces your muscles to work harder but also helps you maintain proper alignment.

Squats should also be performed at a slow, even pace rather than being done very quickly. Doing repetitions slowly will make it easier for you to maintain the proper form from start to finish.

Breathing

Breathing is just as important when doing squats as it is when performing any other type of exercise. For best results, you should exhale on the exertion, which is on the way up while doing squats. Breathe in slowly on the way down, hold for a second or two, and then breathe out slowly while you return to the starting position. If you pay careful attention to your breathing, you should notice you are able to perform more repetitions without getting tired.

Squats can be an important part of any fitness routine, but should not be your only form of exercise. Here at Downtown Athletic Club, we offer personal and group fitness training sessions that will allow you to increase your level of physical fitness in a safe and fun atmosphere. Call or drop by today to find out more.

You know you like the way muscles define your body, but what are the other reasons you should work on building and toning your muscles? Turns out there are plenty reasons other than aesthetics why you should work on weight lifting and other exercises that build up muscle mass.

Body Benefits

Of course, it goes without saying that strength training can improve your cardiovascular system and rev up your metabolism, but there are other benefits, too. Building muscle not only creates muscle mass, but it also strengthens your bones. This can help you later in life when it comes to diseases like osteoporosis.

Lifting weights can also help alleviate depression, diabetes, give you better cognitive functions as you get older, and increase your good cholesterol numbers. For women who lose bone mass after menopause, weight lifting can be a great resource. Also, strength training creates lean muscle and reduces fat, which can give you a longer, healthier lifespan.

Brain Benefits

Did you know working out gives your brain exercise, too? Doctors believe that regular strength training can improve the brain's growth, which means that as we get older and lose some of our function, regular weight lifting can prevent that from happening as it normally does.

Health Benefits

Muscle training keeps your muscles toned, which means that any chance of injury is significantly reduced. All of the portions of your muscles become stronger, including ligaments and tendons, so you can say goodbye to inconveniences like a sprained ankle. Strong muscles keep your body stable and reduce the chances of injury.

Exercise has many benefits, but one of the main ones is more energy. Many people who have little energy find exercising difficult, but once you begin and the endorphins kick in, you'll never turn back. Strength training builds you up and gives  you the "get up and go" you are missing, keeping you active and healthy.

Strength training also gives a boost to your immune system. You may notice a reduction in common colds or other minor illnesses. Through weight lifting and training, you are building up your immunity and creating a stronger body that won’t get sick at every turn. If you do happen to get ill, you may notice your healing time is faster than it used to be.

Interested in reaping the benefits from a strength training program but don't know where to start? Head to the Downtown Athletic Club in Amarillo to find out more about what types of strength training equipment and personal training sessions we offer to help you meet your muscle building goals.

When it comes to working out, you want to get the most bang for your buck. In other words, the most calories burned for the least amount of work. No one wants to bust it at the gym day after day and see no improvement. While any exercise is better than no exercise, there's an actual science behind the best ways to burn calories, lose fat and get fit. Take a look at these four types of workouts that yield the best results for your effort.

Lower Body Exercises

Believe it or not, working your lower body helps decrease your entire body fat percentage. Think of it this way: your largest muscles are in your lower body, so by working them the most, you create more of those muscle tears that require your body to spend calories repairing. You get much more calorie-burn bang for your buck with lower versus upper body work. That’s not to say you should never work your upper body, but be sure you’re getting in that leg work – and stand while you work your arms.  

Interval Training

Interval training is all the rage these days, and for good reason. Recent studies have found that women who incorporated interval training – alternating between short bursts of high-intensity exercise and longer periods of lower-intensity work – three times a week actually saw better results than those who spent more time doing steady-state exercise (such as jogging). The good news is that you can fit interval training into anything you’re already doing. If you love the elliptical, for example, simply amp up the speed to your max level for brief periods during your session.

Heavy Weights

Women are especially guilty of opting for more reps instead of heavier weights. You figure the more you do, the more calories you’ll burn, right? Wrong. To really grow your muscles, you need to challenge them. Stronger muscles equals higher metabolism, which helps you burn more calories. Using heavier weights for fewer reps builds muscle more effectively than lifting lighter weights more times.

Group Fitness

Everybody loves to workout with a friend. It passes the time and keeps you interested. But did you know it’s actually been proven to help you burn more calories? It’s for the very reasons mentioned here. Having that distraction allows you to spend more time exercising, and burn more calories as a result. Joining a group fitness class is a great way to get motivated.

At Downtown Athletic Club, we offer several group fitness classes to help you get in shape with friends. To learn more about these classes, personal training, and other ways we can assist your fitness goals, give us a call today.