Archive | Articles

RSS feed for this section

Personal or Small Group Personal Training, Which One Is Right For You?

27 March

Colorado Springs Personal and Small Group Personal Training


Precision Fitness has two basic types of training services, Personal and Small Group Personal Training. Both options can help you reach your goal of getting stronger and healthier, yet there are some major differences between the two. In both cases, our mission is to provide a training environment where you will flourish with the appropriate amount of exercise and progressive challenges to help you constantly improve.

 

PERSONAL TRAINING

With our personal training option, you work with your coach on a one to one basis, allowing for the greatest exchange of information and precise exercise progression. Due to the high amount of attention spent on your movement skills and on your eating healthy plan, every aspect of your training is customized to help reach your goals in the most effective and safest way possible. Your coach will assist you in accomplishing the changes you seek while weaving into your program the exercises needed to correct faulty movement patterns, improve mobility, flexibility and stability while increasing muscle tone and optimizing your functional strength.

Who is Personal Training ideal for?

• Post Rehab clients do well in the personalized environment due to the need for modification and constant supervision of movements. Both of which are best delivered in a person to person training program.

• New to exercise. There is no better time to hire a coach than when you first begin your fitness journey because your movement patterns are being built from the ground up. If your initial exercise technique is faulty it can lead to injury and be much more difficult to correct in the future. It’s estimated that it takes two to three times as long to correct faulty posture or movement pattern than it does learning correct technique from the start.

• Improved Performance. If you seek a more focused and intense program, personal training is an excellent fit. If you’re an experienced athlete looking to take your strength or performance to the next level, a personalized program can help you reach your goal. The more you’ve trained the more specific your training needs to be. Though it seems like just doing more of what you are already doing will result in higher levels of fitness or performance that is just not the case. A precise, personalized plan to reach optimal levels of fitness will help you break through to your next personal best.

• Functional Fitness and Weight Loss. If you’re looking to create a stronger and healthier version of yourself, then our personal training program is the first step in doing just that. Our individualized, movement-first approach to building fitness programs based on personal goals will help you recover from a nagging injury, lose the extra pounds, or simply be healthy and active enough to enjoy an active lifestyle with your kids or grandchildren.

 

SMALL GROUP PERSONAL TRAINING

With our small group personal training option you will work with your coach and a small group of motivated likeminded individuals. This type of training allows for appropriate exercises for your fitness level while making the necessary adjustments and modifications to be successful within the group. The benefit of working with a small group is that each exercise can be quickly and effectively modified, which allows for everyone in the group to flourish regardless of their fitness level, novice to advanced.

Who is group training ideal for?

• Tired of training alone in a gym. If you want to be a part of a winning team, our personal group training program is an excellent fit. Get assistance from your coach and support from those around you. At Precision Fitness you’ll never work out alone. Share with others the joy of success or maybe it’s the suffering (kidding) as you meet the fitness challenge, either way you are going to have blast working a long side other group members.

• Burned out on the cardio. For those tired of doing the same treadmill routine mile after mile, then it’s time to try our group training program that combines the best of strength training and conditioning for optimal results. Group training will give your cardio program more variety so you don’t have to do the same type of exercise over and over again.

• Need motivation. If you feed off the energy of others, then exercising with others with the same mindset may be the ideal environment for you. Motivation is a key component to making fitness work. Group training allows others to encourage you more actively then showing up to the gym and working alone. You need smiles, music and laughs to get the most out of your workout.

• Need accountability but not personal training. If you are experienced with training but still need that extra push, our coaches are here to help you move forward. Keeping you on track, helping modify exercises if needed and ensuring you use the right technique to get the most out of each workout is our mission.

Do you have questions about our program? Still not sure which program is right for you?

Schedule a complimentary fitness evaluation at a convenient time for you. We can discuss your goals and current fitness level and together figure out which option will help you in creating the sustained change for a healthier and more active lifestyle.

You can call 719-640-0141 to schedule an evaluation or email me at info@precisionfitnesstrainer.com to schedule or if you have any questions.

In strength and health,
Edward Scaduto

5 Reasons Why You Should Avoid Doing Sit-Ups

05 October
by Edward Scaduto, Colorado Springs Personal Trainer and Owner of Precision Fitness

 

 

“Change means that what was before wasn’t perfect. People want things to be better.” – Esther Dyson

 

It’s time to change your abdominal training program, change it for the better.

It’s time to say no to sit-ups; by doing so you allow room for safer and more effective exercises that will fortify and strengthen your abs and spine.

At Precision Fitness our official recommendation is to avoid the traditional sit – up.

The reason you may ask? This exercise poses too much of a risk compared to the benefits and no matter how you put it, getting hurt is not a lot of fun.

 

Here are 5 reasons why you should avoid doing sit ups:

 

1. You can’t spot reduce, you can only spot build.

 

I know you want a flatter stomach or you want those wash board abs so it may seem logical that doing sit-ups and crunches will help your tummy fat go away.

Fat loss just doesn’t work that way. You can build the muscles of the abs but that does nothing to reduce the fat storage sitting on top of them.

Fat loss can only be accomplished through a sound nutrition program and a comprehensive exercise program like the Precision Fitness Training System.

 

 

2. Over training one movement pattern at the expense of others is a sure-fire way to muscle imbalances.

 

The body was designed to move in many ways.

Nowhere in the body is that more apparent than the abs.

They help you bend, extend and twist in countless ways.

Your body strives to perfect a hundred different movement patterns that activate a countless number of muscles.

By performing the same movement over and over again, like crunches and sit-ups, you set the body up for repetitive stress injuries.

These small movements done over and over again can create muscle imbalances in the torso. This creates a sub-optimal environment that can decrease the function and the potential of your body. In worst case scenarios it can cause low back pain and more.

 

 

3. The Abs do more than flex the spine, they do much more.

 

The abs have two primary jobs.

The first one is bracing the body. You brace every time you reach, push, pull, throw, swing or kick.

Any athletic movement requires bracing at some time during the movement and in most cases, twice.

You also brace during every day activities like when you pick up an object from the floor with one hand and even when you’re only opening a door.

The second primary job is to create the bridge between the legs and upper body to transfer power.

Take a tennis fore-hand swing for example.

The upper body and trunk rotates back in preparation to hit the ball, then the hips will rotate forward creating power for the swing. The the abs will then brace creating the ‘bridge’ that will work to rotate the torso and arms forward to strike the ball.

This is just one example of how the abs are designed to function. If you look closely you can find many examples of this function through out our daily and athletic lives.

 

 

4. Your spine flexes all day long

 

We flex our spine all day long.

A typical day for the average person starts by waking up and sitting at breakfast with one’s spine flexed (bent forward).

Then this person commutes to work for an hour and then sits at work for eight hours all with the spine flexed.

After a day of sitting, the individual drives home and eats dinner flexed and then sits on the couch and watches a couple hours of TV with the spine in a flexed position.

There should be one place the abs and spine should not have to flex and that is during your fitness program.

The health of your back depends on your ability to balance the work load, movements and stress that you place on it.

 

 

5. Sit-Ups produce the same force in the disc that can create a disc bulge or disc herniation.

 

It’s estimated that 80% of the population will see a doctor or chiropractor at some point in their life due to back pain.

According to Stuart McGill, a professor of spine bio-mechanics at the University of Waterloo, sit ups produce the exact same force in the spine that can create disc bulge and disc herniation, two of the most common low back injuries.

Does it make sense to perform exercises that can create common back injuries?

I didn’t think so either.

 

The Bottom Line

 

These are the 5 reasons of why you need to stop doing sit-ups immediately.

In it’s place start using planks and leg lifts to strengthen your core. These two types of abdominal exercises are much safer on your spine and there are countless variations and modification that you can use.

Take these recommendations and apply them today in your program, your back will thank you for it.

 

If you have any questions on how to implement correct abdominal training into your fitness program please do not hesitate to contact Colorado Springs Best Personal Trainers at Precision Fitness at 719-640-0141.

Did you enjoy the article? If so, make sure to sign up for email updates.

It’s easy and it’s free and you’ll continue to get great informative articles from our blog in your email.

Enter your email address:
Delivered by FeedBurner

“Colorado Springs resident Gloria lost 90 pounds…”

19 September
Colorado Springs Fitness
Gloria before
Colorado Springs Fitness
Gloria 90 pounds late

Colorado Springs resident, Gloria, lost 90 pounds with Personal Trainer Edward Scaduto. This is her story.

Whenever I saw a heavy person, I would ask my friends and family, ” Am I that big?” Even though I knew the answer to the question, I still didn’t take control of my weight.My staple diet consisted of junk food, lots of carbs, and other unhealthy foods. Then two events happened that made me realize that I had to make some changes in my weight and in my life. At a doctor appointment, my doctor informed me that I had borderline high blood pressure. She informed me that I had to lose weight – I was putting unnecessary stress on my body. This made me painfully aware of how much I actually weighed. Not too long afterward, I took a trip to California and when sitting in my seat on the airplane took up more space than one seat. I didn’t want to wait around for any more wake-up calls.

Now, I am working on staying committed, as well as keeping the momentum. I am working on losing the last of my weight. Ed has been great at encouraging me with this goal. I am also very happy with my current eating plan. I feel great! I feel that continual accountability is and will be an important step to maintaining my success. Looking back I realize that I couldn’t have achieved this success on my own; Ed has been an instrumental part of the weight loss success I have achieved. He helped me in setting goals, keeping me motivated and accountable, checking my food log and creating menu plans that would incorporate foods that I enjoyed eating.

The 5 Steps to Creating a New Habit…

30 August
By Edward Scaduto, Colorado Springs Personal Trainer and owner of Precision Fitness.

 

The 5 Steps to Creating a New a Habit

 

“We are what we consistently do, Excellence therefore is not an act, it’s a habit” – Aristotle

 

1.       There can only be one.

One key to successfully creating a new habit is the ability to focus your energy and time on that ONE habit. If any of the other habits fall in place, so be it, but your energy should be focused on only one habit.

The reason, we only have so much time and energy. Think about how busy your day is. Could you manage to fit in an extra hour just to work on several new habits?

If you are like me, your energy and time is already spread thin, leaving you with very little time to add to your already hectic schedule.

So how do you create a new habit?

Focus on making one change at a time.

 

2.       Start Small

I understand your ambition and wanting to start big to make massive changes but tackling big habits can lead to frustration and make it difficult to accomplish your goal.

Starting small is the best way to ensure success.

It helps you narrow your focus, allowing you to put all your energy and power on the goal.

It also helps to erase any doubts. If the change is small enough, deep inside you know you will be able to do it and succeed.

You gain momentum as you build one habit at a time. The small success can then build to bigger successes in the future.

Additionally, small changes last longer. Take drastic weight loss for example. Dropping 20 pounds in two weeks is fine, but there’s a great chance you will gain the weight back and more. Instead, go for small consistent changes in your diet and fitness plan.

 

3.       Anchor it.

We all have habits. If you think about it, your day is habit after habit strung together. Let’s use the habits you now have in place to help create new ones.

It’s easy. When creating a new habit, just anchor to one of your existing habits. Let’s use running as an example. If you already have the habit of waking up to a cup of coffee every morning, you can anchor the new habit of running right after you have your coffee.

In time you will associate running with coffee. Then every time you drink your favorite brew, you’ll want to lace up your shoes and hit the trail. Coffee becomes the trigger.

You’ve just anchored a new habit.

 

4.       Allow 30 days to make the change.

It takes time to create a new habit. The exact amount of time differs from person to person and the habit they choose.

It’s estimated to take between 21 to 30 days to create a new habit. It takes that long for a habit to “sink in” so to speak. You have to work on the habit every day if possible.

Give yourself 30 days of this process to create your new habit.

 

5.       Tell and Report

Tell as many people as you can what you are doing. Then report to them daily if it was a success or not. They can be a great support system in helping you make the change.

Remember no one is perfect. There will be days where you may not succeed. There’s no shame in that so don’t beat your-self up for the misstep. Just try and focus your energy on the next day.

 

So let’s review the 5 keys again:

  1. Pick one habit
  2. Start small
  3. Anchor it to an existing habit
  4. Give it 30 days
  5. Tell and report

 

If you follow the 5 keys to creating a new habit, you will have a much better chance of creating the healthy life long changes you’ve always wanted.

 

Committed to your health and fitness,

Edward Scaduto

Colorado Springs personal trainer and owner of Precision Fitness.

P.S. During the month of February I am using our Fan Page to host  One Month – One Habit challenge using the 5 steps mentioned in this article. You’re invited to participate.

You can visit our fan page here.

What you need to know about cardio

20 August

You wanna lose fat. And you want to do it FAST!

To burn off that fat, you’ve got to burn some extra calories. There’s no way around it.

So the most common piece of advice you’ll hear is “do more cardio.”

Easier said than done, right? Especially when you consider that there is so much conflicting information out there. Some people say you need to do hours on end of cardio. Yet others say that long bouts of cardio are a waste of time. Instead what you need is HIIT cardio (high intensity interval training.)

So who’s right!? And more importantly, what should YOU do so you can start burning off that fat faster than ever before?

When it comes to what kind of cardio to do, it depends.

The main purpose of cardio in any fat loss program is to expend extra calories once you’ve ALREADY established a caloric deficit from your diet and are on a sound weight-lifting program. So in the end, the goal is to burn enough calories to create enough of a deficit that you’ll lose weight.

Both low-intensity and high-intensity cardio can do that.

The trade-off is time and efficiency. With low-intensity cardio (like walking) you have to do more of it to burn a decent amount of calories. This is why most recommendations for low-intensity cardio are between 45-60 minutes.

On the other hand, high-intensity cardio burns the same amount of calories in half the time (roughly).

So with just 20-30 minutes of intense interval training, you can burn the same number of calories as you do with 45-60 minutes of low-intensity steady state cardio.

So what’s the best advice? Mix it up.

Do 2 high intensity sessions a week.

If you still need more cardio than that, then add in maybe one or two extra bouts of low-intensity cardio. The only suggestion here is that you want to do this gradually. That is, if you’re out of shape, start by only doing low-intensity cardio.

Once you’ve lost a bit of weight and have improved your cardiovascular system, then start adding in one intense cardio session a week. Then build to two.

By mixing things up this way, you’re reducing the chances of overuse injury. And, you ward off over-training (5 high intensity cardio sessions a week plus weight training is overkill!)

So Start small. Then build up. Then mix in both HIIT type workouts with low-intensity workouts and you’ll see your fat loss speed up.

 

 

Please leave questions or comments below, i’ll be happy to answer them here. You can also call 719-640-0141 or email me at info@precisionfitnesstrainer.com if you need further help with your fitness program.

Comitted to you health,

Edward Scaduto

Colorado Springs Personal Trainer and owner of Precision Fitness

 

Colorado Springs Personal Trainer Talks About The Benefits Of A Controlled Carb Diet …

25 June

(This is re-post of an article written earlier by Colorado Springs Personal Trainer Edward Scaduto of Precision Fitness. It has been modified and updated. It’s covers an important topic for all those in search of better health and weight management.)

Have you been to the book store and looked in the Diet and Nutrition section lately? There are a plethora of Diet books that promise easy weight loss and of course the latest and greatest way to a slimmer mid-section. The problem is, if you’re not working with a Colorado Springs Precision Fitness Trainer, you won’t have the knowledge to choose which diet book works for you and which one may be a waste of time and money.

A study in the New England Journal of Medicine confirms what many of us in the fitness field have known for quite some time. A low carb or Mediterranean diet is a healthy and more effective way to lose weight and achieve greater cardiovascular benefit.

Here’s what the Wall Street Journal said about this study:

The study, which tracked 322 Israelis for two years, surprisingly found that a low-carb diet, often associated in the U.S. with high levels of meat consumption — was better than a low-fat diet in boosting blood levels of “good” cholesterol, or high-density lipoproteins associated with cardiovascular health benefits. It also determined that the Mediterranean diet, which includes wine, olive oil, whole grains and fruits, was better than the low-fat diet in controlling glucose levels.

The number of studies that prove a low carb diet is more effective for weight loss is really adding up. Take this study for instance: the low carb dieters lost 12.3 lbs., the Mediterranean dieters lost 10.2 lbs.,  and the low fat dieters lost 7.3 lbs. Though the numbers aren’t astounding, five pounds is a considerable amount and can make most anyone feel or look better.

The real kicker here is that all three groups ate about the same amount of calories. How can this be? According to Colorado Springs Personal Trainer, Edward Scaduto, “It simply takes energy to make energy. This process in your body is called the Thermic Effect of Food or TEF”. TEF is the amount of energy it takes your body to break down the food that you digest into smaller pieces that your body can use. Your body expends more energy to break down protein and vegetables than it does carbohydrates and fats that you consume. Thus, your body burns more calories  from digesting certain type of food items. The more calories you burn the easier it is to manage your body weight.

So what if I told you that you can lose an extra 5 pounds without eating  less calories but through eating more whole and lean protein, fresh vegetables and fruits and healthy fats, would you be interested? I thought so …

My goal as the owner of Colorado Springs Precision Fitness and also as a personal trainer is to educate our clients through the fitness maze and empower them to make choices to meet their personal goals. If you have any questions related to the topic of weight loss, nutrition or fitness contact Edward Scaduto of Precision Fitness, Colorado Springs Premier Personal Training program at info@precisionfitnesstrainer.com.

 

“I have lost 15 pounds and now my Cholesterol is 178…”

09 June

I am a 56-year-old woman who weighed 197 lbs when I started working with Ed Scaduto. My cholesterol was 245. I was not in any kind of shape but round!

I had come into a little money and had to decide what to do with it. My first thought was to put it away for retirement. But with exertion asthma, fatigue, and other health issues, I decided to use it to make sure I make it to retirement.

Ed brought me along slowly after evaluating my capabilities. Even the basics were a challenge at first. But soon, I was pumping iron, engaging in cardio, and looking for more challenges. Ed advised me on my dietary intake and coached me constantly. He took the time to discuss health issues and the latest research findings and how they apply to me. He is a very patient trainer!

Now, I’ve lost over 15 pounds and my cholesterol is 178! I am in great shape now and my stamina is awesome! I look forward to working out with Ed – he keeps me motivated and moving!

Nan

Looking To Hire A Personal Trainer In Colorado Springs?

26 May

Are you in the market for a Colorado Springs Personal Trainer? Here is a list of six qualifications you should look for when hiring a Personal trainer.

1. Education – Your Colorado Springs Personal Trainer should have a solid education in Biology, the Exercises Sciences or related field. Knowing your trainer has invested an immense amount of time and money into becoming a fitness professional gives you the peace of mind of knowing your trainer has the basic understanding of how the body works and moves to improve overall health.

2. Certifications – Ask your Colorado Springs Personal Trainer for a list of any current certifications completed. A certification from NASM, NSCA, or ACSM is good start. These are three of the top certification programs in the fitness industry. A good certification provides more of the hands-on knowledge a trainer requires to provide an effective exercise program. A personal trainer who holds more than one certification has a wider range of knowledge and experience thereby providing more personalized routines, exercises, etc.

3. Role Model – Your Colorado Springs Personal Trainer should also be a role model. This simply means a trainer should look like they exercise and live a healthy lifestyle. This doesn’t mean he or she should look like a runway model but they should provide you motivation and inspiration to accomplish more. It would be difficult to accomplish your goals if they do not model the aspects being taught or if they do not take care of themselves.

4. Experience – Your Colorado Springs Personal Trainer should have several years of experience of working with clients in a fitness setting. This is the time where they develop the “in the trenches” techniques and methods that can’t be learned anywhere else. Learning certain mannerisms, how to wear different hats depending upon client’s personalities, and the difference between effective and ineffective techniques is crucial to client success. These are aspects of training that can’t be learned in a textbook. Look for a trainer with at least two to three years of experience.

5. Coaching – You need a trainer who does more than count reps and gives you pep talks. You need a Colorado Springs personal trainer who is also a good coach. A coach should meet you where you currently are and inspire you to move forward to meet all your fitness goals. Coaches are there to help provide the education and accountability you need to consistently improve. They personalize your exercise and nutrition strategy working with your current level of fitness and not theirs. They also know when it’s the right time to push you to do more or when it’s time to back down and provide words of encouragement. Ultimately a coach knows how to push you past your current levels of fitness so that you can accomplish more than you thought possible.

6. Success – This is the most important part in hiring a good Colorado Springs personal trainer.  Ask you trainer for a list of their success stories. If they use a good system, they will be able to duplicate successful results with many if not all of their clients. A great personal trainer has the education, experience and coaching ability to take any client to the next level. It’s more than just about counting reps and putting together a random series of exercises. It’s really all about getting results over and over again and your trainer should have the evidence to prove it.

The above list is not all inclusive but it provides six basic qualifications that you should look for when hiring a personal trainer in Colorado Springs. If you have any other questions or would like to speak to a trainer that has all of the above qualifications then give Precision Fitness a call. We have Colorado Springs best personal trainers.

In health and fitness,

Edward Scaduto

Precision Fitness

“Colorado Springs Sisters Both Lose 30 pounds Each…”

10 May

Sofie and Monica before

We are sisters and the very best of friends. We do everything together. We even each have 2 kids the same ages in pairs, 1 boy and 1 girl each.

We used food as a social thing. Always thinking of what “fun” thing we could eat while watching movies or soaps. We were members of another gym and went at least 4 times a week with no results. I guess we were just going through the motions.

That all changed when we decided to work with a personal trainer and started working out with Ed Scaduto (Precision Fitness).

 

Monica and Sofie after

We both have so much more energy and we have both lost 30 lbs each so far and feel great. Now instead of rewarding ourselves with food, we go out and buy a cute outfit several sizes smaller than before. This is a total lifestyle change for us. We will never go back to the way we used to be.

Thank You Ed!

Sofie & Monica

I have dropped sizes in my clothing…

09 May

Molly April 2008

I joined the gym after realizing that stress was taking a toll on me mentally and physically.  I knew from previous experience that I needed a trainer to help me get the motivation to make this a lifestyle change as well as learn how to become stronger so I wasn’t prone to injuries.

When I began working with Ed, my goal was to increase my activity and reduce my percentage of body fat.  I have learned so much information, not to mention a plethora of strength training routines from having a trainer. Any previous trainers I had in the past would just take you through the routine and that was it. I was pleasantly surprised when I started working with Ed and it wasn’t just about what I was doing in the gym; that was only part it.

The other piece was I had to change my diet/nutrition; otherwise the exercise would only do so much. For me its been so helpful to have a trainer who took the time to find out my goals, challenge me and has been great about working with me on whatever ailments I might be dealing with.

Molly July 2008

Previously, anytime I wouldn’t feel good..no matter how minor it was, I would stop working out. But I have learned how to adjust routines etc so that I continue w/ my training despite what is going on. Its’ definitely helped me get towards my goal of more activity and reduction of body fat percentage.

After losing 20 or so pounds I feel like I have a way to reduce my stress. I have better confidence about utilizing equipment and I have dropped sizes in clothing.  I still have a ways to go, but knowing I have the tools and resources like Ed to help me when I need it is half the battle. I’ve been working with Ed on and off for over 2 years now and well worth every penny spent. I’ve recommended him to friends whom also enjoyed Eds’ training style, if you are in the market for a trainer, hire Ed!