Tag Archive for: Fitness Tips

What is a resting metabolic rate and why is it important?

What Is a Resting Metabolic Rate and Why Is It Important?

What is a resting metabolic rate? Resting metabolic rate, or RMR, measures how many calories you burn at a state of rest (as if you were sitting on your couch watching your favorite TV show all day). Scientifically speaking, the resting metabolic…
A Farewell Letter To My Fitbit

A Farewell Letter To My Fitbit

FFC personal trainer Marylou Tawney pens a humorous breakup letter to her Fitbit, explaining that her fitness goals have evolved and become too complex for the step counter. Dear Fitbit, I'll never forget the first time we met. After a…
Why you need a resistance training specialist - fitness tips

Train the Source, Don’t Focus on the Effect of Exercise: Why You Need a Resistance Training Specialist

“Exercise can be described as a ‘tug of war’ around a bone or joint.” –Tom Purvis, RPT Interestingly, this is not a metaphor exclusively for exercise. It also represents the most fundamental struggle we encounter throughout life…
Lunchtime workout for your next break - a 30-45 minute treadmill class

Lunchtime Workout: Try this Efficient Treadmill Class on Your Next Break

Running is an exercise that you either enjoy or really hate. Those who enjoy it post about their sunrise views and race times and those who hate running are tired of seeing them. I am one of those people who enjoy running but only for a short…
Bad weather workout tips for any time you want to get your fitness in

Bad Weather Workout: Fitness Tips For Any Time of Year

If you’re like me - from an area where it’s always sunny, never drops below 30 degrees and frost is the closest you’ll ever get to snow- then Chicago’s infinitely long winter and elusive spring has probably sucker punched you in the…

How Physical Therapy Helped Me With Hip Surgery Recovery

My name is Erin Sneed and I have been in the fitness industry for almost 10 years. I played sports all through high school and went on to play college soccer. While in college, I grew to love group fitness and began teaching classes at my college…
Workout of the month for May at FFC - check out this fitness plan!

Try This Monthly Fitness Plan & Skyrocket Your Results in the Gym

About 8 years ago I made a change to how I approached my training. Well, to be precise, I actually started training and stopped “working out”. It all started with a fitness plan. It’s made a huge difference in how I get results, my…
Man running on treadmill with headphones on listening to music

Get Better Fitness Results with Workout Music

A classically trained musician since age four, FFC member Kelly Richards can’t recall life without rhythm and melody. Throughout college and corporate life, music remained a focus as she kept close watch over the evolving scenes of favorite…
Tips for a first-time marathon runner with the Bright Pink team at FFC

Training Tips for A First-Time Marathon Runner

So you’ve conquered all of the other races – 5K, 10K, half-marathon... now, it’s time for the big show: your very first marathon! First, congratulations on making the plunge into one of the most difficult and rewarding achievements for…
How to achieve more efficient triathlon transitions

How To Make More Efficient Triathlon Transitions

As an operations consultant, I provide information to my clients about doing things faster, more efficiently with less wasted time or money and repeatedly. If you are in business and want to grow, you really want to establish the least costly…
Benefits of exercise for aging populations

Invaluable Benefits of Exercise for Aging Populations

As we age, it becomes increasingly important to maintain a well-rounded diet and exercise program. Though a wellness-focused lifestyle has always been important, recent studies have shown the growing correlation between exercise and lower blood…
Benefits of adding weight in your fitness routine

8 Benefits of Using Weights In Your Fitness Routine

It’s Monday night (or Tuesday, or Wednesday, or Thursday...) and you’re about to hit the hotel gym. What are your options? Well, you’ve got the treadmill or dumbbells. You don’t know what to do with dumbbells, so treadmill it is! Again.…
Try this 30-minute travel workout the next time you're on the go!

Try this Travel Workout: Travel-Sized Exercise for Your Next Trip

Whether you’re taking one last seasonal trip, planning for holiday travel or jet setting for business reasons, traveling provides excitement and a new perspective. However, all that time spent getting to and from the airport, exploring new…
Pilates: the cross-training powerhouse workout you should try - Chicago's Pilates studios

Pilates: The Cross-Training Powerhouse Workout

It's no secret that Pilates and dance have a long history together. Although Joseph Pilates worked with and developed cross-training exercises specifically for many different types of athletes, including boxers, soldiers and circus performers,…
Benefits of Pilates after pregnancy

Benefits of Pilates After Pregnancy

You’ve read articles and seen the news – Pilates is one of the best workouts you can do. With benefits ranging from increased mental strength and improved attention and motivation to a better golf swing, a stronger core for running and more,…
Why you need to incorporate martial arts into your workout routine

Why You Need To Incorporate Martial Arts Into Your Workout Routine

You probably know of martial arts, but do you know why they are important? Or how they relate to fitness and wellness? Martial arts require an understanding of the properties of balance, stability, strength and mental discipline. When we exercise,…
How to train like Chicago professional soccer player Sam Johnson

How to Train Like Chicago Professional Soccer Player Samantha Johnson

One hour of torture or 35 minutes of effective work? When it comes to working out, slogging it out on the treadmill is not my idea of a great workout. As a professional soccer player, I do enough running as it is. I personally never recommend…
Try this kettlebell workout now - fitness workouts

Miracle Workouts Don’t Exist, But This Kettlebell Workout Comes Pretty Close

My name is Sam Gonzalez and I am an Elite Trainer with FFC. After 8 years of experience and hundreds of clients and students, I understand the challenges that most people face when they decide to start a new training program. For most, the question…
Man stretching his legs

Yoga For Guys 101: As Told By An Inflexible, Weight-Lifting Dude

Many of us dudes have been there. Peeking through those glass doors, observing the mysticism that is a yoga class as we finish our last set of curls. Yoga for guys? Not a chance. A class full of side bending, head standing, lotus-posing girls…
4 benefits you can get from an outdoor workout

4 Benefits You Didn’t Know You Could Get From An Outdoor Workout

Sunlight, fresh air, the city skyline – an outdoor workout sounds kind of like a vacation, doesn't it? We promise your indoor spin bike won’t get offended if you ditch the gym and head outdoors during your next workout. Check out these…