Tag Archive for: How To

Man in gym holding barbell with weights on it.
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Get Started With Barbell Training By Trying These 3 Exercises

Working on strength training at the gym? If you're comfortable using strength machines, dumbbells and kettlebells, you might be ready to start training with the barbell. The barbell is an advanced tool used to perform compound movements…
Dumbbells on a weight rack in a gym
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Got Dumbbells? Grab A Set And Complete This 15 Minute Workout

Dumbbells are ubiquitous when it comes to exercise equipment. Whether you're walking into a state-of-the-art fitness facility or a hotel gym, you can be certain you'll have a dumbbell rack at your disposal for your workout. Dumbbells are…
FFC Personal Trainer using lat pulldown weight machine at the gym
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Use These Weight Machines At The Gym For A Total Body Workout

When is the last time you used a weight machine at the gym? If strength training is part of your routine, these machines can come in handy, but a lot of gym-goers have no idea how to use these machines. These machines are a great way to introduce…
Woman holding a kettlebell at her shoulder
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New To Kettlebell Training? Try This Kettlebell Workout

When gyms (and just about everything else) shut down in early 2020, did you invest in at-home fitness equipment? Thousands of Americans were clamoring to get their hands on dumbbells, weight plates and kettlebells early during the Covid-19…
What's in my gym bag? The handy gym essentials checklist - fitness resources Chicago

What’s in My Gym Bag? Gym Bag Essentials Checklist

FFC South Loop fitness specialist Matt Wallace answers the question, ‘what’s in my gym bag?’ and shares his list of top gym essentials to keep handy when you’re sure you’re forgetting something. Having the correct gear for any situation…
Hotel room workout: a simple bodyweight workout for when you're traveling

Hotel Room Workout: A Simple Bodyweight Workout for When You’re on the Go

FFC-exclusive group fitness instructor and trainer Austin Head shares a simple 15-minute bodyweight workout for when you’re on the go. Needing no additional equipment (just yourself!), this hotel room workout will ensure you’ll be able to…
How to overcome fear and accomplish the things

How to Overcome Fear and Accomplish The Things It Might Be Keeping You From

“I can’t run. I don’t do group fitness classes. I won’t lift weights.” Are these statements true for you? But why? Many times, the answer involves fear. Fear can take the form of many lines – such as “I’m afraid of my knees hurting.”…
Work life balance importance plus plans to help you find balance between responsibilities and your passions!

Work Life Balance Importance: A Guide to Finding Balance & Pursuing Your Passions, Plus a Sample Plan

As the year comes to an end, we begin to think about the last 12 months. We ask ourselves, 'Did I accomplish the things I said I would in January? Am I happier? Am I stronger? Have I grown as an individual?' Everyone wants to be better. We always…
A DIY guide to smart goal setting

A DIY Guide to Smart Goal Setting

As the year winds down (2018, where the heck did you go?), it’s only natural that we start to think about new beginnings too. And sure, you could wait until January 1 to think about your big goals — but starting a little earlier gives you…
Anti-bullying month - practical tools to help stop bullying

Anti-Bullying Month: Practical Tools to Help Stop Bullying

Bullying starts earlier than you think – but you can arm your loved ones with the tools to combat it. When we think of bullying, we generally envision the jocks in high school throwing the little guy in a locker or the mean girls on the bus…
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About a VO2 Max Test & Why You Should Get One
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Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About a VO2 Max Test & Why You Should Get One

I love data. Being in marketing, I love being able to make smart decisions based on numbers and know that the route I’m taking my work has a good likelihood of succeeding. I also am a big fan of nerdy stuff when it comes to fitness and wellness…
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…
How to prevent dehydration - keeping up with water intake
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How To Prevent Dehydration: Keeping Up with Water Intake

Water makes up 60% to 65% of our total body weight. When we exercise, we lose water through sweat - this water needs to be replaced. Even a 2% loss of body weight through sweat (i.e. 3 lbs of loss for a 150 lb person) can put you at a disadvantage.…
Woman stretching

Try This Quick Lower Body Workout

Pressed for time? Many of us struggle to fit exercise into our already busy days. Additionally, many of us think that a workout needs to be be at least 45 minutes to count. Throw that thought out the window and get your fitness in 30 minutes…

How to Prevent a Cortisol Crash & Why You Need To

I’m sure you’ve seen it all over the web: “unbalanced cortisol levels lead to weight gain.” This can be incredibly frustrating if you are in a deficit-related program trying to lose weight for a healthier lifestyle, or even if you have…

How To: Use the MyFitnessPal App to Lose More Weight

So you've made the decision to track your nutrition. Congratulations! Meal tracking can improve one’s diet, promote more mindful eating behaviors, provide lots of new information for your benefit as well as for your doctor or dietitian and…
How to fight colds faster

How to Fight Colds Faster

Winter weather gets a bad rap for also wreaking havoc on your health. Common questions we hear all the time include those such as “what’s the best way to boost your immune system before cold season?”, “what should you take to help prevent…
Where should my gears be? The basic Spinning 101 guide - fitness tips

What is RPM? Where Should My Gears Be? The Basic Spinning 101 Guide

According to research from Duke University, exercise is as effective as antidepressants. That means you can consider spinning your way to a good mood! People who exercise perform better at work and have been shown to increase their memory and…
10 best types of pushups and how to master them FFC fitness tips

10 Best Types of Push-Ups and How to Master Them

The push-up is commonly associated with military conditioning, gym class, and some martial arts. For many, they can feel like an impossible or even gruesome exercise. If you feel similarly, we hope you will feel empowered to incorporate this…
Try this now: tips on foam rolling for fitness recovery

You Have to Try This Now: Foam Rolling

Perhaps you've seen some members at the gym rolling around on long black cylinders and wondered what they were doing. Or you have been foam rolling for a while now and wonder if you are doing it right or what the science is behind it all. I’m…