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A study at the College of St Catherine in Minneapolis found that up to 70% of recreational runners suffer from leg injuries or stress fractures. Most of these are caused by weak or tight muscles in the hips and can be corrected by adding strength and stretching moves to your routine!!

Remember to slow down and use good form for your reps. Lunges and squats can lead to strains and injury and pulled muscles so use PERFECT form and if you are not sure, maybe a few sessions of personal training to ensure you are doing your body good!!

Lots and lots of fitness programs calling themselves boot camp these days. As a Marine, I take exception to anyone screaming boot camp when they have NOTHING to prove they know anything about it.

That said, there are some decent ones in the Atlanta area and some AWESOME ones taught by soldiers and Marines in the United States.

My advice — DO YOUR HOMEWORK

Does it seem like a real boot camp? Is the instructor still certified in one of the 6 certifications that are board certifed? Does the instructor take a personal interest in you and your unique need?

If you answered no to any of these — use caution. A safe effective program does not require you to hurt or to be broken down. Many of the moves used in REAL boot camp are effective exercises — that is why they are used.

But remember, just calling it boot camp does not make it one!!

GET OUTSIDE!!

While the gym makes an awesome place to get your strength training – enjoy the cooler weather and get outside.

Take the kids hiking, go running, go for a walk — AND I MEAN ANYONE!!

My inlaws just left and we hiked a bunch when they were here — they are almost 70 so I mean ANYONE!!

There are some great places in Douglas County to hike including:
- Sweetwater – you will see me there every Saturday morning doing my weekly LONG run as I prep for the full marathon on Thanksgiving Day
- Cochran Mills – this is technically Fulton County but extremely close and a hidden gem!
- Clinton Farms – lots of singletrack if you like that and wider trails if you prefer that — lots of variety and never gets old

There are also lots of other options in and around the County and surrounding area so while gas is tight — why not get out and enjoy what we have right here!

Hiking outside adds variety to anyone’s personal training routine so I really encourage everyone to get some variety and get out and enjoy!!

Now let’s get things straight here. There are lots of great group fitness classes in Douglasville. And there are more than enough at the Douglasville Gym where I work to keep anyone moving and active. But group fitness classes are NOT — no matter which class in the world it is — the only thing you should be doing to stay fit. Even classes with weights are aerobics classes. The weights are not heavy enough to stimulate your bones in order to prevent osteoporosis. Don’t get me wrong — group fitness classes are a great cardio option. They are fun and they can be very motivating. But the “one size fits all” approach should tell you that this is not all you should be doing. Consider group fitness classes a “part” of your routine instead of the whole routine and you will be on track!!!

New to Fitness? Still thinking about it and not sure where to start? Well, it can be a difficult decision on what to do. For some people, this decision is so overwhelming that they do nothing. There are many choices and here is a little secret — everyone is UNIQUE and different. We all have different life experiences,we have different strengths, we have different fitness levels. We all have different things that are difficult for us to do — whether it is coordination, cardiovascular or just plain keeping your brain in the game.

Well, then here is what I think you should do. Sit down and make a list of your goals — YES WRITE THEM DOWN. Then make a list of things you love to do — this can be abstract or very detailed. So things like “spend time with my kids” should be on there or “spend time alone” — But make a list of things that make you happy. Ok, now it is time to interpret that list. Did you write how much you love to dance? Well then perhaps group fitness classes. There are lots of great choices for group fitness classes in douglasville BUT………. group fitness classes are NOT for everyone. They frustrate many because of the coordinated movements and the class you choose. They also occur at SPECIFIC times which for many people this can be an issue because if they miss their fitness class then they just don’t work out at all. So, if you LOVE classes, then consider that a PART of your fitness routine.

Did you love fresh air, nature and spending time with your kids. Well then perhaps adding a weekly (or more often) hike in one of the great parks here. Sweetwater is my personal favorite because it is right here in Douglas County. It is spacious and also has great trails. So perhaps that should be part of your routine.

See where I am going here. Fitness does not mean you have to do just one thing. I personally love to run and my weekly run at Sweetwater is the highlight of my running. The other days I mostly run on the treadmill because of time constraints.

Ok, now for strength training — everyone NEEDS it!! And no, group fitness classes that use weights are NOT strength training. You need to lift heavy weights to build bone density and strength so just get your head around it and do it. If you don’t know what to do — remember the part about you being UNIQUE! – then a few personal training sessions would be a very good investment. Even people who think they know exactly what to do can benefit from a few personal training sessions. Why? Because just like a chef can show you a better, tastier and more efficient way to cook a meal — a personal trainer can show you a better, more effective and more time-efficient way to work out.

I hope this has helped you to figure out how to get started because fitness is an essential and FUN part of your life. So find what works for you!!

Love walking here in the beauty that is Douglasville, Villa Rica, Douglas County? Well guess what? That walking may be more than just a good fun workout. The vitamin D we get from everyday sunlight may curb your diabetes risk. More studies are needed but they found the vitamin D levels to be highest in those who exercised the most — regardless of other factors such as weight, smoking and blood pressure.

So, get outside and go for a walk or a run — it will help you in so many ways!!

For more tips from me, Dave Hansey on fitness, personal training, and staying healthy — check out my tips either at the gym or on my other site — 4 fit bodies

Well, I get a lot of people asking about classes and boot camp classes. While I LOVE personal training because it is UNIQUE to you, there is some wonderful things that can come from seeing how fit you are boot camp style!

Like how fast can you run 3 miles?

How many push ups can you do in 2 minutes? Or pull ups if you want to REALLY go Marine Corps Boot Camp Style.

Now, that said……….. have you been working out lately? If you have never worked out or it has been a while, then extreme classes like boot camp or kickboxing are NOT for you!! They may be EVENTUALLY but you need to get to a point where you can perform them safely first.

So first thing first when it comes to improving your fitness, visit your doctor and then determine what is the best thing for you. Is it personal training? Personal training gives you a benchmark and also finds the proper thing for you to do right away. So that is a good place to start. And even just a few sessions to learn a routine can make a dramatic impact in your routine because you are now streamlined and doing what YOU need…. so think about it. Then ask yourself if you are ready for the boot camp challenge yet….. or not….