Training for a marathon like this one takes patience, work and the right strategy. Read on to learn the most successful approach to your marathon training program.

Runners who are planning to compete in their first marathon often become members of private personal training gyms because they want the guidance and expertise of the best personal trainers.

This is a very good idea since many runners make a lot of mistakes when training for their first marathon. Some mistakes actually cost them the marathon because they injure themselves and are unable to train properly.

Assess Your Condition

Before you even sign up for a marathon, assess your physical condition, running abilities and overall desire and ability to complete 26.2 miles safely. This is where personal trainers come in handy because they can help you decide whether you should make the commitment or whether a half marathon might be a good goal to tackle first.

You also have to make sure you are mentally prepared for a marathon. Many personal trainers have already completed marathons and can give you great insight into preparing for the mental challenge. Running a marathon is as much in the head as it is in the legs!

Give it Time

Once you are sure that training for a marathon is the right goal for you, select a race that will give you plenty of time to properly train. You shouldn’t feel incredibly rushed or pressured to get prepared in a short period of time as that will lead to bad decisions that lead to injuries.

Don’t Push It

You have to reasonably assess where you are as a runner and with physical conditioning right now, and then, gradually take it up a notch. You shouldn’t go out tomorrow for a 15 mile run if you can only comfortably run 6 miles. Assess your starting point and don’t push too fast or too hard too soon.

Personal trainers are excellent resources for gradual programs that prevent injury while allowing you to progress toward your goals.

Get in Form

It is very important not to skip the warm up or cool down phases of a run. You should also check with your personal trainers if you aren’t certain you are using the most effective running form. The small details become extremely important when you are pushing your body to run that first marathon.

The right personal trainers will be able to make small tweaks or even big improvements to your form which can make you a more efficient runner. This makes training easier and will improve performance on the big day.

Have a Plan

Finally, you can’t train for your first marathon according to whatever you feel like doing from day to day. When you decide to push yourself to train for a marathon, you need a proven plan to get you from wherever you are now to where you need to be on race day.

You can find some programs online for free, but the best marathon training programs are those that are designed for you personally. Personal trainers can assess your starting point and help you come up with a complete training program that caters to your individual needs.

When you have a smart training plan and resist temptation to run ahead of schedule and push yourself too hard, you will actually enjoy marathon training. Many people actually find it addicting, so don’t be shocked if you find yourself visiting your personal trainers for your second, third and even fourth marathon in the future!

Get in shape for summer in the city.. with Method Fitness!

Personal trainers do much more than just deliver intense, effective workouts to lift your butt and shape your thighs. They also recommend foods that will help intensify the results from those workouts. The best trainers at the world’s finest private personal training gyms in NYC often recommend foods that are readily available in the market during the summer because they are nutritious and delicious.

Following are the top five personal trainer-recommended summer super foods that you should be eating up while they are in season:

#1: Watermelon

Watermelon is so packed with watery goodness that it should be consumed year round even if you have to pay big bucks to find it where you live in the middle of winter. Not only is it a watery fruit that will keep your body well hydrated, it is packed some of the most powerful antioxidants.

Antioxidants have been proven to clear the body of disease-causing free radicals and are critical when it comes to fighting off signs of aging such as wrinkles and fine lines.

Plus, watermelon is extremely low calorie and naturally fat free. No wonder it is recommended by all the top private personal in NYC

#2: Berries

Berries of every variety are probably your personal trainer’s best friends! Toss some fresh blueberries on your oatmeal in the morning or slice up some strawberries for a cool evening treat on the front porch.

Berries that are dark in color, such as blueberries, are packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that will energize your body prior to a workout or help it rejuvenate afterwards. You can throw berries on practically anything (even veggie salads) to get a quick energy lift. Over time they will protect your body from disease and sickness and help you fight off the signs of aging as well.

#3: Kiwi Fruit

Kiwi has a very unusual taste and makes a delicious, energizing snack that can be taken with you absolutely anywhere. It is jam packed with vitamin C which will help your body fight off infection and illness. It also contains a lot of those powerful antioxidants which will keep your body free from disease-causing free radicals.

Trainers at the best private personal training gyms in NYC embrace kiwi fruit year round for it’s nutritious, energizing properties.

#4: Tomatoes

Did you plant your own veggie garden this year? If not, head on out to the farmer’s market and stock up on tomatoes because they are one of the most healthful foods to be consumed year round, but especially in summer when they are in season. Pick them off the vine and eat them like apples…yes, they are that good for you!

Besides a wide variety of vitamins that your body constantly needs, you get something called lycopene from tomatoes. Lycopene is such a powerful substance it is being touted as a way to prevent cancer and a variety of other very serious diseases.

#5: 100% wheat free corn tortillas

Personal trainers recommend whole grains year round, but high fiber whole grain wheat free corn tortillas are perfect for summer because you can create delicious wraps filled with fresh veggies for quick lunches, snacks and dinners. They will give you long term energy to get through your sessions at our private personal training gym in NYC!

Looking for more food tips for summer? Talk to Method Fitness personal trainers in NYC today and see what else they can recommend! Also, please check out the new Method Fitness Facebook Fan Page for great fitness/health tips and tricks!

It is incredibly difficult to get yourself to workout after a hard day of work or dealing with the children, but what if it is the only realistic time you have to burn some calories and get rid of that extra flab? Personal trainers hear all the excuses and understand all the dilemmas from clients complaining about evening workout schedules and trying to explain away missed sessions.

The difficulties trying to get yourself to actually workout in the evening are completely understandable, but they don’t have to ruin your efforts to lose weight, tone up, or otherwise improve your life and your body. The following are some basic tips to help get your body in motion for that after-work workout!

Make it Routine

If you do the same thing at the same time day after day, it will eventually become routine. You will start to do it without thinking much about it, which means doing it without excuses! If you can determine a specific time that you will workout after work and do it daily for a solid week it will start to feel a bit like second nature. Do it for two weeks straight and you will feel it is routine and the excuses should be out the door.

Join a Personal Training Gym in NYC

Personal training gyms in NYC are different from regular gyms because all members come in to work with personal trainers for scheduled appointments. Since you actually have a personal trainer waiting for you to show up you can’t easily tell yourself that you’ll “just go tomorrow.” You have paid for the sessions. Your personal trainers are waiting for you. There is more incentive to show up! When you join a personal training gym in NYC you are guaranteeing that you will workout after work at least a couple days a week. You will still be able to workout from home on other days, if not having to travel is easier for you.

Make it Fun

Exercise doesn’t have to be boring or difficult. If you find something that you really enjoy doing it will be much easier to make yourself do it. Spend some time trying out different workout tapes or head to the gym and try out all the different equipment. If you can afford to hire a personal trainer for just one session they will be able to introduce you to a variety of different workout options that you might enjoy.Try out some group exercise classes. Go for an outdoor fitness boot camp class in NYC one night and Pilates or yoga the next. You never know what you will find enjoyable until you try it.

Reward Yourself

Set small rewards that can be collected after each full week of exercising every evening consistently. Try to make the rewards fitness related, such as a new pair of cross trainer shoes, workout clothes, or a new fitness DVD.

Out of all these recommendations, joining a personal training gym in NYC so you have access to skilled personal trainers is the best one. Not only does this help get you out the door for your after-work workout, but it ensures that your workouts are going to be effective so you really see results. Seeing those changes in your body will serve as constant motivation to keep you going for those after-work sessions!

It seems like half of NYC is working with Personal Trainers in one way or another these days. Some workout with their favorite Personal Trainers through fitness boot camps in NYC or at their homes with In Home Personal Trainers in NYC, while others are members of Private Personal training gyms in NYC where you have to be connected to at least one trainer just to become a member.

Why is this? What drives so many people to pay Personal Trainers when they could just workout by themselves in an ordinary gym?

#1: You are more likely to workout if someone is waiting at the gym for you.

Most people who workout in ordinary gyms don’t actually workout half the time they say they are going to! They have no one holding them accountable and most people will flake out on themselves when they would never do it to someone else. It’s sad, but it is a fact of human nature.

Think back to the last time you skipped a workout. Yes, you were tired or had a bad day at work or the weather was horrible outside and it was too much of an effort to go tot the gym. That is understandable, but would you have gotten up and done the workout anyway if you knew a personal trainer was waiting for you at the gym?

You are more likely to stand yourself up than you are to stand someone else up, so Personal Trainers are great tools just to get your butt to the gym in the first place.

 #2: Working out with someone else is more fun.

Why do you see so many people in gyms working out with their iPods? Workouts just get boring without someone else to talk to and coach you through. Plus, many of them are spending way too much time just walking on a treadmill or circles around a track. If they had Personal Trainers they would be doing more exciting things and would have a companion. The workout wouldn’t be boring, even without their music!

If you can find a Personal Trainer that you really connect with, even the most intense workouts can be tons of fun.

#3: You don’t have to wonder if what you are doing is intense enough for your goals.

Since you don’t have the expertise, knowledge and experience that Personal Trainers have, you are always wondering if your exercise plan is enough. If you aren’t seeing results you wonder what you need to do to change that. If you are seeing some results you wonder what can be done to intensify the results even more.

That is where Personal Trainers come in handy. When you attend a private personal training gym in NYC or hire a Personal Trainer in NYC they know how to get the results. They have the knowledge to answer those questions and make you successful.

#4: You will be pushed much harder than you could ever push yourself.

Let’s just face it. Most of us are wimps when it comes to feeling our pulse throb between our ears and the sweat flooding from our pores. Personal Trainers will always push you harder than you push yourself. That’s why they get the results you can’t get by yourself!

 #5: Your results will be downright addicting.

In the end, you will be glad you hired one of our Personal Trainers in NYC because the changes you see in your body will be nothing short of amazing. The results can be addicting, so watch out! 

The core of your body includes not only your abdominals, but your back and pelvic region as well. The reason why the best personal trainers in NYC often focus on strengthening these muscles is because every movement that you make throughout your lifetime will depend on strength in the core. Stronger core muscles reduce your risk of injuring your back or hips during every day activities, through exercise, or when participating in sports and other activities.

The following are the top 6 core exercises often used by personal trainers to strengthen the core.

1. Plank

Go into push up position with arms bent at 90 degrees and flat on the ground. Make sure arms are parallel to each other and shoulder width apart. Make sure your elbows are in line with shoulders and prevent your buttocks from pushing up toward the ceiling. Your weight should balance on your toes and arms with your body in one straight line. For an easier modified version some personal trainers may allow you to lower your knees to the ground.

2. Superman

Lie on your stomach with your legs together and arms stretched out above your head straight. Lift arms and legs all up together, arching your back to bring them up. Hold for a few seconds and then lower to the ground and repeat.

3. Swimmers

Lay face down on the floor and raise opposite arm and leg up at the same time. Hold for a few seconds then lower and repeat with the other arm and leg. Keep your head in a comfortable position and don’t strain to raise it with your limbs. Personal trainers will often combine this movement with the superman pose.

4. Ab Twists

Stand up straight and hold your arms out at your sides. You can also do this one holding a large exercise ball in your arms in front of you. Twist from the waist, bringing one arm all the way over to meet the other arm (second arm doesn’t move) and then rotate back in the other direction. If using a ball, simply twist it side to side with the movement coming from the waist. Your hips should remain stable throughout the movement.

5. Ball Crunches

You can do standard crunches on the floor, but it is a lot safer and more comfortable to perform them on an exercise ball. Lay across the ball to perform regular crunches with hands on your temples so that your don’t pull on your  neck. Focus on working your ab muscles.

6. Unstable Motions

Here’s a trick that personal trainers use but which most people never think of doing. You can build up strength in your core while strengthening other areas of the body if you stand on an unstable surface while doing it. For instance, you can do bicep curls with dumbbells while standing on a Bosu ball or push-ups with one arm up on a higher surface. These movements put your body off center and your core muscles will have to work to keep you stable.

These exercises should get you started toward your personal fitness goals, but there are many secrets of personal training that can only be discovered by working with a personal trainer. If you want to see real changes in your body in as little time as possible, consult with one of our top personal trainers at our private personal training gym in NYC for more info.

Method Fitness Women’s Weight Loss Boot Camps in Central Park NYC

Central Park South Entrance @ 6th Ave and 59^th st

New York City, NY 10019.

(212)255-5842

When you attend a Weight Loss Boot Camp in NYC you not only receive the benefits that come with a workout program, but you also get some great benefits that come only with outdoor exercise. Being outdoors in nature delivers a greater sense of well being, whether you are hiking through a forest or sweating it out in one of our Central Park South Weight Loss Boot Camps in NYC.

When you attend a Weight Loss Boot Camp such as the program presented by the Central Park Weight Loss Boot Camp you receive tons of motivation that continue to move you towards your fitness goals and push you past your limits every time you workout.

Some of the results that can be expected from attending a Weight Loss Boot Camp in NYC include:

* Faster Weight Loss

* Firmer, More Defined Muscles

* Greater Mobility

* Increased Self-Confidence

Those who attend a Weight Loss Boot Camp in NYC regularly experience a much faster rate of weight loss than those who just workout on their own and they get the benefit of increased self-confidence that comes with pushing themselves beyond what they think they are capable of doing. The boot camp experience delivers an intense workout that pushes each participant to their max in order to receive results to the max.

Some of our Top Personal Trainers in NYC are also Weight Loss fitness boot camp instructors because this is one of the the most fun, inexpensive and rewarding ways to get in shape. Participants in a Weight Loss Boot Camp in Central park NYC may range from those just looking to tone up for the approaching summer, train for a professional race, or those who are severely overweight and want to  jump start their fitness goals.

Participants in a women’s fitness boot camp in New York City range from stay-at-home mothers to professionals who don’t have a lot of time to workout and want every second of their workout to really count. Since women’s Weight Loss goals can be a lot different from the goals that men may have, it is beneficial for women to find a women’s Weight Loss Boot Camps with the best personal trainers in NYC that understand what parts of their body they want to target, and how far they may be able to push their body.

So remember, not all Weight Loss Boot Camps in NYC are created equal. The same way that there are differences between the way a private personal trainer in NYC will train a female client, is the same way that there are big differences between a women’s fitness weight loss boot camp in NYC and a coed Weight Loss Boot Camp in NYC.

If you are interested in taking advantage of a Central Park boot camp our Weight Loss Boot Camps for women are a great place to start! We have a women’s fitness Boot Camp program designed to meet the specific weight loss needs of women.

What are they doing in those fitness boot camps in New York City’s Central Park? Personal training is far different today than it was years in the past. Due to the tough economic times, some of the best personal trainers in NYC are now moving away from the typical one-on-one personal training format in favor of  less expensive group sessions.

Although you will be working in a group format you will still get the same results as you would from working in a private personal training gym in NYC. The only difference is the cost and lack of the personal one on one attention.

If you’re curious as to what fitness boot camps in Central Park NYC are all about, consider just a handful of moves often used to deliver tighter buns, toned arms, a strong core and the boost in confidence that often comes with those things!

Squat Cycles:

Squats are rather old school, but they remain a staple for personal training sessions because they are a great way to firm up the buns and thighs. You can do them in any leg position, but many personal trainers running fitness boot camps in Central Park put them into cycles utilizing different leg positions for maximum impact.

For instance, you may start out squatting with your legs together then jump your legs as wide apart as you can comfortably go for a plie squat, jumping them back together to end with another set of squats with your legs together.

Walking Lunges:

 Lunges are also used in our fitness boot camps in Central Park NYC to target the buns and thighs. You step one leg forward and bend both legs down toward the ground, raising back up and swinging the back leg out in front to squat down again. You keep going, often lunging your way across an open field or from a start point to a given end point.

Circuits:

Our top personal trainers at our  fitness boot camps in NYC make use of circuit movements that work the thighs, buns, arms, chest and many other muscles throughout the body one right after the other.

For instance, you may start with a set of push ups, followed by a set of walking lunges, followed by bicep curls and finish off with tricep extensions. Repeat this circuit 3 more times with minimal rest between sets. The theory behind this practice is that you  give rest to one area of the body while working another, all while still keeping the heart rate up. This is a very effective way to burn off more calories in a shorter period of time while toning those key areas. Our top personal trainers in NYC can put together an infinite variety of these circuits that can tighten and tone those areas of concern.

Bicycle Crunches:

 These are an effective form of crunches because they target the upper and lower abdominal muscles. You start in typical crunch position with your legs raised up, one out straight and one bent in toward the chest. As you crunch up you rotate the legs in and out as if pedaling a bike. Beginners can point their extended leg up to the ceiling, but the more you can lower it to point toward the wall the more intense the crunches will be.

Plank Position:

 This is a position that uses the core muscles to stabilize the entire body, so it is performed by reaching correct position and holding for at least 60 seconds, though some advanced participants in our fitness boot camps in Central Park NYC can do 2 minutes or more in this position. Plank position is basically a static push-up position. The only difference is that you’re on your forearms instead of your hands. You just have to make sure to keep your rear end down but not too much so that your body is completely straight as a plank. If you push up too much you will end up with your butt in the air, which is not as great for your core.

Our private personal training gym is located at 1335 Avenue of the Americas ( 6th Ave at 53rd st) New York City , NY 10019. But we can also come to your home for in-home personal training here in NYC.

You can can reach us at 212-255-5842 to schedule a trial session.

Summer is on its way and you’re desperate to tone up your muscles and get that definition going . Besides enlisting the help of our top personal trainers in NYC, what can you do to make sure you have the best bod on the beach or sunning by the pool?

It actually doesn’t have to be difficult to tone up for fun in the sun. Consider these five tips from some of the best personal trainers in NYC, all of which can easily be implemented into a busy lifestyle.

#1: Never just sit there.

If you have a job that requires you to sit at a desk most of the day, vow never to just sit there for more than an hour at a time…and no, typing on the keyboard doesn’t count! If you have a private office you can get up and do some simple strengthening moves such as tricep dips off the edge of your chair or table (make sure it’s sturdy!). At the very least get up and walk around the office a little every hour to keep your body from getting stiff.

You can also use a Physio ball or Swiss ball as a chair instead of a regular office chair ( see above picure.) This will allow you to engage your core muscles while you’re working.

At home, you can do push-ups, squats, crunches, and butt raises while watching TV. Vow to do something to reach your goals during every commercial break.

#2: Don’t downplay the importance of weight training.

Many people looking to tone up or get better definition in their muscles often downplay the importance of weight lifting circuit workouts. Such as a circuit of lunges, chest presses, and bicep curls. Many of these exercises burn off fat even after you have finished your workout.

Remember, you have to get rid of the fatty layers covering your muscles before you will actually be able to see them. If you are already at a healthy weight and just need to tone up some, weight training will help keep you from gaining fat by increasing your metabolism.

#3: Skip the sugary treats and stick with veggies and lean protein.

Foods and treats loaded in sugar are more likely to be stored directly as fat since they process through the body so fast and are less likely to be burnt off before they are deposited in your fat cells for storage.

Instead, stick with lean proteins and low starch unprocessed carbohydrates. Salads with grilled chicken, turkey or fish are great as the weather gets warmer.

#4: Eat every four hours or so.

Don’t go for long periods of time between meals as your metabolism will drop, you will burn less fat, and you will be so hungry by the time you do eat that you are more likely to eat unhealthy foods that are easier to grab. Keep some healthy snacks on hand such as raw veggies with humus or red apples with raw almonds when you are away from home so you will not get so hungry and be tempted to make a bad choice.

#5: Try one of our top personal trainers here in NYC.

If there is every a time to get help from one of our top personal trainers, it is just before summer. Our top personal trainers know exactly what you need to do to tone up and will be able to tell you the fastest way to see the results that you are looking for.

Our private personal training gym is located at 1335 Avenue of the Americas ( 6th Ave at 53rd st) New York City , NY 10019. But we can also come to your home for in-home personal training here in NYC.

You can can reach us at 212-255-5842 to schedule a trial session at the reduced rate of $50 but hurry summer is right around the corner.

If you’re just starting out on your weight loss journey it is hard to imagine what could lie ahead for you. Trying to imagine yourself at your goal weight is a great exercise for motivation, but if you have a lot of weight to lose it can be difficult to really imagine yourself thin. Yet, with the help of a top personal trainer and a sharp focus on fat reduction, you will get there!

No matter what your reasons for hiring a personal trainer may be, here are some things you can look forward to on this journey:

 #1: Your self-confidence will increase.

One of the things personal trainers notice after working with a client for awhile is that they gradually become more confident in their abilities. One may walk in with their eyes to the floor on the first session but within a month they are walking with their head held high. That confidence comes from the sharp focus on reducing body fat which allows you to meet goals and prove to yourself what you are really capable of.

 #2: A change in how others perceive you.

If you have a lot of weight to lose, be prepared for the way other people perceive you to change. Members of the opposite sex will start to notice you more and your friends will be proud and simultaneously jealous. Those who thought you were a weak overweight person will start to think of you as a strong, new person. This part of the weight loss process can be a bit scary, but keep working with your personal trainer and keep that focus. Show the world what you are made of!

#3: Ease of movement throughout your daily life.

The work that you do with your personal trainers will make it much easier to move around in your daily life. For instance, sitting on the floor to play with your child will not leave you wondering how you will get back up. When you have to walk all day around an amusement park you won’t be out of breath, lacking in energy, or wishing you could just sit down for awhile. As you focus on eliminating the fat and improving cardiovascular fitness you will develop more lean muscle tone and your body will become more flexible. You will be able to move easily and your energy levels will increase.

#4: You will fit more comfortably into clothing of your choice.

Practically everyone who has a weight problem has dealt with circumstances where they couldn’t fit comfortably into clothing they really wanted to purchase. Shopping may be an uncomfortable experience for you right now, but it is something you may just love after working with a personal trainer for awhile. As you get closer to the weight your body really wants to be you will have a wider variety of clothing options and will not be held to purchasing what will fit. You will purchase what you want!

 #5: You will have less worry over disease.

One of the biggest reasons people hire a personal trainer is because they have been diagnosed as a diabetic or a doctor has told them to focus on fat reduction or otherwise they are headed for a serious disease. Your health is by far the most important reason to hire a personal trainer. They can help you drastically lower your chances of diabetes, heart disease, many forms of cancer, and a variety of other diseases.

There are always newer and better things hitting the health and fitness market, but who would have imagined your local gym could be improved upon? Today, private personal training gyms are offering better service and much better results for people who need to lose weight, tone up, or bulk up with muscle.

With the standard gym model new members often feel lost. Unless they pay extra to hire a personal trainer, they are often left to figure out what to do on their own. For someone who has never been in a gym environment before or who is overweight and obviously doesn’t know how to go about getting in shape, this can be a frustrating experience.

What is missing with the typical gym is someone there to push the members to work harder and to help them determine what is the best use of their time while in the gym. Those who can stick it out on their own long term will see some results, but those results are much slower to come than they would be if they were working out with the best personal trainers in one of the leading private personal training gyms in NYC.

In private personal training gyms clients are matched with some of the best personal trainers who have years of experience helping clients accomplish all varieties of physical fitness goals. All members are required to work with a trainer which ensures they learn how to improve their health, rather than wandering around clueless.

What is great about these trainers is that they can usually offer more than just professional level workouts that bring the big results clients want. Many of the best personal trainers today are able to offer advice on nutrition which enhances the results that clients see and allows them to get in shape much faster than they would with just working out alone.

Yet, hiring the best personal trainers isn’t the only benefit that comes with working out in private personal training gyms. Those trainers are there to motivate and encourage the clients, and clients feel more comfortable in these  private personal training gym settings. They don’t have as many distractions or other people taking up equipment that they would really like to use.

The environment inside private personal training gyms is more comfortable than a standard gym because it is a professional environment where every client is under the direction of personal trainers who work together to get the best results for everyone. No one is left wandering around trying to figure out what they should be doing. They are told by the their top personal trainers what they need to be doing so they don’t waste any time.

Most clients who go to private personal training gyms spend less time in the gym yet show better results in a shorter period of time than those who are spending more time in a regular gym setting!  They are encouraged and motivated through every step of each workout, and leave feeling as if they have accomplished more than they would have on their own.

That is the difference between working with a personal trainer in a private personal training gyms versus working out on your own in a regular gym setting. 

If you need assistance in finding the right personal trainer for your fitness needs please contact us at (212)255-5842. Our private personal training gym is located  in Midtown Manhattan at 1335 Avenue of the Americas ( at 53rd st) New York City, NY 10019. We can also come to you for In-home personal training.