360 Fitness Club: a fun and effective express workout

Early this month, me and iMoM decided to check out the newest fitness club in town, 360⁰ Fitness Club. At first, we were looking for a big space like the fitness club we go to and we’re quite surprised at the size of the gym. I started scanning the room for the usual machines that I see in the gyms but I didn’t see one.

We were met by Kim Tanedo, one of the owners and also the Finance Director of the club. She explained that the 360 Fitness Club is not the usual gym that uses the traditional methods of exercising but they offer circuit training. Using only free weight and exercise accessories, the 360 circuit training can give you a total body workout in just 30 minutes.

The discussion is getting more interesting. Who wants to have all those machines anyway if you don’t know how to use them? To make it more fun, why don’t we just hit the circuit?

We started off with a bit of introduction as to how we should go about each station. The 360 Circuit has 20 exercise stations, including 10 active rests that combines cardio and strengthening exercises.

Huwaaat? 20 Stations? How am I supposed to know what to do next?

That’s the beauty of this club, it is designed to be in groups and circuit coaches are there to guide and motivate you whenever you feel like giving up. Oh yeah, tell me about giving up! The whole 30 minute workout will take you 3 rounds of those 20 exercise stations.

Doing the work out with iMoM was indeed a fun experience; the “encouraging” part did not only come from the circuit coach but from iMoM as well. Honestly, I am not as fit as I used to. My last gym visit was six months ago, that’s why on my second round I’m almost out of breath and on the third… I can no longer go along with our chit-chat but they pushed me to finish the session.

Honestly, it was all worth it! Whew! According to Ms. Tanedo, the whole workout will make members burn around 500 calories. There goes my McDonald’s breakfast

I admit that one of the major factors that’s keeping me from going back to the gym is that I tend to get lonely — it is hard to exercise alone and personal trainers are quite expensive. But with 360 circuit coaches, it’s like having a personal trainer. They are not only there to motivate but more importantly to teach you the correct form to avoid injury and ensure safety.

The club also offers exciting group exercises such as Latin Dance, Kickboxing, Power Yoga, Cardio strip tease and dance, Hip-Hop Dance Off and Cardio Combat. They are also the first one to offer group TRX training exercises in the country.

The club believes that fitness is more than just exercising but it’s a way of life, that’s why they will also be offering a health bar that will serve healthy meals that are low calorie. This way, I won’t need any diet supplements to squeeze into my old jeans again.

360 Fitness Club is located at 13^th Floor Strata 100 Bldg., F. Ortigas Jr. Road formerly Emerald Ave.), Ortigas Ortigas Center in Pasig City. Phone: (02) 577.7807 Mobile: (0917) 560.0360 or you can visit their website at http://www.completethecircuit.com/

Exercise and the Happy Hormones

Ever wondered why you feel so up and about after your stint at the gym? That blissful feeling is brought about by the release of endorphins in our body. Endorphins are substances produced in the brain that acts as the body’s natural pain killer. It has potent analgesic properties that blocks pain and gives a feeling of euphoria.

When a person is physically active for about 20 minutes or more, the body releases endorphins also known as “happy hormones”. Activities such as jogging, exercise, listening to music, massages and even sex can produce these happy hormones. Well, I am no doctor but I definitely won’t argue with that. Every time, I feel down I look forward to 30-minutes on the stationary bike and I am guaranteed to feel good after sweating it out.

Runners often call this a “runner’s high” making people who run regularly have a more emotionally balanced attitude. No wonder exercise is not only good for weight management but it also helps promote your overall health and well being. When you’re happy, allows you to veer away from stress and therefore raising the level of your self esteem which improves the quality of your life. Wow, it’s a domino effect.

So, if you have tried the best weight loss product and still does not feel right, try jogging or hitting the gym. It will not only make you lose those calories but it will definitely make you feel delightful.

Photo : Runners by amandabhslater on Flickr. Some rights reserved.

Struggling with weight loss

Struggling with my weight has been the story of my life. I have tried so many things but one thing I learned, you can never be successful unless you have an exercise regimen — one thing I have failed to do due to my busy schedule. It’s the lack of discipline that makes me fail.

Even though I always watch what I eat, it never seems to work without the proper exercise. It’s choosing to have a healthy lifestyle — sleep, proper diet and regular exercise. Besides, it’s quite a challenge to choose the best diet pills that work that is safe and effective. Not that I don’t believe in those products, some have actually worked for me but I still need to sweat it out! There’s no easy way out … no pain, no gain.