Posts Tagged ‘gym’

The Cheat Meal (featuring a sweet college discount!)

Tuesday, August 6th, 2013

Oh, cheat meal.  Sweet, sweet cheat meal.  The cheat meal is a crucial part of anyone’s diet., and it’s my favorite time of the week.  If you don’t know what a cheat meal is, brace yourself.  One meal of the week, you eat WHATEVER YOU WANT!  I don’t mean a chocolate bar after dinner.  I mean a feast of fried food and sweets.  All of your guilty pleasure foods allowed in one meal.

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I call it “the ultimate indulgence.”  The stricter your diet is during the week, the more you should treat yourself in this sitting.  Mike Mondo, a man who journeyed from a pudgy teenager to a ripped professional wrestler, told me about his cheat meal.  One portion of the meal includes 6 bowls of ice cream… with toppings.  He goes all out because his weekly diet is immaculate.

Dieting is hard.  The cheat meal serves as an inspiration.  It gives you the power and motivation to maintain your healthy diet during the week.  Think of it as a gift to yourself for working so hard, a light at the end of the tunnel.  Some sources state that a cheat meal should be reasonable: not 2 whole pizzas, but rather a few slices.  I disagree with these sources.  You have to figure out what works best for you.  Perhaps an over-indulgence leaves you feeling sick with a stomach ache.  Experiment with your cheat meal.

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As a suggestion, the cheat meal should not take place on a day that you work out.  It should be on a rest day when your muscles don’t need the kind of replenishing that they do on a workout day.  Since healthy dieting poses challenges to many, perhaps one cheat meal per week is not enough for beginners.  Try 2 or 3 cheat meals, then cut it down.  You should schedule your cheat meal so it’s something you can look forward to.  Indulge at the 5 oz. Factory with milkshakes and frozen custard.  Check out the Campus Clipper for a delicious discount!

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Joey Silver, University of Delaware. Check out my Twitter!

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The Do’s and Don’ts of Gym Etiquette (and an appetizing college discount)

Tuesday, July 9th, 2013

The gym resembles a small community, and as a member, you must know the rules.  Usually, signs on the gym wall have rules listed, but I compiled a list of do’s and don’ts when you’re training to better yourself.  Displaying proper gym etiquette will keep everyone around you comfortable and safe.

Do’s

Return the weights to where they belong — If you are using dumbbells, put them back on the rack in the designated holder.  If you are using a bar, take all of the weights off when you’re done.

Keep clean and wipe down your machine — Not wiping down a bench or machine that you just used irks everyone around you.  You can usually find a spray bottle and a paper towel very close by.  Keeping clean also means picking up everything you brought with you (i.e. wrappers, bottles, bags, towels, etc.).

www.stellarpath.net

Use deodorant — Working out next to a smelly person is never pleasant.  Smell good, no problems.

Dress appropriately — See my previous post.

Spot someone if they need — Sometimes, you will see a person without a training partner, and they go to lift some heavy weights, but they struggle.  To avoid injury, jump in and offer a spot.  This goes for men and women.

Don’ts

Don’t occupy a machine for too long — You can be a ‘gym rat’ but don’t be a ‘gym hog’.  Spend 20 to 30 minutes on a treadmill or elliptical for cardio.  Share machines and work in with others.

Don’t drop weights — Not only can a weight bounce and hit something or someone, but it disturbs those around you.  Place the weights back in the designated positions.

Don’t talk too much — The gym is not a social gathering.  You are there to work out, not to chat with friends.

Don’t use your cell phone — Quick texts won’t distract you, but taking phone calls, playing games, and long texts are not for the gym.

www.timhinton.com

Don’t grunt loudly — It is disrespectful to those around you.  People don’t want to hear you screaming to push out one more rep.  Try exhaling; it has a similar effect.

Don’t walk between someone lifting and a mirror — Personally, I like to watch myself in the mirror to make sure I utilize proper form.  It distracts me when someone walks right in front of the mirror, so just be careful of that.

Don’t go to the gym when sick — For the health and safety of those around you, it’s okay to take time off from the gym.

I hope you are able to take something away from this post.  By implementing this etiquette into your gym time, it ensures the safety and comfort of your peers.  After your workout, come by Slane on Macdougal Street for an awesome student discount when you present the Campus Clipper coupon and your student ID.

Disclaimer:  Coupons valid before expiration date and while supplies last.

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Joey Silver, University of Delaware. Check out my Twitter!

Follow the Campus Clipper on Twitter and Like us on Facebook!

Interested in more deals for students? Sign up for our bi-weekly newsletter to get the latest in student discounts and promotions  and follow our Tumblrand Pinterest. For savings on-the-go, download our printable coupon e-book!

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Workout Music (and a super college discount!)

Tuesday, July 2nd, 2013

Music can have a profound effect on your workout.  When I first started working out, I didn’t listen to music; I preferred the sounds of the iron clinking, and the grunts of people lifting weights.  One day, I decided to bring my iPod to the gym to see what would happen.  I was surprised to find that I easily lifted more weight.  The music energized me.  Below, I have created a short playlist for YOU!  Different people prefer different genres of music, so the list is divided into Rap/R&B, Rock, Heavy Metal, Electronic, and Pop.  I have found that these genres are particularly effective for working out.

www.askmen.com

Rap/R&B

Jay-Z and Kanye West- Power

Hoodie Allen- The Chase is On

Usher- Caught Up

Biggie Smalls- Hypnotize

G.O.O.D. Music- Clique

Rock

Europe- Final Countdown

Journey- Separate Ways

Nirvana- Smells Like Teen Spirit

Rush- Tom Sawyer

Sum 41- Fat Lip

Lit- My Own Worst Enemy

Heavy Metal

Metallica- Enter Sandman

Drowning Pool- Let the Bodies Hit the Floor

Pantera- Walk

A Day to Remember- Downfall of Us All

Avenged Sevenfold- Bat Country

Electronic

Laidback Luke & Steve Aoki- Turbulence

Avicii- Levels

Afrojack & Steve Aoki- No Beef

Ellie Goulding- I Need Your Love

Adrian Lux- Teenage Crime (Tonic Dutch Bootleg)

Pop

Imagine Dragons- Radioactive

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis- Can’t Hold Us

Rihanna- Where Have You Been

Icona Pop- I Love It

Major Lazer- Watch Out

www.womenshealthmag.com

Of course, the genres overlap quite a bit, but I used my best judgement.  Go ahead, download, listen, and get pumped!  After your workout, be sure to replenish your nutrients by taking your tunes over to Bleecker’s Finest Deli with your student ID and Campus Clipper coupon for a special discount.

Disclaimer:  Coupons valid before expiration date and while supplies last.

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Joey Silver, University of Delaware. Check out my Twitter!

Follow the Campus Clipper on Twitter and Like us on Facebook!

Interested in more deals for students? Sign up for our bi-weekly newsletter to get the latest in student discounts and promotions  and follow our Tumblrand Pinterest. For savings on-the-go, download our printable coupon e-book!

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What to Wear to Work Out (and an excellent college discount!)

Thursday, June 27th, 2013

You’ve decided to hit the gym, motivated and eager, but you lack the appropriate attire.  Your closet is absent of footwear and gear for working out.  If you want to go to the gym, act the part, feel the part, dress the part.

Ladies first.  Please do not be like my mother when she goes to the gym.  She applies make up, puts on jewelry, and does her hair before heading to the gym.  She might as well don her wedding gown.  The gym is not a fashion show; you go there to work out and sweat.  Long hair should be tied back, so it doesn’t get in the way.  Earrings, other piercings, necklaces, bracelets, and any other jewelry should be left at home.  Jewelry distracts you from achieving a fuller workout, and can get caught on something and break.  For your top, a t-shirt will do.  You can also find women wearing tight-fit nylon tops, tank tops, and sports bras.  For bottoms, sport shorts, sweatpants, or yoga pants are typical.

Gentleman.  For the top, a t-shirt or sleeveless shirt is appropriate.  For the bottom, you usually see sport shorts or sweatpants.  Again, avoid wearing jewelry, and for guys with long hair, tie it back or wear a headband.

www.greatmalesurvey.com

Some gyms have rules about attire.  Sometimes, sleeveless shirts are not permitted.  Oftentimes, sandals and other types of footwear are not allowed.  Stop by Zacky’s in Manhattan with your student ID and a coupon from the Campus Clipper for a special discount on shoes and clothes.  Sometimes, I wear my glasses to the gym, but they become a hassle and I must constantly push them up on my nose the more I sweat.  Try wearing contacts if you have the same issue.  If you’re lifting very heavy weights, be safe and use a weightlifting belt and gloves.  Your style is important, but your safety comes first.
Disclaimer:  Coupons valid before expiration date and while supplies last.

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Joey Silver, University of Delaware. Check out my Twitter!

Follow the Campus Clipper on Twitter and Like us on Facebook!

Interested in more deals for students? Sign up for our bi-weekly newsletter to get the latest in student discounts and promotions  and follow our Tumblrand Pinterest. For savings on-the-go, download our printable coupon e-book!

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Lifting Weights: The Importance of Proper Form (and a cool college discount!)

Tuesday, June 25th, 2013

Although you can break a sweat during a workout without even touching a weight, this post covers the importance of proper form when lifting weights.  Often, students start lifting weights for the first time in college, but this can be valuable information for experienced lifters or first-timers.

When I was a college freshman, I frequented the gym.  I was a self-proclaimed gym veteran.  Each week, the weights on my bar were increasing.  The more weight I lifted, the better I felt about myself.  At my university, the gym offered a free personal trainer, and being as confident as I was, I knew I could improve with tweaks to my diet and workout regimen.  So, I decided to schedule an appointment with a trainer.  We began our session, but I learned that my lifting technique was way off.  He showed me the proper form for each exercise, forcing me to drop down my weight dramatically.  I was crushed that I had to start all over again, and my self-esteem dropped.  For weeks I felt like a failure every time I went to the gym, but eventually I was able to improve towards the level I previously operated. This time with proper form, the results were evident.  I cannot stress enough how important it is to lift with correct technique.

www.thewellnessnetwork.co.uk

Back squats, also known simply as squats, are one of three big lifts for increasing strength.  Squats target the muscles of your thighs (quadriceps and hamstrings), gluts, lower back, and core.  Basically, with a straight bar resting low on the back of your neck, you squat down, and stand up.  Sounds easy, but there’s a lot to keep in mind.  Feet should be about shoulder-length apart and turned outward very slightly.  Your back should be curved inward or straight, so that your chest sticks out forward, and your rear protrudes backward.  This stance takes some getting used to.  When you’re ready to squat, bend at the hips first, then at the knees.  Try not to let your knees go past your toes (if you were to draw a vertical line down from your knees).  Keep your back in the same curved or straight position, and your hamstrings/quadriceps parallel to the floor. Then stand straight up, pushing off the balls of your feet.

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Flat bench press is another big exercise; it targets the pectoral (chest) region and the triceps.  When lying on the bench, be sure that your feet are planted firmly on the floor, and your knees are bent at a 90-degree angle.  Your back should also have some curve in it.  Grab the bar a bit wider than shoulder length and lift.  Once the bar is lifted off the rack, bring your shoulder blades together; this puts the emphasis on your chest.  Bring the bar down to the middle of your chest.  Different people say different things about how far down to bring the bar, but I prefer to bring the bar to my chest so it touches but doesn’t bounce off.  Others prefer to bring it down until their arms are bent at a 90-degree angle.  Both are effective techniques.

Deadlift is the third big exercise, and it primarily targets the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back.  With the bar on the floor, the middle of your feet should be directly under the bar, shoulder-length apart, pointing straight.  Bend down to grab the bar right outside your legs.  Your shins should touch the bar.  There are a few different grips for this lift, but I prefer both hands in front of the bar when the weight is low.  Straighten your back, stand up, and thrust your hips upwards and forwards.  Keep your shoulders back so your chest protrudes throughout the whole lift.  When ascending, you want to drag the bar up your shins and over your knees to the upright position.  Bring the bar back down close to your body and drop the

www.thedeadlift.com

weight.  Often, you will see people bounce the bar off the floor and go right into the next repetition.  I see this as cheating.  It’s called a deadlift, so the bar should start in a “dead” position for each repetition.

Form will make or break these lifts.  One thing to keep in mind is your breathing pattern.  Make sure you inhale before the lift, and then exhale when you ascend.  Without proper form, you can seriously injure yourself on these lifts.  Protect your body, and make sure your form is correct.  Never be afraid to ask for help, if you have a question.  Always have someone spotting you or have crash racks in case the weight is too heavy.  After your workout, it is important to replenish nutrients, so go to Cafetasia for a hearty meal.  Go to www.campusclipper.org for college discounts.

 

Disclaimer: Coupons valid before expiration date and while supplies last.

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Joey Silver, University of Delaware. Check out my Twitter!

Follow the Campus Clipper on Twitter and Like us on Facebook!

Interested in more deals for students? Sign up for our bi-weekly newsletter to get the latest in student discounts and promotions  and follow our Tumblrand Pinterest. For savings on-the-go, download our printable coupon e-book!

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Why Work Out? Utilize College Discounts While You Can!

Tuesday, June 18th, 2013

According to the Harvard School of Public Health, college students should get at least one hour of physical activity per day.  But for many students, working out feels like an impossible task. Between classes, schoolwork, extracurricular activities, social life, love life, and sleep, it seems that there is simply not enough time in the day.

alumni.nyu.edu

However, making time to work out can benefit all students. Physical activity boosts productivity and clears the mind, gives positive energy and instills confidence to take on challenges. It also makes you feel good about yourself, boosting self-esteem, a serious concern for many college students.

A good workout is about balance, no matter your gender. Walking into a college gym, you usually find the women on the treadmills and elliptical machines, while the men lift weights. Oftentimes, men think that they need to lift weights and chug protein shakes in order to stay fit, while women tend to steer clear of the weight room because they fear looking like female bodybuilders. These beliefs are workout myths. Reaching a body type of a bodybuilder is unlikely without intense workouts, extreme dieting, and heavy supplementation. Weight-lifting can boost metabolism, improve posture, and build muscle, which helps burn fat faster; therefore, it can benefit both men and women. However, weight-lifting is not essential to staying fit. Alternative forms of exercise like biking and running benefit the heart and rest of the body in ways that weight-lifting does not.

But you don’t need to become a “gym rat” or a “fitness freak” to stay healthy and fit. There is a myriad of quick and easy ways to work out during your college years. Students can stay fit without even going to the gym through activities like bike rides, yoga, Zumba, swimming, team sports, parkour, or jogging outside with a friend. For those not sure where to start, Tao Yoga, Sacred Sounds Yoga, and Moksha Yoga in New York City are excellent for beginners and yoga masters alike.

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The hardest part is finding the motivation to go out and get moving. It is crucial to get into the habit of working out consistently while in college because once you have a full-time job and a family to support, the motivation is more likely to disappear.

Don’t get accustomed to a lethargic lifestyle, because it only gets harder to change. Go now, while you don’t need to pay for a gym membership. If a trip to the gym consumes too much time, complete a body weight workout in your dorm room or apartment. All it takes is 60 minutes a day to get on the right path.

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Joey Silver, University of Delaware. Check out my Twitter!

Follow the Campus Clipper on Twitter and Like us on Facebook!

Interested in more deals for students? Sign up for our bi-weekly newsletter to get the latest in student discounts and promotions  and follow our Tumblrand Pinterest. For savings on-the-go, download our printable coupon e-book!

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Who’s Got the Exercise Blues?

Thursday, February 23rd, 2012

With winter still in full tow, I find it more difficult than usual to peel myself from the comfort of my cushiony couch and leave the confines of my toasty apartment.  Admittedly, since moving to New York City, I have become a big homebody and prefer staying home and doing one of five things: cooking, eating, watching my TV shows, reading, and writing.  I rarely ever take the initiative to go for a jog just because.

I recall a time when jogging was actually fun and not a chore.  I lived with my family in a friendly, tight-knit suburban community in Orange County, California, and I loved taking my dogs on walks around the neighborhood.  Going for a walk or brisk jog was something I never enjoyed, but the smiles on my dogs’ faces were well worth the effort.  From there, it progressed to going to the gym with my two best friends, then hiking beautiful trails with views of the ocean and a quiet coastal breeze that cooled you down after an hours-long trip through the canyons.   I became a nature fanatic, and the feeling of accomplishment far outweighed my innate laziness.  I was excited to get back in my exercise groove, but then it hit me: New York City is way freakin’ colder than Orange County is.  The cold weather was the biggest deterrent keeping me from exercising outdoors.  I even bought the 5-toe shoes with hopes of changing my anti-jogging attitude.  Unfortunately, they didn’t work out (mostly because they were extremely funny looking and were way too tight on my toes).  I was convinced this was sign that I needed to find a better alternative to exercise than jogging outdoors.  I began researching gyms that were reasonably priced and had a large selection of machines and programs.  I looked specifically for yoga, pilates and spin classes, and Synergy Fitness Club fit the bill.

If you, like me, are looking for something to fulfill your exercise needs that doesn’t include running in 20 degrees and below temperature, check out Synergy Fitness Clubs.  They’ve got a great selection of classes and programs built to fit your specific needs, be it Butt, Gut & Legs, Kickboxing, or Yoga Pilates.  Or, if you’re the type who just likes to exercise on the machines, they’ve got those as well.  They’ve got an awesome promotion for four free days for both you and a friend.  If you’re hooked by then (which you probably will be), then they’ll also set you up with a student special worth investing in.

Angie, Pepperdine University

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Relax Your Mind and Feel Good

Friday, May 14th, 2010

As a student, it may sometimes seem that stress is never-ending, especially in New York City, which, based on data from forbes.com is the third most stressful city in the country. The difficulties in balancing school, work, and our relationships can increase stress to the point where it has a negative affect on our physical and mental well-being. According to WebMD, “People who don’t manage stress well can have headaches, stomach pain, sleeping problems, illness, and depression.” However, if it is managed effectively, stress can be defeated, allowing us to live a healthy and more fulfilling life.

Cost Effective Ways to Reduce Stress in Your Life

Workout at the Gym for Free– Many gyms offer guest passes that vary from one day to two weeks for non-members. Colleges and Universities around the city also offer students free access to their facilities. This is a great way to work out without coming out of your own pocket. Just contact your local gym for more details or click on the link below for access to another way to get fit for free.
Shape Up NY

Talk to Someone– Sometimes you just need someone to talk to. Contact your school’s mental health center for details on what services are available to you free of charge. It may also help to find a clergy, relative, friend, or therapist that will listen to you; afterward you may feel relieved to have let it all out. If you still feel a sense of urgency, you can always call 1-800-LIFENET.

Meditate– Look for a quiet place to relax, put your body in any position that you feel comfortable in; stand up, sit down, or lie down and take deep breaths, keeping the focus on your breathing. Continue to do so until you feel the stress melt away. For more information on meditation courses in New York City, take a look at the link below or go to your local library for some books on the topic.
Meditation in New York

Listen to Music– Ever wonder why music is a universal language, it’s because no matter what culture or background you come from tunes can speak to you. Just turn on the radio and before you even realize it, you’ll be dancing and singing or humming and bopping your head. There are also places throughout the city where you can listen to free music. Check some of them out below:
Music at Madison Square Park
Music at Licoln Center
Music at Central Park

-Shana H

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