gym

Nike Favorites for Summer

05.15.2014

And my nike obsession continues… you gotta look cute while training right?!

I saw this photo on instagram and I instantly headed straight to the nike website to check out their new summer line. The colors and prints are absolutely gorgeous!! I am so in love with the red, teals and purples. Nike continues to be my favorite brand for workout clothing, events (Nike Marathon), AND training sessions (NTC/Running clubs). I just can’t seem to get enough.

Looking forward to the Union Street store to open this weekend. Although my wallet will not, I can’t wait to browse the store, get a shoe fitting and try some Nike Training clubs, yoga and running clubs. You can sign up for the upcoming events here: gonike.me/unionstreet.

Be sure to follow @nikewomen on Instagram for more style inspiration. 🙂

1. / 2. / 3. / 4. / 5. / 6. / 7. / 8.

Which is your favorite?

A Note of Encouragement

03.20.2014

Dear you, (the newly committed gym-goer)

I saw you walk into the gym yesterday for the very first time. I could tell that you were scared, confused and were looking for some guidance. It’s an intimidating place if you are not familiar! Maybe you will read this and not feel as discouraged and know that there are others out there feeling the way you do. I’m sure you were afraid to ask anyone for help, but just know, there are people out there willing to help and guide you.

I know firsthand how scary it is to walk into the gym for the very first time, especially the weight room. The weight room is full of guys, just waiting for a girl to walk in to give them something to look at. Sweating, grunting guys that know the weight room like the back of their hand. Not the most inviting place, right? The day I decided to start lifting I wandered around like a lost puppy, not knowing what to do next. Trying to remember the exercises that I saw in the magazines or from the workout dvds I would do in my room. The nerves started to get to me, as every guy would look over to see what I was doing. Ok, so the staring never goes away, but the more you step foot in the gym, the more confidence you will have I promise! So after a week or so, I was getting the hang of this whole weight room thing. No more cardio bunny for me! I wrote down my workouts in my phone, so I was prepared. Kept track of the weights I was using so I could progress each time. Let me tell you, I am so thankful that I kept at it and didn’t let the weight room scare me away. Lifting has changed my life and I wouldn’t be the person I am today without it. Sounds so cheesy I know, but I have truly learned so much about myself and what my mind and body are truly capable of. Oh and ps- lifting WILL NOT make you “bulky”. (More about that another time.)

Anyways, it will get easier, trust me! As time goes on, you will start to watch others do different exercises and learn from people that are working out beside you. You will become familiar with where each piece of equipment is and no longer wander around looking for it. The learning cycle never ends, because I still love finding new workouts to do from bodybuilding.com, different blogs and social media etc. But please please please don’t give up after just a few sessions. The gym is foreign territory now, but won’t be for long. Pretty soon you will walk in there like you own the place. Your body will transform if you work your butt off. You will soon have more confidence and you never know, you may be that confident girl that can wear tight spandex shorts or a sports bra and not feel self conscious. It is the best feeling in the world once you get there. One of the many reasons why I work out is to feel my best and most confident self. For you and everyone that is scared to walk into the weight room, I dare you to do it. Step outside of your comfort zone and own it. You won’t regret facing your fears and stepping into a whole new world that may change your life as it did mine.

Lots of love, Jenna

How to Structure Your Workout & Avoid Plateaus

10.11.2013

Hitting the gym day after day can get monotonous especially if you are going through the same routines over and over again. But I’ve noticed that I get comfortable with the same machines and exercises and keep going back for more because that’s what I know. Recently I’ve hit my plateau which has got me thinking it’s time to switch things up. My regular routine consists of the following:

Leg day
Biceps and back
Triceps and cardio
Full cardio day
And just a smidge of chest exercises here and there
And most recently a lot of glute exercises!
(no shoulders- but they are still hit with other exercises)

To be completely honest this does get a little boring, but not only that, my body has gotten used to these exercises and knows what to expect. We want to make sure to keep our bodies guessing. It is important to constantly change your routine, work new muscle groups and get your heart rate up with different forms of cardio. There are SO many different ways to switch up your routine. Here are a few to try:

Get out of your comfort zone! Try yoga, take a kick boxing class at your gym, get outside for a run or an outdoor bootcamp or circuit training, whatever is most foreign to you! Ive recently fallen in love with Nike Training Club and Burn Pilates.
Include supersets or dropsets. A superset is two exercised back to back with no rest in between. A dropset is when you perform your exercise and immediately drop the weight and continue with more repetitions.
Increase the weight and decrease repetitions. Make your workout challenging, don’t just go through the motions. Focus and increase difficulty levels! (Pre workout helps here of course. I love Optimum Platinum PRE)
Add in or swap for new exercises- there are tons out there peeps! Don’t be afraid to try something new.
Incorporate HIIT (high intensity interval training). You will burn FAR more calories and a shorter amount of time. Make use of your precious time and burn as many calories as possible!!
Reverse the structure of your workout… —->

Depending on who you ask, each will tell you a different theory behind how to structure your workouts. A routine that works for some may not work for others. We are all different, it’s just a matter of finding what works for you. I have found best for me to train a focused body part first then finish with cardio because I want all my energy focused on a specific muscle group and I am most focused when I first arrive to the gym. I usually start with a couple of core exercises to get warmed up, then move on to compound exercises. A compound exercise is a multi-joint movement that works more than one muscle group. Compound exercises typically use more energy to perform and don’t isolate one muscle group. For example, I like to start with push ups, tricep dips or pull ups on arm day and lunges or squats on leg day. After compound exercises I then prefer to go into the more isolated exercises. Isolated exercise means you are focused on a specific muscle with one single joint movement. Lastly, cardio if there is any energy left to spare. 😉

My point here? Get creative! Try new things, change the structure of your routine and constantly keep that body of yours guessing. I know a lot of you here are beginners, so why not find a gym in your city that can help you achieve your goals? If you are in the Sacramento area, find a Gym in Sacramento. I can also give you some suggestions of gyms, training, different classes and boot camps here in San Francisco. Start today, so you can look back a year from now and see how far you’ve come.

What is your favorite way to bust out of a plateau?

*I was financially compensated for this post. The opinions are completely my own, based on my experience.

Tips To Getting Your AM Workout On

08.14.2013

I am loving my new routine lately, so much I had to share it with you guys! Since I started a new job I have been waking up early and working out before work. I have been trying to do this for years, but now I am able to get to work just a tad later. Lazy? Nope, not me…but I will admit I am not a morning person! Working out in the am has its benefits! I am full of energy throughout the day and have gained a small amount of my social life back. I LOVE getting it done allowing me to either make it a double day later, or have the free time after work. I have been doing cardio in the am and weights in the pm. It’s all about PRIORITIES and finding the time to squeeze in a good workout. One of the biggest things I’ve learned from this lifestyle is that if you make it a priority, you will find the time to commit. I was shocked at how many people were at the gym at 6am. Go you!

So my dare to you: wake up 1 hour earlier and either go to the gym, go for a run or do some yoga or weight training in your home! Then tell me how you feel. 🙂

Here are some tips to getting your morning workout on:

Sleep in your gym clothes. I know, seems weird but saves time from having to change or pick out an outfit in the morning (which for some reason takes a while for me)
Prep your protein shakes/water/heart rate monitors all together so you can grab and go in the am
Set your coffee timer (if you prefer coffee to get you going)
Think about what you will train in the am whether it be a specific body part, cardio, yoga, spin? More thinking at night and less in the morning seems to work best for me.
Set your alarm
Go to bed early! Get as many zzz’s as possible.

…And before you know it you’re on the road to success!!

This may seem a little uber organized, but this is what has worked for me so worth a try. 🙂

Question: Do you prefer am or pm workouts?

Have a great week! xo

#TheMessyProject Anniversary Edition!

07.24.2013

Hey everyone!! An amazing gf of mine has one of the top fashion blogs, Messy Dirty Hair, which I am SO proud of her for! She has taught me how to blog when I wasn’t pulling my hair out trying to figure it out on my own. It happens to be the 1 year Anniversary of the infamous #MessyProject which Kelly is known for. Happy 1 year to The Messy Project!! Kelly asked me to participate this time around which am I am thrilled to be a part of!

If you’ve been following my blog since the beginning you may recognize this, but here’s what it’s all about: 1 item of clothing given to 5 girls. Then it’s up to them to style it their own. So with this particular project, Kelly chose this dress and it was up to us to have a little fun with it.

“One of the main reasons I love fashion is because you can make it your own. Everyone can have the same exact clothes but the way you style & wear it, is your choice. It gives you a chance to express your inner fashionista. A plain white tee can be looked at as boring & same ol’ same ol’ but think about all the different ways you can wear it. All the different accessories you can add to it. The layers of clothes you can put on it. So this plain white tee isn’t so plain anymore. You’ve made it your own.” -Kelly

So here we go, me trying to model and tying the knot. 😉 hehe