FACT ::Yoga is a form of meditation that enhances your well-being while releasing endorphins. Yoga is suitable for all ages and fitness levels.

Your Guide to Popular Yoga Styles:
There are many different styles of yoga being taught and practiced today. Although all of the styles are based on the same physical postures (called poses), each has a particular emphasis. Here is a quick guide to the most popular types of yoga that can help you decode the schedule at your gym and figure out which class is right for you.

HATHA

Hatha is a very general term that can encompass many of the physical types of yoga. If a class is described as Hatha style, it is probably going to be slow-paced and gentle and provide a good introduction to the basic yoga poses.

VINYASA

Like Hatha, Vinyasa is a general term that is used to describe many different types of classes. Vinyasa, which means breath-synchronized movement, tends to be a more vigorous style based on the performance of a series of poses called Sun Salutations, in which movement is matched to the breath. A Vinyasa class will typically start with a number of Sun Salutations to warm up the body for more intense stretching that's done at the end of class.

ASHTANGA & POWER YOGA

Ashtanga, which means "eight limbs" in Sanskrit, is a fast-paced, intense style of yoga. A set series of poses is performed, always in the same order. Ashtanga practice is very physically demanding because of the constant movement from one pose to the next. In yoga terminology, this movement is called flow. Ashtanga is also the inspiration for what is often called Power Yoga. If a class is described as Power Yoga, it will be based on the flowing style of Ashtanga, but not necessarily keep strictly to the set Ashtanga series of poses.

IYENGAR

Based on the teachings of the yogi B.K.S Iyengar, this style of practice is most concerned with bodily alignment. In yoga, the word alignment is used to describe the precise way in which your body should be positioned in each pose in order to obtain the maximum benefits and avoid injury. Iyengar practice usually emphasizes holding poses over long periods versus moving quickly from one pose to the next (flow). Also, Iyengar practice encourages the use of props, such as yoga blankets, blocks and straps, in order to bring the body into alignment.

KUNDALINI

The emphasis in Kundalini is on the breath in conjunction with physical movement, with the purpose of freeing energy in the lower body and allowing it to move upwards. All asana practices make use of controlling the breath. But in Kundalini, the exploration of the effects of the breath (also called prana, meaning energy) on the postures is essential. Kundalini uses rapid, repetitive movements rather than poses held for a long time, and the teacher will often lead the class in call and response chanting.

BIKRAM/HOT YOGA

Pioneered by Bikram Choudhury, this style is more generally referred to as Hot Yoga. It is practiced in a 95 to 100 degree room, which allows for a loosening of tight muscles and profuse sweating, which is thought to be cleansing. The Bikram method is a set series of 26 poses, but not all hot classes make use of this series.

Fitness Programs

Aerobic Activity

What is most important for our cardiovascular and cardiorespiratory systems is aerobic exercise. Aerobic activity delivers oxygen to all muscle groups, improves metabolism and assists in fat loss. Proper diet- meaning eating right- along with aerobic exercise will extend our lives and make us healthier. It is a fact that proper diet along with aerobic exercise (biking, aerobics, treadmill, any endurance sport) will reduce high blood pressure and cholesterol, triglyceride levels and even fat deposits. Along with reducing high blood pressure and cholesterol, aerobic activity will increase your energy level during normal activities throughout the day. Aerobic activity will increase your metabolism through natural means without the use of chemicals. Aerobic activity creates stress relief naturally! Many people wonder why they do not see physical changes in their body when they do a lot of aerobics or aerobic activity. This is where our "Weight Loss Program" (eating right) coupled with our "Aerobic Training Programs" will help you effect the changes you need to meet your goals.
An Excel Fitness Personal Trainer staff professional can design the appropriate aerobic exercising program to meet your needs.


Weight Training

Weight Training increases our metabolism, helps balance our muscle groups, assists in muscle retention and increases our physical fitness. When we begin an exercising regiment, we need to establish for which type of sport or activity we are trying to get in shape: bodybuilding, golf, tennis, biking, hiking, skiing, aerobics, an endurance sport or just physical fitness.
The next consideration of exercising, specifically in "Weight Training" is determinining the level at which you can exercise for your current physical fitness level. After you have completed our questionnaire for "Training Programs", we will establish the level at which you can perform for your physical fitness condition.
Depending upon your answers above, we will outline how you can benefit from nutritional information. For instance, to enable you to conserve energy while performing a sport. You can achieve muscle retention and fat loss during bodybuilding and increase your metabolism.
The next step is to complete our simple "Training Programs" form and press the training programs button.
An Excel Fitness Personal Trainer will customize an exercise training program for your physical fitness condition.



Adult Fitness and Functional Training

Adult Fitness

Adults are concerned about how old they are when in fact they should be more concerned about how old they feel. The body systems that most affected by age are the cardiovascular system and the musculoskeletal system. Lack of exercise and/or reduced activity results in an increase in fat deposits and reduction in lean muscle mass and bone density as we age. Experts agree on one thing: the rate of aging can be controlled to some extent by personal lifestyle choices (Adult Fitness). The functional capacity of the cardiovascular system, cardiorespiratory system and the musculoskeletal system can be improved through exercise. Lowering high blood pressure and cholesterol and losing fat deposits can be accomplished through increased activities of daily living, endurance exercise and increasing the size of the muscle groups through weight training.
Please complete our Personal Training questionnaire and one of our qualified personal trainers will develop an adult fitness program for you, which will include aerobic activity, resistance exercise, nutritional assistance and guidelines on how to improve your daily activities that affect your lifestyle.

Functional Training

The basic principle of functional strength development is the use of your own body weight before external resistance can be applied. Functional training involves training the core, using multi plane movements that are functional and synergistic. Functional training must also include rotational movement and balance movements. Training the respective muscle groups that are used in the specific activity make the athlete better in his particular sport. Functional Training involves the osseous system which improves structure,the muscular system which provides control and the proprioceptive system which coordinates and directs movement. All of these systems are affected by gravity, ground reaction forces and momentum. Where functional stability is concerned, isolated strength gains are minimized and the neuromuscular system is emphasized.
As described above, it is very clear that the main difference between functional training and bodybuilding is that functional training develops multiple systems, whereas bodybuilding emphasizes a specific muscle.
One of our qualified personal trainers can develop a functional training package for your specific sport. Please complete our Personal Training questionnaire and specify your goal


 

Aerobic Schedule

Monday 6pm Kick Boxing

Wednesday 6pm Spin

Sat 9am Spin
9:45 Yoga

 

 

 

Burn more fat, not time

Learn how to burn more fat and not time with Polar watches. Our trainers at Excel utilize Anerobic threshold charts to chart your intensity and program your polar watch to keep you in the fat burning zones more effectively.

Anerobic testing methods

There are 3 types of tests for determining your anaerobic threshold.

1.Bronze- 180-age+/- 10 BPM based on your current and previous activity level in past year.
2. Silver- This is more of a subjective test used to determine when you have reached a very uncomfortable intensity and are breathing heavy. We utilize RPE and talk test method for measuring your subjective gauges of moderate and intense exercise.
3. Gold - This test is usually in a clinic setting and utilizes all the above methods in addition to a computer and mask. The mask measures your carbon dioxide output and senses any sudden increase. This is considerd a very precise test lasting about ten minutes or less.

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Gahanna OH 43230
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