Harbinger and You

The Baltimore Ravens may not have made it to Super Bowl XLVI, but they made it all the way to the AFC Championship game which gives them certain bragging rights!
Ravens Linebacker Ray Lewis has seen his share of victory and defeat. Named Super Bowl XXXV MVP in 2000, Lewis is one of the NFL’s most feared crushers – at 2,491, he has the most tackles of any other active player.

So how does Linebacker Ray Lewis prepare to be a warrior on field?

“Every workout that I have is designed to fail. It’s not about making it through the workout. I won’t, you won’t, nobody will-so that isn’t even the motivation. The approach is to go to failure and give everything you’ve got for 60 minutes. Then there’s an hour-and-a-half break, only to do it all over again-that’s how my workouts are built.”

Try his total body workout with these moves:

According to Maximum Fitness magazine, Lewis is the first professional athlete to have his own iPhone app designed to create workouts for his fans.
While you may not be an NFL football player vying for the championship, you can push yourself to the limit.
After 16 years on the gridiron Lewis still plays hard and is arguably at his best. After all, who wants to run full speed into a 250 pound muscle machine?

Have you tried Ray’s app?
Or do you have your own workout that pushes your body to new limits?
Let us know and you may win a pair of Harbinger FlexFit Ultra™ gloves.

Your New Year’s resolutions are made and you’re headed back in to the gym. But now what? Do you how to reach your goals – the most effective exercises and workout intervals?

Working with a personal trainer – at least at the start — may be the way to develop your workout plan, sticking to it and (ultimately) accomplishing your fitness goals.

According to fitness writer Randshan J. Saldin, setting goals is the first step when starting a workout routine. These may include losing weight, lowering cholesterol, controlling heart rate and building lean muscle mass. A personal trainer can help flesh out your goals and lend a realistic perspective on what health/fitness goals are reasonable to achieve in the short and long term.

Personal Trainer Brian Chin Leung says there are factors to consider when selecting a personal trainer. Personality is important because you need to work with someone who will motivate you. Your preferred style may be a drill sergeant or it may be someone more compassionate and encouraging. But remember, even though you are paying your trainer, they are the boss during your workout (not you)!

Next Leung says to check your trainer’s certification. Make sure your trainer has been trained to ensure safety and knowledge of proper exercise techniques.AmericanCollegeof Sports Medicine (ACSM) and American Council of Exercise (ACE) are two well known organizations that provide certification. Also, make sure their certification is up-to-date.

Versatility is important in a personal trainer. He/she will help you avoid workout boredom, and alter your goals as you move forward.  Interestingly, Leung says image can make or break your working relationship with your personal trainer. Does your trainer appear to live the life and walk the talk? Personal trainers should exemplify health and fitness in the way they look, live and interact with others.  This may subconsciously motivate you to become like your trainer!

Health and fitness writer ACC Ottawa also offers tips on finding the right personal trainer. You can go online, but it can also be as easy as heading to your local gym. At the gym observe the trainers and see how they interact with their clients. Next, talk to the clients to get a better idea of the trainer’s style. Finally, trust yourself to make the right choice.

Have you had success in finding a personal trainer that’s right for you? If so, give us 3 reasons why it “works” – and we’ll enter you to win the training accessory of your choice!

Toning specific areas often requires targeting certain muscle groups with dedicated workouts. The good news is, these are generally short, intense routines a few times a week in as little as 20 minutes. To work your delts, arms and legs, Sept/Oct 2011 issue of Maximum Fitness suggests:

Strong shoulders help you in accomplishing every day activities – and are a bonus to your appearance…and the elusive tapered “V” body shape. To work your delts, maxfitmag.com recommends dumbbell lateral raises, dumbbell front raises and the overhead dumbbell press.

We all can relate to the allure of toned biceps.  Build yours at home with three moves Max Fit suggests for arm strengthening – alternating dumbbell curls, concentration curls and hammer curls.

Legs are last but definitely not least – they provide your mobility and ground your entire being.  Powerful legs require smart, focused training, so try dumbbell squats, dumbbell lunges and sissy squats. These moves are anything but sissy!

Here’s the routine Maximum Fitness recommends - 

We’re hoping a few of you try these targeted muscle group workouts – and let us know how quickly you start seeing results!

By now you have learned why you need gloves and what important features to consider when buying a pair of gloves. So let’s discuss how to clean and care for your new gloves.

How do I care for my gloves and can I wash them?

One way to ensure that your gloves last longer and perform to their utmost is to make sure that you care for them properly.  As you train, your body sweats, and that sweat contains salts and other minerals which affect how the leather and fabrics on your gloves feel and wear.  Here are some helpful hints to keep your gloves clean and performing like new.

Keep your gloves in a dry place when not in use. 

Let them dry completely after every use before using them again, but don’t let them dry in direct sun. 

The salt and minerals that are created in your sweat each time you train will embed in the leather of your gloves so it is important to periodically wash you gloves.

You’ll find out what type of leather and materials your gloves are made from on the original packaging for the gloves.  

Check glove packaging for specific directions:

• WASH&DRY® Leather Gloves:
• WASH&DRY® leather gloves are made from special leathers that can be machine washed and machine dried.  Using standard machine laundry detergent, wash them in warm water with like colors, but remember, no chlorine bleach!  Tumble dry on low heat. 
• Machine Wash and Air Dry Leather/Materials:
• Using standard machine laundry detergent, wash them in warm water with like colors, but remember, no chlorine bleach!  Do not put these gloves into the dryer.  Remove them from the washer and get as much water out of them (but don’t wring them).   The best way to do this is to gently press the wet gloves in between two towels, allowing the towels to absorb the majority of the water.  Once you have gotten as much water out of the gloves as possible, let them air dry. 
• Gloves that are not made of WASH&DRY® leathers and materials:
• Hand wash these gloves in cold water with a mild liquid soap.  Rinse them well and get as much water out of them (but don’t wring them).   The best way to do this is to gently press the wet gloves in between two towels, allowing the towels to absorb the majority of the water.  Then let them air dry. 

So now you know a lot about weightlifting gloves!  Next step – visit a store and start trying different styles on to see which works best for YOU.

If you have any other questions about weightlifting gloves, please send us an email and we’ll help you out.