Knuckle up Fitness Question of the day 11-19-09

How long has Sandy Springs Knuckle up fitness trainer/kickboxer/thai instructor, Matt Callahan, been fighting?

Bonus question! How many fights has he had total as an amateur and pro?

First person who guesses both right get two free 30 min training sessions with Matt Callahan. If you guess at least one, you get one 30 min training session.

Where are those Abs?

A very common question the Trainers & Instructors at Knuckle Up Fitness are asked, "How do I get 6-pack abs?" While abdominal & core exercises will help you strengthen the muscles around your midsection & improve your posture, being able to actually SEE those ab muscles has to do with your overall percentage of body fat. Bottom line - IF YOU DON'T LOSE THE BELLY FAT, YOU WON'T SEE THE AB MUSCLES. Unfortunately, ab work alone, no matter how consistent or hard you work at it, will not help you lose that belly fat. This is because it's not possible to pick & choose areas where you’d like to burn fat, thus, ab work isn't going to target weight loss in that area.

In order to burn fat, you should engage in a workout that includes both cardiovascular and strength-training elements, such as our cardio kickboxing class. kickboxing class has it all & is the perfect combination of cardio, strength training, plyometrics, and ab/core strengthening. Come to class and let us motivate you to work hard & have fun. In the process you will decrease your overall body fat content, including the area around your midsection. 6-pack abs here you come!!!

The Magic of Z's

"Here's why you need more sleep than you think - People who's sleep was reduced to 6 hrs. a night for a week did just as poorly on tests as those who got 1 night of no sleep at all ...only 1-3% of people are genetically wired to function on less than 8 hrs. of sleep. Being sleep deprived can also add inches to your waste line ...people who don't sleep enough crave carbs & sugar which can cause weight gain. Researchers limited people to 4 hrs. of sleep for 2 consecutive nights and found their levels of leptin (a hormone that tells your brain you're full) dropped 18% and levels of ghrelin (which makes you crave comfort foods) increased 28%. Lack of sleep can also raise your cortisol levels making your appetite surge." So, don't skimp on those Z's! Good sleeping habits, a healthy diet, and killer workouts compliments of Knuckle Up Fitness and you will reach your fitness goals in no time. See you on the mats!