Here Are Your Top Health And Fitness This Week: Answered

Each week our resident expert Tabitha Klausen answers your health, life, and fitness questions right here. Tabitha is a fitness model and certified trainer who helps others strike the right balance with her realistic approach to health and fitness.

How important is strict form when doing bodyweight stuff?

Whenever you exercise, it is important to use proper form. It will ensure you are getting the maximum return from the exercise, and it helps to avoid injury. If you feel you aren’t performing an exercise correctly, I’d recommend heading over to Bodybuilding.com where they have a library of exercises with videos, or checking in with a trainer at your local gym.

What are the top five exercises every woman should be doing at least once a week and why?

Stick to the basics: planks, push-ups, pull-ups, squats and lunges. When combined, these work the whole body and can be done almost anywhere, at home or in the gym. Plus, they can all be modified to be easier for a beginner, or harder for a more experienced exerciser.

Are there any benefits in joining a girls-only gym?

This depends on how comfortable you are in a gym setting. If you are uncomfortable in a gym for both men and women, you probably won’t be completely focused on your workout, and that can affect your results. Ask your local gyms if they have free trial periods so you can try both gyms and see which feels best for you.

Why don’t my workouts get easier?

It’s normal to feel tired after a workout, especially if you’re pushing yourself to the limit, but it’s another story if your workouts never get easier, and still feel as hard as the first time in the gym. A few things can hinder your progress, strength and energy level in the gym. If you’re inconsistent with your training, not sleeping enough or not eating the proper foods for your goals, your workouts could feel harder than they should. If none of these sound like you, I’d recommend talking with a trainer so they can go over your plan. It’s possible you could be overtraining or not performing the exercises correctly.

What balance of cardio to weights is best for losing fat?

When I have a client with this goal I get them to do circuits. That way they can get a combination of weightlifting and cardio in at the same time. Not only do circuits burn fat, but they also save time.

Which is better for your body shape: yoga or Pilates?

Pilates has a bigger emphasis on toning, while yoga focuses more on flexibility, although both will help improve flexibility and toning. Pilates helps to improve core strength, muscle control, flexibility and  coordination through mat work and resistance machines.

Find expert advice and more in every issue of TRAIN for HER magazine.