Member Spotlight | Let’s HIIT It! Part 2

Member Spotlight | Let’s HIIT It! Part 2

by | Jul 8, 2019 | All, Home, Member Stories

“Challenge yourself, anything’s possible.”

Ed B.

HIIT by LAF® Member

I want to share my experience with my fitness journey at LAF to hopefully motivate and inspire all those who may be struggling to meet their fitness goals. I also want to show that anything is possible if you put your mind to it!

My story is divided into two parts. The 1st part (read here) focused on my fitness training and the second part is focusing on my experience with the HIIT by LAF® program.

I’m 67 years old. I’ve had a history of knee issues and a partial knee replacement on my right knee.

When I decided to resurrect my fitness journey at LA Fitness, my main goal was to get my legs/knees back in shape. So, I decided to get a personal trainer to assist me to achieve that goal. That is when I met Lauren H. (HIIT by LAF® trainer).

It has been 15 months since I started training. I couldn’t get off the floor without some assistance or go up and down stairs very easily. It took about 9 months to get my legs/knees back in shape. Now I’m pain-free. I don’t have to get injections in my knees or take any medications.

My success comes from Lauren’s leadership and months of hard work on my behalf. My flexibility, strength, mobility, and stamina have improved dramatically. I no longer need assistance getting up off the floor and I can go up and down stairs without any problems. As I continue to get stronger, Lauren brings on new challenges.

Lauren has taught me the following:

  1. Challenge yourself.
  2. Never give up.
  3. Nothing is impossible.
  4. Work hard.
  5. Practice the power of positivity. (Still working on this!)
  6. Set a few short- and long-term goals, then crush them.
  7. Believe in yourself.
  8. Nutrition and caloric intake (still working on this too!) This continues to be a hard one for me! I need to find an easy way to prepare nutritious food without the fuss.
My Journey with HIIT by LAF®

Last October I had the opportunity to take a free HIIT by LAF® class. I was amazed at how I was able to get through it. So, I decided to join. It’s been 6 months since my HIIT journey began and I just moved up to my third HIIT level which is silver. The other amazing thing is that I continue to always finish with the most MEP’s (My Effort Points) and the most calories burned at the end of each HIIT Class. HIIT continues to be a great way to relieve stress for me as well!

In the floor portion of HIIT, if I have difficulty with an exercise there’s always an alternative exercise available. In the cardio portion, I switch off between bike and rower since I can’t have high-impact on my knees.

I recently signed up to participate in a 90-minute HIIT challenge. On the day of the challenge, I was nervous and asked myself why I did this because I am usually gassed after a 50-minute HIIT class. After numerous texts back and forth with my personal trainer Lauren, who is always focusing on the positives, I settled down. Then it was HIIT time.

Once the HIIT challenge began, the only thing that I was focused on was HIIT. I not only successfully finished the 90-minute challenge, but I won it. It would have been a huge accomplishment for me to just finish the 90-minute marathon, but winning the challenge meant anything is possible. It was like winning an Olympic Gold medal.

Special Acknowledgements

A special thank you to Michaelangelo for generating lots of energy to get all of us to finish strong. Michaelangelo, you kicked all our booties as well! You’re awesome! From not being able to get off the floor to finishing/winning the 90-minute HIIT challenge and always finishing on top of the pack after each HIIT class. Wow! This continues to be surreal to me!

I’m being told that my success in HIIT is also motivating and inspiring other HIIT members. I’m really honored to have such an Impact!

My next HIIT challenge will be to “HIIT” the gold level in 6 months. Beyond that, platinum, which will take 1 year. My ultimate goal is to be the first 70-year-old to make it to the HIIT Hall of Fame (HOF) level by 2021.

I’m blessed to have Lauren H. as my personal trainer. I couldn’t have done it without her expertise. Lauren is truly the master of her craft. Lauren motivates, inspires, and brings out the best in her clients. Lauren may be small in stature but can kick your booty! I forgot to mention that Lauren is the “Master of Pain” as well!  I continue to work with Lauren to keep my legs/knees strong and work on getting the rest of my body in shape.

Ed’s Advice for Others Out There

Finally, find out what works best for you! Challenge yourself and work hard and never give up – You can reach your fitness goals too! I’m proof of that! I’m on the wildest fitness journey of my life! The combination of a personal trainer and HIIT has worked miracles for me. I look at this as an investment in my health. HIIT wouldn’t have been possible without Lauren’s expertise and my dedication to work hard.

From the start of my journey, Lauren already knew what end results were possible. I was the skeptical one!

Thank you, Lauren! Thanks to all the personal training and HIIT coaches at the LA Fitness Tinley Park location! I’m also friends with a few of them. I also made friends with many of the HIIT members too!

I wish you all the best on achieving whatever goals you set!

Remember, you’re never too old to “HIIT” it!

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Have You Heard of HIIT by LAF?

Have You Heard of HIIT by LAF?

by | Apr 10, 2019 | All, Fitness, Home, Workouts

Short on time but still looking to get a solid workout in? Then it’s time to turn to HIIT by LAF®. If you aren’t sure what HIIT stands for, it’s short for high-intensity interval training – and it’s definitely something you should be adding to your workout routine.

If you’ve never heard of HIIT training, or you’re looking for a group setting to help give you that extra encouragement and push, then HIIT by LAF® is the right thing for you.

What is HIIT by LAF?

HIIT by LAF is a workout that is designed for almost every level of fitness, age, and goal type. These high-tech and high-energy workouts are led by motivating, certified fitness coaches who set the pace and vibe of the room. Each workout is 50-minutes long and comprised of a variety of functional exercises, core training, cardio interval training, and strength training.  Wearing optional heart rate monitors, participants are led through five heart rate training zones, with each zone representing variations in levels of intensity that may result in participants burning up to 1,000 calories per workout, including calories that may burn even after the workout ends (results may vary).

Intense? Yes, but don’t let that word scare you away.

HIIT helps burn more calories in a shorter amount of time and if you manage to stay within the “fat-burning” zone during your workout, it can leave the body burning more calories even after the workout is over. This special “fat-burning” zone varies from individual to individual, so it’s important to know your resting heartrate and your max heartrate in order to gauge your different zones.

Different Zones?

This is where MYZONE comes into play. A heart rate monitor that takes your workout to the next level.

MYZONE uses wireless and cloud technology to accurately and conveniently monitor physical activity. It monitors heart rate, calories and time exercising that converts into MYZONE Effort Points (MEPs*), with a focus on rewarding effort.

Heart rate training zones are a range of values expressed as percentages of maximum heart rate (HR max). The HIIT by LAF workout incorporates 5 heart rate training zones. If you’re interested in signing up for HIIT by LAF® classes on a regular basis, the MYZONE heart rate monitor is available for purchase at an additional cost.

Each zone is identified by zone color, heart rate percentage range, zone description, and the target amount of time that should be maintained in each zone to achieve the greatest benefits of a HIIT workout. Utilizing these zones in relation to the exercise benefits of each one aids in the development of the best programming to maximize endurance, calorie burn, and fat loss.

* MEPs (MYZONE Effort Points) are earned based on the effort exerted by the participant. Time spent in each Heart Rate Zone earns different numbers of MEPS:

  • Grey = 50-59% – Earns 1 MEP/minute
  • Blue = 60-69% – Earns 2 MEPS/minute
  • Green = 70-79% – Earns 3 MEPs/minute
  • Yellow = 80-89% – Earns 4 MEPs/minute
  • Red = 90-100% – Earns 4 MEPs/minute

Who is HIIT for?

HIIT is for anyone and everyone looking to take their fitness to the next level. HIIT is for moms, runners, professionals, athletes, and beginners. For moms, it’s a great escape. For runners, it’s the motivation and methodology necessary to prepare for the next run or race. For professionals, it’s the time-efficient workout when health and well-being are important, but time is tight. For athletes, it is the real-time feedback, ability to track progress and interval training necessary to improve performance. For beginners, it’s the push—the education and encouragement—necessary to reach an entirely new level of fitness.

Is HIIT Safe?

It depends on the underlying condition of the patient/client and their baseline fitness level or physical activity status. HIIT is not for someone with a prior heart condition, who is sedentary and has not gone through proper supervised exercise testing first.

Anyone who has been very active has no cardiac risk factors, and has been screened by his M.D. about his cardiovascular fitness can definitely try HIIT and enjoy the benefits in our time-crunched environment.

The response above provided by Dr. Myla Subbarao, MD, FACC, and volunteer with the American Heart Association.

Check out our Living Healthy podcast episode on HIIT training by clicking here!

If you’re interested in learning more about HIIT by LAF®, visit welcome.lafitness.com/hiit-by-laf/.

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Member Spotlight | Devin Ryan: My Journey in Fitness

Member Spotlight | Devin Ryan: My Journey in Fitness

by | Feb 18, 2019 | All, Home, Member Stories

Fitness was indoctrinated very early on in my life. Healthy competition and athleticism began with seasons of tee-ball, basketball summer camps, and track and field in high school, supplemented by dance on the offseason. With a buzzing household of four active boys and my bountiful curious female presence, my parents always encouraged us to “go outside and play.” My household was never not moving!

My earliest (and perhaps fondest) memory of fitness was watching my mother every day after school. She hastily preheated the oven before going to her bedroom as she got us settled into our school work. There, she removed her tailored office clothes, kicked off her favorite black patent-leather “cockroach-killer” heels and traded them for one of my dad’s t-shirts and her favorite spandex biker shorts. With her work files piled high on the kitchen counter, she threw some pasta sauce on the stove with a heaping amount of fresh and dry herbs simmering over low heat for that evening’s dinner. At exactly 3:30 pm every afternoon, she popped in her early 90s aerobics VHS tape and jumped right into her enthusiastic stepping. I marveled at the overly-animated, permed out fitness instructor sporting spandex and white ankle socks motivating my super-hero of a mom to “go for another 30 seconds more” as she panted between incoming house calls and me racing my sibling’s toy-cars by her feet.

This image of my multi-faceted mother trying to balance work, family, and self-care is forever engraved in my mind. I understand now why it was necessary for my mother to commit to fitness. To my mother, fitness was loving herself and caring about how she felt regardless of the external demands life asked of her to fulfill. To this day, I credit my mother for not only being an example for healthy living but continuing it as a practice today. She was, after all, the person I went to get a gym membership with. We worked out together, supported each other, and reminded one another (while thrift shopping) that the number on the tag of that dress is not as important as the way you feel in it.

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Member Spotlight | Let’s HIIT It!

Member Spotlight | Let’s HIIT It!

by | Feb 4, 2019 | All, Home, Member Stories

You’re never too old to HIIT it!

I want to say thank you to Master Trainer Lauren H. at LA Fitness in Tinley Park for working with me over the past year.

I’m 67 years old. I have a history [of] knee issues and a partial knee replacement on my right leg.

After I recovered from my knee surgery, I promised myself to get back in shape, so I joined LA Fitness. I worked with a personal trainer for about four years [and] lost about 60 pounds. Unfortunately, I was upset when I was told my trainer was leaving because we worked together so well!

So, I started working out on my own. I wasn’t pleased with myself and started to have knee problems again. I stopped going to LA for a number of months. I went back to see my doctor and he gave me a cortisone shot and sent me to physical therapy. I started to feel better again.

I started going back to LA Fitness again and was on the search to find a new personal trainer, and that’s when I met Lauren.

Lauren has done a terrific job working with me, she knows my limits on what I can and can’t do and finds alternative exercises. Lauren has gotten my knees back in shape by teaching proper body alignment/exercises to take the pressure off the knees. My flexibility/posture has improved as well!

LA Fitness just recently started High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) classes. I decided to try one class to see if I could survive it. I was amazed [by] how I got through it. So, I signed up! This is the best thing that I could have done for myself. I just completed my 30th HIIT session and moved up to the second level, which is Bronze status. I continue to burn up to 900+ calories per HIIT session and I feel great. I’m so motivated about my results and look forward to the next session. Now I’m trying to watch my calorie intake and add protein to my diet. Lauren suggested an app to track my daily calorie intake.

Lauren is an exceptional trainer, motivator and friend.

Again, I want to thank Lauren for working with me I couldn’t have done it without her.

I’m excited to see what’s in store for 2019.

Let’s HIIT it!

– Ed B., HIIT by LAF® Member

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HIIT Results in Weight Loss

HIIT Results in Weight Loss

by | Dec 24, 2018 | All, Fitness, Home, Workouts

Watch out because we’re about to HIIT you with some facts (that’s the only pun, I swear).

HIIT, otherwise known as high-intensity interval training, is a fast yet challenging way to get your workout in and continue burning calories afterward your workout as well. This is due to the Afterburn Effect” caused by EPOC, or post-exercise oxygen consumption. EPOC can help HIIT enthusiasts burn calories for up to 36 hrs. after their workout!*

Shorter workout periods and longer calorie-burning times? It sounds too good to be true.

(But it’s not.)

HIIT incorporates functional exercises, core training, cardio interval training, and strength training. The key is focusing on different heart rate training zones. Each zone uses a different percentage of max heart rate, allowing for different types of burns. While there are different types of HIIT workouts ranging from 10 minutes, all the way to an hour, HIIT by LAF uses the full hour so you get the best workout to help maximize your endurance, calorie burn, and fat loss.

In order to achieve the “Afterburn Effect”, you should maintain staying within 80% to 89% of your max heart rate for 15-25 minutes throughout your workout. This is when carbohydrates and fats go through supply variances and help contribute to the burn. Due to HIIT being based around heart rate, a heart rate monitor is suggested in order to properly monitor your workout.

In a HIIT by LAF class, MYZONE Heart Rate monitors are worn. MYZONE uses the HUNT formula to calculate max HR.

HUNT Formula

Max HR = 211 – (0.64 x age)

For example, a 28-year-old female would calculate her max HR like this –

Step 1: Multiple 0.64 x 28 (person’s age), which equals 17.92.

Step 2: Subtract that number (17.92) from 211, which equals a maximum heart rate of 193.08.

0.64 x 28 = 17.92

211 – 17.92 = 193.08

HIIT and Weight Loss

The whole purpose of interval training is to help increase calorie burn and build more lean muscle mass. With HIIT, the body may be burning through more calories than it’s used to, depending on your old routine. Because of this, it’s super important that you’re giving your body the nutrition it needs in order to sustain a high-intensity workout – and that means plenty of protein.

Check out our list of protein suggestions you may want to add to your diet!

Try HIIT by LAF

Thinking about giving HIIT by LAF a try? Find out more by checking out some FAQs here.

The Living Healthy Podcast recently published an episode that dives further into what HIIT training encompasses, who HIIT training benefits the most, and why it may be worth adding to your exercise routine. LA Fitness Master Trainer, Geoff F., is our expert on the matter. Listen to the full episode, here.

Visit one of the following LA Fitness locations and try out a HIIT by LAF class today!*

Illinois

Tinley Park (Signature Club)

Coming Soon!

Arizona

PHOENIX BELL RD, AZ

California

AGOURA HILLS (SIG), CA
NORWALK IMPERIAL HWY, CA
MISSION VIEJO – ALICIA PKWY, CA
SANTA ANA – 17TH STREET, CA

Texas

DALLAS MOCKINGBIRD @ LEMON (DALLAS), TX
FRISCO MARKETPLACE/ PARKWAY (DALLAS), TX
MCKINNEY CUSTER (DALLAS), TX
SACHSE (DALLAS), TX
SPRING-KUYKENDAHL (SIG), TX

Canada

NORTH YORK-YONGE ST (SIG), ONT

*Results may vary. HIIT by LAF is available to LA Fitness members 16 years of age or older (or at least 13 years of age and accompanied by a parent or legal guardian) who have purchased Spectrum-branded programming, as indicated on such members’ membership agreements. A parent or legal guardian must sign membership agreement on behalf of members under 18 years of age. Non-LA Fitness members must provide valid I.D. and sign a waiver of liability to use HIIT by LAF studios. Please visit a HIIT by LAF studio for more information, including membership options and pricing.

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