Jersh Fit

Hey ya'll! My name is Josh Nguyen, a senior at the University of Central Arkansas. My best friend is my dog, Titan.

[jershfit]

So just a little comparison between the years. The upper left corner was me at orange beach 2 years ago with some friends. Not much lifting besides the occasional weekday. The bottom left is me a year later slowly getting into a regular schedule but still not too committed. Finally the right side is me this year at orange beach, with a bout 15 more pounds of muscle. Progress is progress.

[jershfit]

No don't keep doing that

So just a little more gym ettiqutte and some do's and don'ts. So hey part 2! 1. Why are you wearing that? When I workout I like to wear some soccer pants and maybe a tank top because it's still loose fitting but it still covers everything up and is still rather conservative. But I don't think there's a reason to wear your cut off shirts that has the cut go all the way down to your waist (not much of a shirt), or your lifting leotards. Girls, I know you've been working on ya glutes but if you wear yoga pants to workout it can be distracting, especially if you don't have something covering it up. "But josh, whatever we can wear whatever we want". Yes true, but you're there to workout and get yourself better, not be a distraction. Rant over. 2. I'm sorry I can't hear you Don't be that person to let out that war cry yell when ever you get that last rep. I do a little heavy breathing myself whenever I'm doing some heavy weights, but the people in the cardio room shouldn't hear my sounds of freedom and gainz. 3. l0l :) omg gtg at the gym I love my phone. I'm attatched to it probably. But please don't be on your phone unless its to skip that ad on spotify when you're working out. Especially during busy hours of the gym, don't sit at one of the machines and text the whole time. Once again i'm there to lift weights, do some crunches, and sweat and you texting the whole time when I'm trying to use that machine is kinda making me peeved. 4. sharing is caring Speaking of people using the machines too much, it's okay to ask if you can work in. It's two birds with one stone. You still get to work in and while the other perosn is workout out you can get a short break (which is good) before your next set. BUT if anyone ever asks to work in with you, don't be a tool. The answer should always be yes. 5. Wait that's weird. stop So not a very clever caption. But i'm just gonna spit out some sweet knowledge. Deodorant is nice. Cologne is not. Stop taking selfies in the weight room. Stop taking selfies in the cardio room. Stop taking mirror pics in the bathroom. If you flex in the mirror we're not looking because we're amazed. We're looking because we're judging. Judging real hard.

[jershfit]

I hate mornings

So unlike most people who can wake up at their first alarm at 6:30 in the morning, I have at least 5 alarms per day to get my butt out of bed. But for some reason I decided to hop out, put the nikes on, and hit the road for a quick run and full body weight excercise. Here's the workout this morning 2.5 mile run 1st group 60 situps 30 pushups 2 minute plank 2nd group 30 jump squats 20 leg lifts (both legs at the same time) 10 lunges each leg So after my run I would do 1 set of the first group, then a set of the 2nd group. Short rest and then back at it.

[jershfit]

No don’t do that

So I’ve spent a decent amount of time in various gyms to compile some do’s and don’ts. Most of these are kinda unwritten laws and subjective (or some pet peeves) so take it how you want.

1. Don’t curl the squat bar.

The squat stations are called squat stations for that reason. You’ll see some people head over to the stations and start curling the bar. We have dumbbells and ez curl bars for that and you kinda look funny curling such a long bar.

2. Wipe off your bench.

Now there won’t always be a towel to wipe off the bench but do your best to wipe of your sweat off a bench. It’s super gross laying down and there’s a pool of the last person’s sweat on it. And its unsanitary. 

3. No spitting in the water fountain.

In the hper there’s literally a sign in front of it that says not to do it. And I don’t want my face 3 inchs from your saliva

4. Rack your weights

We’re adults. Put it back. 

5. Don’t gather the weights.

If you’re doing multiple sets at different weights, don’t be that person that has 8 different weights sitting around you. You’re not the only person in the gym. 

So these are just some of the gym etiquette I’ve learned throughout the years.  

[jershfit]

Barbell shrugs are great and it hits all of those upper back and neck muscles. There’s multiple ways to do shrugs with different grips and motions. Some people like using the free bar, some like using the assisted bar on the tracks. I like to use a free bar with an over under grip. For the motion I just go shrug straight up, contrary to those who want to do a more circular motion. 

The Barbell row also helps hit those hard to hit back muscles and can really bring a lot of definition. Keep a straight back, slightly bent over. With an over under grip (or both overhand grip if you feel more comfortable) bring the bar straight up to your waist and slowly bring it down.

Combining these two for a super set will really wear you out. Try doing a set of shrugs 20 times and go straight into the rows for a set of 10. Repeat 3 times. 

[pumpupapp]

4 moves, 10 minutes, one amazing ab workout

Here’s a new and fun way to challenge your core in just 10 minutes! Strengthening these muscles will also improve your balance and stability.

In and outs

Toe touches

Plank to wall jumps

Mountain climbers

Learn more about the workout

[jershfit]

New Personal Best!

[jershfit]

I believe I can fly... I kinda hate myself for that title. Anyways here's a variation of the cable chest fly I did earlier today. Usually I do it standing up and and the rest position my arms are squared. I saw a seat and thought i could incorporate it and it did the trick. Sit where the cables are the same distance on both sides and arms are outstretched. Pull them down laterally until your fists are touching your thighs. It's a great chest, core, shoulder, and bicep exercise and it defintely confuses the muscles. Do about 3 sets for 8 to 10 reps each. P.S. sorry for looking like a derp. Faces aren't my thing when working out. P.P.S. I do use those headphones this picture is just a bad representation.

[jershfit]

And I keep runnin, running

S/O to the black eyed peas amirite? Sorry for that awful title. So i'm back from the beach and after multiple days and nights drinking light beer and eating a lot (and i mean a lot) of fried seafood I'm back in the natural state. And with a less than great work out facility at the hotel (a treadmil and a cheap bowflex) I can finally get back in my groove again, but unfortunately the hper is still closed so I had to make due with what I got. Which is nike Frees and my dog. So here's my workout today! I ran for a solid 25 minutes with Titan which is about 2 and half to 3 miles. Then came home for a circuit workout. All you need is a towel under you to cushion your bum. pushups x 20 leg lifts x 15 side planks (each side) x 1 min russian twists x 30 repeat this circuit 3 times and your core should be on fire (not literally).

[jershfit]

Life's a beach, i'm just playing in the sand

Hi! So beach season is on the way and I'll be spending the next couple of days at a nice condo with my feet in the sand. But just because its my day off doesn't mean i should take a day off. Most fitness rooms in hotels are real basic, but they have the right essentials, which usually include a treadmil, some all-in-one fitness machines, and if you're lucky enough some free weights. Lets do a full circuit workout then with what we have. Do a set of max pushups, then a max set of lat pulldowns, then a max set of body weight dips. After each of these run for 10 minutes on the treadmil for 10 minutes. Repeat this set 3 times and finish with 2 minutes of situps.

[jershfit]

Some days you just don't have time and can't make it to the gym. I found this quick 8 minute ab workout which has some pretty interesting sets and exercises, which is nice to switch up sometimes because some of them I would never have thought to do. The exercises here vary in difficulty but most really aren't that bad, although there is that guy talking in the background with a monotoned voice. I advise to put some music on in the back to get you really pumped up and watch and imitate the model.

[jershfit]

Cardi-yo! So a couple of weeks ago I posted about how much i didn't like to run. Well sometimes that changes. It was super nice the other day and Titan had been in his crate all day, so I decided to lace up the nike's, put some short shorts on, and hit the road. It was the first time I ran on the street in a long time because it's been so cold lately, and it's the first time that Titan had run too. We ended doing a mini tour around University of Central Arkansas totally about 3 miles. It was tough for me and I'm not going to lie I had to stop here and there to catch my breath I mean to let Titan catch his breath.. All in all it was actually pretty fun and it was so nice outside that I didn't mind running at all. With a good playlist of your favorite songs, comfy shoes, and man's bestfriend (dog (specifically my dog)) it was quite enjoyable. I also got to take my shirt off which is super vain of me, but I'm trying to get that sprang break tan. P.S. sorry if Titan pooped in your yard.

[jershfit]

[jershfit]

Spring Brizzle 2k1fizzle

So tis the season for Spring Break and for some of us that means the beach. So obviously we want to look good when we take off our shirts. But there really isn't much time to get our Arnold biceps or track star abs in a week, BUT that doesn't mean we don't have time to tone up before we leave. Here's a few quick tips to get your body ready for that cruise (or PCB). - Right before you go to bed max out on situps and pushups. Which means do as many situps you can, flip over and do as many pushups you can, then roll in to bed and go to sleep. When you wake up roll out of bed and max out again on situps and push ups. -Stairs. As awful as it is stairs can help tone your legs but the hardest part is choosing them over the elevator. - Parking is always a hassle and I'll spend 10 minutes circling the same parking lot waiting for someone to leave or creeping behind someone walking to their car so I can park four rows closer to where I need to be. That same amount of time I spent circling around I could have parked a little further away and probably made it to my destination by that time. This also makes me walk a little longer as well.

[jershfit]

So decline press has become one of my favorite things to do. It helps with lower parts of your pectorial muscles. Make sure you have a good spotter. On bars there are two notches to help with hand positioning. I like to put my pinky fingers close to it. Extend your arms all the way up and then lower it to where it touches your chest. A good set is a warm up of 8 to 10. I've been doing pretty big jumps in weight and lower reps per set. My set today was a warm up of 135x10, 195x6, 225x3, and 245x2. Big reps build muscle while lower reps build definition.

[jershfit]

Cardi-no

Yall fitness is a big thing in my life. Some days I feel real jittery if I don't hit the gym or do some sort of lifting. Sometimes you can even catch me in the HPER at late hours because it's been a busy day. But honestly you won't see me much on the treadmil..mainly because I hate running. Seriously. If I could go the rest of my life without ever traveling at a brisk pace, I would do it without hesitation. But just like lifting weights, cardio is necessary for a balanced fitness life. But if you're like me and can't go 5 minutes without getting bored walking at an incline, we can work on it together. What i've started to do is using the stationary bike more often. It's low impact on the knees, and can still help work up a sweat. Many bikes have programs that help with either cardio, calorie burning, or just regular warm ups. If we can do a solid 30 minute stationary bike excercise, we're doing pretty good. But in all honesty, the best cardio I have ever done was good ole' fashion wrestling. Back in my glory days, 5 minutes of live wrestling felt like 3 miles. If you have some sort of access to full body conditioning like this, take it! It's going to be awful for sure, but going to that kickboxing studio class or zumba class can still help! Any place is a start!

[jershfit]

The Karate Kid pt. II

Hey yall! Sorry I haven't posted in a bit, I'm getting through my annual "get really sick for a week" phase, so hopefully it'll pass pretty soon. So I haven't really been able to lift much because apparently it's a good idea to rest while you're sick, but that doesn't mean I can't tell other people what to do! Remember my friend Lacy that I was helping a couple weeks ago? Well we've still been at it, and i'll walk you through our last workout. Start with a 15 minute warm up on a stationary bike (20 minutes if you're trainer is late. whoops) to get your legs loose and ready. We're going to mainly be working on our legs and core today. The lifts are as followed Weighted lunges 3x8 leg press 4x8 leg extensions 4x8 squat jumps 3x15 weighted sit ups 2x15 leg raises 2x15 It's a high intensity workout meant to be done one after another with short breaks. This will work on building up your endurance and burning a lot more calories. Try to save the squat jumps (in wrestling we called these monkey jumps, but tomato tomatoe amirite) for last. This way you're really pushing your body to its limit because it's not going to be easy.