What happens if you get injured? Well, that depends on the injury, but continue working out. Of course, check with your doctor before beginning any fitness program, and if you can, exercise your other body parts that aren’t affected. Case in point: this morning I met this twenty-something year old gal in the gym who said she just started back after a year off due to a knee injury. She also said she exercised all time before getting hurt. So I asked her, “What about the rest of your body, like your abs, chest and arms?” She just shrugged her shoulders and gave me a look. But the reality is, what about the rest of her body? She thought she had a reason not to go to the gym because she had a knee injury, right? I disagree. Because if you’re able to workout around your injury, i.e., to safely avoid additional injury, then why not? Because your injury, it’s only a temporary limitation. Plus, exercising may help speed the recovery process, not to mention the mental benefits of knowing your body’s not losing a step because of a temporary limitation. Enjoy today’s 5 Minute Fat Burning Workout #62 – Triangle Pose. – R
Try something different
I was inspired by my sister this morning when she said, “sometimes it’s good to just try something different”. She was speaking about a situation that turned positive for her once she tried something different. I agreed. Because oftentimes a fresh approach will give you that winning formula. Whether it be that dream job you desire, or that daily fitness program you’ve been thinking about. So try something different with today’s 5 Minute Fat Burning Workout #60 – Beautify Those Buns II. Happy Easter! Enjoy – R
Dodgers anyone?
I’m still a NY Yankees fan, but my favorite team is the LA Dodgers – the city in which I live. So when the Dodgers were taken over by Major League Baseball, it opened the door for new owners to usher in a new era of Dodger baseball, with Don Mattingly at the helm and stars Andre Ethier & Matt Kemp leading the charge. Although I’m not listed among the Top 10 potential suitors, at least not today, I believe any one of these Hollywood powerhouses will do just fine (as listed by The Hollywood Reporter): Mark Attanasio, Thomas Barrack, Eli Broad, Mark Cuban, Dennis Gilbert, Alec Gores, Peter Guber, Magic Johnson, Casey Wasserman, and Tom Werner. I’ve never met any of these men, but their successes speak for themselves. So let’s get this party started and bring some new energy to our team! Just like you can energize your mind & body with today’s 5 Minute Fat Burning Workout #58 – Killer Abs II. Enjoy – R
They’re not superfluous
There are many things in life that are not superflous, that is to say, not unnecessary. Like brushing your teeth or going to the doctor. So when my friend said to me, “you know, your 5 minute workouts, they’re not superflous, especially for people not working out,” I paused for a moment, then smiled as I realized the power of this eloquent double negative. Because regardless of what type of physical fitness you choose, the concept of exercising everyday is necessary. That is to say, if you believe that strengthening and preserving your body for the long haul is not superfluous. Enjoy blasting your thighs again using cool lunge variations in today’s 5 Minute Fat Burning Workout #53. – R
50 workouts in 50 days
Just the other day I blogged ‘What’s so special about 40’. Actually, it was 10 days ago but it feels like yesterday. That’s how quickly time passes. But from then until now, you could have exercised with me 5 minutes each day (for about an hour). For anyone not currently working out, that’s a great start. Imagine if you’ve been following along the past 50 days. That would mean you exercised everyday for a total of 250+ minutes or more than 4 hours. A lot more, right, with the key here being the everyday part. And from my other DVD offering, Rich Tola’s 15 Minute Fat Burning Workouts, I believe everyone should dedicate at least 1% of their life to physical fitness, i.e., 15 minutes. Based on yoga principles, my workouts are designed to challenge your entire body with low-impact exercises that can be done anytime, anywhere. Or if you prefer more yoga, check out my Yoga Survival Guide for 5 minute lessons of 100 yoga poses. Have fun opening your heart & hips with today’s 5 Minute Fat Burning Workout #50 – Bridge! – R
Set your sights and manifest it
I was reading Architectural Digest this morning when I came across an eye-catching ad for the new solar-powered luxury car by Fisker Automotive. It’s called the Karma and I’ve been reading about it for the past year. Actually, I’ve been thinking how great it would be to own one. But since I don’t currently have an extra $100,000 laying around, I’ve opted to set my sights and just manifest it, i.e., make it happen. I even cut out the great looking ad, placing it on my filing cabinet so it stays fresh in my mind. Like anything in the world you deeply desire, set your sights and manifest it. Even a daily fitness program. You can start with only 5 minutes a day. Like today’s 5 Minute Fat Burning Workout #48 – Down Dog Chest & Arms. Enjoy – R
Is luck finding you?
Thomas Jefferson, author of The Declaration of Independence and third President of the United States, once said, “I’m a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it.” Similar to General George Washington’s belief ‘if we’re always doing’ (see blog from April 6th), luck has a way of finding us if we’re working hard at something. Like fitness. If you workout everyday and begin to experience A) more energy, B) increased self-esteem, C) a more positive attitude toward yourself and others, or D) a healthy glow in your face, are you just lucky or is luck finding you? Of course luck is finding you because you’re “doing”, and in the “doing” comes results. It’s not luck. It’s your hard work getting rewarded with the benefits of a daily fitness routine. So keep it going with my 5 Minute Fat Burning Workout #46 – Killer Squats – and let luck find you!
What’s so special about 40?
In the Holy Bible, there’s plenty of references to the number 40: it rained for 40 days and 40 nights when God wanted to cleanse the earth; Noah waited another 40 days after it rained before he opened a window in the Arch; Moses was on the mountain with God for 40 days (twice); the Israelites spent 40 years in the wilderness – one for each day they explored the Promised Land; Goliath came for 40 days – morning and evening – before being slain by David; Jesus fasted for 40 days in the wilderness; and Jesus appeared for 40 days after his crucifixion to speak about the kingdom of God. In the Bible there’s also reference to your physical body as being a temple – a temple that should be respected. Regardless of your religious beliefs, respect your temple today and strengthen your shoulders, chest & arms with my 5 minute fat burning workout #40. Enjoy – R
The door is open
You may have heard the old Chinese proverb, “Teachers open the door. You enter by yourself.” When it comes to working out, this is 100% true. Because the hard part of physical fitness is that no one can do it for you. Knowing what to do is the easy part. It is, when you’re practicing along with my 5 minute fat burning workouts. Short, effective and uniquely challenging, these workouts are meant to teach you the right exercises using the proper technique. They’ll also motivate you to do more, and serve as a confidence builder if you’re new to fitness. The door is open, but you must enter by yourself. So enter freely with some detoxifying lunge twists in today’s daily workout #35. Enjoy – R
Healthy Diet + Daily Exercise = Success
We all know the meaning of a healthy diet, right? And we all know what it means to exercise daily – or at least if you’ve been following along the past 33 days you know you can exercise for as little as 5 minutes a day. So why is it so hard to combine the two to achieve a successful result? Well, although the definition of success may be different for each of us, the certainty in the above referenced equation is the plus and the equals part. If you eat healthy and workout everyday you will certainly achieve success as it relates to preserving your body for the long term. And hopefully you’re not fooling yourself when it comes to a healthy diet and daily exercise – because there is no substitute. So watch your diet, do something physical fitness everyday, and keep with your positive thoughts and feelings! Enjoy shaping your legs and biceps with today’s 5 minute fat burning workout #33. And I’ll see you next time – R