Fitness Photography Fort Lauderdale

FITNESS PHOTOGRAPHY FORT LAUDERDALE

Over the years we’ve had the pleasure to work with some awesomely ripped individuals in the fitness industry. Some of them have been just regular people looking to get some fitness photographs of all their hard work, to professional fitness trainers looking for promotional fitness photography for their business, to full on body building competitors coming to us right before or after their body building competitions. Of course the idea is to capture the athelet when they are at their peak physical shape, just days before the contest, when they are at their best!  Our fitness photography has been featured inside and on the covers of various fitness and muscle magazines throughout the world and we are thrilled to have been able to work with these amazingly dedicated fitness individuals.

Take a look at some of our newest fitness photography images ….

Posted in Fitness Photography, Model Photography Fort Lauderdale South Florida | Tagged female fitness model photography, fitness, fitness competition photography, fitness photographer fort lauderdale, fitness photography fort lauderdale, photography

Fitness Photography Fort Lauderdale – Susana & Jeromy

FEATURED

Posted on April 21, 2014 by ksteyn

Recently we had the pleasure of photographing Susana and Jeromy at our new studio right after the NPC Southeast Classic held this month in Fort Lauderdale.  Susana placed First Overall in Women’s Physique and you can see her hard work paid off!

Posted in Fitness Photography | Tagged female fitness model photography, fitness competition photography, fitness photographer fort lauderdale, fitness photography fort lauderdale, fitness photography ft lauderdale, fitness photography south florida

Fitness Photographer – Fort Lauderdale

Posted on September 5, 2012 by ksteyn

Here are some recent shots we have taken of various fitness competitors showing off all their hard work!  If you are looking to get some awesome results shots done for yourself call us at the studio,  we’ll be happy to help you get the look you want! Call us at 954-351-8884 today to book your shoot!

Posted in Fitness Photography, Model Photography Fort Lauderdale South Florida | Tagged female fitness model photography, fitness photographer fort lauderdale, fitness photography fort lauderdale,fitness photography ft lauderdale, fitness photography south florida, male fitness model portfolio

5 Tips to a Successful Fitness Program

5 Tips to a Successful Fitness Program

Fitness can be fun and exciting, but for many of us, it is a tough routine to get into. First and far most it is due to not knowing "how" to start a fitness regime. We can train ourselves to do anything as long as we stay focused on our goals. It takes will power! Below are  5 tips I'd like to share for those who are starting from scratch.

1) Start Slow
The first thing to remember when embarking on a fitness routine for the first time is to start off gently. I realize that if you have set a particular weight loss or fitness goal, you might be eager to get going as fast as possible, but it is important to begin subtly like taking brisk walks a couple of times a week. That might not sound like much, but remember that you are trying to establish a regiment. You need slow encouragements, even if the encouragement are small and from yourself. The key is to find something you enjoy doing. Don't be afraid to experiment by trying out new things. For example, you try a dancing class, or take up roller skating. You don't necessarily need to spend hours in the gym. Make sure you eat well after any workout to help your muscles recover, and consider using specialist products like oxygen canisters (like those you can see here) to achieve the same goal. 

2) Make a Plan
My next tip is to think ahead. Each week, you need to take a look at what your other plans or commitments are, and pinpoint when you will have time to exercise. Slot in the times to work out each week, depending on your level of fitness and how intense the activity you are doing is. For example, if you are quite unfit and have taken up running for the first time, it's probably best to go three times a week to give your muscles time to recover between sessions. Taking the time to fit those exercise times in will help eliminate the excuse that you are too busy to work out. Being organized is all it takes sometimes. Make a plan and stick to it unless it is absolutely necessary to make a change. 

3) Improve Your Diet
If you are planning on shedding a few pounds, it is very likely you will need to change your diet - as well as do more exercise. Of course, the idea of swapping a juicy hamburger for a crisp salad is a bit of a turn-off. The harsh switch might not be taken so well by your body or the mental satisfaction. I suggest rather than attempting to cut out anything that could be considered unhealthy, aim to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your meals. Another easy way to gage your meals is to 'add color to every plate'. Eat leaner meats as opposed to fattier cuts. Be aware of the labels and always try to go for the less fat, reduce fat, zero fat anytime possible. You are making progress, don’t fret. If you need to lose some weight, you will probably need to reduce your portion sizes too. 

4) Stick to a Routine
Routines are very important in our lives. We wake up at a certain time to go to work. Our bodies get adjusted to the time. Even on the weekends my body would wake up at the time that I normally do on the weekdays. Essentially, our bodies would react to exercise routines the same way. Imagine that you set a certain time to run in the mornings, or to do yoga in the evenings. Your body would crave this at the time you set for yourself. Soon enough you will be itching to exercise if you've ever missed it. To establish a routine it is said that you must stick to the new plan for at least two weeks straight. For example, I used to have a habit of making the indulgent Café Sua Da with condense milk. It has so much cholesterol, and fat - but it is delicious. So weaning myself off it wasn't easy, but I did. With all the habits I shook off, I stuck to it for two weeks. If I don’t succeed, then I would start again. The next time, instead of skipping every day, I skipped every other day. Until I am set on that schedule, only then I would push for another day and so on. 

5) Don't Be Extreme
My final tip, which I mentioned briefly just a moment ago, is to avoid extremes. There are so many fad diets and challenging, one size fits all exercise plans out there, but I think it is best to aim for moderation and balance. After all, the more extreme options are not really sustainable in the long-term, which means you're more likely to give up and feel disappointed.

You can do it! 
• Just take it slow, exercise your will power,
• make a plan,
• improve your diet,
• stick to a routine,
• and remember don’t be too extreme.

Skipping in Boxing Fitness Training - How to Get Started, Then Skip Like a Pro

Skipping is the forgotten skill in a boxing workout. But whether you train at home or in the gym, skipping is great for cardio, footwork and to work your legs.

Just a few minutes skipping your routine

Getting Started - choose the right skipping rope

There are many different types of skipping ropes - some are made from plastic, coated wire or even cotton. Weights vary. You can often find a basic plastic rope for $5 or a heavy plastic one for more. I like the thin plastic ones. They are light and they have a good fast feeling through the air. Don't choose a rope that is too heavy at the start because it will tire you out too quickly. Also the heavy ones can hurt when they hit the back of your legs (they will). The super light cotton ones don't really cut it either. They are so light they don't have enough weight to whip through the air quickly. Kickboxers will sometimes skip bare foot, but this can hurt. Skip with shoes, and have plenty of space.

How to skip in 3 steps

Step 1. Skip Without

In other words, put the rope down. You can now focus on the footwork without having to worry about the timing of the rope. The basic boxer's skip is a very small double bounce on the ball of the the feet. 2 on the left, 2 on the right. That's it. Bounce, bounce left... bounce, bounce right. On the balls, not the heels. No too high, so keep the steps small. Find your rhythm. Try this for 2 x 2 minute rounds.

Step 2. Skip with the rope in one hand

Now you've got your footwork, let's work on your timing. If you are right handed take both handles in your right hand (reverse for left handers). Now repeat Step 1, getting on the balls of your feet, with the double bounce. Once you've got that, swing the rope on one side of your feet, holding the rope in one hand. Now you're working on your timing and footwork, just one step short doing full boxers' skipping. Try this for 2 x 2 minute rounds.

Step 3. Full Boxers skipping

Now you're ready to put it all together. Take one handle of the rope in each hand. Now you're trying to do the double bounce (Step 1) with the rope passing under your feet each revolution. Expect to miss many times. But stick with it. Soon enough you will be combining the footwork or Step 1, the timing of Step 2 and the full revolutions under your feet, which is Step 3.

Once you've mastered this you can do sprints and or crossovers, but this takes time.

How to add skipping into your Fitness Boxing routine

Use skipping as a 2 or 3 minute warm up before punch mitts or punching bag. Or use it as a cool down. Some Pro Boxers do 15-20 minutes of skipping - but for fitness boxing you'll find 1- 2 x 3 minute rounds enough. Remember to stretch your calves after. And if you find you are whipping yourself, wear long pants!

What Can A Health and Fitness Professional Do For You?

An inspiring fitness coach and health motivator can quickly identify why you're not getting the results you want and help you to get back on track and moving forward again. Is your diet a mess? Do carbohydrates dominate your day? Is exercise a drag for you? Even if you're retired does working out just seem like too much work? Does stress just eat you up inside and tire you out? Do you have the time to exercise and take care of yourself properly? Do you feel like your too out of shape to ever really get back in shape? Does your back ache most or all of the time and you say to yourself "it just doesn't matter what I do." Are you pre-diabetic or insulin dependent and feel it's just too late for you and no one is willing to help? Do you have medical issues that have interfered with your ability to improve your quality of life? Do you have a hard time following through on what you know is actually good for you? Are you fat and sick and tired of looking at yourself that way?

The right health and fitness professional can empower you to work through your roadblocks. An issue or two that interferes with your real progress and success is very common. The best coaches and motivators know that asking the right questions will help provide you the right insight into your specific situation and give you strategies and solutions to your problems. If you haven't taken the time to sit down and consult with a health and fitness specialist you're wasting a lot of your precious time. I'm sure you can seriously benefit from a health and fitness professional while you get the help you need to feel better about yourself. In the long run it's about you and getting you serious results quickly. In all honesty most clients don't want a trainer, most clients just want the results a good coach can provide them. Just remember you can have lots of fun getting your body and life back.

How do you know if you're hiring the right trainer? Good question. This is paramount to your success and unless you sit down and learn more about the process of how your trainer is going to best provide services to you you're missing a key component immediately. Let me give you some questions that are best asked in advance of hiring your coach and fitness educator...

• Will your prospective trainer perform a health screening, conduct testing, and evaluate your current fitness level? Will they re-access?
• Does your trainer have a network of other health professionals such as physicians, physical therapists, nutrition specialists, and other fitness leaders?
• Can they provide a list of clients who have a similar type of exercise program? Can they show you proof of results from their client base?
• Are they willing and advertising to guarantee results for their clients with a money back guarantee?
• What type of nationally recognized organization are they certified by? Does the fitness professional have a degree in a health or fitness related field?
• How does the trainer keep current on research in strength training and conditioning? How long has the trainer been professionally training clients?

Quite frankly proper screening, assessment, and evaluation has to be apart of your comprehensive program. How else will you measure your progression? Your trainer also needs to be respected for the results he or she provides for their clients, otherwise they're most likely not very good at what they do. A strong network of health professionals confirms you are working with a leader in the field. How many success stories do they actually have? How many testimonials? You should speak with some of their clients to get a better sense of the services you will be receiving. If a prospective fitness coach will not guarantee results, you should look for someone who is confident and will provide a guarantee. Normally the best trainers are highly experienced and credentialed. A national certification from the ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) or NSCA (National Strength and Conditioning Association) is a good sign you're working with a lifelong learner. Continuing education is required by all nationally recognized organizations, but a great coach is constantly learning nonetheless.

Remember, a top quality coach does more than just "take you through a workout." Any moron can count reps and look important by holding a clipboard. Look for a fitness pro who will educate you about all the components needed to achieve your optimal health and fitness results. Your trainer should review nutrition education with you, educate you about proper supplementation, review resistance training (whether that be power training, kettlebells, medicine balls, core work, stability balls, dumbbells, or body weight training). Based on your needs competent professionals will maximize fat burning while implementing the correct dose of cardiovascular conditioning. Expect your "mental development" side of training to flourish with the right educator. Goal setting, putting together a plan of action, and then holding you accountable and supporting you through the entire process is absolutely critical to your success.

Look for someone who will empower you for life! A great fitness coach will do more than just help you to achieve your goals. A true professional will teach you the foundation of knowledge so you will no longer be lost in the "sea of confusion" when it comes to all the diet and exercise hype. Your health and fitness pro will communicate well and explain nutritional components and also explain the exercises and methods to your understanding. Your trainer will listen to what you tell them about your body and the way the exercises feel. Your feedback about exercises and how your body is adapting is huge! The foundation of knowledge, tools, and correct techniques you'll learn will allow you to maintain your results for the rest of your life. That is what a top health and fitness professional can do for you!

Marin health and fitness expert, John Spongberg is the founder of Personal Training in Marin as well as an accomplished author, speaker and life coach. He is dedicated to helping people reach their optimum level of fitness, health and body satisfaction through a unique, comprehensive whole-person approach, customized to each client.

3 Simple Home Fitness Training Exercises for Women

Many women opt to go the home fitness training route simply because it's the most convenient option, especially for women who are constantly juggling their work and home life. With everything that's going on, there's just no time to pack up a gym bag and drive to the nearest fitness center anymore. Luckily, there are some simple, yet effective exercises that can be done at home that cater to the fitness needs of women. Whether the target is to lose weight, sculpt a bikini-ready body, or just to stay in shape, there are quick and easy options today's busy woman can do at home. Here are just some examples of great at-home exercises for women.

1) Pilates - This workout has become one of the most popular exercise routines for women in recent years. This is because this type of workout not only helps in the weight loss effort, it also helps improve flexibility, tone muscles and build up a person's upper and lower body strength. Aside from the exercises done using giant exercise machines at the fitness center, there are also a number of exercises that can be done at home using an exercise mat, a medicine ball and a Pilates ring. For a quick Pilates fix, check out one of the many 10-30 minute Pilates exercise videos online or buy an instructional DVD for a full workout routine.

2) Dance Exercises - The usual aerobic workout can be quite boring, and so fitness experts have decided to inject a little fun into the usually repetitive and monotonous home fitness training routines that people are used to. By combining fun and exciting dance steps with exercise moves that will surely get the blood pumping, dance exercise routines like Zumba, Shawn T.'s Hip Hop Abs, and other exercise videos developed with the help of celebrities and professional dancers, women can now enjoy a 20-60 minute daily workout.

3) Yoga - This ancient Indian tradition has become one of the most popular at-home workouts today. It combines stretching and meditation which helps develop a healthier, fitter body and mind. There are so many variations of yoga to choose from and each has their own health and fitness benefits. In the past, people could only learn yoga through a guru, also known as a yogi. Today, many yoga practitioners are able to meditate and pose their way to fitness even in the comfort of their own home. Beginners may also start their at-home daily yoga routine by buying an instructional video to use as a guide.

The convenience of being able to perform fat burning, muscle toning, and strength building exercises in the comfort of their own home has made home fitness training a popular choice, especially for women. The option of hiring a personal trainer to guide them all throughout the workout process also make things a lot easier, especially for women who find themselves too tired or uninspired to get up and exercise. There are many options available for women who want to stay in shape without having to leave the house. All they need to do is find a fitness program that works for them.

The Fit Fem Studio can get you in shape in the privacy of your own home. With the studio's in home personal training Long Island, women can lose weight without going to the gym. The at home personal training is highly effective and adequate.

Senior Health and Fitness In Your 60's, 70's And Beyond

By now you've come to realize what escapes most younger people - that your physical health and fitness levels are more important than financial security as you approach or enjoy retirement. Senior health wasn't a major concern in your younger days, but it's of ultimate, or at least penultimate importance now. Trouble is, the best of current intentions are up against a lifetime of excesses and abuses your body & mind have endured up to now. Fortunately, while some injuries, handicaps and conditions may now be with you for life, almost everyone can get healthier, get stronger, become more mobile and relieve some of the chronic pain they currently experience. And this is true whether you're in your 60's and 70's, 80's and 90's or even a celebrated centenarian!

Adopting A Fitness Mindset 
Your first step towards true senior health & fitness is an attitude inventory. Think you're too set in your ways to change now, that you 'can't teach an old dog new tricks'? How often were you on the Internet in your twenties? When was the last time you wrote a letter by hand and mailed it to a friend? Did you enjoy your cell phone in your 30's? You've been making changes, some big and some small, all your life. Your path to senior fitness can start with small steps too - unless medical conditions dictate otherwise, you don't need to rush into anything. Start with small changes and let their combined effects grow over time - after all, you're not planning on leaving anytime soon, are you?

Or is that the mindset issue for you? If you're thinking you only have ten or 20 years of life left you may or may not be right, depending on coming advances in medicine, disease control and genetic research. But even if you DO only have ten years left, is that any reason to spend them in declining health and increasing aches and pains if there's a viable option? Decide right now that you want a better, fitter & healthier life no matter how long it proves to be.

Healthy Nutrition For Seniors
Seniors often need fewer daily calories but more nutrients than they did in their younger years. Modern dietary habits may have made your insulin receptors less efficient, your body has probably become less efficient at absorbing Vitamin B-12 and you may need to be taking in more calcium, for example.

Most seniors have become aware of the importance of dietary fibre - but did you know that cinnamon, Omega-3, Vitamin D-3 and red peppers like chili peppers and cayenne pepper can play just as important a role? Senior nutrition is all too often a matter of habit, so take time to learn about modern healthy nutrition practices and adjust your diet and/or supplements to your benefit.

Exercise For Seniors 
It might surprise you to learn that pre-existing conditions aside, your body will respond to exercise now, even if you're 90 or 100, in much the same way it did in your twent6ies or thirties. Exercise will break down the muscle cells and your body will repair them and make them stronger - it just takes a bit longer for the recovery period. Obviously you're not about to stroll into a gym and do 300-pound squats or 200-pound deadlifts, but then most people have never been able to do that at any age if they hadn't already been training for some time.

A sudden increase in exercise levels is never recommended - think of the first time you played with your new grand-baby, lifting them up over your head, swinging them around... Remember how sore you were the next day? You need to ease your body into an increased activity level - start by walking every day. Take your dog for a longer walk, explore new neighborhoods or join a mall-walking group at a local mall. When walking at a comfortable pace for an hour or more no longer leaves you sore or 'too pooped to party', start adding in a bit of weightlifting with the eventual goal of being able to do a complete weightlifting workout once or twice a week.

Weightlifting routines for seniors aren't designed to make you competitive bodybuilders with huge muscles, but rather to help you maintain strength and improve your energy and flexibility. This can lead to improved digestion, burning off excess bodyfat, improved blood sugar and blood pressure levels, better balance to help prevent falls and a host of other benefits for seniors. Many seniors report reduced lower back pain, lessened arthritic pain and a general reduction in the daily aches and pains that plague most seniors.

For post-menopausal women reduced bone density can lead to a condition called osteoporosis, but an effective weightlifting routine can help keep your bone density levels out of that danger zone. Symptoms of other conditions that rob the body of muscle may also be mitigated or delayed by seniors exercising with weights regularly.

Starting Your Seniors Health & Fitness Regime 
Once you've made up your mind that you want to be healthier, stronger, better balanced and have more energy, your first stop is your doctor. While very few family doctors are top experts in fitness nutrition or up to date on the latest exercise research, no one knows more about your current medical condition and any pre-existing conditions you need to be mindful of before changing your nutrition, increasing your activity level or beginning a weightlifting program.

Assuming you get the all-clear from your doctor, the best solution is to get a meal plan from a certified nutritionist and a custom-designed weightlifting program from a certified personal trainer. If geography or finances prohibit the use of one-on-one sessions with trained nutrition and exercise pros, do your due diligence online. But be sure to follow advice only from trustworthy, credible sources - there's as much misinformation as good info about health and fitness online. At the very least, look for advice from those as qualified as you would in the offline world.

Take control of your life and begin a senior health & fitness lifestyle that suits YOU, your life and your situation, and get the most healthy & happy enjoyment you can from today onward!

D. Champigny is a certified personal trainer and publisher of the Flirting With Fitness website and online magazine. You can get more health, 

Fitness Boot Camps - An Affordable Alternative to Personal Training

Sometimes people need a little extra help when trying to exercise and lose weight. They just can't get themselves motivated to do the things that they should each and every day to achieve and maintain fitness. So, many people turn to personal trainers to help them stay motivated about working out. However, there are a lot of people could benefit from working with a personal trainer but can't afford to hire one. And, finding affordable personal training can be tough, especially when many personal trainers charge up to $100.00 an hour and more in some areas.

Thankfully, there is another option for finding affordable personal training and it's not by hiring a less-qualified personal trainer, it's by choosing an alternative to personal training through fitness boot camps. No, not celebrity boot camps like you see on TV where celebrities get yelled and screamed at and pushed beyond their limits. These specialized group fitness classes are instructed by qualified fitness experts but are priced much more affordably.

So, what's the difference between working out with a personal trainer and attending a fitness camp? Not much. Many fitness boot camps are run by qualified personal trainers and group fitness instructors, and the instructional quality is just as high as with personal training. And, although you may be working out in a group with other people, class sizes are typically much smaller than your typical big box gym aerobics class, so you'll get a lot of individual attention despite the group setting.

If you are wondering if the quality of your workout will change because you are working out with a group, it won't.

Why? Because working out with a group with like-minded goals will encourage you to keep going when you think that you don't have it in you to continue. And, you are going to get affordable personal training when you use a fitness boot camp. At prices from $150 to $300 a month for three to five days a week of training, this is an affordable option that makes it easy to get the professional fitness training you need to meet your fitness goals... all while staying within your budget.

So how effective are these fitness camps? Fitness boot camps focus on every aspect of getting in shape. You'll do cardiovascular exercises, strength training exercises, increase flexibility with stretching, and learn how to challenge yourself in every aspect of fitness. Choosing a fitness boot camp as an affordable alternative to personal training is a wise fitness and financial decision. You owe it to yourself to get the best fitness training possible and at the best price; choosing a boot camp fitness class will allow you to do both.