GRIPAD ® Blog

Start The New Year off on the Right Foot

Are you ready to make 2012 the best year ever? Are you ready to hit the ground running and get the most out of every one of the coming 365 days? Are you ready to face your challenges, stand up to your fears, overcome obstacles and step into the lean, strong, healthy body you deserve? Great! There’s never been a better time to start eating healthier and taking better care of yourself so you can better care for others who depend on you.

This means exercise. If you currently have a go-to workout routine, it’s time to take it up a notch and start pushing your limits. And if you’ve never put on a running shoe or set foot in a gym, now is the time to start. Here are few things you’ll need:

Clear Goals:

If you know exactly why you’re working out, it will be easier to call your motivation to mind when the going gets tough. Do you want to lose 15 pounds by May? Do you want to protect your heart? Do you want to strengthen your bones, maintain sharp focus, or increase the strength of specific muscle groups? Do you want to improve your performance in a specific sport?

A Plan:

Once you have clear goals in mind, you’ll need a roadmap to get you to your destination. Talk to a trainer to get help, or sign up for a class with an instructor who can keep you on track. There’s no harm in making your own plan, just be sure it’s realistic and be ready to make adjustments as you go.

The Right Gear:

Check your shoes. Make sure they’re durable and appropriate for your chosen activity. Make sure your workout clothes are breathable and moisture-wicking, warm or cool enough for your indoor or outdoor venue, and comfortable. And if you’ll be doing resistance training (which you should!) make sure you have adequate hand protection. Weights and machines can be rough on your palms, and you don’t want minor injuries to slow you down.

Is it Time For a Change?

No matter how great your results may be and how many benefits your workout provides for your health, your emotional outlook, your body and your social life, you may reach a point at which it’s time to make a change. Keep an eye out for some common signs. If you notice any of these things taking place, it may be time to take action before you start losing interest in your workout or compromising your results by phoning it in.

1. You don’t look forward to your workout like you used to. If you’re not looking forward to your gym time each day, and you’re starting to come up with a long list of valid reasons to skip it, stop and take a closer look. Working out shouldn’t be a passing interest or a temporary phase—It should be a regular, long term aspect of a healthy lifestyle. If the gym is starting to become a drag, ask yourself why. Is it too far away from where you work or live? Are your monthly fees too high? Is the social scene becoming a problem? Maybe it’s time to look for a new gym. Find a new venue. Don’t just stop.

2. You’re experiencing pain or inconvenience. Do you have an aching joint that’s subtly sapping your motivation? Are your hands getting blisters? Change your gear, or start working out with Gripads. Have any nagging pain, no matter how minor, looked at by a doctor. Do whatever you need to do to, but don’t give up your exercise routine altogether.

3. You’re bored. If you go through the same repetitive motions and use the same machines for the same number of reps during every session and you’ve been keeping this up for months or years, then it’s natural to start feeling like you have better things to do. Talk to a trainer, or sign yourself up for a fitness class. A class in yoga, spinning or martial arts can help you learn new skills, meet new people and maintain your interest.

Get the Most Out of Your Resistance Training Routine by Protecting Your Hands

When it comes to weight training, especially for beginners, one tiny blister can be a small but powerful de-motivator. And after a few weeks on the machines, if your hands look raw, chapped, blistered or calloused, it’s suddenly easy to come up with a million reasons to skip the gym or pass by the weight room.

But it’s better not to let this happen. And here’s why. Weight training provides an essential balance to your workout routine, toning and tightening muscle groups that may not be reached by your cardio workout. Adding just twenty minutes of resistance to your current workout can offer an astonishing range of benefits, including better posture, better sleep, a more positive outlook, a stronger upper body, improved circulation, and even better bone health. When your exercise routine contains an element of weight training at least a few time a week, you don’t just look better in a bathing suit—You may actually be adding years to your life.

So don’t let a little thing like a blister or sore palm stand in your way. Protect your hands! Gloves are a fine way to do this, but gloves can collect sweat and bacteria and interfere with your range of motion. A better idea? Gripads! Slide on a lightweight pair of these durable, moisture-wicking neoprene pads and you’ll be the one who decides how many reps you do, not your hands. Gripads come in a range of colors and sizes and are small enough to toss into a bag or purse on your way to the gym. They slide on and off easily and don’t constrict your movements, like gloves can. And their tough, hard-working pads help you maintain your grip on heavy bars, ropes and machines. Try a pair today, and feel the difference!

Choosing the Right Gear for Your Winter Workout

The right gear is an essential component of a successful workout plan, no matter the season. But during the winter, staying warm and wicking moisture away from your skin while maintaining a full range of motion can be a challenge. It’s also a good idea to protect your face and hands from dryness and chapping. Chapped dry hands and abrasive gym equipment can lead to blisters and injuries that can get in the way of a positive workout.

First, consider your clothing and shoes. Modern synthetic fabrics can provide powerful protection while staying close the body and adding very little weight. During the summer, it’s always a good idea to choose natural fabrics like cotton whenever possible, but in the wintertime, synthetics may be a better fit. If you’re working out indoors, make your decision based on comfort. But if you’re planning on going outside for a run or a turn on outdoor exercise equipment, choose your gear carefully and dress in layers. Make sure your socks are warm and your shoes are suitable for the weather. And don’t forget to protect your ears. The heat of a workout can make you forget about your extremities.

Second, consider your skin. This means moisturizer for your lips and face, and suitable protection for your hands. Even indoors, dry air can increase chapping and make your hands vulnerable to abrasions. Your palms deserve the protection of a workout glove that’s durable, lightweight, moisture wicking, and easy to slip on and off. Gripad weight lifting gloves can protect your hands in ways that regular gloves can’t. While providing a tough neoprene pad that stands between your skin and rough equipment, Gripads also allow your hands to breathe freely and move naturally. Forget about sweat build-up and bacteria growth, and stay focused on your workout goals. Try Gripads this winter, and keep your exercise routine on track.

Preventing Holiday-Related Workout Setbacks: Three Important Tips

The winter season is famous for placing obstacles in the path of even the most dedicated workout regulars. This is the time of year when the weather gets cold and heading to the gym becomes more of a chore. It’s also the season when stress and holiday-related obligations begin to crowd gym-time out of our schedules. Meanwhile, social engagements pile up, along with a bounty of unhealthy, gravy-laden dinner plates and rich desserts. But be strong! Don’t let these things derail your exercise goals. Keep your workout routine on track with these healthy tips.

First, keep healthy eating habits under control. Before heading off to a party or event where there may be chocolaty treats displayed on every flat surface, eat an apple. Or try a banana and maybe a bowl of cereal. Fill your belly with nutrition and volume and you’ll be more focused on what you’re doing and less inclined to snack idly.

Second, make working out a priority. Don’t let your routine get pushed to the bottom of the list. Hanging tinsel can wait. You didn’t get a body this strong and healthy by placing exercise last on your list of things to do. If working out feels selfish during this season of giving, remember: You can always do more for others when you take care of your own health first.

Finally, plan ahead. If you intend to head for the gym in the middle of the workday, make sure you have all your gear with you. Travel light if your need to—a single change of clothes, a pair of sneakers and your Gripads may be all you need. But make sure you have them. Each move throughout the day should be efficient and well planned. Don’t waste time or retrace your steps if you don’t need to.

Protect Your Hands While You Work Out

If you’re planning to add an element of weight lifting or resistance training to your regular workout, there are a few things you’ll need to hear before you begin. First, congratulations! Strength training can be a highly rewarding challenge and a great way to balance your growth, tone and tighten your major muscle groups, and double the benefits of your existing routine. Second, make sure you take the right approach and obtain all the gear you need before you begin. In addition to a set of weights, appropriate machines, or a suitable gym, you’ll also need a way to protect your hands from rough bars and equipment. And your hand protection should help you maintain your grip, so bars and weights don’t slide out of your control.

Chalk can help you maintain your grip, and gloves can protect your hands, but both of these methods have limits. Chalk won’t do anything to prevent damage and injury. And gloves can collect moisture and breed bacteria, in addition to restricting your full range of motion. The answer: Gripad weight lifting gloves. Gripads can provide both control and hand protection, without any movement restriction, bacteria or chalky mess. These tough, durable little pads work as hard as you do, and they stand between your healthy palms and abrasive surfaces that can cause callouses, blisters and injuries.

Gripads consist of a durable foam pad surrounded by a layer of moisture-wicking neoprene. They slide easily on and off without covering your whole hand, allowing your skin to breath naturally. And they have the strength to stand up to the challenges of your toughest routine. Best of all, Gripads are so soft and lightweight that you can easily forget you’re wearing them. They’re easy to clean and easy to carry– Just toss a pair into your bag before you head for the gym. Make Gripads an essential part of your gear and never worry about hand protection again.

Exercise and Your New Year’s Resolutions

New Year’s Eve may be a few weeks away, but if you expect 2012 to be the year you get in shape and stay in shape, the time to take action is now. Here are a few tips that can help you lay the groundwork for a successful plan and a healthy year.

Above all else, prepare to be patient and disciplined. You will need to gather your gear and begin your workout during every scheduled session, without fail, so make sure you’re ready to shake off minor setbacks and frustrations and stick to the plan. Getting in shape can be a rough road, but people do it every day. Just know that you’ll need to stay level-headed and determined, probably for months or more, before you start seeing measurable results.

Set clear, realistic goals before you form a plan. Don’t expect to lose fifty pounds by February. If you aren’t sure what a realistic goal is for someone at your starting point, there are plenty of resources you can turn to, including your doctor, a trainer at your local gym, or even the internet. You should definitely consult a doctor if you’ve never worked out before or if you have any existing health problems that might affect your plans.

Develop a workout routine that pushes your limits without becoming painful. You should feel great at the end of every workout session. But you should also feel tired, your breathing rate should be elevated, and you should be sweating. If your routine is genuinely unpleasant, you run the risk of demotivating yourself. If it’s too easy, you’ll see a frustrating lack of results.

Make sure you have the right gear. Don’t wait till January 1^st to figure out what you need to complete your routine. Start now by investing in the right shoes and comfortable clothing that breathes and wicks away moisture. You’ll also need hand protection, like a good pair of Gripad weight lifting gloves, so you can add resistance training to your cardio routine without hurting your hands.

Five Great Reasons to Start an Exercise Plan Today

Are all the pies and holiday cookies starting to weigh you down? Is the cold weather making you reconsider taking your dog for a run in the park? Do you need a reason to get up and get moving? Well you’re in luck, because we’ve got five of them, and these may be the best motivators out there during a sluggish season when our thoughts turn toward hibernation.

First, if you exercise now, you’ll make things easier on yourself when the spring comes. Preventing weigh gain is far easier than reversing it. Stay lean and mean during the indoor months and you won’t have a mountain to climb right before bathing suit season.

Second, exercise feels great! This is just as true in January as it is in May. The endorphin rush that comes from a great workout session is one of the surest ways to attack the winter blues. Exercise and a healthy diet can also help you maintain your general health and immunity to colds and flu.

Third, exercise gets you out and about. A daily or semi-weekly excursion to the gym will break up the well- worn path between home and work and will help you maintain your circulation, both physically and socially.

Fourth, a regular workout can help you maintain a casual relationship with the holiday snack table. This is the season of parties, dinner engagements and an endless supply of treats and cakes in the break room. If you’re working out and staying healthy, the cookies hold no power over you. Indulge if you choose, steer clear if you don’t. You can’t go wrong either way.

And finally, working out will keep you strong. You want to be ready to face the season’s challenges, right? Who knows when you might need to strap a tree on top of a car or carry a metric ton of presents home from the store? And that heavy hot cocoa mug certainly isn’t going to lift itself.

Building a Strong Support Network

Who do want close to you when you face your biggest challenges? How can you tell when someone has your back one hundred percent? And who are you ready to motivate, encourage, and counsel with the same energy and commitment that they provide to you? If you have a name that comes to mind immediately in response to each of these questions, you’re a lucky person. But for most of us, especially workout beginners, the answers require a little more thought. Working out is fun and feels great, but if you want to improve your performance and make lasting changes to your health, your workout routine can and should be at least a little bit challenging. And since people are social animals, it makes sense to surround yourself with a few partners who can provide a structure of mutual encouragement and support.

If you can, try to choose partners with similar goals. If you’re working out for fun and health, find somebody who isn’t too competitive. If you’re serious about progress and don’t want to be slowed down, find somebody who will help you tap into your competitive spirit. If you want to move fast, find a fast mover. If you want to stay positive, choose a strong champion. If you want perspective and help with your technique, find somebody who can offer honest and helpful criticism.

If you can’t find willing partners in your own household or close circle of friends, don’t let that stop you, and don’t think it means that you have to work out alone. Head to the gym in a sociable frame of mind, or sign up for a class that might help you break the ice with like-minded strangers. Remember that there are plenty of others around you looking for the same things in a workout partner. You just have to leave your shyness at the door and be ready to reach out.

When Your Workout Just Isn’t Working Out

Something’s wrong. In spite of your best intentions, your workout progress has somehow gotten off track. You had realistic goals, strong motivation, the right gear, and you’ve been throwing yourself into your routine with just enough enthusiasm to keep you focused but not so much that you’ve compromised technique or common sense. But nothing is changing. Your performance isn’t increasing, you aren’t losing weight, and you don’t seem to be reaping the benefits that you expected. What should you do.

First, before you get discouraged, take a closer look. Things might not be as stagnant as they seem. If you expected to lose five pounds and only lost one, don’t give up just yet. This may be more reasonable than it seems, and it’s possible that your expectations were not as realistic as they appeared at first. Be patient, and remember that the body is an organic thing with a life of its own. Some weeks we push ourselves past the max and gain nothing. It happens. The next week will be better, but only if we keep at it.

Second, take a closer look at the circumstances. Revaluate your environment, your habits outside of the gym, and your gear. Something may be causing you to hold back in ways you don’t recognize. You might think you’re giving it your all, but a source of outside stress or a subtle injury may be causing you to ease up unintentionally. Make sure your clothing is comfortable, breathable and secure. Try to tune out distractions while you work out. Even if you have other obligations pressing down on you or diverting your attention, they can wait until your exercise session is over. Focus on one problem at a time. And finally, make sure your hands are comfortable and protected. Wear your Gripads, and don’t let small abrasions and blisters compromise your progress.

Help! I want to Add Weight Training to My Routine, But My Hands Hurt

If you’re ready to add weight training and resistance to your routine, you’re going to need a plan, a clear set of goals, and the right gear. You’ll need comfortable clothing that fits properly and doesn’t get in your way. You need a set of weights, a few machines or an accessible gym. And you’ll need a reliable way to protect your hands. Weights and gym equipment can be tough on your palms, and abrasions and blisters can undermine your motivation and make working out into a chore. That’s the last thing you need. And it’s an easy problem to prevent.

Chalk can help you maintain a safe grip on bars and equipment, but chalk won’t protect your skin from damage. Besides, chalk is messy and wears off. Gloves can also help you keep your grip and can protect your palms, but only until they wear out, which happens fast. Gloves also restrict your natural movement and don’t allow your skin to breathe. Eventually, moisture builds up inside of them, which can form a breeding ground for bacteria and mildew.

So skip the chalk and gloves and move straight to the hand protection that works just as hard as you do. Try Gripads! These lightweight, super-tough neoprene pads are perfect for any resistance training workout. They slip on and off easily and fit hands of any size. And since they only cover the palm, they allow your skin to breath and don’t accumulate bacteria and grime. The soft, durable pads fit perfectly between your hands and your equipment, and once they’re in place, you can stop thinking about them altogether and focus on your technique. Best of all, even though Gripads are lightweight, simple and inexpensive, they’re durable enough to outlast months and years of the toughest workouts.