Many women who lift weights at the gym worry that their grip is too weak and wish they could improve their grip strength. They’re also looking for ways to improve their overall strength, posture, and weight loss efforts.

There is one “game changing” exercise that can accomplish all those goals, and more! We’re talking about heavy carries, also known as weighted or loaded carries. With an almost unlimited number of variations, all heavy carry exercises come with similar benefits of boosting grip strength, muscle gains, core stabilization, weight loss, and injury prevention.

In this blog, we’ll discuss what heavy carries are, their benefits for women in particular, and some variations you can try at AFAC’S gym in Thornton.

Summer is right around the corner and with it comes a lot of fun outdoor activities like swimming, volleyball, and tennis. To prepare for the physical demands of the season – and to look our best in those summer outfits – many of us are working extra hard at the gym to get in our best shape.

One of the most common goals this time of year is to lose fat, particularly in the belly area. There’s no doubt that belly fat is the most stubborn fat that exists! If you’re fighting a few pounds around the middle, read this blog to learn if there are any exercises you can do at our Thornton gym to get the flatter, leaner tummy you’re striving for.

At AFAC gym, the options for your fitness regimen are virtually limitless. Whether you want to pursue strength training, amp up your cardio, work with trainers at our fitness classes, or enjoy the mental health boost that comes with regular exercise, our gym has plenty of choices at your disposal.

Sometimes, however, it can be difficult to pick which workouts will help you achieve your fitness goals. Most effective strength training schedules include a ton of bilateral movements like cable Y raises, chinups and pullups, deadlifts, and squats. Research also suggests that we can benefit from adding unilateral training — working out one side of the body at a time — to our training routines.
Check out this blog to learn more about what unilateral training is, its benefits, and ways to incorporate it into your regular workouts at our Thornton gym.

Are you one of the many people wanting a bigger, stronger, better set of pecs? Well-developed chest muscles are a hallmark of weightlifters who’ve spent many hours at the gym, training hard. They’re also a sign of someone who’s been training smart. Whether you’re doing bodyweight exercises like pushups or bench-pressing hundreds of pounds, make sure your chest workouts are giving you the results you’re after. Read this blog to learn more about the best chest workouts to do at our Thornton gym.

Shoulders are among the most hard-working joints in our bodies, which is probably why shoulder pain affects 18-26% of adults at any point in time. Weak or painful shoulders can hold back anyone’s progress at the gym, as your shoulders are actively involved in training your arms, back, core, and even your lower body. Plus, everyone loves to have strong, developed shoulder muscles, right? That’s why it pays to invest your time in exercises that build your shoulder strength and stability.

One way to keep your shoulders in good shape is to add cable Y raise exercises to your gym workout. In this blog, we’ll discuss the benefits of cable Y raises and how to do them at our Thornton gym.

AFAC gym is excited to announce our new Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) classes taught by Trainer Nick every Friday evening at 5:00.

These classes are FREE for members of AFAC gym, and non-members can join us for a $10 drop-in fee. You don’t want to miss out on this chance to learn from Nick’s years of experience as a professional MMA fighter. This class is open to ALL LEVELS, so even if you’ve never tried an MMA workout, we invite you to join us and learn the ropes!

Read this blog to find out more about Nick, his new class at our Thornton gym, and the benefits of mixed martial arts training. We can’t wait to see you there!

Have you ever wondered what your body fat percentage is? Or have you been working hard at the gym and want to know how much muscle you’ve built? Whether you’re a fitness enthusiast or just concerned about your health, it can be incredibly helpful to know the amount of fat, muscle, water, and minerals you have in your body so that you can make the best decisions about your diet and exercise program.

AFAC gym has the perfect solution for you. We are the only facility in the Thornton, CO, area that has an InBody 770 Body Composition and Body Water Analyzer. In a few minutes, this device can measure your fat mass, muscle mass, and much more to give you a comprehensive analysis of your entire body. Both members and non-members of our Thornton gym can take advantage of InBody 770’s exclusive metrics. Read this blog to learn more!

At Adventure Fitness Athletic Club, we’re here to help our gym members with all their fitness questions. One of the most common questions we hear is, “What’s better — lifting fewer reps of heavier weights, or more reps of lighter weights?”

The answer to this question can be a bit confusing and mostly depends on what your fitness goals are at our Thornton gym. Read this blog to learn more!

Members of AFAC gym are fortunate because they have access to all the best workout equipment, including a landmine. The landmine is one of the most versatile, effective weight training tools for increasing functional strength and athletic performance.

If you’ve never heard of or used a landmine, you’re not alone. In this blog, we’ll describe what a landmine is, its benefits, and a few of the best landmine exercises you can try at our Thornton gym.

Big biceps show the world that you’ve put in some serious time at the gym. After all, they’re the first muscles you show your friends when they ask if you’ve been working out, and they’re even the emoji we all use to represent pure strength 💪 Who among us hasn’t rolled up our shirt sleeve and flexed?

But biceps aren’t there just for show. As the main muscles that flex your elbows, your biceps help you do everything from lifting a protein shake to your lips to picking up your kid. They serve a real function in your daily life.

On the surface, building better biceps seems pretty simple—you complete curl after curl until your biceps grow over time. However, there are many other workouts you can do at our Thornton gym to build your biceps. In this blog, we’ll review some exercises that focus on developing your biceps so that you can put on the gun show you’ve always dreamed of.

Well, here we are, already several weeks into the New Year. In January, many of us found ourselves with a fresh passion to live healthier and more active lifestyles. We resolved to eat better, get more sleep, and go to the gym every day to reach our fitness goals.

As the weeks go by, however, it’s completely natural to lose a little of that fitness enthusiasm we had at the beginning of the year. Life gets busy, it’s cold outside, and we feel too tired or overwhelmed to work out. Exercise becomes yet another item to check off our long to-do list, and it’s almost too easy to skip sometimes.

Don’t give up, though! Even the most diehard fitness fans struggle with motivation sometimes. You just need to find ways to get over the hump and inspired to move again. If you’re looking for some ideas to recharge your excitement for exercise at our Thornton gym, read this blog!

The fly is one of the most popular lifts for gym members who are trying to develop their chest muscles. And, while the standard fly is an effective move, there is a variation that can give you better, and safer, results.

It’s called the T-bench fly, and it helps develop the inner part of your chest while protecting your shoulder joints. To learn how to perform the T-bench fly at our Thornton gym, read this blog and we’ll give you all the details.

We’re all working toward different goals at the gym. Some of us are trying to lose weight, others are trying to build muscle, and many gym members are doing both at the same time! One of the most common goals for gym members is to reduce their stomach size and get that nice, flat tummy everyone admires. Lots of people struggle with extra belly fat and wonder, are there any specific exercises they can do at the gym to shrink their midsection fast?

If you’re looking to lose some belly fat, read this blog to learn about the best workouts you can do at our Thornton gym to help you achieve this goal as quickly as possible.

When it comes to nutrition, protein might be the most talked-about topic among gym members. With National Protein Day coming up on February 27th, AFAC gym decided to dig into the meat of the matter and answer some common questions that gym members have about consuming protein, including why, how much, when, and what types to eat.

In a nutshell, more than 10,000 types of protein can be found throughout your body, from your muscles and organs to your bones, soft tissues, hair, and skin. Protein is also used to keep your cells healthy, create new cells, fuel your body with energy, carry oxygen through your blood, and make antibodies to fight off illnesses.

Among all the roles that protein plays in the human body, most gym members are interested in how protein is used to build muscle. Read this blog to learn more about protein and how it can be part of a healthy diet that fuels your workouts at our Thornton gym.

Years ago, if you looked inside any gym in the country, you’d see a bunch of ripped, buff men pumping iron. Women, on the other hand, would often be found hitting the treadmills or in aerobics classes trying to burn calories and lose weight.

Thankfully, this stereotype has been slowly fading away. These days, more women are lifting weights at the gym, and we couldn’t be happier! Lifting weights comes with some surprising benefits that women can’t get from cardiovascular exercise alone, and there’s no reason for women to fear that lifting weights will make them bulky, muscle-bound, or masculine-looking.

As a matter of fact, lifting weights 2-3 times per week can help women lose weight, increase tone, prevent injuries, reduce stress, and so much more. Read this blog to learn about the many reasons why women should be lifting weights at our Thornton gym.

As members of Adventure Fitness Athletic Club, we all know that exercise is great for our health. But did you know that if Americans increased their physical activity for just 10 minutes per day, it could prevent over 110,000 deaths per year?

According to a recent study, it’s true – even a modest increase in exercise levels leads to a substantial decline in death rates. Read more about the study in this blog and learn about the many ways you can increase your exercise sessions at our Thornton gym.

The kettlebell windmill offers you several benefits in one exercise. With the windmill, you can strengthen your shoulders, stabilize your core, stretch your hips, hamstrings, obliques, and more. Not only do you use these muscles in daily life, but you also depend on them as you run, jump, and lift weights. So, whether you want to improve your everyday strength and flexibility or sharpen your competitive edge, kettlebell windmills can help.

As effective as this exercise is, the kettlebell windmill is a complex movement that can be tricky to execute. Read this blog to learn how to master the kettlebell windmill at our Thornton gym.

It’s amazing how a slight change in form can target completely different muscles when you’re exercising. One great example of this is chinups and pullups. While many people use the terms “chinup” and “pullup” interchangeably, they are actually two distinct exercises.

Whether you’re a beginning lifter or have been pumping iron for a while, chinups and pullups are fundamental exercises that should be a staple of your workout regimen at AFAC gym. Read this blog to learn more about the differences between chinups and pullups, what muscles they work, their benefits, and how to incorporate them into your fitness routine at our Thornton gym.

Joining a gym can be an exciting experience! You’re trying out equipment you’ve never used, meeting a lot of new people, and figuring out what classes you want to take (there are so many great ones to choose from!) You’ll start to get the hang of things after a few weeks, but you still might second-guess yourself about the gym’s policies and wonder, “Am I staying on this machine too long?” … “Am I allowed to talk on the phone?” … “Can I use two pieces of equipment at the same time?”

At AFAC gym, there’s nothing to worry about! Our team is here to answer all of your questions about gym etiquette. Read this blog to learn the basics about etiquette at our Thornton gym.

Are you looking for a simple lower-body exercise that will give you super results? Say hello to step-ups! That’s right, just climbing up a step and coming back down fires up your leg and glute muscles in ways that can outshine classic lower body exercises like lunges and squats.

While it might seem like climbing the occasional flight of stairs is a good way to add step-ups to your daily exercise routine, it’s even better to do step-ups at the gym. That way, you can focus on form and add resistance to make your step-ups more targeted and effective. In this blog, we’ll discuss what step-ups are, the muscles they work, their benefits, and how to do step-ups at our Thornton gym.