The first day of Autumn is September 22nd, a time of year when we all love to go outside, breathe in the crisp air, and admire Colorado’s spectacular fall foliage. It’s the perfect season to exercise by walking, hiking, or biking outdoors while you take in the scenery. As you enjoy hearing the leaves crunching under your feet, however, you know it won’t be long before the weather turns iffy, which means your outdoor workouts will need to go into hibernation for a while.

Adventure Fitness Athletic Club is here to help you stay on track with your workouts all year long. Head on over to our Thornton gym to discover the many ways you can make the most of the season and greet the holidays in super shape.

Making the Most Out of Your Gym Workout

Exercising outside, especially during the fall, can be a feast for the senses because you’re surrounded by fresh air, earthy smells, and vibrant colors. But there’s no reason why your workout at the gym can’t be invigorating, too, especially when you’re a member of AFAC. Our gym near you is packed with fitness adventures so that you have plenty of options to choose from to keep your workouts from ever being boring or mundane.

Fitness Classes

Does the cooler weather make you want to snuggle under a blanket and watch TV? Get your energy back by trying out some of the group classes at AFAC gym! Our members have unlimited access to all our classes and there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Whether you want to kick things up a notch at Kickboxing, dance your heart out at Dance Fitness, push the pedal to the metal at Spin and More, or take a deep breath and meditate at Yoga, AFAC gym’s classes will keep your workouts fun, interesting, and challenging. Go to our class schedule page to view and sign up for our classes, or you can register through MINDBODY. Would you like to bring a friend? No problem! Non-members can attend our group classes for a $10 per-class fee.

Personal Trainers

No matter where you are in your fitness journey, the personal trainers at AFAC gym can help you make progress toward your fitness goals. Even if you’ve been exercising all year without seeing any results, our personal trainers will talk to you about what you want to achieve and teach you what you need to do to get there.

Did you start the year with some fitness resolutions that you haven’t fulfilled yet? Autumn is a terrific time to start working with a personal trainer who can get you back on track to end the year in the best shape you’ve ever been in. Contact our gym’s staff to learn how you can add personal training to your fitness program at AFAC gym.

Cardiovascular Exercise

It’s getting chilly outside, which means some of us might go into “hibernation mode” and not feel motivated to exercise. One of the best ways to warm up in the fall and winter is by ramping up your cardiovascular workouts. Thankfully, AFAC gym has every cardiovascular exercise you can think of, including:

• Upright Cycling – Burn calories and strengthen your heart, lungs, lower body, core, and upper body on our upright stationary bikes. You can ride an upright bike sitting down or standing up, and it’s easy to change the resistance to give you a more or less challenging workout.
• Spin Bikes – Are you seeking a true racing bike experience indoors? Then the spin bikes at AFAC gym are for you. These bikes will give you an intense workout and will help you train for outdoor cycling events in the spring and summer.
• Recumbent Bikes – These machines provide the most comfortable stationary biking experience possible because you’re sitting in a large seat with back support, similar to an office chair. While users ride in a reclined position with the pedals in front of them, there is minimal stress on the lower back which means it’s good for those who are dealing with spine pain. It’s also considered the safest stationary bike to use because it’s low to the ground, making it easy to get on and off the bike.
• Elliptical and Treadmill Machines – Ellipticals and treadmills are the most iconic cardiovascular machines at the gym. When the weather outside is frightful, you can feel delightful getting your daily walk or run on a treadmill or elliptical while you listen to your favorite tunes or watch TV. You can even choose different inclines, speeds, and resistance levels to increase the intensity of your workout and get yourself ready for all those 5Ks, 10Ks, and marathons when the weather warms up.
• Rowing Machines – All the lakes might be starting to freeze over, but that doesn’t mean you have to stop your rowing workouts. Sculpt your entire body and burn some serious calories on AFAC gym’s indoor rowing machines.
• StairMaster 10G – If you’d rather not climb the stairs at a stadium, park, or the Manitou Incline when the weather is icy, AFAC gym has a StairMaster 10G. This StairMaster model promises to give you the best indoor step-up workout available with its long list of extra features including an Overdrive Training Mode that comes with a sled push and farmer’s carry option.
• VersaClimber – Does the arrival of Autumn put a halt on your mountain climbing hobby for a few months? If so, try out the VersaClimber at AFAC gym. This machine allows your body to mimic the experience of climbing, giving you a total-body workout that helps you burn a lot of calories and maintain your mobility. For an even better indoor climbing workout, check out our indoor climbing cave and double auto-belay climbing wall.
• Jacobs Ladder – Billed as the easiest machine to work out hard on, Jacobs Ladder provides four unique workout experiences that train different muscle groups at varying levels of intensity. While you’re exploring all your indoor workout options at AFAC gym, it’s the ideal time to try climbing Jacobs Ladder to the next rung of your fitness journey.

Strength Training

Resistance training, also known as strength training, is important to keep up with all year long, but the arrival of Autumn puts a special focus on everyone’s weightlifting program. That’s because:

1. We all tend to move less during the fall and winter, which means our muscle strength and tone can suffer. Make sure to continue your 2-3 full-body strength training sessions per week at AFAC gym, taking at least one rest day in between each session. Or, if you prefer, you can strength train every day by alternating the areas of your body that you train, giving each muscle group a rest day after training.
2. The holiday season is almost upon us, and all the calorie-laden treats that go with it, leading to some possible weight gain. While cardiovascular exercise will help you burn calories, you also need to strength train if weight loss or weight maintenance is your goal.
3. The arrival of snow brings several new activities into our lives that require us to use muscles we haven’t flexed in a while. Shoveling, sledding, ice skating, and skiing are a few that come to mind. Avoid muscle strain and soreness by keeping up with your strength training program in the fall!

Sample Workout Schedule at the Gym

Now that we understand how important it is to maintain a consistent exercise program in the fall, what does a good workout schedule at the gym look like?

It really depends on your fitness level, but the following outline is a great place to start if you’re a beginner. If you’re more advanced in your fitness journey, then you can increase these times to match your level.

• Day 1 – Get 20 minutes of elliptical or treadmill training, plus 20 minutes of total body strength training, plus stretching
• Day 2 – Get a 30-45 minute cardio workout (this can be a class or on a piece of cardio equipment)
• Day 3 – Get 20 minutes of elliptical or treadmill training, plus 20 minutes of total body strength training, plus stretching
• Day 4 – Get a 30-45 minute cardio workout (this can be a class or on a piece of cardio equipment)
• Day 5 – Get 20 minutes of elliptical or treadmill training, plus 20 minutes of total body strength training, plus stretching
• Day 6 – Get a 30-45 minute cardio workout (this can be a class or on a piece of cardio equipment)  
• Day 7 – Rest Day!

If this schedule seems too overwhelming to you, then you can pare it back to a place where you still feel motivated to go to the gym for your workouts. As a beginner, the goal would be to work out at the gym at least 3 days a week at a pace you can stick with.

Let AFAC Gym Guide You to a Fitter Fall

Of all the gyms near you in Thornton, Colorado, Adventure Fitness Athletic Club is best prepared to keep you fit as a fiddle as we head into fall. We understand that regular exercise not only helps you stay physically fit this time of year, but also mentally fit to face the shorter days and stressful holiday season. Working out at our gym is also a safer choice this time of year, compared to exercising in the now dark morning hours or on slippery, icy sidewalks and trails.

For more tips on staying fit in the fall, please speak with a member of our staff. We’re here to answer your questions and tell you why Adventure Fitness Athletic Club is the best gym in Thornton, Colorado all year long. You can also contact our gym owner, Susan, at 720-849-0245 or susan@adventurefitness.club for assistance.

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