Posted by Rapid Fitness on Wed, May 16, 2012 @ 03:52 PM
Organization Specializing In Operations And Management Services Debuts
A Revolutionary, Technology-Focused Restaurant
RALEIGH, N.C. – Michael Rattenni, chairman of Triumph Group Management, an operations and management service company dedicated to fitness and hospitality, has announced that the company will celebrate the soft opening of Krave Restaurant and Lounge, a technologically savvy restaurant with contemporary lounge style flair, in downtown Raleigh at 510 Glenwood Ave. in late May. Rattenni has partnered with entrepreneur, Daniel Lovenheim, CEO of Twilight Entertainment Company, who has more than a decade of experience owning and operating hospitality venues. Krave features a streamlined ordering process where waiters complete orders at the table using iPads. The menu offers a variety of light and colorful appetizers called “small plates”, which complement Krave’s large array of signature martinis, freshly muddled cocktails and extensive wine list. The menu also offers salads, flatbreads, entrees and a dessert menu featuring three different types of chocolate fondue.
Krave will be open for dinner at 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and will close at 11 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, 2 a.m. Thursday and 4 a.m. Friday and Saturday. After 11 p.m. on the weekends, Krave will open its after hours, which features a contemporary lounge environment with some of the regions finest DJs. The full menu is available all night, as well.
Krave is located in the space formerly occupied by the Red Room Tapas Lounge. The restaurant is expected to employ up to 50 people and will seat up to 200. Triumph Group Management, the company launching the restaurant, also owns and manages Rapid Fitness gyms, most recently opening a new downtown location at 800 N. Person St.
The restaurant’s grand opening is scheduled for early June.
“Krave Restaurant and Lounge will bring something new and fun to downtown Raleigh’s Glenwood South district, and we are all excited about our opening date,” said Rattenni. “Krave’s iPad-based menu is an amenity that no other restaurant in Raleigh has. The most important thing, however, is that the menu will be delicious and affordable.”
About Triumph Group Management
Raleigh, N.C.-based Triumph Group Management provides operations and management services to several organizations and facilities dedicated to fitness and hospitality, including Rapid Fitness, The EFT Group and Krave Restaurant and Lounge in downtown Raleigh. Led by chairman Michael Rattenni, Triumph’s leadership team collectively represents more than 50 years of fitness and hospitality management.
Posted by Rapid Fitness on Wed, May 02, 2012 @ 01:11 PM
Did you know that 1 in 4 adults struggle with a treatable mental health condition each year? That’s almost 60 million people!
Who is your 1-in-4? Do you know a family member, friend, or colleague quietly struggling with depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance abuse, or other mental health issue? Acupuncture Pain and Stress Center can help you help them!
Does Your 1-in-4 Have an Anxiety Disorder?
Most people experience feelings of anxiety before an important event such as a big exam, business presentation or first date. Anxiety disorders, however, are illnesses that cause people to feel uneasy, frightened, and/or distressed very easily, often for no apparent reason. Many people suffering from anxiety disorders also experience heart palpitations, shortness of breath and chest pain. Left untreated, these disorders can dramatically reduce productivity and significantly diminish an individual’s quality of life.
How Common Are Anxiety Disorders?
Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental illnesses in America; more than 40 million people are affected by these debilitating illnesses each year.
What Are the Treatments for Anxiety Disorders?
Acupuncture is an ideal treatment for anxiety and other mental health issues. While it is true that there are more medications available than ever before to treat anxiety disorders and depression, patients that go this route often end up on a merry-go-round trying to figure out which side-effects are the least cumbersome. Acupuncture provides a time-tested method of treatment that has no side effects. Unlike medication, which only treats the symptoms, acupuncture can treat the root of the disorder, thus alleviating symptoms naturally and without side effects.
What types of Anxiety Disorders Have you Been Able to Help with Acupuncture?
To date, most of the cases I have treated would be categorized as panic disorder or generalized anxiety.
Panic Disorder: Characterized by panic attacks, which are sudden feelings of terror that strike repeatedly and without warning. Physical symptoms include chest pain, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness and abdominal discomfort.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Chronic, exaggerated worry about everyday routine life events and activities, lasting at least six months; almost always anticipating the worst even though there is little reason to expect it. Often accompanied by physical symptoms, such as fatigue, trembling, muscle tension, headache, or nausea.
What Should I Expect In a Acupuncture Treatment?
For your first treatment, you will fill out a in depth health questionnaire that will ask questions about sleep, digestion and all parts of your physical and emotional health. Then we will discuss in detail any and all health challenges you are going through. I will then answer any questions you may have and formulate a customized treatment plan to address your needs.
After the needles are in place, nearly everyone reports feeling extremely relaxed and that they are comfortably able to lie still for 20 minutes.
What are some other things that I can do to help ease my anxiety?
The beauty of Chinese medicine is that it clearly establishes the link between our mental and physical health. The mayo clinic also reports that research on anxiety, depression and exercise shows that the psychological and physical benefits of exercise can also help reduce anxiety and improve mood. It is well known that regular exercise helps to release endorphins, the feel-good chemicals. Acupuncture Pain & Stress Center, is conveniently located inside of Raleigh’s best gyms and we can easily set you up with one of Rapid Fitness’s amazing personal trainers.
Stop suffering and call Acupuncture Pain & Stress Center today at (919)260-4104. I am always happy to answer any questions, many people like to take advantage of our Free 15 minute consultation. Call today and book your appointment so you can start feeling relief. You deserve to feel good.
Posted by Rapid Fitness on Thu, Apr 05, 2012 @ 03:54 PM
Article by: David Haas
According to SurviveCancer.org cancer cells are anaerobic which means they abhor oxygen. Since aerobic exercise introduces more oxygen into the body, it is an excellent way to fight the effects of a cancer diagnosis and the subsequent cancer treatment, while maintaining good physical conditioning. Whether you are fighting breast cancer, mesothelioma or any other type of cancer, participating in exercise that introduce oxygen into your body is an effective way in which to stay strong and promote good health before, during and after treatment. Speak to your doctors or oncologist to create an exercise plan, and then start incorporating it as an effective tool to help you feel better.
Walk
The Roman Army was a powerful force that won many battles and conquered many lands. Part of their method for staying strong was interval training, also known as walk/run. For starters, take as brisk a walk as you can for 30 minutes. If you're able to incorporate any running spurts, do it. Most importantly, walk outdoors where you can get fresh air in your lungs. The oxygen alone does your body a world of good.
Dance
Put on some music and dance, or take a dance class. Dance is an excellent form of exercise and types of dance that involve faster movements help bring a lot of oxygen into and through your body. Boost your physical fitness and your mood with some fun disco or jazz music and dance around your living room. If you need some socializing and your immune system is up to being around other people, a dance class is ideal.
Tennis & Golf
You don't have to be a pro at either tennis or golf to get outdoors and enjoy playing. Whether you play an actual game or just hit the ball around, the fresh air and movement are excellent for your body. Grab a partner or friend who also enjoys the sport of your choice so you can enjoy the company of another while getting your exercise.
Stress Relief and Breathing Exercise
Sit in a comfortable chair and close your eyes. Take in a deep breath, and then slowly let it go. As you exhale, feel the tension and fatigue flow out through your limbs. One at a time, feel each body part relax and grow heavy and warm. When your body is totally relaxed, clench each body part one at a time for 10 to 20 seconds and then release to get rid of tension. Finish with a cat-style stretch.
Posted by Matthew Ianniello Jr on Tue, Mar 20, 2012 @ 02:40 PM
Summer is near and, with the hot weather approaching, it’ll be more difficult to exercise outdoors. Instead, there is a great fat burning, cardio vascular activity called Plyometrics that can easily be done indoors. With its many health benefits, Plyos can really help you take your training to the next level! Here at Rapid Fitness, we have plenty of equipment that will help you maximize your training and get you into the best shape of your life!!!
Plyometrics (also known as “plyos”) is a type of exercise training that is designed to produce fast, powerful movements and improve the functions of the nervous system, generally for the purpose of improving athletic performance. Plyometric exercises may also be referred to as explosive exercises. [1] [2] Plyometric movements, in which a muscle is loaded and then contracted in rapid sequence, use the strength, elasticity and innervation of muscle and surrounding tissues to jump higher, run faster, throw farther or hit harder, depending on the desired training goal. Plyometrics is used to increase the speed or force of muscular contractions, providing explosiveness for a variety of sport-specific activities. Plyometrics has been shown to be beneficial to a variety of athletes. Benefits range from injury prevention, power development and sprint performance, amongst others.
For more information, or to learn how you can incorporate Plyometrics into your fitness regiment, visit our knowledgeable staff and personal trainers at Rapid Fitness today!
Posted by Matthew Ianniello Jr on Fri, Mar 16, 2012 @ 09:30 AM
Did you know that more than 100 studies found that aerobic and resistance training are essential for maintaining cognitive health in old age? Regular exercise can prevent age-related hippocampus degeneration, or shrinking of the brain, which is often responsible for Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, depression and poor memory.
Exercise encourages your brain to work at its optimum capacity, providing your body with a greater production of nerve-protecting compounds, improved development and survival of neurons, greater flow to your brain and decreased risk of cardiovascular disease. To keep your brain healthy, make exercise a regular part of your life. We recommend trying different activities since each type of exercise and training offers unique benefits for your brain health. For example, you may choose to incorporate moderate-intensity exercise and high-intensity interval training, as discussed in our last article.
For help finding an exercise regimen that best suits you, take advantage of the complimentary Fitness Evaluation we offer members at Rapid Fitness. With help from our knowledgeable staff, personal trainers and guided Group Fitness classes, we’ll get you on the road to better health.
Posted by Matthew Ianniello Jr on Fri, Mar 09, 2012 @ 10:38 AM
High-intensity interval training refers to short, repeated bursts of strenuous activity in between rest periods, rather than conventional, longer and more consistent training. This method of training is an excellent strategy for several reasons: it will benefit your overall health, boost weight loss, improve your muscle tone and even improve your blood sugar. Rather than long-duration workouts, you can get the same fitness benefits from working out for a short session of 20 minutes. Using this method two or three times a week, you’ll be able to achieve your fitness goals much faster and improve your insulin sensitivity and blood sugar regulation. According to a recent study by a Canadian research team, people with full-blown Type 2 diabetes were able to improve their blood sugar regulation significantly over 24 hours, after just one interval training session.
As always, it’s all about the effort you put in to your workout. Intensity is key with this form of training. Push yourself! While you may need to slowly work yourself up to this point, you will see optimal results from vigorous bursts of activity in between periods of rests. If you need some help getting started, we urge you to take advantage of the complimentary Fitness Evaluation we offer to members at Rapid Fitness. This hour-long session is geared on finding out how we can help you reach your fitness goals. With the help of our great staff, personal trainers and guided Group Fitness classes, we’ll get you looking and feeling your best!
Posted by Matthew Ianniello Jr on Tue, Mar 06, 2012 @ 01:08 PM
Reader Question: How Do I Start an Exercise Program?
The biggest challenge may be changing your lifestyle.
By Elizabeth Quinn,
"I’d like to start an exercise program, but where do I begin?"
Making the personal decision to begin exercise is the first step. Committing to making it a priority in your life is the next.
Often, the biggest challenge you will face is changing your lifestyle. Many of us have created bad habits over the years and changing these habits requires a committed effort to consciously recognize and alter some of these patterns. Ultimately, you need to change both your internal beliefs and your external environment to step up for success.
It takes time to develop new habits, so a positive, forgiving attitude is essential. You will not become an athlete overnight, but by slowly changing your internal dialogue and external situation, you will find a new lifestyle that encourages fitness.
Begin by checking with your doctor to ensure that you can safely exercise without restrictions. Once you have the OK, surround yourself with supportive people and role models. Having a support system is crucial in starting a workout program. Accountability and motivation are very important to success. Ask those who are active how they’ve set up their lifestyle to support activity. You will learn a lot from those who are doing what you want to do.
You might also consider several sessions with a qualified personal trainer to learn what to do to reach your fitness goals. Keep in mind that there is no right or wrong way to stay active. Find something that works for you, whether it’s riding your bike to work, walking after dinner, joining a sports league, exercising while watching TV or training for a marathon. There are so many options and, sometimes, we don’t realize how life provides many opportunities to be active – we just have to recognize them.
Physical health is often the last item on the daily agenda in trying to balance school, jobs, relationships and all of the other demands of your daily life. However, if you make physical fitness and maintaining a healthy lifestyle a priority, you will find more energy and enthusiasm for the other areas of your life.
Ideally, your exercise routine should be goal-oriented, especially for those who are starting an exercise routine for the first time. Your goal must be realistic relative to your starting point, and measurable in a way that you will see your progress.
At Rapid Fitness, we offer each member a complimentary Fitness Evaluation. It’s an hour-long session that is geared on finding out how we can help you reach your goals, getting you past that dreaded "plateau" and on to looking and feeling the best you ever have felt.
We have structured personal training guidelines to keep track of your progress to make sure we are maximizing your time here. When starting off, it can be overwhelming, but with the help of our great staff, personal trainers, and guided Group Fitness classes, we are designed to help everyone at every level.
Whether you are a new or existing member, we are always here to help!
Posted by Matthew Ianniello Jr on Wed, Feb 29, 2012 @ 08:35 AM
Here are 4 GREAT tips on getting those 6 pack abs you want right in time for the beach! Happy Reading!
TARGET ALL FOUR ABDOMINAL MUSCLE GROUPS
One mistake many people make is to only work one or two sections of their abdominal muscles. There are FOUR layers of muscles in your abs! You need to work each layer/muscle group to effectively tone your abs.
- Rectus Abdominis – This is the “six pack” muscle. This paired muscle runs from the front of your ribs down to your pelvis. This the muscle referred to when people say “upper abs” or “lower abs”, but it is actually one big muscle – of which different areas can be targeted. Typical “ab workouts” usually focus on this muscle.
- External Oblique – The external obliques are the muscles that run along the sides of your ribcage, on each side of the rectus abdominis. The external oblique muscles allow the trunk to twist – contracting one of your external obliques twists your body to the opposite side. For example, contracting the right external oblique will turn the body to the left.
- Internal Oblique – Your internal obliques are located just inside your hip bones – just below the external obliques. They work in the exact opposite way as the external oblique muscles. When you do a twisting motion, one externaloblique contracts while the opposite side’sinternal oblique contracts. For example, twisting or crunching the trunk to the left requires the left internal oblique and the right external oblique to contract together.
- Transverse Abdominis – The transverse abdominis is the deepest abdominal muscle layer. The muscle reaches from each side of your lower abdomen towards the middle. It is primarily responsible for stabilizing your trunk and maintaining internal abdominal pressure. This muscle is especially worked when you do stabilization exercises like planks or other similar ab exercises.
VARY YOUR AB ROUTINE
In addition to working all four layers of your abs, you also need to change up your ab routine so that your muscles are continually being challenged. If you do the exact same ab exercises for weeks on end, your muscles will adapt and plateau – and you will miss out on some of the benefits of your training program.
QUALITY VS. QUANTITY
Have you ever heard someone brag about how they do 800 crunches/situps every day? You do not need to doanywhere near hundreds of reps! You will actually seebetter results by doing fewer repetitions of the right exercises with correct form.
When it comes to number of reps when weight training, the same rules apply to ab workouts. For longer, leaner muscle, you should do more reps (we’re talking sets of 12, 20, or sets of 30 seconds… not sets of 800!), and for building size (and deeper cuts), you should do fewer reps with more weight resistance (ie: sets of 5 or 8). An exception to this rule is for stability exercises, such as planks, where you will hold a single position for anywhere from 20 seconds to a couple of minutes.
And, just like other muscle groups, you shouldn’t train your abdominal muscles every day – which brings me to my next point:
TAKE TIME TO RECOVER
Your ab muscles are just like any other muscle – they need to be worked hard, and then given adequate time to rebuild and recover before then next workout. Depending on how hard your muscles are worked – as well as whether you are focusing on strength or endurance – you will need anywhere from 36 hours to 2 or 3 days recovery time between workouts.
We have Great Personal Training specials going on this week too, so if you would like to setup a free session just see any Rapid Fitness employee and we will be happy to schedule yours today!!!!!!!!
Posted by Matthew Ianniello Jr on Fri, Feb 24, 2012 @ 08:39 AM
Boxing training can have a huge impact on a person’s fitness, self-confidence and overall strength. The health benefits of boxing are phenomenal since these classes engage your entire body and, over time, can dramatically improve your agility and coordination.
At Rapid Fitness, we offer boxing classes at ourBoxingCenter inRaleigh,North Carolina. Our mixed martial arts programs also include Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, BJJ Sparring and Muay Thai, so there is really something for everyone. No matter what your age or skill level may be, all members are welcome to take advantage of these unique and effective classes. Our top notch coaches excel at creating a motivating environment that will help you achieve your fitness goals before you know it.
Become a Rapid Fitness member today and enjoy this perfect opportunity to get yourself in the best shape of your life. You can also browse our boxing and mixed martial arts schedule here to see which class works best for you.
Posted by Rob Knapp on Wed, Jan 25, 2012 @ 10:25 AM
Did you know that suspension training bodyweight exercise was born in the Navy Seals? That's right - you can build your strength and endurance, particularly in your lower back, legs, and shoulders, and increase your grip strength through TRX Kettle bell exercising at Rapid fitness Glenwood. Because the basic movements, such as the swing, snatch, and the clean and jerk, engage the entire body at once, and in a way that mimics real world activities such as shoveling or farm work your entire body has the opportunity to benefit.
At Rapid fitness Glenwood we combine the very best of cardiovascular, strength and stability training in our fun, dynamic and challenging classes. Kettle bells are a great metabolic and strength training system which is specifically geared toward hamstring and glute muscle recruitment and engagement of muscles in the core, back and shoulders.
TRX suspension training works the core with every movement and helps strengthen stabilizers in the shoulders, hips, knees and ankles. And to complete the workout package, we top it off with plyometric and body weight basics like pushups and pull-ups to complete the package. So why not stop by today, talk to one of our trainers and check out a TRX Kettle bell class this week.