Haddonfield Personal Trainer Jim Bompensa Thanks Sun Bank for Featuring Body Physics and HUMAA as a Brilliant Business Idea.

Haddonfield Personal Trainer Jim Bompensa Thanks Sun Bank for Featuring Body Physics and HUMAA as a Brilliant Business Idea. Check out the featured video below! Body Physics Brilliant Business Idea Visit our web site for more information www.bodyphysicsfitness.com www.haddonfieldmartialarts.com www.facebook.com/bodyphysicsfitness

Haddonfield Personal Trainer Jim Bompensa: WINTER WORKOUT TIPS FEATURING TABATA TRAINING!

Haddonfield Personal Trainer Jim Bompensa:

WINTER WORKOUT TIPS FEATURING TABATA TRAINING!

As winter rolls in, many people abandon exercise. I encourage my clients to use the winter as a time to switch up their workout routines and reap the benefits of cross training. If you already workout indoors, the winter months may not threaten your workout schedule. However, if you’re an outdoor runner or walker or participate in other outdoor activities, the change in weather may put a strain on your fitness regimen.

My blog post titled “Tips to Keep Your Family Active and Unified This Winter” offers some great ideas for winter fitness activities. Please check it out for various cold weather workouts. In addition to these suggested activities, I have put together an effective and efficient indoor winter exercise circuit. This routine utilizes Tabata Training. Tabata Training is based on 4 minutes of intense interval training. During those 4 minutes you alternate between 20 second high intensity intervals and 10 second rest intervals. This method has been proven to be more effective than traditional interval training which alternates longer rest periods with shorter high intensity periods. Tabata Training can be done with any type of exercise including squats, sprints and pushups. I use this training method periodically for many of my long time clients and it shakes up their routine every time.

When I use the Tabata Method, I like to include it as part of a full circuit workout. Try the following indoor exercise circuit which utilizes Tabata Training for an outstanding winter indoor workout blast.

1) 5 minute warm-up with your preferred cardio exercises.
2) 4 minute Tabata Squat (20 seconds of exercise followed by 10 second of rest repeated 8 times)
3) 4 minute Tabata Pushup (20 seconds of exercise followed by 10 second of rest repeated 8 times)
4) 4 minute Tabata Pull Ups or Bent Over Rows. (20 seconds of exercise followed by 10 second of rest repeated 8 times)
5) 2 minute Tabata Squat Jump (20 seconds of exercise followed by 10 second of rest repeated 4 times)
6) 4 minute Tabata Sit Up (20 seconds of exercise followed by 10 second of rest repeated 8 times)
7) 5 minute cool down with your preferred cardio exercises.

This 28 minute workout will give you a quick full body kick. It’s just the jolt you need to get your workout in gear this winter. Also remember you can use this method for any exercise. Feel free to utilize the format of this routine and replace the exercises with others that may be more specific to your goals. For example you can include bicep and tricep exercises or leg and glute exercises.

Don’t use the winter as an excuse to be lazy. Instead, get excited about new twists that can add benefit to your workout. I recommend the Tabata Method as a great start!

Haddonfield Personal Trainer Jim Bompensa Explains How The Support of Loved Ones Increases Success Rate in Fitness Journey!

Haddonfield Personal Trainer Jim Bompensa Explains How The Support of Loved Ones Increases Success Rate in Fitness Journey!

With Valentines Day upon us, I would like to take this opportunity to discuss how your loved ones affect your fitness journey. The commitment to get fit and lose weight is a life changing endeavor. It will certainly be one of the most gratifying experiences of your life. It has brought happiness to so many people and I am certain it will bring happiness to you also. There are times when the resolve to stay fit is tested. You may need to lean on the shoulders of your loved ones or they may need to lean on yours.
When you begin your fitness journey, let your family and friends know how important it is to you. Let them know that you need their assistance in keeping on track. Let them know that they may be called upon for support. In the long run it will be better for all of you. When you feel better about yourself, your relationships most likely will be stronger.
One way to engage the support of your loved ones is to include them on your fitness journey. Invite them to join in when possible. Always be welcoming, but never pushy. You may be surprised how receptive they will be. Try the tips I have included below to involve your loved ones in your fitness routine.

1) Offer to go for a walk.
2) Find a local fitness center that offers couple or group memberships.
3) Find an activity that you can enjoy together such as skiing, bike riding, or hiking.
4) Explore healthy new recipes or restaurants together.
5) Try partner exercises such as tossing a medicine ball.
6) Find a group fitness class that you each will enjoy. Some classes that are very popular include indoor cycling, cardio kickboxing, or body toning.
7) Consider purchasing some in home exercise equipment that will benefit the both of you. You may wish to purchase two exercise machines so that you may exercise at the same time.

Exercising with someone who is important to you is a great motivator. Each participant knows that their involvement is helping someone they care about stay or become healthy. Exercising together is the best way to help your friends or loved ones retain a higher quality of life for a longer period of time. What could be more motivating?

Haddonfield Personal Trainer Provides Guidelines to Make Safe and Steady Progress in the New Year

Haddonfield Personal Trainer Provides Guidelines to Make Safe and Steady Progress in the New Year

As the New Year approaches, fitness resolutions are on many lists. After another year of physical neglect many people will promise themselves to get fit. This time they say it is for real! For their sake I wish them luck and I hope this is not yet another year for empty promises. As plans are set to fulfill this year's fitness resolutions, I would like to stress the importance of setting a realistic plan of attack.

I live in New Jersey and this past week my town was hit with 24 inches of snow. As I spent the day shoveling snow, I thought how great it is that I consistently exercise and that my body is prepared for tasks such as this. Every year many people suffer heart attacks while shoveling snow. This usually results from the fact that they have not exercised. Their bodies are de conditioned and they are simply not prepared for the effort required. Many people face a similar situation when they set their sights on fitness resolutions for the new year. Despite having not exercised for quite some time, they work out at a very strenuous pace in an effort to make up for the lost time. This is very dangerous and can have disastrous results!

Most people are out of shape or over weight because they have neglected their fitness routine for extended periods. It took more than one week to reach this physical condition and it will certainly take more than one week to reach your ultimate fitness goal. Please use sensibility and caution when returning to higher activity levels. When a realistic plan is set in motion there is a much greater chance of following it through to the end. Remember, the goal is to make changes that will improve your quality of life for the remainder of it. This is certainly a situation where slow and steady wins the race. Please follow my safety tips listed below when beginning your quest to be fit this year.

1) Start slowly

Consider walking or riding a bicycle at a comfortable pace for your first workout. It doesn't matter how long or short that walk or ride is. The trick is to progress steadily from this starting point. Progression may come in the form of adding one minute to each exercise session or trying to cover more distance in the same amount of time.

2) Seek professional advice

There are many knowledgable personal trainers who can assist you in setting a plan that will be most successful. Please be certain to check your trainer's background. Personal trainers are available who possess a bachelor's degree in a fitness related field. If your gym does not have degreed personal trainers on staff, be sure that the trainer you are working with is certified by a reputable association before meeting with him or her.

3) Use a heart rate monitor

The heart rate monitor is one of the most important fitness safety tools. This device will tell you if you are working hard enough. More importantly, it tells you if you are working too hard.

4) Set a realistic plan

It is very important to set a plan that takes into account your current fitness level and evolves as you progress. Starting out too hard is very dangerous and failing to steadily progress will stall efforts at improvement.

5) Be honest with yourself with the commitment you can make

It is very important to design a fitness plan that fits into your lifestyle. Many people make the mistake of promising that they will workout everyday. When they miss a day, they feel as if they have failed and they quit. The truth is that progress can be made when exercising as little as two times per week. If you can only exercise two times per week, make that promise to yourself. Anything more is a plus.

6) Be vigilant

Consistency is the key to winning the battle for long term fitness. This is why it is important to make an honest assessment of what will fit into your lifestyle. Design your routine around that, and stick to it.

7) Seek support

Encourage a friend or loved one to exercise with you. This will provide motivation for you as well as the other person. It is hard to let down someone you care for. When fitness is important to both people the commitment is even stronger. It is also important to remember that safety comes in numbers.

8) Have fun

The best fitness routines are those that you enjoy. You are more likely to stick to a program that includes activities that you enjoy. You will also be more focused on the task at hand and less likely to suffer an injury.

If you follow these 10 tips you will give yourself the best chance at reaching your fitness goals and improving your life forever.

Good Luck! Make this the year that you reach your physical potential.

Haddonfield Personal Trainer Jim Bompensa Provides 10 Tips for Maintaining Fitness Over the Holidays.

Haddonfield Personal Trainer Jim Bompensa Provides 10 Tips for Maintaining Fitness Over the Holidays.

1. Exercise in the morning.

The longer you put off your workout, the more likely you are to skip it.  Avoid this common downfall by making your workout your number one priority.  Give yourself enough time in the morning to comfortably fit in your workout.  If necessary set your alarm early.  Beginning your day with exercise will increase your blood flow, warm up your muscles, rev your metabolism, and increase your energy level for the entire day.

2. Eat a great breakfast.

Create your daily energy reserve by eating a healthy breakfast.  Begin the day with whole grain, high fiber carbohydrates.  Whole grain carbohydrates will help you to feel full longer and act as a fuel resource that provides a steady energy release.  

3. Prepare for the day by bringing healthy snacks.

Whether you are shopping or going to work, you will inevitably get hungry throughout the day.  Make your choices in the morning when you are not so hungry. Consider bringing sliced apples or a banana to snack on when you are hungry. 

4. Stay hydrated. 

Drinking water throughout the day will help you to feel more full and will keep your body functioning at peak levels.

5. Avoid high calorie pick me up drinks.

There are many temptations for quick energy.  Unfortunately, most of these quick pick me ups are high calorie short term energy sources that will leave you flat. If you prepare your body with a whole grain breakfast, hydrate and keep healthy snacks at hand these options will be less appealing. 

6. Eat high protein foods for meals.

Higher protein meal choices tend to fill you up and carry less calories than their high fat and highly refined food counterparts.  If you select chicken, fish, or other lean protein sources, you will provide muscle building nutrients to your body while introducing less calories. 

7. Avoid heavy snacks.

Stay away from snacks and drinks that may carry high amounts of calories.  These include cream based foods, foods that include cheese, items that contain high amounts of sugar, and high fat meats and dips.  Consider steamed veggies, fruits, and lean cuts of meat.

8. Avoid high calorie soda, juice, and alcoholic beverages.

Sodas, juices, wine, and mixed drinks may easily carry 200 calories per glass.  If you drink four or five of these per day, you will likely gain a pound in just three days from these drinks alone.  Whenever possible drink water. 

9. At social gatherings, position yourself as far from the food table as possible.

Avoid making every social situation about the food.  Position yourself on the opposite side of the room so that each serving will require an additional trip to the food table.  Only take small portions each time.  Interact with as many guests as possible.  It is more difficult to eat when you are socializing.  Also if you do not hang at a table you will be less likely to take large portions of food.  

10. Add a 10 minute workout before bed if your calorie intake was extra high.

On particularly challenging days when you are not able to avoid as many holiday temptations as you would have liked to, consider ending your day with a quick workout.  When your calorie intake is higher than usual, you can negate some of those calories by burning them off before going to sleep.

Utilize these fitness tips for a guilt free holiday season! 

Haddonfield Personal Trainer Jim Bompensa outlines how to work multiple muscles in unison to increase your fitness return on time invested.

Haddonfield Personal Trainer Jim Bompensa outlines how to work multiple muscles in unison to increase your fitness return on time invested.

Your time is valuable. If you think of your time as currency, currency that can never be replaced, you will certainly want to get the most bang for your buck. If you value your time and take time management seriously while striving to get the most out of your workouts than you need to work as many muscles as possible at the same time. This method of exercise will provide numerous benefits:

First, you will fatigue more muscles in less time. In order to create a well rounded full body tone, you must work every muscle in the body to the point of fatigue. I recommend doing this two times per week. Since there are numerous muscle groups to be worked, you may find it hard to budget enough time to properly work all of them. By utilizing multiple muscle groups in unison, you create a more time efficient and effective workout routine.

Second, you will illicit positive changes to your cardiovascular system. Because so many muscles are moving at the same time, a greater amount of blood flow is required. This will raise your heart rate and provide a greater benefit to cardiovascular system. Oxygen is required to fuel muscle movement. When more muscles are moved more oxygen is required. Blood delivers oxygen and since the heart pumps the blood, more cardiovascular involvement is required. Hence, a more efficient cardiovascular system is the final product.

Finally, you will burn more calories. By creating more muscle movement, more calories are required. One of the biggest reasons people exercise is to loose weight or keep from gaining weight. Calorie expenditure is critical in weight loss and weight management. The more calories burned the more body fat is lost or the less body fat is retained. When more muscles are moved more calories are burned in a shorter time frame.

Time efficient workouts are my specialty. I create workouts for busy clients. In order to create these time efficient workouts, I utilize two methods to create coordinated muscle movement.

First, I combine lower body exercises with upper body exercises. An example of this type of exercise is the squat with lateral raise. Follow the instructions below to complete this exercise.
1) Begin with arms extended at your side with slight bend in elbows. Your feet should be
just a little wider than shoulder width.
2) Arms should not be touching the body.
3) The body should be lowered to a position where the thighs are parallel to the ground.
Arms should stay steady while lowering the body.
4) With both feet firmly planted on the floor, the body should be lifted back to starting
position. Both arms should be lifted laterally away from the body while pushing
up with the legs.
5) In contrast to the original starting position, at this point the arms should be in a
position parallel to the ground.
6) Return to position where thighs are parallel with the ground and arms are extended at
the side and repeat.
7) A constant angle should be maintained at the elbow joint throughout this exercise.

Second, I combine upper body resistance exercises with cardio movements. An example of this would be walking on the treadmill while curling hand weights. If you need help finding a treadmill, refer to smoothfitness.com . Follow the instructions below to complete this exercise.
1) Attach safety harness and begin walking.
2) While walking start with arms extended down with palms facing forward.
3) The elbows should be slightly bent.
4) While keeping palms facing up, pull hands upward toward the shoulders.
5) It is very important to keep the elbows tight against the body to prevent using shoulder muscles.
6) Return arms to start position and repeat.

I wish you the best of luck in your fitness journey!


You should always consult your physician before undertaking any exercise routine and gain his or her approval. A warm up and a cool down should be included with every workout routine.

HAddonfield Personal Trainer Jim Bompensa Provides Tips on Getting your Child Interested in Fitness

Integrate fitness into your child’s lifestyle safely and effectively.
By: Jim Bompensa

It is never too early to get a child interested in fitness. In order to safely and effectively integrate fitness into their lifestyle, it is important to provide the proper type of program for your child.

Expose your child to fitness at a young age. It is important to get your children interested in fitness by enrolling them in activities that will teach them the importance of exercise as well as show them that exercise can be fun. Between the ages of 5 and 10, organized athletics such as soccer, little league, or martial arts will provide physical activity in an enjoyable atmosphere. At this age it is most important to provide positive fitness experiences.

From the ages of 10 to 13, children expressing interest may be introduced to exercises which utilize the body’s natural weight. Examples would be squats, lunges, pushups, crunches, etc. This will help them to develop the physical awareness of how their body works.

From 13 to 15 adolescents may be introduced to weight training exercises. In this age range it is important to be sure not to use heavy weights. Most adolescents are still growing at this point in their life. It is imperative that the body be permitted to develop in the proper manner before heavy weight loads are introduced to it. Weight loads should be kept to a level at which all exercises can be performed for 20 repetitions.

After the age of 15 many teens become involved in more highly competitive athletic programs.
At this time they may express an interest in moving up the intensity of their exercise routines. The speed at which a child’s body develops will vary from one child to the next. The bones and connective tissue structures must be strong enough to sustain increased exercise loads. Your physician should be consulted to be certain your teen’s body frame is prepared.

Remember, the best way to teach is to set the proper example. If you lead the way, they will follow. The foundation for your children’s lifetime exercise habits will be formed in your house. Take this responsibility seriously!