Got a fitness question? Ask our online personal trainers!
Panel updated June 20, 2011
Now is the perfect time to get in shape, set fitness goals, train for a Get Your Rear in Gear 5K, or just get outside and get moving with the family. But sometimes, the best laid plans don’t yield the results you expect. What seems simple in a fitness magazine can get a little bit more complicated when you get to the gym or head out the door. This is your opportunity to clear up the confusion and get those fitness questions answered. GetYourRearinGear.com has gathered a panel of three fitness experts to answer your questions about preparing for your first 5K, training as you age, or general fitness concerns.
Submit a question!
Our fitness experts include:
Chris Freytag
Chris Freytag: Chris is a nationally known fitness expert on NBC-TV, the fitness expert for Prevention magazine, and author of 3 books. Chris holds a BA in Journalism and is a certified Group Fitness Instructor, Personal Trainer and Lifestyle and Weight Management consultant. She is a Yoga and Pilates instructor as well. Over the years, Chris has written numerous articles on health and fitness. She is a national fitness presenter, motivational speaker and has over a dozen fitness DVD’s in the marketplace. Check out her newest book, The 2 Week Total Body Turnaround available at bookstores now, or get more information about Chris’ classes and programs at her website ChrisFreytag.com.
Matt Haugen
Matt Haugen: Matt is a full-time coach who has trained thousands of athletes since 1980. On the community, high school, collegiate, national, and Olympic levels, he has guided athletes to podium finishes and personal best accomplishments. Since 1972, Matt has also continued to train and race in a wide range of sports and race distances. His blend of education, elite level performance experience, and coaching history provide athletes the guidance that they need to attain finish line goals. Matt holds a B.A. in Psychology, and M.S. Exercise Science/Sport Psychology from Penn State, and Ph.D. studies (A.B.D.) in Kinesiology/Sport Psychology from the U of Minnesota. He currently trains athletes of all levels through Performance Power (P2) based in St. Paul Minnesota.
Bryan Brander
Bryan Brander: Bryan is a school principal by day and runner/coach by morning, night, and weekend. He began his running career, entering his first race, at the age of twelve and was blessed to have the opportunity to run competitively in high school and college. Since then he has been coaching runners and sharing his knowledge, training, and success, while also competing in a variety of distances from 5Ks to 50 milers, and enjoying his love for the sport along the way. In 2010 he founded Bull City Coaching, a comprehensive running resource to deliver his coaching on a larger scale. Bryan ran his first Get Your Rear in Gear event in Raleigh, N.C. on March 5, 2011.
Dana Neve
Dana Neve: Dana is a New Orleans native living in the Twin Cities for the past eighteen years with her husband and two teenage daughters. She is a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, runner, fitness coach, motivator, speaker, avid spectator of her kids’ sports, and has been a guest speaker on the radio. Fitness has always been a part of her life, but it wasn’t until 2000 that she became passionate about it. After being diagnosed with fibromyalgia and having a negative reaction to the medication prescribed, she decided to control the symptoms with exercise and proper nutrition. The results were life changing and it has become her mission to help others lead longer, healthier, and more fulfilling lives through fitness and nutrition. She coaches people around the country developing nutrition plans and recommending workout programs for her clients, while motivating and supporting them along the way. She is dedicated to helping people achieve their goals and would love to help you too.
After you submit your question, check back to find the answer in future blog posts.
Please note: answers to questions may not be provided individually. We receive many requests each week. Questions are reviewed and sent to our volunteer panel of fitness experts. While we do our best to answer as many questions as we can, our experts are all volunteer and do their best to answer questions that will benefit the most amount of people. Please consult with your personal physician before beginning any new exercise program.
39 comments on this post
Leave a Comment
Comment Policy
We encourage interaction, discussion, commentary, questions and even criticism but respectfully ask that comments and posts are kept relevant and respectful. Personal attacks, inappropriate language, racism, spamming and excessive posting/commenting will not be tolerated. The Colon Cancer Coalition / Get Your Rear in Gear reserves the right to remove any comment or ban any user for any reason. We reserve the right to move discussions offline and to delete excessive comments to improve the overall visitor experience.
Get Your Rear in Gear reserves the right to remove comments advertising commercial products, comments that are inaccurate, or may be otherwise objectionable.
We will not post form letters with the same content from multiple users.
Relevant comments on previously published posts are always welcome.
Hi I am 20 years old and I am 5.7″ and my weight is 125 lbs. I am skinny person so I want to put some mass on me but If I try that I start to get belly and It doesn’t reallly helps me gettin some real mass. So I want to get six pack and some mass on me so I can look fit and tight. I also wanted to ask can I increase my height now as I am only 20 ? Can anyone please guide me what should I do regarding my situation I would really be greatfull.
Hi!
I have a personal trainer and we have started training for 2 months. In the first month he was very active and fresh in all sessions but suddenly he became tired and mute in one session and many times he mentions that he’s tired in our sessions of this month. I told him this makes me tired too and makes my workeouts tougher than usual,what’s wrong and he said I don’t know i’m just tired and maybe because of parties or I miss my hometown or bla bla..(while he got back and saw he’s family and friends and afterwards he was tired and nothing’s changed)
Would you please guide me in this regard? I’m totally frustrated of this situation coz i have 7 more sessions with him.
I am 26. I spend about 2hours ( 9-10am & 8-9pm) a day in exercise. But I need to know answers to these.
1). Is there any specified time for workouts?
2). How much gap should be given between workouts?
3). Is there any order to follow ie., 1st biceps, 2nd triceps, next chest, then abs so on…. ?
4). What is the average no. Of times event should be carried out? ie., crunches, situps , pull and pushups etc.?.
5). Are the above mentioned workouts necessarily be done in 2 or more sets or doing once is enough?
Pls don’t get irritated by my questions. Kindly answer.
Hi! I’m currently developing an Android Fitness Tracking app for our thesis and if you could help me with my inquiry that would be great!
What if a person missed 2 days of light exercise and it’s already the end of the week, would a heavy exercise for just one day compensate/suffice for the missed days?
I want to lose 10 – 15 kgs. I’m now around 80 kgs and 160cm in height. My blood pressure is high, which I only found out today, so I’m concerned. How long do you think it will take to lose that amount of weight and what exercises would benefit me, as I am new to the whole fitness thing. Please help me out as I want much better health then what I have right now. Thanks
Hi, all the time i uѕed to check website poѕts here eaгly
in the daylight, fοr the reaѕon that і like to find
out mοre and more.
Okay so I have long skinney legs I’ve been running lately however I only see Improvement on my legs I have high hips & a flabby tummy so it makes me look like I have a muffin top my torso is so wide I really need help on decreasing this and getting rid of all the fat on my stomach please contact me ASAP
I have one butt cheek bigger than the other. Should I work out the bigger one or the smaller one ? The bigger one always has the feeling that it’s getting worked out.. Help !?
I am 43 years old. I have had two c-sections and a mid line hysterectomy. I am wondering if my stomach muscles have been damaged during these operations making it difficult, or impossible, to tighten the abdomen?
I need a school workout routine for my son who is in a high school weight training class. the teacher told him to look online for a fitness plan to suit his individual needs. He is 16 years old, 6’3″ 150lbs. He plays Varsity soccer as a Goalie. Defenseman on varsity Lacrosse, and is on the high school swim team doing 50m freestyle 200m medley and 400 m freestyle.
he wants to increase stamina, strength, endurance without to much bulk which could slow down his swimming. Their gym consists mainly of free weights, and the typical student going in is trying to bulk up. Any Help would be greatly appreciated, Thank you
I wanted to know should I order insanity I need my perfect body back I had to let it go because of getting olsgood shlatters in both knees and I need to build up strength again because I’m a high school girl basketball player.
I currently am trying to loose weight and have lost approx 25 lbs so far. I wanted to know if What I am doing is ok to keep going to reach my goal of about 45 lbs lost. I weighed 207 when I started and now weigh 183. I do interval cardio 6 days a week and lift weight about 3. I am doing green juice for breakfast and lunch with some snacks in between and a small dinner. Will i reach my goal and lose the fat i have in trouble areas like love handles and belly. Thanks for your help
I have recently dislocated my arm (about a week ago) but the lack of movement is driving me crazy! Can you recommend any workouts for abs/back without putting strain on my shoulder? cheers.
Hi, my names is Lindsay and im 17 years old. I go to the gym about 5 times a week and use the elliptical for 35 minutes. I weigh 111 lbs. I don’t eat extremely healthy but I dont have an awful diet. I just want to know the most effective way to get rid of my cellulite & slim down my thighs…I really need help. thank you!
Hi, my name is Theresa and im 24 years old 5 feet 8 inches tall and weigh 118 pounds. At one point I weighed 121 and was not fat but still had some fat that I did not like so I went on a diet. During this time I am not quite sure how many calories i consumed but it was not enough and after this I did not notice any difference in fat but my arms became toothpicks. I did not mean for this to happen I just wanted to lose some fat but now that i have done some research i think that my body ate muscle.
Hi,
I spend about 30 mins. on an elliptical machine 6-7 times a week and am in the best shape of my life. However, I have no real muscle mass and still have love handles. Are there weight exercises I should be doing as an alternate/supplement to my workout? If, so which weights should I buy? Thanks!!
I am 20 a single mother tight on money the gyms with daycare too expensive each month I am 5’1 and 160 bad I know I want to be a healthy weight so how can I get there maybe there’s a DVD I can buy? Zumba/Jillian michael? I need help! I go walk everyday also but want something I can stay home and watch my daughter also? Would it work better if I do both Zumba and Jillian michaels videos everyday?
Hi, I’m an 18 year old girl desperate to tone up.
I am just wondering what you think of my current routines. I run/jog for at least 20 minutes 3 times a week. I have also created a little workout I do every day: 15 squats x 3
40 jumping jacks
20 tricep dips
20 crunches
10 v sits
20 sit ups
20 lunges per leg
10 bicycle crunches
20 reverse crunches
1 minute plank
20 press ups
I do this sometimes without rest but prefer to take a minute between every 4 or so movements.
I am also doing a workout DVD 2-3 times a week that consists of short hurts of intense training.
i work long shifts so an find it hard to fit in long gym sessions and that’s how I’ve come to use these home excercises.
I eat well, 3 healthy meals a day and generally snack on nuts or fruit.
Is this a good work out routine? I am a beginner. Thanks!!
Hi im 18 and I am natrually big I go to the the gym I got muscle nd I just recently started taking creatine I want to get bigger im 6’0 230 lbs I drink a protien shake then my creatine before the gym then after I drink protiwn then a hour later I eat a meal that consist of steak brocoli carrots beans rice onions peppers I just want to know will that make me gain too much weight as in fat or a belly?