MSI Press Blog

From MidWest Book Review: Synopsis: "Girl, You Got This!: A Fitness Trainer's Personal Strategies for Success Transitioning into Motherhood" by Brittany Renz is a complete guide to setting yourself up for success while transitioning to motherhood. The 'real world practical' and experience based advice comes from an expert as Brittany is a wife, mother of one and a half kids (a three-year-old girl and soon-to-be born baby boy), entrepreneur, and personal trainer. In "Girl, You Got This!, Brittany deftly and accessibly shares her knowledge and experience to walk her readers through all of the phases of pregnancy, from before conception to delivery -- and ways to stay fit during each phase. Critique: A perfect gift book for expectant mothers, "Girl, You Got This!: A Fitness Trainer's Personal Strategies for Success Transitioning into Motherhood" features color photograph illustrations and is unreservedly endorsed and recommended for pers...

Slugging though a 5-year period of preparation has moments of high motivation and moments of wondering if the bridge is just too far. I was wondering that today after gaining (not losing) two pounds (still beating around the overweight-obese divide) and thinking maybe commonsense is the better part of valor when I saw this quote from Thomas Merton: "The biggest human temptation is to settle for too little," OK - rock climbing, yoga, it's still on! Judo in January!! And back to more sit-ups, more push-ups, trying to really do a pull up. Strong Fitness challenges -- I'm all in!

Anne Laforge interviews Brittany and her husband Holden for National Women's Health and Fitness Day 2019. Listen to the podcast here .

For National Women's Health and Fitness Day, Julie (author of 108 Yoga and Self-Care Practices for Busy Mamas) provided us the following guest post. My 3-year-old does Downward-Facing Dog and Tree Pose. Even at her age, she’s learning how simple and fun it can be to fit in exercise and that exercise is integral to mind-body wellness.   Since she and her brother were newborns, they’ve seen mama stretch, run, walk and lift weights. And some days they exercise with me. The message they’re getting about exercise is: “Fitness is fun and it helps keep us healthy!” As they grow, they’ll know exercise is just as much a part of their day as brushing their teeth and washing their hands. I wake up knowing when I’m going to workout. Fitness fits in the nooks and crannies of almost every day. Sometimes it’s a 20-minute yoga video before breakfast; other times it’s a 30-minute walk outside with the family after dinner. Scheduling time for exercise ...

Author of Girl, You Got This! , Brittany and her book were featured today in Atlanta Latinos Digital Magazine. The magazine features interesting and useful topics in English and Spanish. Most compelling about this magazine is its beautiful and artistic design. A must-see, must-read! Take a look: Atlanta Latinos Magazine

Brittany Renz, author of Girl, You Got This! , had a great book signing last Saturday at Barnes & Noble in Gilroy. Here are some fun pictures from the event, including the participation of her husband HOlden and daughter Sophie.

One of the first things I learned as part of my fitness training -- and am still learning -- is that when it comes to physical fitness development of any sort, slow is better than fast. That came as a surprise to me, especially since I have been impulsive and near-hyperactive my entire life. Doing things fast comes naturally. Doing them slowly does not--and frustrates me as well. However, I now understand that I MUST do fitness activites slowly for a number of reasons: to avoid injury to let your muscles fully experience the activity not to confuse cardio training with muscle training to get the full benefit of each activity  to build muscle faster -- more time under tension Try it. Lift 20 pounds rapidly 20 times. Then lift 20 pounds slowly 20 times. Slowly is harder to do; it taxes your muscles more; it build muscles faster. (Though with faster, you can live more weight or do more repetitions.) A length of 2-6 seonds between repitions seems to optimal. What you...

We have all heard about dressing for success. Generally, that refers to the concept that if you want a promotion (or to be hired), your clothing needs to make you look the part, whether that be a suit or some kind of specialized attire -- or in the case years ago when I wanted to get my daughter accepted into Moscow schools when I was living and conducting research there and needed a "napravlenie" [written permission form from the school district] a school univform with fartuk [frock] and properly tied hair ribbons). If you plook the part, you generally have a better chance of getting the part. I have found that to be the case as well with fitness training. If I put on my walking shoes, I want to walk. If I put on my sneakers, I want to run. If I put on slippes, I want to lounge. It is not necessarily what "I" want to do, but what my body expects to do. It has become habituated to associate attire wtih intention. If I don shorts and tank top, I am suddenly re...

4-minute cardio from Strong Fitness Magazine For the past several months, slogging best describes my physical training efforts. Yes, my trainer kept pointing out ways in which I had made progress, and I kept at my " homework " that she gave me. Still, it did not FEEL like I had made progress. FEELING engages motivation. Motivation can keep you going, but will power fuels it during the blah-nothing times. Sometimes, you just need to FEEL  progress. And that happened this week! In two ways!! I was able to do 100 iterations of abs and laterals exercises, nonstop, with raised legs and 8-pound kettle ball. Not all that long ago 25 iterations were almost impossible; then 50 iterations were onerous. Now, 100, with the energy to do another 100 right away. Yes, FELT progress. Thne, Strong Fitness Magazine (great online magazine for women who want to be fit) published an article about a 4-minute cardio exercise that builds cardio quickly. Right--if you can do the fo...

So, last month when my trainer was having her baby, she gave me homework for the time she would be out. I found the homework so useful that I continued it even after she came back. Just the right aount for me right now, and I can start to see some small (wish it were large, but it is small) differences. Still, a year and a half ago, I was much pudgier, 11 pounds heavier, and with no muscles. So, since pictures do not lie (well, not usually and not unless doctored), here is my first attempt at recroding some progress. The pictue is so helpful, I will start to do updates for my 6-month assessments. (Short-term goals are as motivating as andmore doable than long-term goals.) For the record, here is the daily homework: 30 minutes of cardio (yeah, I get to choose and to mix and match) 100 abs (another choice and can mix and match) 50 squats Monday, Regular Tuesday. Sumo Wednesday. Chair Thursday. Jump  Friday. Front lunges Sat-Sun. Burpess (really difficult right ...

Pregnant? Want to stay fit? Need to become fit? It is all goood for your baby and for you! Fitness training Brittany Renz, herself pregnant for the second time, tells you how in this beautifully illustrated book, due out July 1. Pre-order today at MSI Press's webstore. Read more about the book: Press Release .

After 7 months in fitness training, working on core, biceps & triceps, and leg strength, I was just thinking to myself, "Wow, do I have a long way to go!" Why? Because I have been watching the latest city finals and gauging how, without mistakes (which all too frequently do happen), I would do at this point. (Of course, I have four more years of training to go -- the list of training needs and the list of what I can do should take quite a different shape by then). So, obstacle 1 in Philly: the archer stairs (that replaced the floating steps) -- probably not a problem (legs have been shaping up well, including jumping, skipping, running, and movement on a the Bosu ball). Casey Rothschihld, though, got caught traveling with the rope, and that dragged her back in the water. So, my experience at the ninja warrior training session with the rope tells me that I have the same problem. Therefore, not something to work on right now, but once I get to the point in my training...