A comprehensive list of what Bonfire Health recommends in regards to…
Fitness:
- We recognize that fitness does not equate wellness; rather, fitness is a critical aspect of wellness.
- Our activities and movement patterns are varied and broad, in order to promote constant challenge and well-rounded fitness.
- We choose activities that produce energy expenditures that meet our cellular requirements and expectations.
Body Weight:
- We choose to create the healthy body that we desire, and we do not seek to avoid or move away from the body that we do not want.
- We choose to maintain an ideal energy balance by consuming only the number of calories necessary to maintain optimal function.
How Much Movement:
- We move every day according to our genetic requirements.
- We practice a natural rhythm in fitness challenge design by varying focus on strength, cardiovascular fitness, flexibility and skills.
- We strive to exceed what we’ve done before.
What Types of Movement:
- We train full body movements, not muscles.
- We believe that you are exercising if you are moving, sweating and panting.
- We enjoy challenging physical exercise that promotes both aerobic and anaerobic conditioning.
- We choose activities that we enjoy and are naturally attracted to in order to promote consistency and long-term benefits.
- We recognize the benefits of short interval, high intensity exercise.
- We believe that you should do what moves you.
Moving With Others:
- We recognize the power of community and the support that like-minded people provide in our wellness and fitness levels.
- We employ the advantages of coaching, systems and technology to maximize our results.
Postural Patterns:
- We choose to maintain correct postural patterns when sitting, standing, sleeping, working and playing.
- We choose to employ specific spinal hygiene exercises and conditioning regularly.
- We maintain the health and function of our spine and nerve system with regular spine and nerve system check-ups and specific corrective chiropractic care.
Moving and the Environment:
- We respectfully recognize our responsibilities in stewardship to the planet and its inhabitants, and therefore practice an environmental mindfulness in our equipment choices, modes of transport, use of natural resources, and general respect for our surroundings.
- We are proactive in our planning and preparation in regard to our fitness.
- We recognize that, ultimately, exercise is free.
I’m not sure how to do these workouts. What do I do?
I struggle to find time in my schedule to work out. How do I make time?
Can I just work out for 3 hours, twice a week instead of working out every day?
Do I have to work out every single day?
I already work out. How will the Bonfire Workout of the Day benefit me?
I don’t like lifting weights. Can I still participate in Bonfire?
I’m sore from working out. Can I take a day off?
I’m not sure how to do these workouts. What do I do?
At Bonfire, our goal is to make it easier to be healthy. In order to help you learn different body movements, we have video tutorials of each movement. Click on Warm Up, Workout of the Day or Challenge, for more details on the movements, how to execute them correctly, and a video of one of our trainers doing each movement to make sure you can get it right and reap the benefits.
I struggle to find time in my schedule to work out. How do I make time?
Here’s the thing. Your body needs movement. It craves it. It can’t survive for long without it. Movement needs to become a priority. The brilliance of Bonfire workouts is that most of them are quick! We employ high intensity workouts. Some of them will only take you 10 minutes if you move fast! The bottom line is how hard you work is ultimately more important than how long you work. Also important to keep in mind: activity is cumulative. Spending ten minutes moving, three times per day is just as good as moving for a solid half hour. It all adds up!
Can I just work out for 3 hours, twice a week?
As well people, we move, sweat and pant for at least thirty minutes per day. Upping your exercise is fine, but it’s important to do something every day. Also, beware of chronic cardio! Exercising for long periods of time can put your body into a state of stress and wear down your body. Make the time to get in some movement every day and your body will thank you.
Do I have to work out every single day?
Take advantage of “active rest days”. Sometimes its fine to take a day off from intense activity, but that doesn’t mean that lying on the couch all day is the way to go. Go for a walk, do some light gardening, clean the entire house, just move around! Look at your daily workout as absolutely essential in order for your body to be happy.
I already work out. How will using the Bonfire Workout of the Day benefit me?
The Bonfire Health workouts mimic the workouts of the healthiest people in the world. There is no doubt that completing the Workout of the Day on a regular basis will benefit you. The exercises prescribed here are specifically tailored to deliver a well-rounded fitness. We focus on the 10 Facets of Fitness: Endurance, Stamina, Strength, Flexibility, Power, Speed, Coordination, Accuracy, Agility, and Balance. All the exercises are fully scalable and appropriate for all ability levels. These workouts will help you build outstanding results in health and fitness, regardless of whether or not you are already active in some way. If you are already regularly participating in a very similar, full body movement training program like Crossfit, you can do the Bonfire workouts in addition to your WODs or you can do them on days when you don’t make it into the gym.
I don’t like lifting weights. Can I still participate in Bonfire?
What’s not to like? The exercises we recommend, including weight lifting are so important because they supplement movements that our body should be conditioned to do on a regular basis. In this culture where sedentary lifestyles are the norm, we are no longer hunting and gathering and building things with our bare hands. These type of essential movements are what kept our ancestors strong and capable and helped prevent an assortment of chronic diseases. If you are worried about looking too bulky just remember: Strong is Beautiful! Because you are training full body movements and not singular muscles, your body will look lean, toned, and naturally strong (not like a body builder).
I’m sore from working out. Can I take a day off?
You should be training on a schedule. Your schedule acts as a guardrail to keep you on the right track. Part of any exercise regimen, whether you are a beginner or advanced, is soreness of varying degrees. This should be considered an anticipated sensation and is part of the experience, especially after a workout that is particularly intense or demanding. That begin said, listen to your body. Fitness, like wellness is a lifelong journey, not a destination. If your soreness is extraordinary, give your body the rest it needs.
