This weekend I got to have a little fun with friends and work up a sweat at Pound – Rockout Workout, an exercise experience that includes some extreme drumming! The day was a great reflection of my philosophy as a personal trainer – your workout doesn’t have to feel like work to be effective! You can have fun, spend time with friends and play games, all while reaching your fitness goals!

The old way of “get down and give me 20” just isn’t very inspiring to everyone (including me!) I love to find exercises that keep my clients fit, as well as motivated and coming back for more. So, if you’re looking for ways to stay healthy while keeping a smile on your face, try these on for size:

• Dancing – You can go out with friends, or rock out in your house. Dancing is a great cardio workout that gets the blood and endorphins pumping! If you’re looking for some tunes to use, check out my workout playlist.
• Surfing – My Los Angeles friends know it’s hot outside! What better way to beat the heat than heading down to the beach and working your core on a surfboard?
• Sports – Get out with friends, join a team or play games with your kids. Basketball, tennis, even a fun game of flag football will keep you fit.
• Boot Camp – I love putting together challenging obstacles for clients. You can achieve a goal every time and easily increase the intensity with each session.
• Fun Runs – Training for a 5K can be a great way to meet new friends and ease in to running. If you’ve been thinking about getting out to walk, run or jog, join my Santa Monica Vision Run Club this September for friendly motivation.

My goal when training clients is to find a smile in every workout. So, what makes you smile?