How often do you need to workout to be in shape? Do be toned? Do lose weight? There are 2 schools of thought here. The first is, workout 3 times a week, break it down to every other day, and stay at least an hour. The second is, workout a little bit every single day.
The bottom line is: DO AS MUCH AS YOUR SCHEDULE ALLOWS
The goal is to keep your body moving with "healthy" strenuous movements daily. Keep your body "thinking" fitness every day, and it will react differently. If you are able to accelerate your heart rate level on a every day basis, your calories burned with accelerate and you will accomplish the results you are looking for. Remember, your goal is to have a calorie deficit each day, i.e. burn more calories than you are bringing in your system from food and drink. So if you can only make it to a gym 2-3 times per week, make the most of that time spent with high intensity exercises. The more the intensity, the more the heart rate goes up, the more calories you burn. Simple as that. So as a rule of thumb with losing weight and those trying to tone, if you can't feel your heart beat pumping, your not getting the most out of your workout. Come try a workout with me at http://www.solerahealthclub.com/, and I can show you the exercises needed to achieve this result.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Cardio and Weights, or Weights and Cardio....
The most frequent question (other than how do I lose weight fast) I face is "what do I do first, cardio or weights?" While "experts" have their opinion either way, my answer is simple: It's up to you.
There are no right or wrong answers for this question, it's completely up to your preference. With my workout sessions, I usually have the client do a 5-10 minute warm up in the cardio room, then it's off to the weights for 30 minutes or so, followed by 10 more minutes of hard cardio. Some clients come in 30 minutes early so they can get 20-25 minutes of good cardio in before our session, others wait until the end. The main focus is only that you complete it. If you are more of a runner, or cardio person, I suggest doing the cardio after your weight workout. If your not a cardio person, start with it. That way you get the "most dreaded" part of the workout over with first. But again there are no right or wrong answers, it just needs to be completed.
My advice? Start with cardio. Too many times I see clients and members start with their weights and machines workout, and decide they will "get their cardio finished later on their own," yet it usually doesn't happen. If time is of the essense for the weight workout, at least get 5-10 minutes of cardio in and then hit the weights.
There are no right or wrong answers for this question, it's completely up to your preference. With my workout sessions, I usually have the client do a 5-10 minute warm up in the cardio room, then it's off to the weights for 30 minutes or so, followed by 10 more minutes of hard cardio. Some clients come in 30 minutes early so they can get 20-25 minutes of good cardio in before our session, others wait until the end. The main focus is only that you complete it. If you are more of a runner, or cardio person, I suggest doing the cardio after your weight workout. If your not a cardio person, start with it. That way you get the "most dreaded" part of the workout over with first. But again there are no right or wrong answers, it just needs to be completed.
My advice? Start with cardio. Too many times I see clients and members start with their weights and machines workout, and decide they will "get their cardio finished later on their own," yet it usually doesn't happen. If time is of the essense for the weight workout, at least get 5-10 minutes of cardio in and then hit the weights.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Changing Your Workout Routine
People who cross-train with a variety of exercises are more fit and less injury-prone than those who exercise using only one or two exercise modalities.
You know who you are. You are the person that goes into the gym, and does the same exact workout everytime you come in. You jump on the treadmill for 20 minutes, go at the exact same pace, then you switch to the elliptical, go at the exact same pace, then you use a couple of strength machines, same machines each time using the same resistance, same amount of reps, and you call it a day. Day after day, week after week, month after month, you come in regularly, yet your results stay the same. Some people get lucky and are completely happy with where they are at fitness and health wise, and are able to maintain that. But most others go in the opposite direction, stop seeing results after a couple of months. You then find youself without the motivation to make it to the gym "that day", which then turns into a week, month, and before you know it years have gone by and you don't recognize what is in the mirror anymore. How did this happen? Why did working out make me gain weight, or give me no results at all?
"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result" - Einstein
No matter what skill level you are at, no matter if you have been working out for years, YOU don't know everything there is to know about working out. It's not as simple as just coming in to a facility and randomly picking exercises based on your comfort level. You need a plan, and that plan needs to be changing constantly. Keep your body guessing what you will do next. Don't let your muscles adapt to what your doing, change is good! It's tough, believe me, I sometimes fall into a habit of repeating my exercise routines from time to time. It's safe to me, the muscles know what they are in for that day so it becomes easy. But why do it? If I'm going to take the time to workout, why not get the maximum reward for this?
It's so easy in today's world to find magazines with exercises, exercises online, youtube videos of exercises, so many ways to change your workout. The most effective way is to find a personal trainer (shameless plug for myself), to take the pre-routine work away from you. You work hard, so much on your plate, why not leave the work to me! Let me find the exercises that are beneficial for you, let me push you to your limit, keep you accountable for your workouts. A little extra cost upfront will save you a ton in the long run (no pun intended)! It starts today! http://www.soleraspa.com/
You know who you are. You are the person that goes into the gym, and does the same exact workout everytime you come in. You jump on the treadmill for 20 minutes, go at the exact same pace, then you switch to the elliptical, go at the exact same pace, then you use a couple of strength machines, same machines each time using the same resistance, same amount of reps, and you call it a day. Day after day, week after week, month after month, you come in regularly, yet your results stay the same. Some people get lucky and are completely happy with where they are at fitness and health wise, and are able to maintain that. But most others go in the opposite direction, stop seeing results after a couple of months. You then find youself without the motivation to make it to the gym "that day", which then turns into a week, month, and before you know it years have gone by and you don't recognize what is in the mirror anymore. How did this happen? Why did working out make me gain weight, or give me no results at all?
"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result" - Einstein
No matter what skill level you are at, no matter if you have been working out for years, YOU don't know everything there is to know about working out. It's not as simple as just coming in to a facility and randomly picking exercises based on your comfort level. You need a plan, and that plan needs to be changing constantly. Keep your body guessing what you will do next. Don't let your muscles adapt to what your doing, change is good! It's tough, believe me, I sometimes fall into a habit of repeating my exercise routines from time to time. It's safe to me, the muscles know what they are in for that day so it becomes easy. But why do it? If I'm going to take the time to workout, why not get the maximum reward for this?
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