" I don't feel like I'm really getting a good workout unless I'm sore for several days after exercising"
This myth is probably the toughest to eliminate for some of my clients. However, the bottom line is that muscle soreness indicates physiological trauma, and is believed to result from inflammation and microscopic tears in the elastic tissues surrounding muscle fibers.
What muscle soreness does give us is sensory feedback.
As human beings, we want and need knowledge of results. The soreness is the information that convinces us that we have indeed worked hard.
Some personal trainers advocate that this trauma is necessary in order to develop muscle more effectively-"No Pain, No Gain " mentality. In actuality , the continued effort to ensure such soreness induces what is known as overuse syndrome. The best rule of thumb is to increase exercise time or difficulty by 5-10% after every 4-6 workouts.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Friday, September 23, 2011
Can I Spot Reduce?
On a daily basis I have clients come to me and ask " Can you help me with this" ( as they point to an area of their body that they don't like, belly, thighs, butt) or say as they point, "I just want to focus on this, this area is my problem".
I then try to explain that we all have areas or parts of our body that we don't like that are just our genetic make-up ( we got our mom's giggly legs or our dad's small biceps, or grandma's big rear-end!).
We can listen to the late-night infomercials and buy the latest abs-roller or push-up machine, but this is not going to do anything but "burn" a hole in your pocket, not burn fat off your abs or build your chest!
A well- rounded exercise program consists of training all muscle groups. The abs or thigh or chest muscles, which ever your problem area may be, can be strengthened, but weight or fat loss comes from the body as a whole and not just the areas that are exercised.
The real way ( no matter what you hear on TV) to minimize fat in one specific area is by cleaning up your diet and dedicating yourself to a complete and consistent total-body program. There are no short -cuts but with some hard work, and commitment you can improve the overall look of your "entire" physique.
I then try to explain that we all have areas or parts of our body that we don't like that are just our genetic make-up ( we got our mom's giggly legs or our dad's small biceps, or grandma's big rear-end!).
We can listen to the late-night infomercials and buy the latest abs-roller or push-up machine, but this is not going to do anything but "burn" a hole in your pocket, not burn fat off your abs or build your chest!
A well- rounded exercise program consists of training all muscle groups. The abs or thigh or chest muscles, which ever your problem area may be, can be strengthened, but weight or fat loss comes from the body as a whole and not just the areas that are exercised.
The real way ( no matter what you hear on TV) to minimize fat in one specific area is by cleaning up your diet and dedicating yourself to a complete and consistent total-body program. There are no short -cuts but with some hard work, and commitment you can improve the overall look of your "entire" physique.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
1 -Common Exercise Misconception
Misconception #1 - If I want to lose weight, I should just exercise aerobically and pick up the weights after I get the fat off.
Fact:
Losing weight is primarily a factor of calorie expenditure or burning calories. When it is conditioned, lean muscle tissue is the very organ of the body that perfers fat as the fuel of choice during aerobic activity. To condition muscle tissue , perform at least 20-30 minutes of resistance training 2-3 times per week. This will help your body to burn fat more efficiently when exercising aerobically and at rest.
So-Pick up some weights!
Fact:
Losing weight is primarily a factor of calorie expenditure or burning calories. When it is conditioned, lean muscle tissue is the very organ of the body that perfers fat as the fuel of choice during aerobic activity. To condition muscle tissue , perform at least 20-30 minutes of resistance training 2-3 times per week. This will help your body to burn fat more efficiently when exercising aerobically and at rest.
So-Pick up some weights!
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Wednesday night Body Blast class- Try this one out!!!!
You wont need any equipment for this workout, your body weight will do just fine!!
Congratulations to everyone who completed this workout last night! You guys ROCK!
* PUSH -UPS
*SPLIT SQUATS
*LOW JACKS
*BODY WEIGHT SQUATS
*FLYING JACKS
*HOP TURNS
*MT. CLIMBER
*BRIDGE HOP KICKS
*BURPES
*PLANK JACKS
*MATRIX
20 REPS EACH EXERCISE- 4 SETS - TOTAL = 80 REPS EACH EXERCISE
GREAT FAT BURNER!
Congratulations to everyone who completed this workout last night! You guys ROCK!
* PUSH -UPS
*SPLIT SQUATS
*LOW JACKS
*BODY WEIGHT SQUATS
*FLYING JACKS
*HOP TURNS
*MT. CLIMBER
*BRIDGE HOP KICKS
*BURPES
*PLANK JACKS
*MATRIX
20 REPS EACH EXERCISE- 4 SETS - TOTAL = 80 REPS EACH EXERCISE
GREAT FAT BURNER!
Friday, September 9, 2011
Intensity, Intensity, Intensity- The way to burn Fat!
If you are looking to shed those last 5-10 pounds, intensity is the name of the game!
During your workout sessions you should be training between 85- 100 % of your maximum heart rate.
I am sure you have all heard the theory that low-intensity cardiovascular workouts are the best way to burn fat ( according to this theory , by working at just 70-75% of your maximum heart rate, you enter into your "fat-burning zone" , where your body is drawing predominantly on fat calories for energy). This theory is completely misleading and way outdated!
The reality is this: during physical activity, your body has 3 possible sources of energy: Carbohydrates-
(glycogen- sugar stored in the muscles), fat, and protein.
Protein is always the last fuel used of the 3 energy sources that your body draws on.
But whether your body draws on its sugar stores or fat stores depends on the intensity of your workouts.
The harder you work out, the the easier it is for your body to process the fuel it needs to keep going. For a body training at a high intensity, the sugar stores are the most efficient source of fuel. But, this does not mean that you are not burning as much fat! By working out at a higher intensity, you are burning more calories overall, so although your body uses a lower % of fat-calories to sustain itself through a high- intensity workout than it does for a low-intensity workout, the total number of fat calories burned during a high - intensity workout is going to be higher because you are burning more calories period! It's all about the total # of calories burned.
The bottom line is this: the main determinate of weight loss is the amount of calories burned, not the composition of those calories.
Also know that the harder you workout the more significantly you boost your metabolism for up to 24 hours after your workout! So, take it up a notch and see if those last stubborn pounds don't fall off!
During your workout sessions you should be training between 85- 100 % of your maximum heart rate.
I am sure you have all heard the theory that low-intensity cardiovascular workouts are the best way to burn fat ( according to this theory , by working at just 70-75% of your maximum heart rate, you enter into your "fat-burning zone" , where your body is drawing predominantly on fat calories for energy). This theory is completely misleading and way outdated!
The reality is this: during physical activity, your body has 3 possible sources of energy: Carbohydrates-
(glycogen- sugar stored in the muscles), fat, and protein.
Protein is always the last fuel used of the 3 energy sources that your body draws on.
But whether your body draws on its sugar stores or fat stores depends on the intensity of your workouts.
The harder you work out, the the easier it is for your body to process the fuel it needs to keep going. For a body training at a high intensity, the sugar stores are the most efficient source of fuel. But, this does not mean that you are not burning as much fat! By working out at a higher intensity, you are burning more calories overall, so although your body uses a lower % of fat-calories to sustain itself through a high- intensity workout than it does for a low-intensity workout, the total number of fat calories burned during a high - intensity workout is going to be higher because you are burning more calories period! It's all about the total # of calories burned.
The bottom line is this: the main determinate of weight loss is the amount of calories burned, not the composition of those calories.
Also know that the harder you workout the more significantly you boost your metabolism for up to 24 hours after your workout! So, take it up a notch and see if those last stubborn pounds don't fall off!
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