Posts Tagged ‘gym’

4 Simple Strategies to Maximize Your Training

Posted: December 28, 2017 in Bodybuilding, Strength Training
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Real talk.

Everyone is busy.

busy-meme-2

Some more than others, but we’re all busy. Whatever the case may be, my point is that time is a valuable commodity. So, for most of us we can’t afford to spend every waking moment in the gym. Likewise, it’s impractical to train for an extended period of time in that manner.

In that same breath, though, you’re not going to see any significant changes doing a 5-10 minute ab workout. I’ve spoken on numerous occasions that it’s always better to get in something than nothing at all, but that’s not a compromise…you’re trying to cut corners.

Here are some strategies to get the most out of your training without living in the gym.

1. Choose the appropriate exercises

 

Discard, or at the very least, minimize what I like to call “fluff” exercises. If you’re truly pressed for time, don’t waste it doing lateral raises, bicep curls, and crunches for almost half an hour. It’s really nonsensical when the time you have could be spent doing more productive exercises that will stimulate your entire body.

Don’t get me wrong, there’s certainly more than one way to go about it. An argument could be made if those exercises are applied and distributed appropriately throughout the week. But, for the vast majority it’s highly unlikely that will be the case.

Example

Day 1:

1) Squat Variation: 2 sets x 8 reps, 1 set x 10-12 reps

2) Incline Barbell Bench Press: 3 sets x 6 reps

3) Pull-Ups: 3 sets x Max Reps

4A) Timed Farmer Walks: 3 sets x 1 min

4B) Plank: 3 sets x 30 secs

Day 2:

A) Push-Up Variation x 30sec

B) Face-Pulls x 30sec

C) Bicep Curls x 30sec

As many rounds as possible for 15 min.

Day 3:

1) Deadlift Variation: 4 sets x 4 reps

2) 1-Arm Dumbbell Row: 3 sets x 10 reps

3A) Dumbbell Bench Press: 2 sets x 8 reps, 1 set x 12 reps

3B) Lat Pulldowns: 2 sets x 8 reps, 1 set x 12 reps

4) Lunges: 3 sets x 20 total reps

2. High frequency, short workouts

 

Like I mentioned above, there’s more than way to go about it. On the other end of the spectrum, there are others who react differently where if I suggest looking into the possibility of cutting down their workouts, their response is…

It’s not uncommon for me have differing views with productivity junkies adamant on training 5-6 days a week.

To each their own.

Here’s a solution: you can still train 5-6 days a week. The caveat, though, would be to keep it brief. In other words, high frequency muscle stimulation.

People who train almost damn near everyday make the mistake of going hard every time they hit the gym floor instead of varying their training intensity. There’s only so much damage your body can take before progress starts to slow down…or worse, diminish.

Example

Day 1: Pump Work

Day 2: Main Work (High/Max-Effort)

Day 3: Moderate Intensity

Day 4: Pump Work

Day 5: Moderate Intensity

Day 6: Pump Work

3. Prepping your meals work big time

 

Your nutrition is what ultimately determines the outcome. It is the prime contributor for improvements in both performance and body composition. Regardless of the training method you’re using, it will not offset a horrible diet.

I’ll admit, there’s nothing sexy about prepping your meals.  It’s utterly boring. However, the potential to drop body fat and build muscle at conservative rate goes up when you plan ahead.

I mean come on, why would you leave your progress up to chance like that?

Simply put, it’s worth it to make the investment to designate an allotted time period where you’re planning your meals for the day and/or week.

If not, there are a handful of meal prep services in the market.

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4. Get off your ass

 

Last week, I stopped by the mall to go pick up a few things for Christmas. As you know, trying to find parking can be a complete hassle during the holiday season. So, rather than park right in front where everybody goes, I purposely parked towards the end where hardly anybody goes to.

It served as an opportunity for me to get in more movement, and save me the headache of having to find parking. It turned out to be a ten minute walk.

Little things like this make a huge difference. Instead of taking the escalator, walk up the stairs. If you have a desk job, stand up every now and then. After your meals, go for a walk.

The more movement, the better. Don’t just rely on what you do in the gym.

 

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Exercises That Are Wasting Your Time

Posted: June 17, 2015 in Bodybuilding, Exercise, Fitness, Health and Wellness, StrengthandConditioning, strengthtraining
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Growing up I didn’t know sh** about training or lifting weights.  I just did what looked fancy and cool. Go figure! Anyhow, I guess it’s safe to say (now that I’m a fitness professional) that I did a lot of things in the gym that were a complete waste of my time.

1. Smith Machine Squats

Photo Credit: Bodybuilding.com

It’s always up for debate whether the squat or the deadlift is the king of all exercises (topic for another day). One thing is for sure though, regardless if you’re an athlete or training to burn fat, you must… SQUAT! Squats are a must for any training program out there—performing them on a smith machine, however; will not cut it.

Squats on the smith machine would be the equivalent of cooking a ribeye steak in a microwave (why would you do that?!). You’ll end up cooking the damn thing, but the taste and texture of the meat won’t be as enticing as if you were to grill it. Here’s what I’m trying to convey: any exercise or implement that facilitates your prime movers (big muscles) in absence of your stabilizers (smaller muscles), will lead to the development of muscular imbalances and ultimately, injuries. There are tons of variations that induce a better training effect while at the same time, teaching the individual how to be proficient at squatting.

smithmachine

Try this:

I think I speak for every qualified trainer and coach out there—the Goblet Squat is the go-to exercise to learn how to squat properly.  Goblet squats induce a far better training effect while limiting the stress on your lower back.

Another great alternative is a landmine squat.  I picked this up from Ben Bruno when I was out in LA back in November. Now, in comparison to the goblet squat, this variation does a great job of ingraining the idea of keeping an upright torso—limiting factor for the goblet squat—because if you lean too far forward the bar will jam into your sternum.

To sum it all up, there is no rhyme or reason to which variation you should do, because you’re better off doing either of them as opposed to doing them on a smith machine.

2. Unstable surface training

I saw a dude doing dumbbell squats the other day… ON A BOSU! I cringed every time I saw him do another set. Now, if you’re looking to burn fat, build muscle, or become a better athlete, you won’t—simply because you won’t be able to use as much weight (light weight=not enough stimulus to induce muscle growth) on an unstable surface.  If it’s not for rehabilitative purposes, stop doing them! If you can’t do a squat with correct form, then don’t do them on an unstable surface.  Training on an unstable surface such as a bosu ball, airex pad, or dyna-disc does not improve your performance or strengthen your core—there is no validity. The only thing it does is make the exercise (unnecessarily) harder—it does not translate to improved proficiency in a prescribed movement.

Functional-Golf-Training

 

Photo Credit: tnation.com

So, do me and yourself a favor and stay clear of these exercises.  Stick with the basics.

Mistakes Women Make When Training

Posted: June 9, 2015 in Fitness, Health and Wellness, Nutrition, strengthtraining
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 crossfit

 

Here’s what you need to know:

  • The weight scale will deter you from reaching your goals.
  • Not eating a sufficient amount of quality food will dampen your progress.
  • Hours and hours of cardiovascular activity (elliptical, treadmill, zumba) will elevate the amount of cortisol in your body—excessive amounts will breakdown muscle tissue.
  • Progressive overload is key in building muscle.

It’s been an awful long time since you’ve stepped foot in the gym, about four months to be exact.  Within those four months you’ve developed some bad habits that inevitably took a toll on your health— you’ve put on some weight, you wake up every morning feeling like you want to go back to sleep, and you always crave sugar. Now all of sudden, you get motivated again to reclaim the figure you once had because let’s face it…we are all, to some degree a bit narcissistic—we want to look good. If you look good, you feel good!

Two weeks have passed and you’ve lost five pounds through dieting and training.  You’re so elated that you turn it up a notch—strict dieting and countless hours at the gym.  A month has passed and it’s time to step on the scale.  Your weight didn’t change at all.  You get discouraged and lose all your “motivation.”

Sound familiar?

Let me tell you that I have trained and interacted with a lot of women, and this is not uncommon.

Here are four mistakes women make with their training.

1. Fixation on the scale

weightscale

 

When the goal is primarily fat loss, there are two factors that are ultimately going to determine how successful you are going to be—weight and body fat. Unfortunately, rather than using a more direct and accurate approach—checking body fat—women tend to gravitate towards the former.  If left unchecked, this can be a recipe for disaster because it can deter you from any progress you’re fully capable of attaining.

Now, there is a distinction between weight loss and fat loss.  Losing weight is not indicative of how well you’re doing and a gain of 1.5 lbs does not mean “work harder and eat less” (this happens a lot) —while under-exercising can contribute to becoming fat and sluggish, over-exercising can cause immune system suppression.

If you see your weight drop it doesn’t mean you’ve lost a reasonable amount of fat.  Conversely, when you see your weight go up it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve added fat.  Fluctuations are a part of the process. Keep things in perspective, don’t allow the little things to get in the way of your goal, and toss your scale!

2. Not eating enough

caltheory

Don’t be entirely consumed with where your caloric intake should be, specifically regarding cutting back calories. While there is some merit to the “calories-in, calories-out” method, it’s not the be-all end-all approach for fat loss. My issue with it is that your basically starving yourself and while it may work short-term, you will inevitably gain back what you have worked so hard to lose.  Reason being is because your thyroid function will start to diminish, as a result of decreased energy (caloric intake) coupled with higher frequency (training). Simply put, this will turn down your metabolism further suppressing your body’s ability to breakdown fat. Focus on the quality of the food rather than the quantity.

3. Relying heavily on cardio

 

jogger.jpgNothing makes me cringe more than seeing a person ride the elliptical or run on the treadmill for hours. While there is nothing inherently wrong with cardio, there are some implications that can arise and could become problematic in the future.

Cardiovascular activity (aerobic) is a vital component for fat loss, but it’s not the most efficient.  You don’t need to beat yourself up by running everyday or going to cycling class five times a week. Long bouts of an aerobic based workout on a day-to-day basis causes the release of excess amount of cortisol, which will cause muscle breakdown and storage of fat, in addition to, prohibiting formation of additional muscle.  15 – 30 minutes of aerobic training a day will do the trick on resistance training days.  Circuit weight training has also been shown to be more beneficial with regard to fat loss as well.

4. Lightweight

female

You see, muscle is very expensive in the body. The more muscle you have, the more calories you’re able to burn (increased metabolism). That is why I’m still dumbfounded by the fact that there are still a lot of women out there who think that lifting weights is going to make you “bulky and muscular.” You don’t get glutes like this by participating in zumba or spin class three times a week.

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You get glutes like this by progressive overload — heavier weights and an accumulation of volume. To a certain extent, how I train my female clients is no different than how I train my male clients.  I still have them perform the deadlift and squat a reasonable amount of weight that provides enough stimulus for the body to adapt and grow.  I mean come on, who doesn’t want to get stronger? The confidence that comes with increased strength is advantageous to your overall health.

Here’s one of my clients deadlifting 192lbs for a double.

Remember: your body won’t change if you don’t challenge yourself.

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