Resistance Training

TRAINING METHODS

Structuring your workouts in resistance training

There are 3 basic goals that are sought after in weight lifting: Endurance, Hyper-trophy (growth), and strength. To a certain degree you can benefit in each area from resistance training but some methods of lifting will achieve a more specific result.

Here are some general rules for the beginner/intermediate exerciser.

ENDURANCE TRAINING:

2-3 sets

12-15 reps

<70%>

30-60 sec of rest between exercises

30-60 minute workout

HYPER-TROPHY:

3-6 sets

8-12 reps

70-80% of max weight

30-60 sec of rest between exercises

30-60 minute workout

STRENGTH:

3-5 sets

1-6 reps

>80% of max weight

120 +/- of rest

40-80 minute workout

The more advanced you are the better you will become at gauging your % of max weight, pushing yourself with more reps and sets, and extending the duration of your workout.

I am a big proponent of increasing the number of reps as your fitness and strength levels rise. If you have been doing the 3 set workout for a while you will see a difference adding 1-2 more sets to your foundation exercises like bench press and squat.

It's Time to GET BACK IN SHAPE

For those of you that have been "taking time off" from training it's time to get back up and moving.

Stay tuned, more info inbound!

Exercising outside: Know the OZONE LEVEL

Click here for Houston's level
When the summer starts winding down more people move outside to exercise. Air pollution is much higher during the summer months and we have had several "Ozone Warning" lately.

It has long been known that high levels of ozone exposure are dangerous to health, and levels of ozone are monitored in most metropolitan areas. In 1979, the Federal Health Standard for "good air quality" was set at .12 parts of ozone per 1 million parts of air for one hour (abbreviated as ppm/hour). The Canadian level is set at .08 ppm/hour, and experts in the U.S. have seriously questioned the margin of safety provided by the national clean air standard.

• Avoid exercising during rush hours (the CO level peaks during rush hours).
• Avoid high cigarette smoking areas prior to and during exercise.• Avoid combinations of high temperature, humidity and air pollution.
• Keep the amount of time spent in high pollution areas to a minimum (physiological effects of air pollution are both time and dose dependent).
• Be aware of seasonal variations in ozone levels. The ozone level is usually low in winter, increases during summer with a daily peak around 3 p.m., and reaches maximal values in early autumn.

Bust out of the routine!

Have you been doing the same routine for the past 6 months or longer? If so it is past time to switch things up. The most effective change you can make is in your number of reps and weight used.

Make a Change

If you have been lifting heavy and aiming for 5-10 reps then lifting lighter and aiming for 15-20 reps would be a big change. You will feel it.

• Adding a different machine or substituting one exercise for another is also a good option. That could mean something simple like changing the handles on the lat pulls or trying a machine that you have never used before.


• Adding a set can make a big difference. That is the first thing I recommend to more experienced lifters when they come to me. Most people get stuck on the 3 sets, I do 5 and sometime 6 on more compound movements. The only drawback is time, it will increase your workout time, just keep moving.


• Reorganize your workout. Try supersets or adjust your rest time between sets.


• Treadmill for eliptical or one of the other cardio machine that you have never tried.

Change is not easy and messing with your routine is a challenge, but it is very necessary. Your body and is an amazing machine and able to adapt, it has to be challenged to improve.

New "Research" on exercise

The Myth about Exercise

is a

Misleading headline

If you get a chance to read this article in Time Magazine please do. I have a real problem with how this information has been presented on the news.

Basically the article states that when people exercise they become hungry and eat more. Furthermore, some people seem more likely to engage in bad eating habits because they exercise. "Well I ran this morning so I can eat these chips", would be a good example. So, it is not that exercise is a myth, but will power can become more of an issue for those who workout. So again it comes down to what you eat more than anything else.

I do agree, as stated in the article, that will power is like a muscle and it becomes tired the more we use it. So it may be better to cheat once in a while just be sure to make it in moderation and make wise choices when you do.

Get started before you buy

I have a lot of people ask me about items to buy like pullup bars and boso balls, but I always find it interesting that most of these people have never worked out before. I mean, they have made no effort to workout on a regular basis, but they are prepared to go out and buy the newest thing they saw on TV.

It is a good idea to get a routine started, get out there and get active at the track or gym . So many guys are willing to buy equipment but have no desire to stick to a routine. What happens then, the new gear gets pushed to the corner. First, commit; make the decision to achieve your goal then buy the toys.

$$$$$$$$$$

Little Weight, A Lot of Effort

It doesn't take much to get a good workout. The most important thing is doing something and remember a little weight can go a long way.

1. The Jump squat using a medicine ball

Hold the MB at your chest. Begin by lowering yourself down to a fully squatted position as you did in the standard squat. When you have reached the depth of the squat, reverse motion and jump up into the air as high as you possibly can. When you land from your jump, go immediately into your next squat.

2. My favorite, the Close Grip pushup, check it out on previous post.

3. The Chop Squat

Combining the Squat with a bicep curling motion

Combine these 3 movements, 3 sets each with 30 seconds or less of rest between sets.

Long Day, pack a lunch

Skip the fast food and pack a lunch.

It takes a bit of effort, but it could make all the difference in the world. One meal a week picked up through the fast food window may not kill you, but it could sabotage your diet and fitness efforts.

Pack a lunch and a health snack to get you through that long shift and extra job.

• low fat turkey sandwich
• tuna lunch kit
• left over chicken breast with brown rice
• fruit
• almonds
• snack bar -look for something less that 200 calories
• water

Medicine Ball Plank

The medicine ball plank is an advanced move for your core. As seen here, lock your core in place and find a comfortable position for your hands on a large medicine ball and hold until your form breaks or until total failure.

Challenge: During your plank perform slow tricep pushups until failure.

More Core

Starting position: 1 Sit on the floor, your back straight but leaning slightly toward the floor, as if in the "up" position of a situp. Your knees should be bent 90 degrees, your heels about 15 inches apart and resting on the floor.
The move: Hold the ball close to your chest, 2 rotate your torso to the left, and place the ball on the floor behind you. Rotate around to the right, pick up the ball, rotate left, and place it behind you. Repeat eight to 12 times, then do eight to 12 more starting with a rotation to your right; that's one set.
Hint: Keep your head in line with your torso throughout the movement. Perform this move as quickly as possible.

People hate Cardio

HOW MUCH?

• There is no 'best' cardio exercise. Anything that gets your heart rate up fits the bill
  It's not what you do, but how hard you work. Any exercise can be challenging if you make it that way


• Do something you enjoy. If you hate gym workouts, don't force yourself onto a treadmill. If you like socializing, consider team sports or a walking club.


• Do something you can see yourself doing at least 3 days a week.
  Be flexible. You don't have to do the same thing all the time--it's boring and will lead to weight loss plateaus as well.

Don't worry about the science behind heart rate. To get started take note of your percieved exertion, keep your cardio just below the level of were you can't hold a converstation, maybe a 4-6, and you will be doing some good.

Don't Skip the CORE!

If you get knocked down or fall can you continue the fight?

If your on the ground what muscle group do you think is most important? The act of "getting up" takes almost every muscle in the body. The core ties these muscles together, the stronger the your core the more efficient you can react in a downed situation. Think about a side crunch and the movement the officer in the above photo is making. What if he had to maintain weapon position and stand, his core would be doing 90% of the work.

Bridges and bicycle crunches are 2 very effective ways to train your abs. Don't skip the core, it is important!

Heart Reat Monitor

I use a polar heart rate monitor that allows me to, not only monitor my heart rate during exercise, but I can download the data onto my computer for further analyses. This is great for serious athletes and novices like the rest of us. For me it helps motivate me and keep me interested. Polar makes lots of cool tech to help you reach your goals check them out here .

Here is a sample of my heart rate during a spin class at the gym.

The graph helps you see how hard you are working, the peaks in the red are around 85% of my max.

To get your heart rate estimates click here.

How bad was lunch?

SUBWAY:

6" meatball marinara on wheat with cheese has -560 calories and 24 grams of fat, 11grams saturated fat. That means if you have a foot long you will take in 1120 calories and 22 grams of saturated fat and 3180 mg of sodium. The worst sandwich on the menu is the chicken and bacon ranch, but just barely. The Tuna sandwich is the 3rd highest with 530 calories and 31 grams of fat for the 6".
click here for Subway's menu info

Chili's:

Hard to know where to begin here. Chili's has a horrible menu and if you eat there even once a month you should checkout there website for nutritional information.Take the chicken crispers for example-over 1800 calories and 124 grams of fat, 17 saturated, and 4790 mg of sodium. That is not the worst item on the menu. click here to see how bad it really is

click here for Sonic

Click here for McDonald's

The information is out there you should spend a few minutes and find out what you are really eating.

Fat Intake

Look for 30% or less total calories from fat!

That means, taking the label above, divide the number of calories from fat {110} by the total number of calories {250} to get the % of fat calories.

110/250=.44 or 44%

Sandwich is an easy FIX

A sandwich can be an easy fix, if you are looking for a "good for me" meal.

Just follow some common sense rules and you will be fine.

• Make it yourself so you know what is in it
• whole wheat bread
• no secret sauces or mayo-use mustard it's low in calorie and fat free
• Add spinach, sprouts, tomatoes, pickles and fancy lettuce for added vitamins
• Avoid the cheese or try fat free or at least lower fat, just realize that you could be adding 150 calories to your sandwich with a single slice
• Use lean meats like turkey, chicken or ham and watch for processed sandwich meats, look for natural striations in the meat if you don't see them it's likely that it is highly processed. The "turkey breast" may be pressed together from bits and pieces from who knows what. Terms like "all natural" and "low fat" have no true definition and are not regulated by the FDA.
• Skip the chips or at least look for "baked", and again, you are adding 200-250 calories to your meal with no nutritional value.

The "Murph"

Workouts come in all shapes and sizes. You don't have to go to the gym to get a good workout.

Here is a hardcore one I found on Crossfit:

"In memory of Navy Lieutenant Michael Murphy, 29, of Patchogue, N.Y., who was killed in Afghanistan June 28th, 2005".

For time:

1 mile Run

100 Pull-ups

200 Push-ups

300 Squats

1 mile Run

Partition the pull-ups, push-ups, and squats as needed. Start and finish with a mile run. If you've got a twenty pound vest or body armor, wear it. Of course not everyone is can do 100 pull ups or 200 pushups, but you might be surprised what you can do if you really push yourself.