Workout Of The Week October 24th, 2009

Cardio only. Yes, another treadmill interval workout. Hey, they're very effective so don't fight it!

Warm up for 3-5 minutes finding a comfortable walking or running pace. Raise the incline to 8% (or 10%) and stay there for two minutes. Return treadmill to 0% incline for one minute. Repeat the two minute/one minute cycle for a total of seven rotations. Cool down for 3-5 minutes. Walk backward on the treadmill at a speed of 1.0, for one minute or more. Stretch.

Exercise counteracts fat loss?!!?

A couple of months ago TIME magazine published a cover story questioning the benefits of exercise in weight management. I was pretty disappointed when I saw the cover, and even more disappointed when I read the article. I felt it was really irresponsible to put something like that out there to the general public when we already have an obesity epidemic in this country. Plus it simply isn't true. The author sounded disgruntled with HIS fitness routine and maybe he should re-think what he is currently doing for exercise. Maybe then he can actually enjoy the benefits of exercise instead of complaining about it.

Cardio activity and weight conditioning will help you lose weight. Research has shown that it works. I know it works. I can tell you from personal experience, if I don't perform some sort of intense exercise three times per week I put on five pounds pretty darn quickly. So I continue to do my three-times-per-week workouts. The TIME magazine article further states that intense exercise actually counteracts fat loss because participants find themselves hungrier and therefore eat more. I'd have to say the opposite is true for me. I find that I am less hungry after I finish an intense workout. Actually I am usually hungrier after I take my dogs for a long walk.

As written by Shaun Dreisbach in an article for Glamour magazine, "Quite simply, exercise is the most powerful drug I've ever seen. Get your fix three times a week at least."

Enough said.

Read the November 2009 GLAMOUR Mag

Hey guys! You should really pick up a copy of the November 2009 issue of Glamour magazine (the one with Scarlett Johannson on the front).

On page 121 there is an article on how effective interval training is for burning fat. You know that's what I have been preaching forever. The article states '.....recent research found that woman who cycled for just 20 minutes three times a week but included intervals lost six pounds of fat after 15 weeks, while those who did a consistent pace for 40 minutes lost, get this, NONE.' Whoah.

The intervals have to be intense. On the perceived exertion scale, a scale of 1-10, 1 being easy and 10 being very hard, the interval should be an 8 or 9. The recovery can be very comfortable (3-4). There are many different ways you can train using the interval method. If you haven't ever done any kind of interval training I suggest you start with a bursts of 20-30 seconds, followed by 60-75 seconds of recovery. Within a couple of weeks increase your rotation to 30 seconds on/ 60 seconds off. Then work your way up to 60 on/60 off.

Interval training is the only type of cardio I do. I train three times a week for about 30 minutes per session. One day I use the incline on the treadmill, going up for 60 seconds and then returning to the flat for 60 seconds (just like the workout of the week 1o/4/09). Sometimes I will do speed work - running 6 minute miles for 30 seconds, followed by 30 seconds of recovery. Sometimes I run outside and sprint between two landmarks, for example; two telephone poles, and then I'll jog to the next pole and repeat (this method is called fartlek, a swedish term). Don't forget to warm up, cool down and stretch. The body of my workout is 20 minutes, with warm up and cool down it's about 30 minutes total. There is also a great workout at the end of the article and it's super tough.

Losing six pounds of fat, or zero pounds of fat. Hm. Now that's a tough question..........

Workout of the Week 10/5/09

Here's the workout of the week:

Warm up by doing some NON-weighted walking lunges and squats.

Grab some 15lb dumbbells and head to a weight bench (or chair, if your at home). Perform step-ups, 15 a side (do all 15 with the right leg leading and then all 15 with the left leg leading). Put one dumbbell down, hold the other one at your chest. With feet about hip width apart touch your butt to the bench and then hop up out of the squat (do not sit down, just barely touch). Repeat the jumps squats 15 times. Repeat all of the above for a total of three cycles.

Hold one of the 15lb dumbbells over your head and take a giant step forward on your right foot, stepping into a stable stance lunge (you won't move your feet). Perform 15 lunges with the weight over your head, straight arms, weight high. Repeat on the other side. Immediately following return to the bench and put your weight aside. Place your right foot on top of the bench. Push off with your left foot as you pull yourself up with your right, performing a single leg hop up onto the bench. Leave your right foot on the bench and return the left to the floor. Repeat 15 times per side. Repeat both of the above drills, back to back, for three cycles.

Continue to hold the 15lb dumbbells (you may need to drop the weight for this one). With feet hip distance apart perform a squat as you perform a bicep curl - repeat that for two reps and then raise up onto your toes (calf raise) performing a shoulder press at the same time. Repeat the sequence for 15. Keep the weights in your hands and perform squat thrusts with the weights in your hands, jumping out of each one. Repeat 15 times and then repeat above sequence for three cycles.

Take one of the dumbbells over your head. In a wide stance perform an overhead triceps extension. Repeat for 15 (yes, again with the 15). Put the weight down and immediately perform 20 jump squat with your feet very wide and with one hand touching the floor as you squat down and then reaching for the ceiling when you jump out of the squat. Yes, repeat all for three cycles.

Alternate push-ups and pull-ups, 15-20 each, for three cycles. For abs perform a very slow bicycle for 20 repetitions and repeat two more times (this is an old-school bicycle, twisting right and left).

*In between each of the above super-sets (ie; step-ups followed by hops up onto the bench), rest for 1 minute*

Immediately after all of the above go to the treadmill. Spend the first 3 minutes finding a comfortable running (approx. 5.0-6.0) or challenging walking pace (approx. 4.0-4.8). Take the treadmill to a 10% incline and hold your pace for one minute. Bring treadmill back to 0% incline for one minute. Repeat the 10%/60 seconds, 0%/60 seconds rotation for a total of 10 cycles. Stay at 0% incline and slow to an easy walk. For the last minute slow the treadmill to 1.o and slowly walk backwards, hold onto the treadmills side railings.

Spend 5-10 minutes stretching hamstrings, quads, calves, chest and back.