Good Morning,
Today I am posting an answer to a question a friend of mine asked a while back. This question is very common, so I felt I would share with you all.
Q. Hey! I'm (re)committing myself to working out consistently this year but my problem is that when I workout (which includes running on the treadmill, basic free weights-don't have time for much else) I need to be really careful b/c I'll start losing weight (not a goal of mine-I'm only like 102) I just want to tone up and gain muscle. SO, what "extra" drink stuff would you recommend to keep my weight on me? It seems like some of the protein drinks out there upset my stomach (can't remember which one, just a cheapy at GNC I'm sure)
Thanks for any info! Wish you were down here to train me !
A. You and I have a similar problem.... most people actually wish they had this same problem...... Weight loss is not your goal, I would actually do very little cardio with you, maybe just once a week to keep your cardiovascular system healthy, but otherwise it will be counter productive to adding lean body mass. As far a supplements, I am not really a big fan of supplements, I feel with a really sound nutrition plan you do not need them, however, I do realize most people cannot commit to this. The problem with protein supplements and all supplements for that matter is we really don't know whats in them. The supplement industry is not regulated by the FDA. Which means, companies can put what ever they want in the supplements, miss label, and we wouldn't really know? So my recommendation to you would be to really scrutinize the ingredients of your protein supplement. I would recommend a pure Whey protein. I lot a brands, especially the cheaper brands add a lot of extra "crap" that you really don't need or want. You also need to consider the amount of protein intake for your body size. You are very petite and might be over supplementing (at one sitting) for you size. This could be the cause of the GI problems, and possibly the extra "crap" that many brands include in their protein. Most nutrition recommend 0.8 - 1 grams per kilogram of body weight per day for maintenance, and 1.0 to 1.5 grams per kilogram for increasing mass. And, again, depending on your size, your body can probably only process 20- 40 grams of protein at one sitting. I am a strong believer in getting protein through natural sources, so I have included a list of protein sources for you. Hope this helps
Foods that contain all of the essential amino acids are called complete proteins. These foods include beef, chicken, fish, eggs, milk and just about anything else derived from animal sources. Incomplete proteins do not have all of the essential amino acids and generally include vegetables, fruits, grains, seeds and nuts. So, if you're a vegetarian, does this mean you can't get complete protein? Not at all. Below is a chart listing some incomplete proteins. To get all of the essential amino acids, simply choose foods from two or more of the columns.
Grains
Barley
Corn Meal
Oats
Rice
Pasta
Whole Grain Breads
Legumes, Seeds & Nuts
Beans
Lentils
Peas
Peanuts
Sesame Seeds
Sunflower Seeds
Walnuts
Cashews
Other Nuts
Vegetables
Leafy Greens
Broccoli
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Saturday, February 13, 2010
62 Ways to make 2010 Your Best Year Yet
Hey Everyone,
Today I have another guest post for you that I think you will really enjoy. This is a list of 62 ways to make 2010 your best year yet.
I want to thank Vito, and Todd for sharing this list and Robin Sharma for creating it!!
I hope you all enjoy this list as much as I did, and refer back to it often.
Scott
62 WAYS TO MAKE 2010 YOUR BEST YEAR YET
1. Remember that leadership isn't about your position. It's about your influence.
2. Get fit like a pro athlete.
3. Lift people up versus tearing people down.
4. Protect your good name. An impeccable reputation takes a lifetime to build. And 60 seconds to lose.
5. Surround yourself with positive, ethical people who are committed to excellence.
6. Remember that even a 1% daily innovation rate amounts to at least a 100% rate of innovation in 100 days.
7. Believe in your dreams (even when others laugh at them).
8. Measure your success, not by your net worth but by your self worth (and how happy you feel).
9. Take an intelligent risk every 24 hours. No try-No Win.
10. Read "Buffett: The Making of an American Capitalist".
11. Watch "Man on Wire".
12. Regardless of your title at work, be a team builder.
13. Remember that business is all about relationships and human connections.
14. Say "please" more.
15. Say "thank you" more.
16. Know your Big 5: the five things that need to happen by the end of this year for you to feel its been your best year yet.
17. Read your Big 5 every morning while the rest of the world is asleep.
18. Read "As You Think". At least twice this year!
19. Be willing to fail. It's the price of greatness.
20. Focus less on making money and more on creating value.
21. Spend less, save more.
22. Leave everything you touch better than you found it.
23. Be the most positive person in every room you're in.
24. Stay true to your deepest values and best ideals.
25. Write a handwritten thank you note to a customer/friend/loved one every day.
26. When you travel, send love letters to your kids on hotel stationary. In time, they'll have a rich collection to remember your travels by.
27. Read "Atlas Shrugged".
28. Be a problem solver versus a trouble maker.
29. Rather than doing many things at mediocrity do just a few things-but at mastery.
30. Honor your parents.
31. Commit to doing great work-whether anyone notices it or not. It's one of life's best sources of happiness.
32. Give more than you receive (another of the truths of happiness).
33. Have your 1/3/5/10/25 years goals recorded on paper and review them weekly.
34. Be patient. Slow and steady wins the race. The only reason businesses that went from zero to a billion in a year or two get featured in magazines is because 99% of businesses require a lot more time to win.
34. Underpromise and then overdeliver. See part of your job as "a developer of people" (whether you work in the boardroom or the mailroom).
36. Wear your heart on your sleeve. When people see you're real, they'll fall in love with you.
37. Be authentic versus plastic.
38. Read "The Alchemist".
39. Remember that life wants you to win. So get out of your own way.
40. Consider that behind every fear lives your next level of growth (and power).
41. Eat less food.
42. Drink more water.
43. Rest when you need to.
44. Read "SUCCESS" magazine.
45. Write your eulogy and then live your life backwards.
46. Demand the best from yourself.
47. Remember that the more you go to your limits, the more your limits will expand.
48. See everything that happens to you as an opportunity to grow (and therefore, as a precious gift).
49. Be obsessed with learning and self-development.
50. Become comfortable alone (you are the only person you get to be with your whole life).
51. Smile. It's a stunningly effective way to win in business and life.
52. Reflect on the shortness of life.
53. Be bold when it comes to your dreams but gentle with those you love.
54. Remember that success is dangerous because it can kill drive/innovation/passion and going the extra mile. Be successful yet stay hungry.
55. Read "The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin".
56. Be of deep value to this world.
57. Own beautiful things but don't let them own you.
58. Use excellent words.
59. Laugh more.
60. Don't complain, gossip or be negative.
61. Plan as if you'll live forever but live as if you'll die tomorrow.
62. Run your own race.
Feel free to pass these lessons on to those you want to help.
*Written by Robin Sharma, January 3, 2010. For more information visit robinsharma.com. Robin's new book "The Leader Who Had No Title: A Modern Fable On Real Success in Business and Life" will be published by Simon and Schuster in March. Many of the ideas above come from it.
http://fitnessevolution.posterous.com/
Today I have another guest post for you that I think you will really enjoy. This is a list of 62 ways to make 2010 your best year yet.
I want to thank Vito, and Todd for sharing this list and Robin Sharma for creating it!!
I hope you all enjoy this list as much as I did, and refer back to it often.
Scott
62 WAYS TO MAKE 2010 YOUR BEST YEAR YET
1. Remember that leadership isn't about your position. It's about your influence.
2. Get fit like a pro athlete.
3. Lift people up versus tearing people down.
4. Protect your good name. An impeccable reputation takes a lifetime to build. And 60 seconds to lose.
5. Surround yourself with positive, ethical people who are committed to excellence.
6. Remember that even a 1% daily innovation rate amounts to at least a 100% rate of innovation in 100 days.
7. Believe in your dreams (even when others laugh at them).
8. Measure your success, not by your net worth but by your self worth (and how happy you feel).
9. Take an intelligent risk every 24 hours. No try-No Win.
10. Read "Buffett: The Making of an American Capitalist".
11. Watch "Man on Wire".
12. Regardless of your title at work, be a team builder.
13. Remember that business is all about relationships and human connections.
14. Say "please" more.
15. Say "thank you" more.
16. Know your Big 5: the five things that need to happen by the end of this year for you to feel its been your best year yet.
17. Read your Big 5 every morning while the rest of the world is asleep.
18. Read "As You Think". At least twice this year!
19. Be willing to fail. It's the price of greatness.
20. Focus less on making money and more on creating value.
21. Spend less, save more.
22. Leave everything you touch better than you found it.
23. Be the most positive person in every room you're in.
24. Stay true to your deepest values and best ideals.
25. Write a handwritten thank you note to a customer/friend/loved one every day.
26. When you travel, send love letters to your kids on hotel stationary. In time, they'll have a rich collection to remember your travels by.
27. Read "Atlas Shrugged".
28. Be a problem solver versus a trouble maker.
29. Rather than doing many things at mediocrity do just a few things-but at mastery.
30. Honor your parents.
31. Commit to doing great work-whether anyone notices it or not. It's one of life's best sources of happiness.
32. Give more than you receive (another of the truths of happiness).
33. Have your 1/3/5/10/25 years goals recorded on paper and review them weekly.
34. Be patient. Slow and steady wins the race. The only reason businesses that went from zero to a billion in a year or two get featured in magazines is because 99% of businesses require a lot more time to win.
34. Underpromise and then overdeliver. See part of your job as "a developer of people" (whether you work in the boardroom or the mailroom).
36. Wear your heart on your sleeve. When people see you're real, they'll fall in love with you.
37. Be authentic versus plastic.
38. Read "The Alchemist".
39. Remember that life wants you to win. So get out of your own way.
40. Consider that behind every fear lives your next level of growth (and power).
41. Eat less food.
42. Drink more water.
43. Rest when you need to.
44. Read "SUCCESS" magazine.
45. Write your eulogy and then live your life backwards.
46. Demand the best from yourself.
47. Remember that the more you go to your limits, the more your limits will expand.
48. See everything that happens to you as an opportunity to grow (and therefore, as a precious gift).
49. Be obsessed with learning and self-development.
50. Become comfortable alone (you are the only person you get to be with your whole life).
51. Smile. It's a stunningly effective way to win in business and life.
52. Reflect on the shortness of life.
53. Be bold when it comes to your dreams but gentle with those you love.
54. Remember that success is dangerous because it can kill drive/innovation/passion and going the extra mile. Be successful yet stay hungry.
55. Read "The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin".
56. Be of deep value to this world.
57. Own beautiful things but don't let them own you.
58. Use excellent words.
59. Laugh more.
60. Don't complain, gossip or be negative.
61. Plan as if you'll live forever but live as if you'll die tomorrow.
62. Run your own race.
Feel free to pass these lessons on to those you want to help.
*Written by Robin Sharma, January 3, 2010. For more information visit robinsharma.com. Robin's new book "The Leader Who Had No Title: A Modern Fable On Real Success in Business and Life" will be published by Simon and Schuster in March. Many of the ideas above come from it.
http://fitnessevolution.posterous.com/
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
What you don't know could hurt you
Hi Everyone, Below is a great article straight out of our last GHF personal training newsletter. Hope you enjoy. Scott
How much thought do you put into what you eat? If you want to get into great shape then you'll be interested to know that 80% of your fitness results are attributed to your diet. In our fast-paced society, eating is often done with little or no thought as to what exactly it is being ingested. Excess body fat is a direct outcome of this hurried, poor nutrition. Even if you have the best intentions with your diet, you are likely frustrated and fed up with extra pounds. I don't blame you for being confused about what you should eat. The media surely doesn't help. One day the talking heads want you to give up all fats. The next day carbs are the culprit, and then acai berries become the holy grail of weight loss. The food manufacturers increase confusion by printing misleading labels and bogus health claims. Sometimes it seems like the whole system is set up to confuse and frustrate us into buying the latest and greatest packaged food. The bottom line is that your physique is largely a result of what you eat, so the foods that you put into your body should be carefully selected. It's time to re-examine what you eat. It all starts with reading nutritional labels. The nutritional content and ingredient list will give you everything you need to know about the quality of the food item.
I've outlined 5 ingredients that should raise a red flag when you turn over that package and find them listed:
Red Flagged Ingredient #1: High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) HFCS is a manmade sugar, derived predominantly from genetically modified corn. The sweet concoction has been shown to promote binges and hysterical hunger, and wrecks havoc on your blood sugar levels, promoting fat storage. The introduction of HFCS into our food supply directly paralleled a 47% spike in Type 2 Diabetes cases as well as an 80% increase in obesity. Food manufacturers use HFCS in many mainstream products, including the following: * Sauces (including ketchup) * Yogurt * Energy Bars * Soft Drinks / Fruit Juices * Processed baked goods * Cereals * Crackers * Ice Cream * Salad Dressing * Most packaged snack foods
Red Flagged Ingredient #2: Hydrogenated Fat / Partially Hydrogenated Fat (Trans Fat) Hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated fats have undergone such extensive processing that the chemical structure has changed from a “cis” shape, which the human body recognizes and utilizes, to a “trans” shape, which is foreign and destructive to human physiology. Check each food label for the word ‘hydrogenated' and avoid it diligently. Cutting out hydrogenated fats is a simple set towards looking and feeling your best.
Red Flagged Ingredient #3: Aspartame Aspartame is an artificial sweetener that was denied 8 times by the FDA before being approved in 1973. Many scientists objected the approval, claiming that aspartame hadn't been proven safe for use as a food additive. MIT neuroscientist, Richard Wurtman, researched the effects of aspartame and concluded that it promotes cravings for foods high in calories and carbohydrates. Though aspartame is calorie-free it still causes insulin to be released, which job is to stow away sugar – when this sugar is not available, the result is often hypoglycemia and severe hunger. Not exactly a recipe for weight loss.
Red Flagged Ingredient #4: White Sugar White sugar comes from the juice of a sugar cane plant that has undergone an intensive refining process. In this process all of the enzymes, fiber, vitamins and minerals are destroyed, rendering it nutritionally void. White sugar is also extremely high in calories, which your body loves to store away in fat cells. Refined sugar has been linked to a weakened immune system, hyperactivity, ADD, mental and emotional disorders, dental cavities, hypoglycemia, enlargement of the liver and kidneys, and an imbalance of neurotransmitters in the brain. All that and it leads to weight gain.
Red Flagged Ingredient #5: White Flour White flour comes from natural whole wheat that has been stripped of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. This results in a nutritionally void product that is packed with calories that release quickly into your system, creating a spike in blood sugar. As you know, this promotes fat storage and leads to hysterical hunger and cravings. You don't need that. Once you cut these 5 items out of your diet, you'll be pleased with the results. Expect to lose weight, to have more energy and to feel better than you have in a long time. If you're serious about looking and feeling your best through purifying your diet, then focus on eating real food items. Real foods include lean meats, vegetables, whole grains, fruits, nuts and seeds. Remember, while nutrition is vitally important for weight loss, true results are achieved through a combination of both nutrition and challenging, progressive exercise.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Sharpening the Saw!!
Hey Everyone,
Well, with a new year brings a new round of educational seminars to keep "my saw sharpened", and to create new challenges for all my clients and all of you.
So far here is my schedule:
February
- UF Strength and Conditioning Clinic. Gainesville, Fl.
March
- Meeting of the Minds. San Diego, CA.
April
- ATAF Annual Clinical Symposium. Orlando, Fl.
Remember, regardless of what your business is, you always have to keep your "saw sharp"! Never be complacent with where you are now and what you think you know.
So, look forward to new and exciting posts!!
Scott
Well, with a new year brings a new round of educational seminars to keep "my saw sharpened", and to create new challenges for all my clients and all of you.
So far here is my schedule:
February
- UF Strength and Conditioning Clinic. Gainesville, Fl.
March
- Meeting of the Minds. San Diego, CA.
April
- ATAF Annual Clinical Symposium. Orlando, Fl.
Remember, regardless of what your business is, you always have to keep your "saw sharp"! Never be complacent with where you are now and what you think you know.
So, look forward to new and exciting posts!!
Scott
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Does it Hurt?
Hi Everyone,
This is a topic I get asked about very frequently. I received an email from Mike Boyle the other day that addresses this topic perfectly so I thought I would share it with you.
Mike is a very well respected coach, speaker, and educator in the field of sports performance and rehab. I read his material all the time. His websites and contact info is below:
From Mike Boyle:
I get asked rehab questions all the time.
I have rehabilitated athletes in almost every major
sport who were told they were “all done” by a
doctor or a team trainer. Because people know
my background, they often ask for advice.
Most of the time they ignore the advice because
the advice does not contain the answer they
want. They say “it only hurts when I run”,
I say things like “don’t run”.
A famous coach I know once told me “people
don’t call for advice, they call for agreement or
consensus. If you don’t tell them what they want to
hear, they simply call someone else”. His advice to
me, don’t bother wasting your time with advice.
Here I go again wasting time.
If you have an injury and are wondering whether
or not a certain exercise is appropriate, ask yourself
a simple question. “Does it hurt”? The key here is
that the question ‘does it hurt?” can only be
answered yes or no. If you answer yes, then you are
not ready for that exercise, no matter how much
you like it.
Simple, right?
Not really. I tell everyone I speak with about rehab
that any equivocation is a yes. Things like “after
I warm-up it goes away” etc. are all yes answers.
It is amazing to me how many times I have asked
people this simple question only to have them
dance around it.
The reason they dance around the question is
that they don’t like my answer. They want to
know things like “what about the magic cure
that no one has told me about?”
What about a secret exercise? I have another
saying I like, “the secret is there is no secret”.
Another wise man, Ben Franklin I think, said
“Common sense is not so common”.
If you are injured and want to get better, use
your common sense. Exercise should not
cause pain. This seems simple but exercisers
ignore pain all the time and rationalize it.
Discomfort is common at the end of a set in
a strength exercise or at the end of an intense
cardiovascular workout. Additional discomfort,
delayed onset muscle soreness, often occurs the
two days following an intense session. This is
normal. This discomfort should only last two
days and should be limited to the muscles not
the joints or tendons. Pain at the onset of an
exercise is neither normal nor healthy and is
indicative of a problem. Progression in any
strength exercise should be based on a full,
pain-free range of motion that produces muscle
soreness without joint soreness.
If you need to change or reduce range of motion,
this is a problem. Progression in cardiovascular
exercise should also be pain free and should follow
the ten percent rule. Do not increase time or distance
more than ten percent from one session to the next.
I have used these simple rules in all of my strength
and conditioning programs and, have been able to
keep literally thousands of athletes healthy.
I’m sure the same concepts will help you.
-Mike Boyle
http://www.FunctionalStrengthCoach3.com
http://www.bodybyboyle.com/about
http://www.strengthcoach.com/
Bio from http://www.ptonthenet.com/
Michael Boyle is one of the most sought after speakers in the area of performance training and athletic rehabilitation. Mike's client list reads like a Who's Who of athletic success both in New England and across the country. Mike has been involved in training and rehabilitation with a wide range of athletes, from stars in every major professional sport, to the US Women's Olympic teams in soccer and ice hockey. Mike has 10 years of experience at the professional level combined with over 20 years at the collegiate level. During that time, Mike has helped in the rehabilitation of the some of the biggest stars on the Boston sports scene. Mike's work has been featured in the media on HBO RealSports, ESPN, CNNSI, as well as in Sports Illustrated and USA today.
Mike is a featured speaker at numerous strength and conditioning and athletic training clinics across the country and has produced 14 instructional videos and DVDs in the areas of strength and conditioning, personal training and rehabilitation.
Functional Strength Coach
105 South Street
Plainville, MA
02762
US
This is a topic I get asked about very frequently. I received an email from Mike Boyle the other day that addresses this topic perfectly so I thought I would share it with you.
Mike is a very well respected coach, speaker, and educator in the field of sports performance and rehab. I read his material all the time. His websites and contact info is below:
From Mike Boyle:
I get asked rehab questions all the time.
I have rehabilitated athletes in almost every major
sport who were told they were “all done” by a
doctor or a team trainer. Because people know
my background, they often ask for advice.
Most of the time they ignore the advice because
the advice does not contain the answer they
want. They say “it only hurts when I run”,
I say things like “don’t run”.
A famous coach I know once told me “people
don’t call for advice, they call for agreement or
consensus. If you don’t tell them what they want to
hear, they simply call someone else”. His advice to
me, don’t bother wasting your time with advice.
Here I go again wasting time.
If you have an injury and are wondering whether
or not a certain exercise is appropriate, ask yourself
a simple question. “Does it hurt”? The key here is
that the question ‘does it hurt?” can only be
answered yes or no. If you answer yes, then you are
not ready for that exercise, no matter how much
you like it.
Simple, right?
Not really. I tell everyone I speak with about rehab
that any equivocation is a yes. Things like “after
I warm-up it goes away” etc. are all yes answers.
It is amazing to me how many times I have asked
people this simple question only to have them
dance around it.
The reason they dance around the question is
that they don’t like my answer. They want to
know things like “what about the magic cure
that no one has told me about?”
What about a secret exercise? I have another
saying I like, “the secret is there is no secret”.
Another wise man, Ben Franklin I think, said
“Common sense is not so common”.
If you are injured and want to get better, use
your common sense. Exercise should not
cause pain. This seems simple but exercisers
ignore pain all the time and rationalize it.
Discomfort is common at the end of a set in
a strength exercise or at the end of an intense
cardiovascular workout. Additional discomfort,
delayed onset muscle soreness, often occurs the
two days following an intense session. This is
normal. This discomfort should only last two
days and should be limited to the muscles not
the joints or tendons. Pain at the onset of an
exercise is neither normal nor healthy and is
indicative of a problem. Progression in any
strength exercise should be based on a full,
pain-free range of motion that produces muscle
soreness without joint soreness.
If you need to change or reduce range of motion,
this is a problem. Progression in cardiovascular
exercise should also be pain free and should follow
the ten percent rule. Do not increase time or distance
more than ten percent from one session to the next.
I have used these simple rules in all of my strength
and conditioning programs and, have been able to
keep literally thousands of athletes healthy.
I’m sure the same concepts will help you.
-Mike Boyle
http://www.FunctionalStrengthCoach3.com
http://www.bodybyboyle.com/about
http://www.strengthcoach.com/
Bio from http://www.ptonthenet.com/
Michael Boyle is one of the most sought after speakers in the area of performance training and athletic rehabilitation. Mike's client list reads like a Who's Who of athletic success both in New England and across the country. Mike has been involved in training and rehabilitation with a wide range of athletes, from stars in every major professional sport, to the US Women's Olympic teams in soccer and ice hockey. Mike has 10 years of experience at the professional level combined with over 20 years at the collegiate level. During that time, Mike has helped in the rehabilitation of the some of the biggest stars on the Boston sports scene. Mike's work has been featured in the media on HBO RealSports, ESPN, CNNSI, as well as in Sports Illustrated and USA today.
Mike is a featured speaker at numerous strength and conditioning and athletic training clinics across the country and has produced 14 instructional videos and DVDs in the areas of strength and conditioning, personal training and rehabilitation.
Functional Strength Coach
105 South Street
Plainville, MA
02762
US
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
The 5 Biggest Fitness Mistakes
Take a walk through any gym, and you'll notice many mistakes. Mistakes that waste time. Mistakes that put people in danger. And mistakes that are just plain stupid. Maybe you even make a few of these mistakes yourself.
By avoiding these common blunders, you'll put yourself on the fast track to results. Check out the following 5 fitness mistakes and the solutions you need to avoid danger and to get fit fast.
Mistake 1: You use the wrong weight
The goal is to challenge your muscles, not to simply go through the motions. If you are able to complete 15 repetitions easily, then the weight is too light. On the flip side, if you aren't able to perform an exercise through its full range of motion, and find yourself cheating on form, then the weight is too heavy.
The correct weights will feel challenging by your last few repetitions, but won't force you to sacrifice form.
Mistake 2: You do the same routine
You may have noticed that most people do the same exercises each time they visit the gym. Maybe you've been doing the same exercise routine as long as you can remember - if it isn't broken then don't fix it, right?
The truth is that exercise routines have expiration dates, and that is the date that they begin to lose their effectiveness. As a rule of thumb never use the same routine for more than 4 weeks.
Mistake 3: You don't warm up
Most people consider warm up time to be wasted time - they'd rather jump right into the heart of the routine. What they don't realize is that a good warm up will allow you to perform at a higher intensity, which means greater results.
The point of a warm up is to increase your muscle temperature. This increases blood flow, muscle contraction and reduces muscle resistance. Your warm up should last 5-10 minutes.
Mistake 4: You use bad form
Gyms are filled with people performing exercises with bad form. The two biggest reasons are that you aren't concentrating on the exercise, or you're trying to lift weight that is too heavy. Lifting with improper form almost always results in injury.
Take the time to achieve proper form, by doing so you'll avoid injury and will reap the full benefit from each exercise.
Mistake 5: You workout alone
People who exercise alone are less challenged, less accountable and typically see fewer results. It makes sense, doesn't it? Why rush to the gym if no one is there waiting for you? Why push yourself if no one is watching? Exercising alone is a recipe for disaster.
By avoiding these common blunders, you'll put yourself on the fast track to results. Check out the following 5 fitness mistakes and the solutions you need to avoid danger and to get fit fast.
Mistake 1: You use the wrong weight
The goal is to challenge your muscles, not to simply go through the motions. If you are able to complete 15 repetitions easily, then the weight is too light. On the flip side, if you aren't able to perform an exercise through its full range of motion, and find yourself cheating on form, then the weight is too heavy.
The correct weights will feel challenging by your last few repetitions, but won't force you to sacrifice form.
Mistake 2: You do the same routine
You may have noticed that most people do the same exercises each time they visit the gym. Maybe you've been doing the same exercise routine as long as you can remember - if it isn't broken then don't fix it, right?
The truth is that exercise routines have expiration dates, and that is the date that they begin to lose their effectiveness. As a rule of thumb never use the same routine for more than 4 weeks.
Mistake 3: You don't warm up
Most people consider warm up time to be wasted time - they'd rather jump right into the heart of the routine. What they don't realize is that a good warm up will allow you to perform at a higher intensity, which means greater results.
The point of a warm up is to increase your muscle temperature. This increases blood flow, muscle contraction and reduces muscle resistance. Your warm up should last 5-10 minutes.
Mistake 4: You use bad form
Gyms are filled with people performing exercises with bad form. The two biggest reasons are that you aren't concentrating on the exercise, or you're trying to lift weight that is too heavy. Lifting with improper form almost always results in injury.
Take the time to achieve proper form, by doing so you'll avoid injury and will reap the full benefit from each exercise.
Mistake 5: You workout alone
People who exercise alone are less challenged, less accountable and typically see fewer results. It makes sense, doesn't it? Why rush to the gym if no one is there waiting for you? Why push yourself if no one is watching? Exercising alone is a recipe for disaster.
Friday, January 1, 2010
The "20-10" Workout!!
Happy New Year everybody,
Today we look back at a good 2009, and look ahead to a GREAT 2010. Filled with health, happiness, success, and achievment!
Start your new year off with this "20-10" workout. It is a simple concept:
20 reps per exercise, 10 exercises in a circuit format. Each round through the circuit will ive you 200 repititions, do this 2 to 3 rounds to get up to 600 REPS!!!
Have fun and change any exercises to suit your level of fitness:
1. Barbell push press
2. Body Row
3. Push-ups
4. Lunges with bicep curl
5. Stability ball plank roll outs
6. Medicine ball throw down
7. Squat jumps
8. Hanging knee ups
9. Tube tricep pushdowns
10.Crunches
Let me know what you think, eave your comments below.
Happy and Healthy New Year
Scott
Today we look back at a good 2009, and look ahead to a GREAT 2010. Filled with health, happiness, success, and achievment!
Start your new year off with this "20-10" workout. It is a simple concept:
20 reps per exercise, 10 exercises in a circuit format. Each round through the circuit will ive you 200 repititions, do this 2 to 3 rounds to get up to 600 REPS!!!
Have fun and change any exercises to suit your level of fitness:
1. Barbell push press
2. Body Row
3. Push-ups
4. Lunges with bicep curl
5. Stability ball plank roll outs
6. Medicine ball throw down
7. Squat jumps
8. Hanging knee ups
9. Tube tricep pushdowns
10.Crunches
Let me know what you think, eave your comments below.
Happy and Healthy New Year
Scott
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