Answering Questions About Interval Training

Can interval training increase your capacity to burn calories?

Has your weight loss journey become stagnant?  Are you looking to jolt your fat burning workout routine into overdrive?  Are you looking for a way to burn more fat in less time? It's time for you to take closer look at interval training.  In the past, interval was almost exclusive used by elite athletes. I remember enduring some grueling interval workouts as a track athlete.  Now the average Joe or Jane can use interval training as a powerful fat burning workout routine.

How does it work?

It’s really quite simple.  Interval training just means performing an exercise at a high intensity for a specified time period followed by a period of rest or lower intensity exercise.

For example, if you were going for a walk, you would insert periods of running at an 80% intensity level during your walk.  You can use a watch with an interval timer or if you are outside, you can run between two landmarks; telephone poles, for example.

What are the benefits of interval training? 

Regardless of whether you are an elite athlete or are brand new to exercise, interval training will deliver for you.

·       There is no need for special equipment.  Just modify your current routine to fit the interval method. 

·       You won't get bored.  Your workout routines will become shorter, the intensity will become higher, and the number of exercises that can be used for intervals is limitless.

·       You'll quickly increase your lung capacity, enabling you to exercise longer, with more intensity.

·       By exercising with more intensity, even for short periods, you'll burn more calories while you are exercising, and at rest.

Is interval training good for my muscles?

Interval training is better for your muscles than steady state cardio. While you are exercising, lactic acid builds up in your muscles.  If allowed to stay in your muscles for an extended period of time, your muscles can get really sore.  During interval training the amount of lactic acid build up is reduced because of the alternating levels of intensity.  This leads to much less soreness after and between workouts.

Can interval training be customized according to the user?

Absolutely.  Your workout can be modified any number of ways.  To provide variety to your workout routine you can change exercises; for example, exercise bike one week, elliptical the next week and burpees the next week.  You may want to vary the duration of the exercise intervals.  For example, as you get in shape, you may want to decrease the rest or low intensity period until you reach the point that your low intensity period (or rest period) is half of your high intensity period.  This is called a "Tabata" interval, the ultimate in fat burning workout routines.

You may have a specific fitness goal that you want to work towards scientifically like training towards a target heart rate.  I am a soccer player as well as a conditioning coach for high school soccer.  I like to incorporate exercises that involve jumping and kicking.  If you are involved in a particular sport, you may want to use exercises that mimic movements used in your sport.  These type of movements add interest to your workouts and increase efficiency and endurance of sport specific movements. 

Are there risks involved in interval training? 

Sure, but not many.  Any exercise involves risk of injury.  If you are new to exercise or have a health condition, see your doctor before you attempt this type of training.  Otherwise, there is a smaller chance of overuse injuries due to change of intensity or gait during exercise.  You also require less time for workouts, which lowers the chance of injury. 

The most common injuries are the same with interval training as they are with any exercise.

·       Make sure to warm up thoroughly.  Failing to warm up properly causes a shock to the muscles resulting in cramps or pulls.

·       Ease into high intensity intervals and increase intensity as your wind improves.  If you do this, you will be pleasantly surprised how quickly you improve.

Shoulder Exercises For Your Equipment Free Workout Routine

 Let's face it. Strong sculpted shoulders look great on men and women. On women, they make that spaghetti strap, or strapless dress look super. On men, broad, strong shoulders set off and define the entire frame. For both genders, a well developed pair of shoulders makes you look great in clothes and makes your waist appear smaller. Here are three great shoulder exercises you can use:
1. Hindu push up
There few exercises that compare with this exercise for the benefits that it has for the chest, shoulders back and spine. When it comes to the shoulders, the movement provides a really large range of motion for the shoulder. Since the motion is circular in the rotator cuff it strengthens and stretches the rotator cuff as opposed to a linear motion which may overuse a rehabbing shoulder.

To perform a Hindu squat start with your hands and feet on the ground with your torso and legs in the shape of an upside down "V". In yoga, this is known as the downward dog position. Bend your arms, lowering your torso towards the ground. Scoop your chest down in a "u" shaped motion, ending with your back arched and your face looking up at the ceiling. Push yourself back up to the starting position and repeat.

2. The Jacknife Push Up
 This exercise is ideal for those who are working their way up to a handstand push up. It is also easy to adjust for fitness level. Start with your hands and knees on the ground next to a bench, chair, or step. Put your feet on the chair and push back with your hands until your body is at a 90 degree angle bending at the waist. Raise and lower your body using your arms, just like a regular push up, while maintaining your body position at 90 degrees. You should feel as if you are upside down. You can adjust the degree of difficulty by raising or lowering the height of your feet. Beginners may want to perform this exercise with both hands and feet on the ground.

3. Handstand Push Ups
Handstand push ups are a fantastic shoulder exercise. Once you go vertical you are among the elite because not many people are able to military press their own weight. If you are doing handstand push ups, that is exactly what you're doing. Many people are not strong enough or do not have the balance to perform this exercise but have no fear. I have the work around!

Start in push up position with your feet elevated against a wall. Walk your feet up the wall as you walk your hands back towards the wall. If you can make it all the way, you will end up vertical with your front against the wall. If you don't have the strength to make it all the way up, you can use this exercise as a training tool. Walk yourself up to the highest angle that you can stand and then try to crank off as many push ups as you can. Each week try to increase the angle, the number of push ups, or both. In a few weeks, you will be upside down and vertical, building powerful shoulders.

Get your Free Workout Routine at http://turbulencetraining4u.com Clint Grimes, is a retired US Navy commander. He is certified by the California Interscholastic Federation and is currently the strength and conditioning coach for the boys soccer teams at El Toro High School in Lake Forest, CA. You have permission to publish this article in your web sites, ezines or electronic publication, as long as the piece is used in its entirety including the resource box, all hyperlinks (HTML clickable) and references and copyright info.

Is A Crunch Free Workout Routine For Abs Effective?

Is A Crunch Free Workout Routine For Abs Effective?
I bet you if you ever did another crunch it'll be too soon. You don't like getting down on your back because it bruises your spine and hurts your neck.  If it was only possible to stop doing crunches and get six pack abs, you certainly would.  It certainly would save a lot of time.  Well, truth be told, you'd be better off ditching the crunches because they aren't very effective in getting you that you want. You need to adopt a crunch free workout routine.

When it comes to ab development, there are plenty of more effective exercises that you can use in your crunch free workout routine.  If crunches weren't effective, you wouldn't have to do them day after day like you read in the muscle magazines.

Just think about it.  You can stop lying down, hurting you spine, do those back and neck bruising exercises from the '80s and replace them with total body exercises for a crunch free workout routine for a more efficient, more effective routine for faster results.

Right now you are probably thinking, what's wrong with crunches?  Why would someone tell me or write about doing then if they were harmful?  The answer is two-fold.  First a lack of knowledge.  Second, a fitness industry that's marketing rip off gadgets claiming they will build you washboard abs.  The truth is that crunches are useless for getting six pack abs.  If fact, kinesiologists claim that when you are doing crunches, you are performing a motion that damages your lower back and spine.

When you perform a crunch, you subject your spine to flexion, a condition that compresses the disks in your spine.  Continue to do that and you will herniate your disks.  Have you cer heard of someone who bent over to pick something up and "threw" out their back.  Well, that's the same motion that you use when you do a crunch!

If you use the proper total body exercises in your crunch free workout routine, you won't need the gym, you'll burn more fat, you'll spend far less time than body builders do on their abs, and  yet you'll be able to get those flat, sexy abs that you've always wanted by working out at home.
By adopting a crunch free workout routine, boring, steady-state cardio will become a thing of the past.  You will only have to workout three times a week and that workout will only take about 45 minutes.  Doesn't it make sense to spend more time showing your abs than you do working on them?
Here are 2 exercises to use in your crunch free workout routine:

Cross-BodyMountainClimber

1. Get into push up position.
2. Lift your right foot off the floor and bring your right knee toward your left elbow. Return to the starting position, and repeat with the opposite leg, bringing your left knee to your right elbow. Repeat until specified time or number of repetitions are completed.

 Lateral Ski Jumps
1. Stand beside object to jump over. (I use paint cans in my garage)
2. Bring knees up and jump over the object sideways.
3. Land on both feet and immediately jump back over the object to the starting point.
4. Do not to pause between jumps. Only go as fast as you can perform the exercise safely.
Repeat until specified time or number of repetitions are completed.

Heres a crunch free workout routine to start you burning fat and tightening those abs:

1) Hindu Squats 20
2) Hindu Pushups 20
3)  Lateral Ski Jumps 20
4) Decline pushups 20
5) Lunges 20 per leg
6) Cross-Body Mountainclimbers 20 per leg
7) Pull ups 10
8] "T" pushups 20

3 Rounds

Get your Free Workout Routine at http://turbulencetraining4u.com

Clint Grimes, is a retired US Navy commander. He is certified by the California Interscholastic Federation and is currently the strength and conditioning coach for the boys soccer teams atEl ToroHigh School inLake Forest,CA.

You have permission to publish this article in your web sites, ezines or electronic publication, as long as the piece is used in its entirety including the resource box, all hyperlinks (HTML clickable) and references and copyright info.

Circuit Training for Beginners

Circuit training is a method of exercise with which you will get the combination of the benefits of weight lifting along with cardio. It is one of the best fast weight loss exercise techniques.  Since you may be unfamiliar with the way that circuit training works, here are some helpful tips to get you started. Along with some of the exercises, I'll provide you with some hints you can use at home. Though most gyms have circuit training classes, you'll have enough information to start a training program at home.

Circuit training takes its name from an electrical circuit in that you go all the way around a series of exercises until you "complete the circuit" before beginning the sequence again. For example, you might do an upper body exercise like pull ups, followed by a lower body exercise like squats, followed by a full body exercise like jumping jacks. Since your heart rate remains at a relatively high rate during the entire circuit, you will get a high quality workout that will give you results faster. You get the advantages of strength training and the benefits of cardio at the same time.

When I first started circuit training I found out that it was best to use between 5-10 exercises in each circuit. You want a total of 20-25 sets so if you choose 5 exercises, you are going to have to do at least 4 rounds whereas if you have 8 exercises you only have to complete 3 rounds. Make sure to warm up by moving your arms and legs rather than using static stretching. Do that afterwards. You want to do a dynamic (moving) warm up to get blood into the muscles.

All right, now that we are done with our warm up, let's start our circuit. A good whole body exercise like jumping jacks is a good way to start. Next we need some good upper body exercises. Let's use two types of push ups. I like to use Hindu push ups and spiderman push ups but since we are designing this for beginners, we'll use the standard push up which you can even do on your knees, and close grip push ups, with the hands close together. Let's throw in an inverted row to round out the upper body exercises.

Now we need some lower body exercises. Let's use lunges, mountain climbers, step ups, and squats. Now all we have left is to arrange them. We'll put the jumping jacks at the beginning to get the whole body ready for action. Next we'll arrange the exercises alternating upper and lower body exercises. We call this non-opposing exercises. The upper body exercise does not share any muscle groups with the previous or subsequent lower body exercises. Now all we have to do is order the exercises and we come up with this:

• Jumping Jacks 60
• Lunges 20
• Push Ups 20
• Mountain Climbers 20/leg
• Step Ups 20
• Inverted Rows 20
• Squats 20
• Close Grip Push Ups 20
• (Repeat 3 times)

Now you know what you need to get to started. As you get stronger you can add more repetitions and modify the exercises to incorporate more difficult exercise variations.

Get your Free Fast Weight Loss Workout at http://turbulencetraining4u.com Clint Grimes, is a retired US Navy commander. He is certified by the California Interscholastic Federation and is currently the strength and conditioning coach for the boys soccer teams at El Toro High School in Lake Forest, CA. You have permission to publish this article in your web sites, ezines or electronic publication, as long as the piece is used in its entirety including the resource box, all hyperlinks (HTML clickable) and references and copyright info.

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Use Push Up Variations to Customize Your Fast Weight Loss Workouts

Introduction

Push ups are, without question, the best upper body exercise. They strengthen the triceps, chest, shoulders and even the core when performed properly. They are an essential element to any bodyweight circuit routine. But what if you have mastered the to the point that you have to do dozens to make it challenging. On the contrary, what if you are a "newbie" to strength training or you are a woman who does not have the upper body strength to perform standard push ups. With these variations, you can customize your circuit to match you fitness level as your strength improves. You can even bundle them together in sequence to make a challenging superset that would challenge the veteran bodybuilder.

Elevated Push Ups

To increase difficulty just change the angle by raising the feet. This is easily done by putting the your feet on a chair. Stairs are ideal because as you become stronger, you can move your feet up the steps. A wall can also be used. Brick and stucco work a little better than smoother walls because of the friction factor, and like steps, you can easily increase difficulty by moving your feet up the wall. Still another aspect of wall push ups is the necessity to push your feet into the wall as you push up. Remember, that as you increase the angle the shoulder muscles are engaged more and the chest muscled are worked less.

Inclined Push Ups

These are elevated in reverse, with the hands on the chair instead of the feet. These work equally well on stairs because you can progressively lower your hands as you get stronger. Wall push ups will work also but only at the steeper angles. The angle of the wrist becomes uncomfortable and the friction becomes inadequate to keep you on the wall as you approach being parallel.

Kneeling Push Ups

Though they may be called "girl push ups" by some, performing the exercise on your knees is highly effective for building upperbody strength for novice exercisers or those who simply lack the body strength to perform a standard push up. They are also handy to throw in if you want to perform a superset or the triple superset that I will explain in the next paragraph.

The Push Up Triple Superset

The triple superset is excellent to use as a component of a circuit, in between non-opposing leg exercises, or as a chest workout alone with a brief rest period between each set. It is for advanced exercisers who have developed significant upper body strength. Start with your feet elevated against a wall and perform push ups until failure. When failure is reached, lower your feet to the ground and perform the exercise until you reach failure again. Now lower your knees to the ground and perform kneeling push ups until failure.

Conclusion

Your workouts are like anything else in your life; your clothes, your food choices, your choice of friends are all specific to you. Why not make your workouts personal, tailored to you, designed to stimulate growth without overtraining. Variations will help you do that.

Get your Free Fast Weight Loss Workout at http://turbulencetraining4u.com. Clint Grimes, is a retired US Navy commander. He is certified by the California Interscholastic Federation and is currently the strength and conditioning coach for the boys soccer teams at El Toro High School in Lake Forest, CA. You have permission to publish this article in your web sites, ezines or electronic publication, as long as the piece is used in its entirety including the resource box, all hyperlinks (HTML clickable) and references and copyright info.

Defeating Discouragement

I received an e-mail from my pastor Rick Warren regarding discouragement. When I read it, it was so applicable to those of us who struggle with weight loss and our journey to get healthy and fit, I thought I'd pass on some of the main points to you:

Discouragement is a disease unique to human beings:

· It's universal. Everyone gets it.

· It's reoccurring. You can catch it more than once.

· It's highly contagious. Hang around discouraged people - you'll be infected.

WHAT CAUSES DISCOURAGEMENT?

#1 Cause: FATIGUE. When you are physically or emotionally exhausted, you are a prime candidate to be infected with discouragement. Your defenses are lowered and things can seem bleaker than they really are. This often occurs when you are about half way through a major project - you're tired but you can't quit.

#2 Cause: FRUSTRATION. When unfinished tasks pile up, it's natural to feel overwhelmed. And when trivial matters or the unexpected interrupt you and prevent you from accomplishing what you really need to do, your frustration can easily produce discouragement.

#3 Cause: FAILURE. Sometimes, your best laid plans fall apart: the project collapses... the deal falls through... the order is canceled. How do you react? Do you give in to self-pity? Do you blame others? As one man said, "Just when I think I can make ends meet - somebody moves the ends!" That's discouraging!

#4 Cause: FEAR. Fear is behind more discouragement than we'd like to admit. The fear of criticism (What will they think?), the fear of responsibility (What if I can't handle this?) and the fear of failure (What if I blow it?) can cause a major onset of the blues.

WHAT'S THE CURE?

· REST YOUR BODY! If you need to take a break - do so! You'll be far more effective when you return to your work. If you're burning the candle at both ends - you're not as bright as you think you are.

· REORGANIZE YOUR LIFE! Get this - it's an important distinction: Discouragement doesn't necessarily mean you are doing the wrong thing. It may just be that you are doing the right thing in the wrong way. Try a new approach. Shake things up a little.

· REMEMBER AN ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNER WILL HELP YOU! Finding an accountability partner can give you new energy. There is incredible motivating power in numbers.

· RESIST THE DISCOURAGEMENT! Fight back. Discouragement is a choice. If you are feeling discouraged it is because you have chosen to feel that way. No one is forcing you to feel bad. Hang on. Be persistent. Do what's right in spite of your feelings. No feeling lasts forever.

Get your Free Fast Weight Loss Workout at http://www.turbulencetraining4u.com. Clint Grimes, is a retired US Navy commander. He is certified by the California Interscholastic Federation and is currently the strength and conditioning coach for the boys soccer teams at El Toro High School in Lake Forest, CA. You have permission to publish this article in your web sites, ezines or electronic publication, as long as the piece is used in its entirety including the resource box, all hyperlinks (HTML clickable) and references and copyright info.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6152407

The Best Chest Workouts

Introduction

So you've melted off all of the fat with the best fast weight loss system you could find and you've learned how to build muscle fast but now you're stuck. You've reached a plateau. You have an armada of circuits at your disposal but you are looking for something to put the finishing touches on your chiseled chest. The best chest workouts are equally effective in building chest muscles, building shoulder muscles and strengthening core muscles. Here are three pushup variations designed to take you to the next level.

Spiderman Push Ups 

Spiderman push ups are a challenging exercise for your triceps and chest. If you perform them properly you should look like Spiderman climbing up the side of a building, but just on the floor. Start in standard push up position. As you lower yourself to the down position, bring your right knee to your right elbow. As you return to the up position, return your leg to the standard push up position. As you lower your torso for the next repetition, bring the left leg to the left elbow, then return it as you go back up. The torque from the movement of your legs is great for your core, and the drastic shift in balance simulates the strain of one-armed push ups.

Hindu Push Ups

Have been a mainstay of Indian wrestlers for centuries and perhaps millennia. They have been recognized to be one of the most beneficial and comprehensive body-weight exercises ever. Along with Hindu squats, the Hindu push up is my preferred method of warm up for soccer games. They warn up and stretch the entire body in a very short period of time. The Hindu pushup not only increases upper body strength but also promotes flexibility in the back and legs.

Start in the up position with your legs wide apart, your hands on the ground wider than shoulder width your butt raised high in the worse possible form to have to do a standard push up. You should look like an upside down "V." Swoop down from the starting position in a "u" shaped motion. The descent places lots of stress on your arms and upper chest and shoulders. Despite this, you should maintain control so that you end up in the so that you arch your back and end up in the shape of a "u" looking up at the ceiling. Then push back up to the start position. A friend of mine rehabbed his shoulder using this exercise.

"T" Push Ups 

You can start off using standard pushup position. Lower just like a normal pushup. Push back up. As you come up roll your so that you are holding yourself up on your right hand with your body perpendicular to the ground and your right hand reaching for the sky. Return to the start position and repeat with your other hand. same time, raise your hand to the sky, making a straight line from one hand to the other, like the letter "T " lying on its side.

Conclusion

Now you are equipped with all you need to take you to "Adonis" level. Good luck as you build the best chest workout ever.

Get your Free Fast Weight Loss Workout at http://turbulencetraining4u.com. Clint Grimes, is a retired US Navy commander. He is certified by the California Interscholastic Federation and is currently the strength and conditioning coach for the boys soccer teams at El Toro High School in Lake Forest, CA. You have permission to publish this article in your web sites, ezines or electronic publication, as long as the piece is used in its entirety including the resource box, all hyperlinks (HTML clickable) and references and copyright info.

Four Keys to Interval Training

The biggest excuse that people give for not exercising is lack of time. If you are the normal adult, you have a job, kids in school with tons of activities and plenty of things to do around the house. With all of these obligations eating up your precious time, you can still experience fast weight loss while getting in the best shape ever if you use the four keys that follow. 

1. Use interval training to save time.

Even if you only have 10 minutes, interval training is the easiest way to maximize the results given the limited time. Why? Unlike steady state cardio, you continue to burn fat for up to 36 hours after you finish training. The result is more fat burned overall.

2. Keep it simple.

Though 8 or 10 different exercises will work, you only need 3 different exercises for a fantastic workout. Here is the workout I did this morning:

10 Hindu Push Ups

20 Hindu Squats

30 Jumping Jacks

Repeat the sequence for 15 minutes

Needless to say, I was sweating like a mule when I was done. Here's another one you can do with 3 simple exercises for a full body workout:

5 Pull Ups

10 Pull Ups

20 Squats

Repeat the sequence for 15 minutes.

Just remember to switch up the exercises every couple of weeks so your body doesn't have a chance to adapt.

3. Keep the length of each interval 20-30 seconds.

When the interval goes above 30 seconds, you will reduce intensity and therefore reduce the calorie burn. Remember, the key to interval training is intensity, not duration. Interval training closely imitate some sports. I play soccer. Soccer players have outstanding cardiovascular fitness. Why, they are constantly starting, stopping and changing direction in short bursts.

4. Keep your rest intervals short.

If your rest interval is too long, your heart rate will take too long to get back to a rate for you to benefit. The easiest way to go this is to go to a non-opposing exercise as the next one in the sequence. Going from an upper body exercise to a lower body exercise will allow that part of the body to rest. For example you could go from pull ups to squats. You can also go from a body part specific exercise to a whole body exercise like going from lunges to jumping jacks.

If you keep your interval workouts simple, using 20-30 second intervals, with minimal rest, you will melt off fat faster than ever and still have time for a life.

Get your Free Fast Weight Loss Workout at http://turbulencetraining4u.com Clint Grimes, is a retired US Navy commander. He is certified by the California Interscholastic Federation and is currently the strength and conditioning coach for the boys soccer teams at El Toro High School in Lake Forest, CA. You have permission to publish this article in your web sites, ezines or electronic publication, as long as the piece is used in its entirety including the resource box, all hyperlinks (HTML clickable) and references and copyright info.

Lunges for Leg Strength

Introduction

The lunge is one of the best leg exercises that can be done with or without weights. The lunge is highly effective in toning, stretching and strengthening every muscle from the big toe to the gluteus. Since it uses multiple groups, it is also excellent for fast weight loss. What makes the lunge so effective is its versatility. There are a number of variations and modifications that emphasize different areas of the lower body. They can also be performed in a rather small area which is great for travelers and those with limited space. They can also be performed in a "walking" manner which is great for warm ups for sporting events. This is a big part of my "toolbag" for training myself as well as my high school soccer players. 

The Basic Lunge

How do you do a lunge? It's easy! Start in the standing position then step forward to the extent that your knee reaches a 90 degree angle. Do not go let your knee go any farther forward than right above your toes. You know you have it right because at the end of the movement your trailing knee will almost touch the ground. Then simply step back with your front foot to the starting position and repeat with the opposite leg.

The Reverse Lunge

The reverse lunge is an equally valuable leg strength exercise. It strengthens a different part of the leg; the hip flexors. Start in the standing position then step backward about 2 feet. As you do, bend the knee of your front leg and lower yourself until your back knee almost touches the ground. Return to the starting position by stepping forward with your back leg then repeat the motion with the opposite leg.

The Lateral Lunge

The lateral lunge is the third and perhaps the best leg strength exercise in the lunge collection. It stretches and strengthens every muscle in the triangle which has the heels as its base and the groin area at its apex. Start in the standing position with your feet together. With your left foot, step to the left about as far as you can, lowering yourself as low as you can on your left leg while you keep your right leg straight. There are two schools of thought on what to do with the heel of your trailing leg. One school of thought says to keep your entire foot flat on the ground. My preference is to keep the heel down and raise the toe to get a better stretch in the groin area. To return to the starting position, push off with the bent leg, then repeat with the opposite leg.

Lunge Circuit

Now that you have all the tools, let's put all of our lunges together in a circuit. The first one is designed to fry your legs and the second one is what I enjoy.a concentration on one area (the legs) within a total body circuit. Try these circuits out as you lunge toward fitness.

Leg Circuit

Basic Lunge 20

Reverse Lunge 20

Lateral Lunge 20

Repeat for 15 min

Total Body Circuit

Basic Lunge 20

Hindu Push Ups 20

Reverse Lunge 20

Hindu Squat 20

Lateral Lunge 20

Jumping Jacks 30

Perform circuit 4 times

Get your Free Fast Weight Loss Workout at http://turbulencetraining4u.com. Clint Grimes, is a retired US Navy commander. He is certified by the California Interscholastic Federation and is currently the strength and conditioning coach for the boys soccer teams at El Toro High School in Lake Forest, CA. You have permission to publish this article in your web sites, ezines or electronic publication, as long as the piece is used in its entirety including the resource box, all hyperlinks (HTML clickable) and references and copyright info.

Explaining Interval Training For Fast Weight Loss

Definition

Interval training involves exercising at a high intensity for a certain period, followed by a rest period where the intensity is much lower.

Exercise Period 

Exercise periods are the high intensity portions of the workout which can be a number of repetitions, a distance, or a time period. In general, exercise periods are between 15-30 seconds long. A good example might be running up to the top of a flight of stairs.

Recovery Period

The time period immediately following the exercise interval is called the recovery period. During the recovery period, the participant slows down, but does not stop the activity to let their heart rate drop to a much lover rate, allowing the body to rest and prepare for the next exercise period. Using the stair climbing example, the recovery period would be walking back down to the starting point. Two factors determine the length of the rest period are the difficulty of the exercise, and the degree of conditioning of the participant.

The recovery period is extremely important in that it must be long enough for the participant to recover sufficiently before the subsequent exercise period starts. Without an adequate rest period, the workout becomes steady state cardio, which is not nearly as effective in conditioning and fat burning.

Exercise Intensity

Trainers usually measure the intensity of effort of their athletes on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being maximum effort and 1 being no effort. Just like the length of the recovery period, this scale is completely individualized. The "10" for a high school track star sprinting is not going to be the same for his 45 year old dad who is trying to get back in shape. The teen track star's "10" is a full sprint which his dad can only dream of while the dad's "10" though exhausting for him, is barely a warm up for his track star son.

The mistake that is often made, as previously mentioned is the exercise period lacks intensity and, or the rest period is too intense. The secret to effective interval training is the difference in intensities and the cycling of the heart rate from high intensity to low.

Conclusion

Interval training is the most effective and efficient training method. Research shows that fat loss is much more rapid due to continued fat burning between exercise periods. It is also an extremely effective way to increase cardiovascular fitness.

Get your Free Tubulence Training Fat Burning Workout at http://turbulencetraining4u.com Clint Grimes, is a retired US Navy commander. He is certified by the California Interscholastic Federation and is currently the strength and conditioning coach for the boys soccer teams at El Toro High School in Lake Forest, CA. You have permission to publish this article in your web sites, ezines or electronic publication, as long as the piece is used in its entirety including the resource box, all hyperlinks (HTML clickable) and references and copyright info.

Best Leg Exercises for Fast Weight Loss

Introduction

The best way to induce fast weight loss is to engage in short burst exercises using multiple major muscle groups in a series of non-opposing exercises, often called a circuit. Leg strengthening exercises using multiple muscle groups in the legs should be the foundation of any circuit training program. Two exercises that fit this criteria superbly are lying hip extensions and step ups.

Performing Lying Hip Extentions 

Lay down, face up with your hands at your sides, with one leg out straight and the other bent at a 45 degree angle. Raise your torso and hips off the ground as high as possible by driving the heel of your bent leg into the ground while keeping the opposite leg straight. Lower your torso to the ground then repeat using the same leg until reaching the desired number of repetition, then repeat with the opposite leg. This exercise is excellent for the entire quadriceps, especially the hamstrings, and all of the muscles in your behind.

Performing Step Ups 

Step ups is a fantastic exercise that activates the muscles in your butt, your hamstrings as well as peripheral muscles of the calves and the Achilles tendon. The exercise can also be done with dumbells for extra resistance. It's very important that the step is high enough to provide activation of the muscles above the knee.

Start in the standing position next to the step, or chair. Step up, placing your left foot on the step, lean forward and raise your body to the standing position on the bench. You should raise your body as rapidly as possible being careful not to hyper extend your knee at the top. Step down to the starting position with your right leg first. Continue to repeat the exercise, alternating legs, until you reach the desired nuber of repetitions.

Putting It All Together

Now that you know these two exercises, its your job to put them into a circuit training wokout in such a way to maimize the effectiveness of he circuit for fast weight loss. The best way to do this would be make sure that the exercises preceeding and following each of these leg exercises is a non-opposing (upper body) exercise or a total body exercise. Make sure that your circuit has between six and ten exercises. Each exercise should have between ten and thirty repetitions. Depending how many exercises are in your circuit, you should repeat the series enough times so that the total number of sets is between twenty and thirty. There is an example below to get you started.

Step Ups 20 (10 per leg)

Burpees 10

High Knees 50

Jumping Jacks 60

Hindu Pushups 20

Lunges 20

Lying Hip Extensions 20 (10 per leg)

Elevated Push Ups 20

Three Rounds

Get your Free Fast Weight Loss Workout at http://turbulencetraining4u.com. Clint Grimes, is a retired US Navy commander. He is certified by the California Interscholastic Federation and is currently the strength and conditioning coach for the boys soccer teams at El Toro High School in Lake Forest, CA. You have permission to publish this article in your web sites, ezines or electronic publication, as long as the piece is used in its entirety including the resource box, all hyperlinks (HTML clickable) and references and copyright info.