I have experienced great success with circuit training. It has been an extremely effective way for me to develop and maintain both strength and stamina simultaneously. Another way it has served me successfully is as the strength and conditioning coach for the boys' soccer program at a local high school. Just as in my own personal program, I have been able to provide a high level of fitness for 60 boys in a minimum amount of time by increasing their strength and cardiovascular fitness simultaneously.
Circuit training is not an exercise in and of itself but rather a method of workout routine that combines a sequence of exercises with short rest periods in between each exercise.
In the paragraphs that follow, I'll reveal how to structure an effective circuit training workout routine for to either improve overall fitness or to improve performance in a specific sport.
How To Use Circuit Training
1. Overall Fitness
Circuit training is a highly effective and efficient way to develop and maintain overall fitness for the person with a busy lifestyle because all that is needed is three or four short sessions per week. The key to improving both strength and endurance simultaneously is performing a sequence of resistance and high intensity cardio exercises with little or no rest in between them.
2. Developing Basic Strength
When athletes begin a program designed to increase performance in their specific sport, they should always be focus in an initial period emphasizing basic strength during the off season in anticipation of preparing for more challenging conditioning in the preseason period.
The athletes who I train have been playing soccer since grade school. Their off season circuits stress correcting ther muscle imbalances. For example, soccer players are notorious for neglecting upper body training so I consistently employ exercises to work on that. The remaining exercises employ as movements commonly used in our sport like kicking, jumping, and lateral movement.
3. Developing Muscular Endurance. In my sport, soccer, as in many others like basketball, lacrosse, and water polo, just to name a few, its necessary for athletes to have cardiovascular and muscular endurance. Circuit workout routines can be designed to meet the sport's unique requirements By making rest periods short, cardiovascular endurance is increased. A workout routine for for a interval-sprint sport like soccer will look much different than one for a cross country team.
General Fitness Guidelines
All that is needed is three or sessions per week. Similar to conventional weightlifting, there should be 48 hours between sessions. In selecting an exercise, the level of resistance should be such that a person can exercise for a period of 30-60 seconds. If not, the exercise, whether its performed with dumbells, resistance bands, or plain old bodyweight, should be modified to make it easier or difficult as necessary.
Each routine should have between 7 - 12 exercises that are performed from 30 -60 seconds. There should be a total of 20 - 25 sets so that means 2 or 3 times through the sequence. The amount of rest between exercise is determined by the fitness level of the person. Novice exercisers may need up to 90 seconds. My soccer athletes take no rest between sets.
Circuit workout routines are appropriate for on, off, or preseason training. Three or four sessions a week can be mixed with cardio sessions on off days.
Guidelines For Short-Term Strength Endurance
The way to train for soccer, field hockey, and lacrosse is to use 30 second bursts of high intensity exercise. In these best was to imitate the action of these sports. Be sure that the exercise movements copy movements used frequently in these sports.
Try this circuit:
1) Squats 20
2) Incline Pushups 20
3) Jump squats 20
4) Decline pushups 20
5) Lateral Lunges 20
6) Cross Body Mountain climbers 20
7) Dumbell swings 15
8] Close-grip pushups 20
3 Times through the sequence
Get your free workout routine for fast weight loss 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.
Command Fitness is a blog dedicated to fitness enthusiasts through Turbulence Training and bodyweight training; a tried and true method, used for decades by the US Military.
Showing posts with label free workout routine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label free workout routine. Show all posts
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Saturday, July 9, 2011
6 Things NOT To Do To Burn Fat
1. Long Workouts.
You may think that exercise is cumulative so that the longer I workout, the better my results will be. NOT TRUE. You know the definition of insanity. If you are spending hours and hours at the gym and are not seeing results, you are going to have to do something different. Longer workouts do NOT equal better or faster results. If you've been slaving away at the gym and your body isn't visibly changing, you can't do more of the same thing and expect a different result.
The fact of the matter is that if you want a low fat, athletic body, you need to use an often ignored technique to get on the fast track to fast loss. That is interval training; short bursts of high intensity exercise followed by periods of low intensity exercise or rest.
2. Performing traditional isolation weight lifting.
First of all your body is a composite machine in which groups of muscles work in conjunction and cooperation with each other. In addition to a tricep pushdown or a preacher curl being an impractical motion, in as much as the arm bends only at the elbow, these exercises don't enlist enough muscle to use enough calories to burn fat. I'll illustrate both points. Sit at your kichen table. Now try to take a drink out of a coffee cup by doing a bicep curl without using your wrist or your shoulder. Can't do it, right? Impractical. Next, answer this question. If you wanted to use as much energy as possible and build as much muscle as possible, what would you do, preacher curls, or pullups. That's right; pull ups woud use more muscle groups, build more muscle and burn more calories by developing both your back and your biceps, faster!
2. Using Machines.
Machines are expensive and they look good but lets face it, you were not made to move like a machine. You neither move in an perfectly straight line nor do you move in a perfectly circular arc. Heck your two arms are not exactly the same length! A machine makes your range of motion it's range of motion whether or not it is comfortable for you. They limit the amount of muscles recruited to exercise, which limits the amount of fat burned, which limits the amount of definition. The restrictive motions put undue stress on your joints.
3. Long Steady-State Cardio
You and I both know that cardio burns fat. But you will get minimal results from jogging for miles daily or hours on an exercise bike, elliptical trainer or a treadmill. You will also get overuse injuries from performing hours of repetitive motion. Interval training and circuit training will get you incredible results in half the time of traditional, steady-state cardio, without nagging overuse injuries.
There is a key to getting six pack abs and it is NOT sit ups or crunches. The key to washboard abs is to get rid of the fat that's covering them, while stimulating your 6 abdominal muscles with natural motions that your body uses in the course of household and sport activities. This will sculpt your abs. Sit-ups and crunches do not burn any fat and they do NOTHING to carve your abs. In fact they are actually bad for your back and neck.
5. Not changing your workout routine.
I went to Kuwait for a year in 2006. When we landed it was 112 degrees at 2 AM. Often the daytime high was over 120 degrees with a heat index of 150 degrees when you factored in the humidity. One day half way through the tour, I was walking across the compound commenting on the pleasant weather. A Navy corpsman directed me to a nearby thermometer. The temperature was 105! I had adapted!
My point is that your body was designed to take a lot of physical punishment by adapting to it quickly. When your body adapts to your workout routines, your progress will come to a screeching halt. You will need to switch workout routines every few weeks so that your body will never get a chance to adapt. I understand that we human beings are creatures of habit who like routine but mark my words if you stick to the same workouts, your body will adapt and your results will STOP!
Get your free workout routine for fast weight loss 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.
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.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
The Power of Interval Training
Introduction
If I could give you two words that you could use to ignite fat burning, accelerate your metabolism, and vector you towards your goals, those two words would be "interval training". To set you off on the right track your going to need knowledge; a good explanation of what interval training is, how it works, and how to perform interval workout routines.
Interval training is simply performing an exercise at a high intensity level for a specified time period, followed by a recovery period. In general, the recovery period is long enough for the heart rate to return to an almost normal rate.
What is High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)?
High intensity interval training is interval training "on steroids". The exercise interval is at an 80-90% intensity level while the recovery interval is at a moderate level. If you can survive the intensity, you will find yourself engaged in the most efficient method to burn fat and improve your performance in your sport, regardless of what sport it might be. HIIT will definitely increase your endurance.
Burning Fat With Interval Training
What if you could burn more fat by exercising less? You can! Interval is the best workout routine out there to burn fat. Where people have been confused is that they believe that the most important thing is how much fat is burned during exercise. The effectiveness of interval training is that more fat is burned when you are NOT exercising. In fact, you can continue to burn fat up to 36 hours after exercise is over.
Making Tough Training Easier
Some people have a really tough time with this type of training because of the intensity. I'm not talking people that are so sedentary they can not tolerate intervl training. I'm talking about those who lack concentration or who are just having trouble sticking with it. Companies like Workout Muse and Cardiomixes Fitness have downloadable music specifically recorded for interval training. This music is structured for 60 second, 30 second and Tabata intervals. There are also interval timers and interval settings on watches, I use a Timex Triathlon, that will keep you on track while you supply your own music or television show to drown out your heavy breathing and groaning.
How To Start
First and foremost, if you haven't been exercising or are a novice exerciser, consult your doctor. Next you are going to need to chose an exercise that fulfills two criteria;1) it has to involve major or multiple muscle groups in order to elevate the heart rate. 2) It must be an exercise that you can physically tolerate. What I mean by this is that if you have, for example, bad knees, you may not want to choose running and opt for a elliptical trainer or an exercise bike. The sky's the limit so be creative. Now what you want to do is complete 8 exercise intervals in which your effort is an 8 out of 10 with 0 being totally at rest and 10 is exerting youself like you are being chased by Godzilla. Let your exercise interval last for 30 seconds. As a beginner, your rest period may take quite a while and should be as long as it takes your heart rate to return to almost normal. DO this routine 3 times a week. As time goes on, you will find that your exercise interval will get shorter and shorter as your recocvery time decreases. Your ultimate goal will be to get to the point that you can do a Tabata; 8 intervals of 30 seconds with a rest interval of 15 seconds!
You are now armed with the information you need to strip off all of the fat. To provide variety and to shock your system, switch exercises every few weeks. By by using this method you will be well on your way to stripping off the fat.
Get your free workout routine for fast weight loss 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.
If I could give you two words that you could use to ignite fat burning, accelerate your metabolism, and vector you towards your goals, those two words would be "interval training". To set you off on the right track your going to need knowledge; a good explanation of what interval training is, how it works, and how to perform interval workout routines.
Interval training is simply performing an exercise at a high intensity level for a specified time period, followed by a recovery period. In general, the recovery period is long enough for the heart rate to return to an almost normal rate.
What is High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)?
High intensity interval training is interval training "on steroids". The exercise interval is at an 80-90% intensity level while the recovery interval is at a moderate level. If you can survive the intensity, you will find yourself engaged in the most efficient method to burn fat and improve your performance in your sport, regardless of what sport it might be. HIIT will definitely increase your endurance.
Burning Fat With Interval Training
What if you could burn more fat by exercising less? You can! Interval is the best workout routine out there to burn fat. Where people have been confused is that they believe that the most important thing is how much fat is burned during exercise. The effectiveness of interval training is that more fat is burned when you are NOT exercising. In fact, you can continue to burn fat up to 36 hours after exercise is over.
Making Tough Training Easier
Some people have a really tough time with this type of training because of the intensity. I'm not talking people that are so sedentary they can not tolerate intervl training. I'm talking about those who lack concentration or who are just having trouble sticking with it. Companies like Workout Muse and Cardiomixes Fitness have downloadable music specifically recorded for interval training. This music is structured for 60 second, 30 second and Tabata intervals. There are also interval timers and interval settings on watches, I use a Timex Triathlon, that will keep you on track while you supply your own music or television show to drown out your heavy breathing and groaning.
How To Start
First and foremost, if you haven't been exercising or are a novice exerciser, consult your doctor. Next you are going to need to chose an exercise that fulfills two criteria;1) it has to involve major or multiple muscle groups in order to elevate the heart rate. 2) It must be an exercise that you can physically tolerate. What I mean by this is that if you have, for example, bad knees, you may not want to choose running and opt for a elliptical trainer or an exercise bike. The sky's the limit so be creative. Now what you want to do is complete 8 exercise intervals in which your effort is an 8 out of 10 with 0 being totally at rest and 10 is exerting youself like you are being chased by Godzilla. Let your exercise interval last for 30 seconds. As a beginner, your rest period may take quite a while and should be as long as it takes your heart rate to return to almost normal. DO this routine 3 times a week. As time goes on, you will find that your exercise interval will get shorter and shorter as your recocvery time decreases. Your ultimate goal will be to get to the point that you can do a Tabata; 8 intervals of 30 seconds with a rest interval of 15 seconds!
You are now armed with the information you need to strip off all of the fat. To provide variety and to shock your system, switch exercises every few weeks. By by using this method you will be well on your way to stripping off the fat.
Get your free workout routine for fast weight loss 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.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Circuit Training With Supersets For A Fit Fast Workout Routine
If you are interested in saving time in the gym, increasing exercise intensity, and making your workout routine more efficient and more effective, then the choice of circuit training with supersets is the way to go. This is an excellent method to add variety to your training, to shock your system into further growth, or to speed up weight loss and strength gains. First, lets establish some definitions.
Circuit Training is simply a series of exercises in sequence with a short recovery period, or no recovery period between each exercise. You only need three exercises to have a circuit. Typically there about seven but I ave performed circuits with as many as eleven different exercises. You can perform circuits with dumbells, kettlebells, resistance bands, a suspension trainer, bodyweight or any combination of these devices.
A superset is simply two exercises perfomed in sequence with little to no recovery period in between. Sometimes a super set consists of exercises that involve opposing muscles such as biceps and triceps. An example would be bicep curls and tricep pushdowns. First you would perform a set of curls, followed by a set of pushdowns. After completing the pushdowns, you would go right back to the curls. You may want to rest for 30 seconds between supersets, or you may want to put 30 seconds of a cardio exercise like step ups, jumping jacks, or burpees in between. You might want to have no rest. The variations are endless. If you are a novice exerciser or you have just started to get back in shape you will probably need some recovery time between sets. As your fitness level improves, you can shorten your recovery time.
Another approach is to perform supersets on the same body part. For example, you could do pull ups followed by inverted rows in order to really work the lats. The best way to trai the same area is to perform a compound exercise first immediately followed by a isolation exercise such as pull ups followed by dumbbell curls.
Here's a superset circuit for biceps that you can try:
Pull ups to failure
reverse dumbell curls to failure
20 step ups
(repeat sequence 3 times)
Alternating dumbell curls to failure
Concentration curls to failure
30 jumping jacks
(repeat sequence 3 times)
As you can see, this workout can easily be modified to fit your fitness level. For example, you may want to repeat the sequence more times, add weight or perform a specified number of repetitions for each exercise.
Get your free workout routine for fast weight loss 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.
Circuit Training is simply a series of exercises in sequence with a short recovery period, or no recovery period between each exercise. You only need three exercises to have a circuit. Typically there about seven but I ave performed circuits with as many as eleven different exercises. You can perform circuits with dumbells, kettlebells, resistance bands, a suspension trainer, bodyweight or any combination of these devices.
A superset is simply two exercises perfomed in sequence with little to no recovery period in between. Sometimes a super set consists of exercises that involve opposing muscles such as biceps and triceps. An example would be bicep curls and tricep pushdowns. First you would perform a set of curls, followed by a set of pushdowns. After completing the pushdowns, you would go right back to the curls. You may want to rest for 30 seconds between supersets, or you may want to put 30 seconds of a cardio exercise like step ups, jumping jacks, or burpees in between. You might want to have no rest. The variations are endless. If you are a novice exerciser or you have just started to get back in shape you will probably need some recovery time between sets. As your fitness level improves, you can shorten your recovery time.
Another approach is to perform supersets on the same body part. For example, you could do pull ups followed by inverted rows in order to really work the lats. The best way to trai the same area is to perform a compound exercise first immediately followed by a isolation exercise such as pull ups followed by dumbbell curls.
Here's a superset circuit for biceps that you can try:
Pull ups to failure
reverse dumbell curls to failure
20 step ups
(repeat sequence 3 times)
Alternating dumbell curls to failure
Concentration curls to failure
30 jumping jacks
(repeat sequence 3 times)
As you can see, this workout can easily be modified to fit your fitness level. For example, you may want to repeat the sequence more times, add weight or perform a specified number of repetitions for each exercise.
Get your free workout routine for fast weight loss 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.
A Good Workout Routine Should Leave You Feeling Exhausted
Two thirds of Americans are obese or overweight. That means 66% of us need to lose weight. The problem is that everyone is looking for the "magic bullet" that will get them in shape and will reduce them back to a normal size without any effort on their part. Most Americans are disillusioned on what kind and intensity of exercise is needed to induce fast weight loss.
Much of the confusion comes from what has been heralded as the "Fat Burning Zone", the optimum range in which to burn fat. This range has been described as 50% to 65% of maximum heart rate. People have been led to believe that the highest amount of fat is burned from performing low intensity exercises. LIES!
The fact is that high intensity exercise, between 70% to 90% of maximum heart rate, burns a higher total calories than medium or low intensity exercise. Not only that, the rate of metabolism remains higher longer after high intensity exercise than it does after low intensity exercise. More calories are burned as the body experiences complete recovery. This post workout calorie burn is what leads to much faster weight loss than low or moderate intensity exercise.
Let's examine the numbers a little more. About 50% of calories burned are from fat during low intensity exercise and as you increase intensity, the percent of energy consumed from fat decreases to about 40% at high intensities. That may lead you to conclude that exercising at low intensity would be better. Well, you'd be wrong again. What is overlooked is the fact that even though the percentage of calories burned from fat is lower, the total calories burned is much higher, making the total amount of fat burned more at high intensity (i.e. 10% of 100, which is 10 is greater than 100% of 5, which is only 5).
Now its time for the disclaimer. Exercising at high intensity is uncomfortable. It has to be because you are at 70% to 90% of you maximum heart rate. People who are not accustomed to high intensity exercise often assume that since it is temprarily uncomfortable, they must be injured in some way, when the truth is, after they are done exercising, the discomfort subsides. Secondly, high intensity for a sedentary 50 year old woman is not the same as high intensity for the 15- 18 year old high school soccer players that I condition. The best way to introduce high intensity training to a novice is through interval training. That is a 20-30 second period of high intensity followed by a period of very low intensity for recovery. At first, the recovery periods will be very long in comparison to the high intensity period. But as the fitness level improves, the recovery period decreases. This makes interval training ideal for both the novice exerciser and the elite athlete. Make sure you get the thumbs up from your doctor befor you start an exercise program.
Now that you know that high intensity workout routines are the best way to get fit, burn fat, and lose weight, take care to schedule the correct number of exercises that lets you exercise with intensity as well as have plenty of time for recovery.
Get your free workout routine for fast weight loss at http://www.blogger.com/goog_1116098149
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.
Much of the confusion comes from what has been heralded as the "Fat Burning Zone", the optimum range in which to burn fat. This range has been described as 50% to 65% of maximum heart rate. People have been led to believe that the highest amount of fat is burned from performing low intensity exercises. LIES!
The fact is that high intensity exercise, between 70% to 90% of maximum heart rate, burns a higher total calories than medium or low intensity exercise. Not only that, the rate of metabolism remains higher longer after high intensity exercise than it does after low intensity exercise. More calories are burned as the body experiences complete recovery. This post workout calorie burn is what leads to much faster weight loss than low or moderate intensity exercise.
Let's examine the numbers a little more. About 50% of calories burned are from fat during low intensity exercise and as you increase intensity, the percent of energy consumed from fat decreases to about 40% at high intensities. That may lead you to conclude that exercising at low intensity would be better. Well, you'd be wrong again. What is overlooked is the fact that even though the percentage of calories burned from fat is lower, the total calories burned is much higher, making the total amount of fat burned more at high intensity (i.e. 10% of 100, which is 10 is greater than 100% of 5, which is only 5).
Now its time for the disclaimer. Exercising at high intensity is uncomfortable. It has to be because you are at 70% to 90% of you maximum heart rate. People who are not accustomed to high intensity exercise often assume that since it is temprarily uncomfortable, they must be injured in some way, when the truth is, after they are done exercising, the discomfort subsides. Secondly, high intensity for a sedentary 50 year old woman is not the same as high intensity for the 15- 18 year old high school soccer players that I condition. The best way to introduce high intensity training to a novice is through interval training. That is a 20-30 second period of high intensity followed by a period of very low intensity for recovery. At first, the recovery periods will be very long in comparison to the high intensity period. But as the fitness level improves, the recovery period decreases. This makes interval training ideal for both the novice exerciser and the elite athlete. Make sure you get the thumbs up from your doctor befor you start an exercise program.
Now that you know that high intensity workout routines are the best way to get fit, burn fat, and lose weight, take care to schedule the correct number of exercises that lets you exercise with intensity as well as have plenty of time for recovery.
Get your free workout routine for fast weight loss at http://www.blogger.com/goog_1116098149
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.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
5 Reasons You're Not Losing Weight
Your workout routine and nutrition plan are inconsistent
If the number of or intensity of your workout routines are wishy-washy then your weight loss may have come to a screeching halt. In order for exercise to be effective, it has to be performed consistently. When your body adapts to your workout routines you must alter your routine to shock your system. If there is too much of a gap between workouts you will begin to decondition. Wait longer still and its almost like you will have to start from the beginning.
I once went to a lecture given by the FBI on physical fitness. The speaker said that he was often asked what exercise was the best for weight loss and maintaining physical fitness. His answer was he didn't care, as long as you enjoyed the activity enough to perform it consistently. Exercise must be a priority. It's a lot easier to make it a priority, if it doesn't feel like torture.
You may be eating too much
Though this seems like a "no-brainer", many people eat more than they should because they simply fail to track the calories. In many studies, it is found that people generally eat less if they write down what they eat. Without changing what they eat, the awareness alone makes them change their behavior. Sometimes the problem is portion control, and lets face it, some restaurants have entrees large enough to feed a basketball team.
If you really want to lose weight, do what I mentioned earlier. Write down everything you eat for a week while trying to eat normally. Then look up your calorie and nutriton count per day. You'll be shocked at the amount of calories you're eating.
You're a wigwam and a teepee; you're too tense!
I know its a bad joke but it's true! Stress levels can be directly be related to weight gain. When you are under stress for an extended period of time, your body produces a hormone called cortisol. Cortisol production is a product from our hunter-gatherer days. When stress is on, the body seeks to improve our odds of survival. To that end, cortisol causes you to store fat around your abdomen and increases your appetite. That's great for living in the woods 1000 years ago, hunting with a spear to feed yourself and your family, but its terrible for the 21st century couch potato who wants to lose weight.
Destressing can be as easy as listening to music or taking a hot bath in the evening. Working less and playing more is also an outstanding destressor. Just like a teapot, blowing off steam relieves the pressure.
Are you getting enough rest?
Does lack of sleep cause a person to gain weight? You bet it does. We are back to cortisol again. Sleep deprivation caauses stress on the body, which increases stress levels, wich increases cortisol production, which makes you eat more. The lack of sleep decreases your energy to do anything. This decreases your desire to move around, much less exercise. Try to get 8 hours of sleep a night. If you only get 7 hours, its certainly better than only 5. Power naps help also. Sometimes a 20-30 minute nap will do wonders.
Be consistent. Make an effort to go to bed at the same time every night. Try to have the same routine every night before you go to bed, allowing your body time to wind down by watching TV, reading or taking a hot bath or shower.
You don't get enough exercise
What many people don't understand about exercise is that it's going to feel uncomfortable. This is especially true for those who have been sedentary for a long time or have never exercised. They think that since they hurt from the unfamiliar stresses on their bodies, they assume that they are injured. They need to learn the difference between the temporary discomfort from exercise and the long term pain of trauma or injury.
To induce weight loss, exercise needs to be at a medium-high intensity at least 3 times a week and needs to include resistance training and cardio. Cardio and resistance training can be done separately or combined in the form of circuit training or high intensity interval training.
Get Your Free Workout Routine for fast weight loss 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.
If the number of or intensity of your workout routines are wishy-washy then your weight loss may have come to a screeching halt. In order for exercise to be effective, it has to be performed consistently. When your body adapts to your workout routines you must alter your routine to shock your system. If there is too much of a gap between workouts you will begin to decondition. Wait longer still and its almost like you will have to start from the beginning.
I once went to a lecture given by the FBI on physical fitness. The speaker said that he was often asked what exercise was the best for weight loss and maintaining physical fitness. His answer was he didn't care, as long as you enjoyed the activity enough to perform it consistently. Exercise must be a priority. It's a lot easier to make it a priority, if it doesn't feel like torture.
You may be eating too much
Though this seems like a "no-brainer", many people eat more than they should because they simply fail to track the calories. In many studies, it is found that people generally eat less if they write down what they eat. Without changing what they eat, the awareness alone makes them change their behavior. Sometimes the problem is portion control, and lets face it, some restaurants have entrees large enough to feed a basketball team.
If you really want to lose weight, do what I mentioned earlier. Write down everything you eat for a week while trying to eat normally. Then look up your calorie and nutriton count per day. You'll be shocked at the amount of calories you're eating.
You're a wigwam and a teepee; you're too tense!
I know its a bad joke but it's true! Stress levels can be directly be related to weight gain. When you are under stress for an extended period of time, your body produces a hormone called cortisol. Cortisol production is a product from our hunter-gatherer days. When stress is on, the body seeks to improve our odds of survival. To that end, cortisol causes you to store fat around your abdomen and increases your appetite. That's great for living in the woods 1000 years ago, hunting with a spear to feed yourself and your family, but its terrible for the 21st century couch potato who wants to lose weight.
Destressing can be as easy as listening to music or taking a hot bath in the evening. Working less and playing more is also an outstanding destressor. Just like a teapot, blowing off steam relieves the pressure.
Are you getting enough rest?
Does lack of sleep cause a person to gain weight? You bet it does. We are back to cortisol again. Sleep deprivation caauses stress on the body, which increases stress levels, wich increases cortisol production, which makes you eat more. The lack of sleep decreases your energy to do anything. This decreases your desire to move around, much less exercise. Try to get 8 hours of sleep a night. If you only get 7 hours, its certainly better than only 5. Power naps help also. Sometimes a 20-30 minute nap will do wonders.
Be consistent. Make an effort to go to bed at the same time every night. Try to have the same routine every night before you go to bed, allowing your body time to wind down by watching TV, reading or taking a hot bath or shower.
You don't get enough exercise
What many people don't understand about exercise is that it's going to feel uncomfortable. This is especially true for those who have been sedentary for a long time or have never exercised. They think that since they hurt from the unfamiliar stresses on their bodies, they assume that they are injured. They need to learn the difference between the temporary discomfort from exercise and the long term pain of trauma or injury.
To induce weight loss, exercise needs to be at a medium-high intensity at least 3 times a week and needs to include resistance training and cardio. Cardio and resistance training can be done separately or combined in the form of circuit training or high intensity interval training.
Get Your Free Workout Routine for fast weight loss 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.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Manage Your Weight With Correct Portion Sizes
Using Portion Size To Manage your Weight
Have you noticed that in recent years, when you eat out a restaurant, that the portion sizes have become really large? This trend has spread to the grocery stores where I've noticed that a fresh muffin in the bakery department can more accurately be described as MUFFINZILLA! An individual bag of pretzels can easily feed two people. This practice is by design. When offered larger portions, people except the offer. This means excessive calorie consumption which in turn leads to excessive weight gain. It's time to dispense some good advice on portion control.
What to do when eating out
Restaurants often serve enough food for two people on a plate for one person. An easy solution for this is to get an extra plate and split it with a friend. Another solution is to get your server to bring you a styrofoam box or a "doggie bag" and pack up half of the entree as soon as they serve it.
What to do at home
To prevent second and third helpings, don't use serving dishes. Use individual plates instead. Leave any excess food in your refrigerator so you would be forced to heat it before eating. The slightest inconvenience will serve to slow you down.
What to do while watching TV
When we are in front of the TV, our attention is on the program and as a result, we feed our faces like hypnotized zombies with no regard for how much we are eating. To combat this, plan the amount you want to eat and put it in a bowl. DO NOT eat directly out of the bag because you will continue to eat while you are distraced by the program you're watching.
Snack before dinner
Remember when we were kids and Mom told us not to snack or "you'll spoil your dinner"? Well my friend, its time to start spoiling. A healthy snack, especially a fibrous one, like an apple or a small salad, will help fill your stomach and keep you from overeating.
Unpack large packages
The the bigger the box or bag, the more that you're going to eat at one sitting. Instead, repack the food in smaller baggies or tupperware.
Lead us not into temptation
People tend to eat what's available and if its bad for them, guess what? So toss out that candy dish and get a fruit bowl. Get the cakes, cookies, ice cream and chips out of your house. If they aren't there, you can't eat them. If you go to "big box" stores, unpack what you need and store the rest in your garage or a place thats not readily accessible.
Get Your Free Workout Routine for fast weight loss 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.
Have you noticed that in recent years, when you eat out a restaurant, that the portion sizes have become really large? This trend has spread to the grocery stores where I've noticed that a fresh muffin in the bakery department can more accurately be described as MUFFINZILLA! An individual bag of pretzels can easily feed two people. This practice is by design. When offered larger portions, people except the offer. This means excessive calorie consumption which in turn leads to excessive weight gain. It's time to dispense some good advice on portion control.
What to do when eating out
Restaurants often serve enough food for two people on a plate for one person. An easy solution for this is to get an extra plate and split it with a friend. Another solution is to get your server to bring you a styrofoam box or a "doggie bag" and pack up half of the entree as soon as they serve it.
What to do at home
To prevent second and third helpings, don't use serving dishes. Use individual plates instead. Leave any excess food in your refrigerator so you would be forced to heat it before eating. The slightest inconvenience will serve to slow you down.
What to do while watching TV
When we are in front of the TV, our attention is on the program and as a result, we feed our faces like hypnotized zombies with no regard for how much we are eating. To combat this, plan the amount you want to eat and put it in a bowl. DO NOT eat directly out of the bag because you will continue to eat while you are distraced by the program you're watching.
Snack before dinner
Remember when we were kids and Mom told us not to snack or "you'll spoil your dinner"? Well my friend, its time to start spoiling. A healthy snack, especially a fibrous one, like an apple or a small salad, will help fill your stomach and keep you from overeating.
Unpack large packages
The the bigger the box or bag, the more that you're going to eat at one sitting. Instead, repack the food in smaller baggies or tupperware.
Lead us not into temptation
People tend to eat what's available and if its bad for them, guess what? So toss out that candy dish and get a fruit bowl. Get the cakes, cookies, ice cream and chips out of your house. If they aren't there, you can't eat them. If you go to "big box" stores, unpack what you need and store the rest in your garage or a place thats not readily accessible.
Get Your Free Workout Routine for fast weight loss 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.
Friday, June 17, 2011
Using a Suspension Trainer for Circuit Workout Routines
Have You Heard of Suspension Training?
I started using a suspension trainer about a year ago as a part of my bodyweight circuit workout routine. Ever since then I've been hooked. It is fast, easy,fun, convenient, and challenging.
What is it?
A suspension trainer is a rig composed of nylon straps and two handles that can be hanged from a fixed object. The device uses your own bodyweight to provide resistence. Since the straps are unstable the extra effort needed to stabilize the device to develop strength and flexibility. Since the feet are usually anchored at a fixed point, the core is engaged in every exercise, making this device an excellent to increase core strength. There are many advantages to using a suspension trainer over dumbells or just plain old bodyweight without equipment. Here are some of them:
Shorter workouts: Since your feet serve as the anchor to your body in every exercise, your core and legs are engaged during every exercise, making each exercise, a total body exercise. The more muscles engaged, the less time it takes to get a total body workout. The number of exercises that can be performed is endless. You can perfofm chest presses, chest flyes, fows, curls, reverse curls, concentration curls, upright rows, tricep pushdowns, lat streches, and the list goes on and on. There is no extra equipment needed, just you and the rig.
You can take it anywhere: A suspension trainer is incredibly portable. It weighs about 1-2 pounds and hardly takes up any room in a bag. The straps are made to attach to just about anything such as a tree, a swing set or in a closed door. There is no need for any demo videos are exercise manuals. Even the simple push up or bicep curl will engage your whole body. I take my vacation at the beach on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, CA. A state of the art gym is 400 yards from my cottage and I can use it for free. Do I go there? No! I workout outside at a gazebo.
Adaptable: Suspension trainers are used by both world class athletes and novices, with fantastic results. All the user has to do is adjust the angle of their body by moving their feet farther from or closer to the attachment point. Yhis is really great for novice exercises because they can gradually add resistance instantly as they get stronger without changing dumbbells, place or moving a metal pin. Also, you can squeeze out that extra rep when you are about to hit failure with just a slight adjustment of your feet to make thing easier.
Here's a money saving tip.
The best selling suspension trainer currently sells for $120-$180. You can spend that much or spen $10-$20 minutes and make your own. I use a device I made with 3 dog leashes from the grocery store, a "Quick Link" from the local hardware store, and 2 pieces of PVC pipe for handles. The link is weight tested to 800 pounds. There are plenty of "Do It Yourself" videos on the internet to show you how.
Get Your Free Workout Routine for fast weight loss 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.
I started using a suspension trainer about a year ago as a part of my bodyweight circuit workout routine. Ever since then I've been hooked. It is fast, easy,fun, convenient, and challenging.
What is it?
A suspension trainer is a rig composed of nylon straps and two handles that can be hanged from a fixed object. The device uses your own bodyweight to provide resistence. Since the straps are unstable the extra effort needed to stabilize the device to develop strength and flexibility. Since the feet are usually anchored at a fixed point, the core is engaged in every exercise, making this device an excellent to increase core strength. There are many advantages to using a suspension trainer over dumbells or just plain old bodyweight without equipment. Here are some of them:
Shorter workouts: Since your feet serve as the anchor to your body in every exercise, your core and legs are engaged during every exercise, making each exercise, a total body exercise. The more muscles engaged, the less time it takes to get a total body workout. The number of exercises that can be performed is endless. You can perfofm chest presses, chest flyes, fows, curls, reverse curls, concentration curls, upright rows, tricep pushdowns, lat streches, and the list goes on and on. There is no extra equipment needed, just you and the rig.
You can take it anywhere: A suspension trainer is incredibly portable. It weighs about 1-2 pounds and hardly takes up any room in a bag. The straps are made to attach to just about anything such as a tree, a swing set or in a closed door. There is no need for any demo videos are exercise manuals. Even the simple push up or bicep curl will engage your whole body. I take my vacation at the beach on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, CA. A state of the art gym is 400 yards from my cottage and I can use it for free. Do I go there? No! I workout outside at a gazebo.
Adaptable: Suspension trainers are used by both world class athletes and novices, with fantastic results. All the user has to do is adjust the angle of their body by moving their feet farther from or closer to the attachment point. Yhis is really great for novice exercises because they can gradually add resistance instantly as they get stronger without changing dumbbells, place or moving a metal pin. Also, you can squeeze out that extra rep when you are about to hit failure with just a slight adjustment of your feet to make thing easier.
Here's a money saving tip.
The best selling suspension trainer currently sells for $120-$180. You can spend that much or spen $10-$20 minutes and make your own. I use a device I made with 3 dog leashes from the grocery store, a "Quick Link" from the local hardware store, and 2 pieces of PVC pipe for handles. The link is weight tested to 800 pounds. There are plenty of "Do It Yourself" videos on the internet to show you how.
Get Your Free Workout Routine for fast weight loss 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.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Why a Circuit Workout Routine is Better Than Cardio
Circuit workout routines are a fantastic way to keep your workout routines lively while inducing fast weight loss. Since you have to move to exercises rapidly in sequence, your mind is on what exercise is next and how many reps do I do?
Not only does circuit training burn 30 per cent more calories than weight lifting, eliminating rest time gives you all the benefits of cardio without the dangers of overuse injuries.
With circuit training you can burn fat and build muscle simultaneously.
How to Perform a Circuit
A circuit workout routine is simply a series of of resistance and cardio exercises, with or without weights (usually dumbbells). The exercises are performed with 30 seconds to no rest period between exercises. When I use them for myself and when I condition my high school soccer players, there is no rest to maximize the cardio effect.
Designing the Right Workout Routine
Now it's time for you to design your own workout routine. This will depend on several things. Do you have a specific weight loss goal? Are you looking to develop a specific body type? Are you training for a particular sport. I will give you a few examples. I am a soccer player and coach so I have a lot of lunges, kicks, step ups, and burpees in my circuits be cause I want leg strength for myself and my players. I also want them to able to leave their feet. If you are looking for extra upper body strength you may want to include chest presses and overhead presses with dumbbells, as well as some pullups and dips. If you want a nice slim athletic build, you may want to go with a bodyweight circuit without weights.
Anyway you slice it, circuit training, with or without weights, with minimum or no weights is ideal for fast weight loss and building muscle. Here's a circuit to get you started.
Bodyweight Rows X 25 reps
Squats x 25 reps
Push Ups x 25 reps
Step Jumps x 25 reps
Grasshoppers x 25 reps total
Dips x 25 reps
Perform 2 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 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.
Not only does circuit training burn 30 per cent more calories than weight lifting, eliminating rest time gives you all the benefits of cardio without the dangers of overuse injuries.
With circuit training you can burn fat and build muscle simultaneously.
How to Perform a Circuit
A circuit workout routine is simply a series of of resistance and cardio exercises, with or without weights (usually dumbbells). The exercises are performed with 30 seconds to no rest period between exercises. When I use them for myself and when I condition my high school soccer players, there is no rest to maximize the cardio effect.
Designing the Right Workout Routine
Now it's time for you to design your own workout routine. This will depend on several things. Do you have a specific weight loss goal? Are you looking to develop a specific body type? Are you training for a particular sport. I will give you a few examples. I am a soccer player and coach so I have a lot of lunges, kicks, step ups, and burpees in my circuits be cause I want leg strength for myself and my players. I also want them to able to leave their feet. If you are looking for extra upper body strength you may want to include chest presses and overhead presses with dumbbells, as well as some pullups and dips. If you want a nice slim athletic build, you may want to go with a bodyweight circuit without weights.
Anyway you slice it, circuit training, with or without weights, with minimum or no weights is ideal for fast weight loss and building muscle. Here's a circuit to get you started.
Bodyweight Rows X 25 reps
Squats x 25 reps
Push Ups x 25 reps
Step Jumps x 25 reps
Grasshoppers x 25 reps total
Dips x 25 reps
Perform 2 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 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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