Training vs. Exercising

Today, I'm paraphrasing something I read on Crossfit's website over the weekend to expand upon my post about focus.  What's the difference between exercising and training?


I love this topic because I think it gets to the heart of why some people succeed on a fitness program and many don't.  Exercising is something people do to make themselves feel fit.  We've all seen it:  people on the cardio machines reading a newspaper or magazine, the person moving from machine to machine with long rest periods hardly looking like they are working out.  These people are doing better than if they stayed home and watched TV, but they are also the people whose physiques never seem to change.  They got their "exercise" in and have falsely convinced themselves they are doing the work.  They also get to complain they aren't seeing results and that it must be their "genetics" or some other reason they can't change.


Yes, I love it when people say to me, "Well, you just have great genetics."  Yeah, sure.  Maybe if you worked out hard with weights for 25 years you'd have "good genetics" too!


Training is having a focus and a clearly defined goal.  The goal can be as simple as "I'm going to squat with just my body weight 15 times so that my thighs are parallel to the ground on each repetition."  Every time you step foot in the gym (or prepare for your in-home workout) you should have a clear plan on what you are going to achieve during the session.  Yes, the plan can change based on a number of factors, but simply having a plan is half the battle!   Training means challenging your body to do things you never thought possible.  It requires you to be mentally alert, present and focused.  A good way to measure if you are focused enough?  If you are able to read or watch TV while you are working out -- you are not focused enough on the workout.


Literally, write down what you are going to do for your workout session.  Estimate how long it will take.  Are you targeting all your movements and muscle groups equally?  Yes, it takes a good deal of experience to get good at program design, but for most people just looking to make a change, think of lifting weights (resistance training) 3 times per week and targeting all the major muscle groups.  Workouts need not be longer than 40 minutes, if planned properly.  


Then pay attention (write it down, if you have to) to how much weight you are lifting on each of the exercises and for how many repetitions.  Was the form good?  Were you able to control the weight for the entire set?  Could you realistically go up in weight the next time you do this exercise (doing a few less reps, if necessary)?  Work on improving your performance.  Paying attention to all these variables and knowing your workout before the session is a great way to help you stay mentally alert and focused.


Believe me when I tell you, mental focus is the single most important factor in succeeding on a fitness program.

Psychology of Fitness - Identify Your Blocks

Today, I feel like talking about what gets in the way of achieving our goals.  Whatever the goal is.  I'll focus on physical fitness goals, but we can apply this discussion to any area of our lives.

I believe that achieving your physical fitness goals is 98% mental.  It really is.  If you think about what stands in your way, it rarely ever has anything to do with anything physical.  My beautiful girlfriend came home from the gym this morning to tell me that, yet again, a trainer approached her to tell her how inspiring it is for him and his clients to watch her workout.

An aside -- she's the reason I began blogging and opening up my website (coming soon) to interactive online training.  When we began dating, she'd pick my brain about what she should do when she went to the gym.  She asked very specific questions and I gave her very specific answers on what she should do on each day and how she should do it.   I took her through ONE training session where I trained her as a client.  It was a daily ritual - we'd have our morning coffee and she'd ask me what to do at the gym that day.  I'd tell her and she'd make notes.  In 3 months time, with just ONE actual training session with me she transformed her body.

I tell this story because it made me realize that something else was going on here.  I've known for years that if I had someone, ANYONE show up for me 3 hours per week, that I'd be able to transform his/her body.  I just needed that commitment and willingness from the other person.  I began to believe what I would hear people say casually in the form of an excuse:  "well, if I could afford a trainer..."

Yes, having a (competent) trainer to show up for and be accountable to makes a big difference.  But, what I learned by watching Star's body transform without my physically being present with her in the gym, is that there is something present with all those who make significant changes with or without a trainer:  incredible focus.

The barriers that stand in the way of our success are almost always psychological and of our own making.  The sooner we comprehend this, the sooner break through those barriers.  Most fitness articles and columns focus on which is the superior training method/style to achieve the results most people are looking for.  It is important to understand these things.  But the most important thing to identify is what stands in the way.  What is the block?  Why are you not able to achieve your goals?  Where can you improve?

Sounds simplistic, but the fact is that most people don't know or else they'd have already achieved it!  The reason why people respond to Star's workout ethic is because there is a laser-like focus from the minute she walks in until the minute she leaves.  She has a clear sense of her goals - both, in the longer term (body fat % goals, for example) and shorter term (what is the exact goal on a given exercise).

For anyone who works out 3 or more days per week and is not seeing the desired results, it's a good thing to ask:  what is missing?  Am I clear on the goals of each exercise?  Is my intensity level high enough?  Am I distracted between sets?  Do I give 110% on every set?  Am I periodizing my workouts?

For those who have difficulty committing to a workout program (either getting started on staying with it) it's important to ask:  what stands in my way?  I strongly encourage writing down every possible obstacle that you perceive stands between you and your goals.  If you could paint the picture of the perfect lifestyle that would allow you to set aside 45-60 minutes a day for tending to your body's physical needs, what would it look like?  Brainstorm.  Write down every possible roadblock.  Here's a few I hear often:

1.  I don't have time.
2.  I can't afford a gym.
3.  I'm confused about what to do.
4.  I'm afraid to lift weights by myself.

Every obstacle has a solution.  We just have to identify the obstacle first.  The ones I've laid out here are pretty universal excuses:  time, money, lack of knowledge, and fear.  Let's take the first one, time.  If you were told you would die in 3 months unless you changed your lifestyle to include six 45-minute exercise sessions per week, I guarantee you'd make the time.  If you work a normal 8-hour workday, try getting up at 5:30am and getting your workout in before work.  If you have kids, find someone to cover your child care during your workout times (spouse, babysitter).  The excuses are endless unless you put an end to them.  If you can't afford a gym, find a workout routine you can do in the home.  I found a great blog of a young, single mom who found her passion for fitness in changing her life after her divorce.  She does her workouts at home and is studying for her personal trainer certification, changing her career to suit her passion.  There is some incredibly inspirational stuff available to us via the internet from the comfort of our own home.  Think outside the box.

Ask questions.  If you come up against a "block" like I've described, reach out for help!  Stop doing the same thing over and over if you know it doesn't work.  Got a question?  Type it in google and see what comes up.  See where it leads you.

The word for today is focus.  Just how focused are you?

Should Post Workout Meal Vary on Cardio and Strength Days?

Thanks to all who posted questions for blog topics.  I was most intrigued by the question posed by my friend Michele:  "What should you eat for dinner after a cardio workout?  After a strength training workout?"  My initial reaction and hunch was that your dinner choice shouldn't much change based on whether you did cardio or strength training.  But it got me thinking.  Would the TYPE of activity affect your post workout meal?

Of course, there are MANY variables that we'll have to take into account.  Let's assume this question applies to someone who works out after work before going home.  Let's also assume this person's primary goal is fat loss (as opposed to muscle hypertrophy).

Cardio vs. strength training


As I wrote in earlier posts, strength training has been scientifically proven more effective in promoting fat loss and muscle gains than aerobic activity alone.  But for those of us who work out 5 or 6 days a week, there are going to be non-strength days where the workout may be predominantly "cardio".  The next question we need to answer:  is the "cardio" workout a High Intensity Interval Training workout (this would actually be an anaerobic workout) or a more sustained, endurance cardio session at a more moderate intensity?

For simplicity's sake, let's put the High Intensity Interval workout and strength training workout in the same category (anaerobic) and the longer, more sustained aerobic workout at a more moderate intensity workout in another (aerobic).  It is true that these different type workouts draw from the body's energy stores in different ways.  Anaerobic activity uses energy predominantly from muscle glycogen.  Without getting too scientific, muscle glycogen is your body's readily available energy stores that have been converted from the carbohydrates you've consumed in your previous couple of meals.  Aerobic activity uses about 50% muscle glycogen stores.  (Stick with me here, because this is important and will clear up the myths surrounding "low carb diets" and "cardio burns stored body fat".)  Duration of exercise affects the amount of glycogen used for energy.  As the duration of activity increases, available glycogen diminishes, increasing the reliance on fat stores as a fuel source.

This does not mean that the best way to lose body fat is to perform low-intensity activities for a long duration!!!  Bottom line is, if the workout contributes to a caloric deficit, the body will draw on its fat stores at some point to make up for the deficit.  Remember, that higher intensity workouts (anaerobic) lead to higher EPOC levels (Excess Post Oxygen Consumption - read earlier posts on Intensity Level and HIIT).  In other words, when you work out at higher intensities, your body's metabolism remains revved up for a much longer period of time post-workout.

So, it's an intriguing question  -- should your post-workout meal be different based on they type of workout, since aerobic and anaerobic workouts draw different percentages from glycogen and fat stores?  My short answer is no.

Basically, when exercising aerobically at a more moderate level (as opposed to higher intensity strength and HIIT), you will be able to exercise for a longer period (while you may strength train for 45 minutes, if you subtract rest periods between sets your actual workout time is more like 15-20 minutes, albeit at a much higher intensity).  Because you are working out for a longer duration, your glycogen stores run out and your body taps into its fat stores for energy.  This does not mean the total calories burned is greater.

When you've finished either type of workout your body is glycogen depleted and should be fed carbohydrates and protein within 30 minutes of completion of workout.  It is recommended that consuming 1.5 grams of carbohydrate per kg of body weight within 30 minutes of completing exercise in order to maximize glycogen replenishment.  How much protein post workout?  Between .25 and .50 g/kg body weight, depending on your goals (10-40g).  I say this goes whether it was an aerobic or anaerobic workout.

Carbohydrates have gotten a very bad rap in recent years and much of the hype surrounding the "low-carb" craze is bullshit.  The fact is that maximum fat utilization cannot occur without sufficient carbohydrates.  In other words, you need carbs to burn fat.  So, it all boils down to total calories in versus total calories out.  The most scientifically sound breakdown of macronutrients is 50-70% carbohydrates, 15-30% protein, and 10-30% fat.  The bottom line is that you want all of your meals to include this macronutrient breakdown (except for your immediate post-workout, which I will get to in a minute).   As already stated, carbohydrates is the main energy source the body uses for all physical and mental tasks.  That's why your body craves carbohydrates if you do not get enough.  For the most part, I am talking about complex carbohydrates that are high in fiber (except post-workout).  Protein is important for building and maintaining muscle tissue.  Best sources of protein are from animal sources (sorry vegans) because they contain all of the essential amino acids needed to rebuild lean tissue.  Chicken, fish, meat, eggs are best whole food proteins.  Finally, fat.  Fat is important is important because it stimulates the release of the hormone CCK in the body, which signals satiety (feeling full).

The ultimate goal for the layman (or woman) with each meal is to find the appropriate breakdown of carbs, protein, and fats so that you are able to eat a reasonable amount of food without feeling the need to go overboard.  When the optimal breakdown of the macronutrients is attained, you'll be full without consuming too many calories.  I know this is a very simplistic explanation, but I find that people are all over the place with the information that's out there and most people are just confused.  Ultimately, you have to listen to your body, knowing the physical demands you place on it (amount of exercise), and feed accordingly.  I'm not getting too in-depth with what foods are "good" and "bad" because I'm pretty certain most of you reading this know what's good and bad.

Oh, back to the post workout meal!  Even if you are working out after work and before dinner, you do yourself (and your metabolism) a huge favor by taking a post-workout drink that includes carbohydrates and protein within 30 minutes of finishing your workout.  The sooner the better.  When you are glycogen depleted (as you are post-exercise) your body does whatever it can to refuel.  In the absence of immediate post-workout carbohydrates, the body will use amino acids (found in your muscles) and convert it to energy.  This is bad.  Essentially, this is the body breaking down muscle tissue (for which you've been working hard, by the way) to use for energy because there's no more glycogen (carbohydrates).

I know this can get complicated.  But the bottom line is this:  no matter when you workout, you should immediately replenish your body with a post-workout drink/shake that includes simple carbohydrates and a fast-acting protein (since timing is important here, a powdered protein supplement is recommended because it will be absorbed much more quickly than whole food protein).  I use apple juice to mix vanilla whey protein (whey protein is found to be the most complete, that is, contains most of the essential amino acids needed to build muscle).  You do not need to have the usual breakdown of fat in this post workout drink or shake.  Fat is absorbed and digested quite slowly.  This is good for your other meals, but not so good for your immediately post-workout meal (drink) since you want your body to absorb nutrients very quickly.

To take it a step further, I recommend listening to your body on the different days you work out.  If you are doing a lower intensity day, you'll burn fewer calories with your workout, and therefore require fewer calories hit the "break even point".  If you've had a very intense workout, you'll require more calories.  On days before I know I'll be having an intense workout, I know it's okay to eat a bit more heartily than I would if I know I'll be having a light or no workout.  My body tells me so.  I've learned through the years that I can modulate my caloric intake on a daily basis according to the demands I've placed on my body.

So, my advice is to be sure you get a post-workout drink that includes carbohydrates and protein (ideally, whey) as you leave the gym.  If you are worried about those drinks having too many calories (as many of my women clients are) then simply cut back the 200 or 300 calories from the dinner you'll have an hour or two later.  What's for dinner?  50-70% carbs, 15-30% protein, and 10-30% fat.  An ideal dinner could be a boneless, skinless chicken breast (grilled or baked) with a boiled sweet potato and broccoli (lightly sauteed in olive oil for "good fat") with a side of avocado (also good fat).  As for those ranges (50-70% carbs, for example), again, listen to your body.  If you find yourself sluggish all day leading into your workout, try upping your carbohydrate intake.  If you find yourself hungry within an hour or two of eating, try upping your fat intake (mono- and poly-unsaturated, not saturated).

I know the diet posts can be wonky and boring, but I think it's important that people get a handle on the basics of nutrition amidst the misinformation out there.  Thanks for the spark, Michele!

Tragedy in Tucson

This is a fitness blog dedicated to matters of fitness and wellness.  Every so often, an event occurs that captures our collective attention:  9/11, the Columbine massacre, Oklahoma City bombing, and now the tragic shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and 19 others at a Safeway in Tucson, Arizona.  I'm finding it difficult to come up with a relevant fitness topic in the face of such a horrific event, so I'm just going to speak my mind on this one.  In my experience, the gym has become the "town square" of today's society -- the place where people of different backgrounds, opinions, and mindsets come together and, therefore, current events like this one are relevant to a health and wellness blog.  Or, "It's MY damn blog and I'll talk about what I want to talk about!"

As a personal trainer for 14 years, I've had the great pleasure and privilege to work very closely with an incredibly diverse bunch of people:  older, younger, men, women, black, white, brown, American, foreigners, Democrats, and Republicans.  While our main focus is always fitness and working out, inevitably, current events and politics come up for discussion.  Some trainers I've known along the way have advised me to steer clear of two topics:  politics and religion.  Since I believe our psychology and thought processes are SO integrally connected to our fitness and well being, I think it can be a good thing to (within reason) discuss current events and controversial issues.  Oftentimes, the "heat" generated from a person's firmly held belief or opinion provides excellent motivation to perform physically challenging tasks.

Anyway, I am personally sickened and saddened by the tragic shooting rampage at the supermarket in Tucson.  I believe that this is one of those moments has the ability to define an era.  It is a moment that presents our society with a choice, a fork in the road, if you like.  I am sickened and saddened, but I am not surprised.

The truth is, this event has been brewing for some time now.  The hateful, vitriolic rhetoric in our politics has been out of control for some time now.  People say it began with the proliferation of cable news outlets and the radio shock jocks in the past 10 years.  I'd say it goes back a bit further to the Clinton years (remember the Vince Foster suicide was really a "murder and coverup" by the Clinton White House?) and has been exponentially magnified with today's 24 hour echo chamber of a media cycle.

By all accounts, Gabby Giffords is a lovely woman, well-liked by her colleagues, Democrat and Republican alike.  It's what makes it all the more sad -- she's clearly not a blatantly partisan politician.  She's a centrist Democrat from a Republican-leaning district who voted for the Health Care Bill, pushed for immigration reform and campaigned against the anti-immigration policies adopted by her state.  At the same time, she's favored traditional Republican policies such as tightening border security with Mexico and, ironically enough, loosening of gun control laws.  So, when the leader of the Tea Party in Arizona puts out a statement saying, in effect, that even though she's "a liberal" no one deserves violence, blah, blah...  To say she is "a liberal" is factually incorrect and needs to be called out.

So, too, does the violent imagery embraced by the Republican right in the last election where phrases like, "don't retreat, instead RELOAD!" were cast about by the likes of Congresswoman Michelle Bachman and former VP candidate Sarah Palin.  Sarah Palin putting up a map on her website "targeting" hot districts with the crosshairs of a gun was irresponsible, at best.  Sharron Angle talked about using "Second Amendment remedies" if she and her supporters weren't successful at the ballot box.  Huh?!  Where's the outrage, my friends?  Agree or disagree with their policies, these are supposed to be leaders. This is simply unacceptable in the civil Democracy we purport to be.

The folks on the right are criticizing the Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik for expressing his exasperation at the vitriolic rhetoric and the fearful and racist policies his state has embraced.  I think the man is entitled to express his opinion on the matter.  In fact, there may be NO ONE more qualified to state his opinion on this matter.  He is, after all, a law enforcement officer on the ground and NOT an elected politician with a political agenda.  He is seeing the fallout from all the hate and anger.  We ought to pay closer attention rather than dismiss his views as partisan rhetoric.

My big issue comes down to the distortion of facts by the folks on the right, namely Fox News and its subordinates.  To compare President Obama to Hitler for advancing his health care plan is simply outrageous and out of touch with reality.  As it is to say that the federal government wants to take away your personal freedoms.  Yet, when mainstream politicians and media personalities carelessly perpetuate these lies over and over it is only a matter of time before a deranged individual with absurdly easy access to high powered firearms takes matters into his own hands.  "Taking back his country."

Which brings me to the issue of gun control.  The Second Amendment of the Constitution guarantees the rights of its citizens to bear arms.  This does not mean that right should go completely unregulated so that a deranged individual with a history of mental illness can purchase a Glock 9-mm handgun, with a chamber able to hold 30 bullets in a clip with the sole purpose to kill as many people as quickly as possible.  We need common sense regulation as it pertains to guns in today's society.  The founders could never have foreseen the technology we have today.  If people's backgrounds can be checked with the purchase of an airline ticket then certainly the same can be done with the attempt to purchase a firearm.  The truth is that Congress is held hostage, literally, by the NRA gun lobby whose sole purpose is protect the right of the gun industry to sell as many of their products as possible.  It's not about the sacred right to bear arms.  It's about profit, pure and simple.  Guess where all the weaponry used by the Mexican drug gangs comes from?  Yup.  The US of A.  We get their drugs and they get our weapons.

This could be a turning point.  But it's going to call for some brave, moderate Republicans to take a stand and say "no more" to the likes of Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck.  It's time to take responsibility.  I've been saying for some time now that the Republican party is headed for a split between the intolerant ultra-right wing and its more moderate, fiscal conservative/social moderate types.  The time has come.  The opening is there for anyone brave enough to take it.  It is going to have to be someone with the courage to stand up to a powerful gun lobby and the hateful rhetoric we've heard coming from the right for the past decade.  I'm an unabashed liberal, but I am rooting for a charismatic, unifying figure to emerge from the Republican party who is willing to call out the fear-mongerers and say, "NO MORE".

As Gabby Giffords herself said so prophetically, "words have consequences."

New Year, New Goals. Goal Setting Tips and Success Strategies.

Aaaaahhhhhh!  That's the sound of my relief that the holidays are over!  Don't get me wrong.  I love the holidays, love to see my family and travel.  But I also love my normal, everyday life and am happy to get back to it.

I was away for 2 weeks.  I worked out a grand total of 4 times (5 if you count the 10 minute resistance band/push up/lunge workout I did in the hotel room on one of our travel days).  Thanks to my fitness-focused lady, or I may not have worked out once.  I'm being honest here.  I'm just like everybody else - when it comes to working out when traveling, I find it VERY difficult to do.

I'm also like most everybody else in that I indulge at the holidays.  I ate my mom's famous rice pudding, my Gramma's awesome Christmas cookies, and my dad's fantastic (NOT low calorie) cooking.  I also consumed more calories from alcohol during those 2 weeks than I probably do during the rest of the year combined!  It's time to recommit and refocus.  It's time to set new goals.

People often say to me things like, "Well, you can eat whatever you want.  You're lucky."  I'm going to let you in on a secret:  I'm getting older.  Like it or not, my metabolism is slowing down.  If I want to look and feel my absolute best, I have to focus and practice what I preach.

I'm kind of "ranting" today.  I wanted to talk about goal setting and share some of my process.  I actually LOVE the New Year.  I love the process of reflecting on the year passed and setting goals for the year ahead.  To me, life is a game to be played full-tilt.  I truly believe the sky's the limit and you can create your destiny.

I know there's a lot of talk in wellness circles that resolutions are a recipe for failure.  Year in and year out, people resolve to do vague and general things like "lose weight", "go to the gym more", and "quit smoking".  While I agree with this, I also think it's important not to censor yourself when writing your goals.  So, first things first:  get a notebook!  I have a shelf full of old, black composition notebooks that I use for journals.  If you don't write, get into the habit.  It is a very powerful tool in manifesting your dreams and desires.  I can say from experience that I have, many, many times, written down specific things I've wanted and they have come to fruition.  I can't explain how it works, but it does.

Of course, many of the things I write down do not happen in the time or manner I imagine them.  That's cool, too.  That's the game of life.  It's important not to confine yourself to your vision.  Sometimes, the Universe gives you opportunities in ways you could not have thought.  Be open to that possibility.

Okay, so back to me and my goals.  I took pics.  I should post but I'll wait until I have 'after' pics with appreciable changes :-)  I have gained a layer of fat, for sure.  I weighed in at 178 lbs.  My goal weight in 4 weeks is 172.  6 lbs in 4 weeks.  I'm going to get strict with the diet.  I actually find that letting myself go a little bit motivates me even more.

So, here are some goal setting techniques:

• Brainstorm!  Be creative and don't limit yourself.  If you are making financial goals, add 20% to the income you made last year.  If you think it's impossible, that's part of the fun!  In just writing down the goal you are creating the possibility, the spark that may push you to ask, "hmm, what can I do this year to increase my revenue?"  The act of writing it down creates the incentive.
• Get specific.  After you've free associated some goals and how you'd like your life to look like in the coming year, see where you can take specific actions toward a vague goal.  For example, if your goal is to quit smoking, write down the concrete actions you can take toward this goal.  Making an appointment with your doctor to discuss using "the patch" is a concrete action toward the general goal of quitting smoking.  If your goal is to lose 50 pounds, it's great that you've set the "big vision", but now let's break it down into smaller, more measurable increments infused with concrete actions.  For example, you can set a preliminary goal of 10 pounds in 6-8 weeks and setting an appointment with a good personal trainer to ask for help.  Including a time frame is important in order to keep the goal from "wandering away".
• Set goals in ALL areas of your life, not just the physical or the financial.  How can you improve your social life and love relationships?  Again, specificity is key.  I'll give a personal example:  A few years ago I wrote down that I wanted a "sexual relationship with a beautiful, sexy woman".  I didn't specify that I wanted a relationship with someone who was available for a committed relationship.  Well, the universe delivered exactly what I asked for.  I had an intense fling with someone who was ultimately not available for a committed relationship.  I learned from that experience and the next year I asked for a "healthy, loving, nurturing relationship with a beautiful, sexy woman".  The universe gave me exactly that in my lady, Star.  I know it sounds hokey, but there is tremendous power in writing down your goals, wants and desires.  The more specific, the better chance it'll be realized.

So, here are a few of my goals for the year in addition to my physical goals.  I'm listing them here so I can be accountable to them.  Just because I write them down doesn't mean they will happen.  But it's a huge first step.

2011

• Add 5 new clients to my business (I can ask myself what specific actions can I take to bring in 5 new people)
• Get book published / get literary agent for my fitness book (specific actions are to solicit 25 literary agents with an interest in health and fitness)
• Work as guest star on TV show (I can add to my reel, attend CD workshops, and foster relationships I already have with Casting Directors)
• Travel someplace I've never been (I'm feeling Costa Rica)
• Perform 2 original songs at an open mic night
• Perform a stand-up routine (specific action here is to research and sign up for a stand-up comedy class)
• Generate $xx revenue from website (new website in works)
• Hit 10 HR in summer league
• Cultivate online training clientele
• Put $xx away in non-retirement savings
• See my movie "The Pretty Boys" on a big screen at a Film Festival
• Get a new flat screen TV with wi-fi capability
• Get a platform bed for bedroom

See how I'm kind of all over the place here?  To me, that's great:  put it all out there.  I want to make improvements in all areas of my life.  I've included things that scare me to death, but that I know I will help me grow (stand-up comedy, perform songs live).  And, of course, I've included material and financial goals.  Some of these goals, I have NO control over (I have zero control over whether any film festival will screen my movie) but I really want to see it happen so I write it down and picture it happening.  Can't hurt.

So, there.  I just wanted to share some of the goal setting that I do. This turned into a philosophical post, but that's where I'm at.  I love the new year and the resolutions that come with it.  It is a time of renewal.  It's a time to reflect on what you were able to achieve and what has still eluded you in the past year (this is the 3rd year in a row I've written about performing open mic).  Have fun with it.  Truly, like a work of art, you can shape and create your life. 

Happy New Year!

IT'S THE INTENSITY LEVEL, STUPID!

I was speaking with a client this morning and she told me that she never really understood what "high intensity" meant until she started working out with me.  She'd read all the fitness magazines and knew she had to lift weights, and also knew about High Intensity Interval Training.  It's just that what she THOUGHT was high intensity and what was ACTUALLY high intensity were two different things.  She would spend and an hour+ per day at the gym almost every day yet could never quite get the results she wanted (she wanted to get a bit leaner, be able to do a real, unassisted pull up and be able to see her abs).  I promised her she could cut her workout time (almost) in half, be able to eat more, AND see the results she wanted.  Huh?

Oh, and those pull ups?  She can now do 8 unassisted pull ups in a single set.  Okay, I didn't promise her that (I said she'd be able to do 1 within a month) -- she actually surprised the hell out of me with that!  And, guess what?  She doesn't look "bulky" or "too muscular".  She's a beautiful, sexy woman who enjoys being strong and fit.  How did we do it?  I told her she'd have to change ONE thing.  Intensity level.

It's the intensity level, stupid.  It really is that simple.  Lift heavier?  Well, yes, but also lift faster and move quickly between sets.  Get that heart rate up and get used to working there.  Don't rest.  Get the most amount of work done in the shortest possible time.  That's the secret in a nutshell.  You have to go to that place that is not comfortable.  You might not look cool, at first.  You might even feel embarrassed.  But, eventually, you'll love it.  You'll get hooked on that high of pushing yourself to the edge.  And THAT'S when the big changes come.

Use the RPE scale (Rate of Perceived Exertion) to determine how hard you are working out.  On a scale of 1-10 (1 being so easy you could do it for hours and 10 being so difficult you couldn't do it for more than 10 seconds) measure your intensity level.  Be honest.  You only have to answer to yourself on this one.  Simply put, you need to be working closer to 10 than to 1.  Most people I see in the gym are working out at a 3 or a 4.  I recommend people be working at a 7 or 8.  (As always, I'm talking to otherwise healthy individuals with no heart conditions fully cleared by a doctor to work out).

The thing I hate the MOST in the gym?  The little charts on the treadmill that show your "fat burning zone".  What an incredible crock of shit.  Makes me NUTS.  It encourages people to continue working out at easier intensities and, of course, not see the results they want.  So incredibly misleading.  Yes, after 20 minutes in your "fat burning zone" a GREATER PERCENTAGE of the calories you are burning come from fat, not necessarily the greater TOTAL calories!  Let's do some simple math.  Say you walk at a 3 on the RPE scale (in the "fat burning zone") for 20 minutes and let's generously assume you burned 250 calories.  Yes, a greater PERCENTAGE of the calories came from fat (let's say 80%).  .80 x 250 = 200 fat cal (remember, too, you have to have been walking 20 minutes already to reach the "fat burning zone" so that's 40 total minutes).  So, 40 minutes for 200 fat calories.

Contrast that with the HIIT sprint workout I outlined a few posts earlier.  After a 5 minute warmup, you perform 6 ALL OUT sprints with a minute rest between each sprint (maybe 2 minutes at the last 2 sprints) for a total workout time of 20 minutes.  Let's conservatively estimate that you've burned 400 calories in those 20 minutes.  You're body is working so hard during those high intensity intervals where your RPE is at 8, 9, or 10, that it is pulling energy from ANYWHERE it can:  glycogen stores, carbohydrates, fat.  All of it.  And let's say it only burns 50% of calories from fat.  .5 x 400 = 200 fat calories.  Huh.

SAME NUMBER OF FAT CALORIES, HALF THE TIME SPENT!

Not to mention you've burned more TOTAL calories at the higher intensity.  See my earlier post on HIIT training for the explanation of Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC).  In simple terms, this just means the body burns a greater number of calories throughout the day after exercising at a higher intensity.

Bottom line -- it's about calories IN vs. calories OUT.  Knock it off with the "fat burning zone" and simply get your heart rate as high as you can and hold it for as long as you can.  (pre-contest bodybuilders are the exception.  They also have the luxury of being able to spend 2-3 hours per day working out).

So, work out harder.  Sweat.  Breathe more heavily.  Think of doing more TOTAL WORK in a shorter period of time.  That's what it means "push yourself".

Rep Speed - Lift FASTER (on Concentric) and Get Leaner!

Today I want to talk about rep speed or, as it's often referred to in strength training circles, tempo.  I am aiming this post to the casual exerciser -- if you work out with weights 2-3 times per week and pretty much do the same 3 sets of 12-15 reps, then I'm talking to you.

Tempo refers to the speed of the reps.  They are often written in training journals as 3 numbers in succession, as in:  311.  The first number (3) refers to the eccentric phase of the movement.  This is the lengthening of the movement.  The eccentric phase on the bench press would be the lowering of the bar to the chest.  On the squat, it's the lowering of the body's center of gravity to the floor.  On the lat pull down or seated row, it's when the bar or handle moves AWAY from the body.

The second number (1) refers to the end of the eccentric and beginning of the concentric.  I call this the "bottom of the movement".  This would be the bar's lowest point (either directly on the chest or just short of it, depending on shoulder flexibility).  The third number is the concentric, or shortening/contracting of the muscle.  This would be when the bar is pushed away on the bench press, "the way up" on the squat, and the way toward the body on the lat pull / seated row.

Changing of tempos and time under load (TUL) in the pro athlete arena is well documented and widely written about.  The bottom line is, you want to vary tempos and TULs at different phases of the training program in order to avert adaptation and continue to progress in the form of strength and speed gains.

While I have trained athletes, my main focus is the average, everyday person (male and female) who want to get in the best shape of his/her life.  Many of these high profile studies don't translate well to the population of people that are lucky to get 3 workouts in a week.  So, I "borrow" and "steal" a few tricks here and there when it's appropriate to do so.

Here goes:  I want you to lift FASTER.  That's right.  THROW the weights ON THE CONCENTRIC phase of the movement.  The eccentric is to be slower and more controlled.  You may need to lighten the weights a bit to get comfortable with this.  Check this out:  I GUARANTEE YOU WILL SEE RESULTS IF YOU FOCUS ON GOING AS FAST AS YOU CAN ON THE CONCENTRIC PHASE OF THE MOVEMENT!  Accelerate up.  Let's hear the weights rattle on the bar because you are generating that much force.

Obviously, you won't be doing this if you've never lifted weights before.  But if you are not a complete beginner, try it.  Try the 3-1-1 tempo.  3 seconds down (controlled eccentric), pause, then EXPLODE on the concentric (it's written as 1 second, but just go as fast as you can from the bottom to the top of the movement).  Push the weights faster.  It totally works.

I've heard people say this explosive training utilizes the fast-twitch fibers (explosive strength) more than the slow-twitch (endurance) fibers but this is not exactly true.  There really is no fine, dividing line between fast and slow twitch fibers.  Basically, your muscles take on the percentage of slow to fast twitch fibers according to how you train.  If you train for fast reps, you are forcing a greater percentage of your muscle fibers to behave as fast twitch fibers.  If all you do is jog at 5.0 on the treadmill for 45 minutes, then a greater percentage of your fibers will be slow twitch.  Would you rather look like a marathon runner or a sprinter?  I'll take the sprinter any day.

If you are a more advanced lifter and athlete, we'd be talking about periodizing, changing your tempos and reps schemes periodically.  But, as I said, I'm talking to the average exerciser who just wants to lose a few pounds of body fat and look and feel better in those favorite jeans.  You may not be an athlete, but train like one!

I also find training faster on the concentric phase to be more "functional" (a very popular word in the fitness lexicon these days.  Functional is good:).  If you are playing football and you are trying to push the defender away from you, you are not going to perform this action in a "slow and controlled" manner.  No!  You are going to push the guy away from you with as much force and velocity as you can generate.   Okay, maybe you're not playing weekend warrior football on Sundays, but you get the idea.  You want to train your body as you'd use it.  You want your body to be able to perform faster and more efficiently.

I know there are schools of thought out there that have you lifting in super slow tempos.  I just don't buy it for the average exerciser.  As I said, there may be a time in a period of an athlete's program when that'd be appropriate, but not for my 3 time a weekers.  It is WAY more taxing to generate greater velocities and you will burn more calories than by training the traditional slower rep speed.   It'll also stimulate the release of growth hormone and testosterone in the body (have no fear ladies, testosterone is the magic hormone that will help you lose fat).

So, go ahead!  Lift faster (on the concentric phase).   It's the single best thing you can do in the short term to "tone up".  Try it.  Let me know how it goes.