Sprinting

Happy Halloween! While candy can be enjoyed in moderation, the real key is to incorporate high intensity exercise to utilize the excess glycogen stores you may be building up today. Some athletes even swear by eating a piece of candy before performance to increase blood sugar levels and obtain a high energy spike just before a race or workout session. I would suggest selecting more nutrient dense carbohydrates that are easy to digest, but for the sake of Halloween let’s focus on a great way to burn off that excess energy, no matter what form you consumed it in.

Running is the epitome of cardiovascular strength, and is the most participated in sports for novices and athletes alike.  Running is the go to activity to lose weight and to challenge one’s self.  How often do we hear people in the gym or at the office bragging about the miles they ran over the weekend, or how many races they are doing this season? Don’t get me wrong…long distance running is great and expends a lot of energy, running a marathon can burn anywhere from 2,822-3,593kcal according to Cleveland Clinic Center for Consumer Health. But long distance running can actually be very damaging to the body, and lead to weight gain. Often excessive cardio increases stress hormone secretion while suppressing human growth hormone and testosterone. Some studies even indicate elevated stress hormones can result in insulin resistance. Long distance runners often tend to have low muscle mass and higher body fat stores, in order to naturally compensate for the large energy needs required during prolonged runs.

Sprinting benefits heart health just as much as long distance endurance training according to a research study posted in the American Journal of Physiology. Sprinting allows the body to quickly engage the cardiovascular system and increase strength, without placing prolonged stress on the heart. Sprinting is also very effective in weight loss and weight maintenance. Sprinters tend to be lean, muscular, and low in body fat. Sprinters tend to naturally secrete more human growth hormone and testosterone.

Sprinting is very effective in burning calories fast, especially depleting glycogen stores which help us to burn fat for fuel. Since it is a high intensity exercise, you are pushed to your anaerobic threshold, allowing large amounts of oxygen to be consumed, and the heart rate is increased significantly. This allows more calories to be burned in a shorter amount of time than lower intensity exercise, and allows more calories to be burned throughout the day as recovery takes place.

Pushing your anaerobic threshold allows you to increases your cardiovascular strength and will make you faster as your progress through your training. This is why sprinting is so important not only for people looking to lose weight, but also people training for marathons, races, or looking to improve long distance times.

Sprinting in intervals involves short bursts of sprints followed by a resting period, then repeated. Interval training can be really fun and creative depending on your running goals. Some people will run 200m, rest, 400m, rest, 800m, rest, 400m, rest, 200m. Others might run 100m as fast as they can, and then walk 100m before repeating. On a treadmill you can even sprint for 30 seconds, rest for 30 seconds-1 minute, and repeat 5-10times. The combinations are endless and really open to a lot of creative routines.

Just as in strength training, it is important to vary your workouts and allow time to rest and recover. It is still appropriate to engage in sustained cardiovascular exercise throughout the week to accomplish your health and performance goals. Often people find it helpful to incorporate springing several times per week and/or on lifting days, in addition to lower impact cardiovascular exercise such as bike riding or using the elliptical for 30 minutes 2-3 times per week as well. Remember to work at your fitness level and seek professional guidance to ensure proper form and technique.  

This week I would like to suggest a pre and post workout snack to help us perform at our optimal level and refuel for tomorrow's exercise.

Pre workout: 100-200kcal 1 hour to 30 minutes before exercising

Graham crackers and applesauce

Post workout snack: 3:1 carbs to protein

Whole grain English muffin with egg and low fat cheese

Remember this workout plan and snack is only a suggestion and may not be appropriate for all populations, especially people who are pregnant, suffer from previous injuries, or other special circumstances. Please consult a medical doctor prior to making lifestyle changes.

Research study:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18434437?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrezPubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

Stability Ball Workout

This week we are going to discuss a great workout that targets your core strength and stability…stability ball workouts! These full body workouts are centered on inflatable exercise balls and can be modified depending on your fitness level. Also since stability balls are really affordable and easy to store, they are a great item to have on hand for at home workouts. Let’s focus on some basic exercises:

Squat: place ball on the middle of your back and against the ball. Stand with feet shoulder width apart. Squeeze core and bend at knees until 90 degree angle is formed and hold for 3 seconds. Focus on sitting back into the squat so knees do not bend over toes. Repeat 12-15 times.

Hamstring curl: lay on your back and balance ball on heels of your feet. Place hands flat on the ground next to body. Lift hips and squeeze glutes while still balancing the ball on your heels. While holding plank bend knees to roll ball close to body while squeezing hamstrings. Hold for 3 seconds then straighten legs while still holding plank. This is considered one rep. Without resting bend knees to roll ball again for second rep. Repeat 12-15 times.

Push-up: lay on your stomach on the ball and walk with your hands forward until the ball is resting on your thighs. Bend at the elbows to lower your body to the ground. Hold for 3 seconds then lift back to starting position. Repeat 12-15 times. Squeeze core and glutes to help stabilize ball.  

Ball Pass: lay on your back with legs extended. Hold ball in hands on the floor but above your head. Squeeze core and lift extended arms that are holding the ball and extended legs. Pass ball from hands in between legs. Squeeze legs to hold ball and lower extended legs and arms back to the floor. Repeat passing the ball between legs and arms 10-20 times.

Ball Fly: this exercise also requires the use of dumbbells. Use whichever weight is appropriate for your fitness level. Rest ball on floor and in between shoulder blades. Place feet on floor shoulder width apart. Keep back straight by tightening core and glutes. Hold dumbbells in each hand above head with elbows slightly bent. While remaining stable on ball lower both arms with dumbbells to either side of body. Maintain slightly bent elbow. Upon lowering arms to chest push back upward to starting position completing one fly. Repeat 12-15 times.

While all of these exercises are very basic and fundamental, they really challenge your balance and core stability. Building a strong core is so important in developing overall strength, as well as enhance ease of daily activities. Remember to always consult a specialist to ensure proper form is being followed to prevent injury.

So now that we just had an intense exciting workout how do we refuel for tomorrow's exercise?
This week’s post workout snack suggestion:
Low fat Greek yogurt with fresh fruit.

Remember this workout plan and snack is only a suggestion and may not be appropriate for all populations, especially people who are pregnant, suffer from previous injuries, or other special circumstances. Please consult a medical doctor prior to making lifestyle changes.

Kettlebell Workouts

How is everyone feeling!? Last week we focused on Plyo workouts...this week we will combine that explosive power with a Kettlebell workout!

Kettlebell workouts target you anaerobic and aerobic system. Not only will you increase muscular strength and endurance, but also increase your cardiovascular system. Since using kettlebells is a ballistic motion, your core is very targeted and helps build overall strength.

Kettlebells generally look like a big iron cannon with a handle and come in all different weights and sizes. It is very important to start with a lower weight and use perfect form, before moving onto higher weights. Remember since kettlebell workouts are ballistic, meaning they are high velocity requiring coordination of agonistic and antagonistic muscles, it is easy to become injured if you do not utilize proper technique.

Kettlebell workouts save time by engaging the entire body for each exercise. Multiple swinging movements create a center of mass beyond your hand and require engagement of the lower back, legs, and shoulders while increasing grip strength. Basic exercises include the swing, snatch, and the clean and jerk. Most stationary exercises, without ballistic movement, can also be performed using a kettlebell such as squats, dead lifts, and triceps extension.

In general a great kettlebell workout should be completed in a circuit, being repeated 3-5 times depending on your fitness level. Here is a great example of a high intensity circuit:
12-15 swings
12-15 squats to push press
12-15 alternating clean and jerks
12-15 Rows
12-15 curls

Remember to seek professional assistance to ensure your form is correct in order to reduce injury!

So now that we just had an intense exciting workout how do we refuel for tomorrow's exercise?
This weeks post workout snack suggestion:
¼ cup hummus and 1 whole wheat pita bread

Remember post work out snacks are really important to replenish glycogen stores and rebuild damaged muscle. High to moderate glycemic foods are encouraged to provide quick delivery of nutrients. Snacks consumed within 30 minutes of exercise deliver the best results. Try to incorporate mostly carbs with a little healthy fat and lean protein. This snack is roughly 3:1 carbs to protein, and serving size can be modified to meet your individual caloric goals.

Remember this workout plan and snack is only a suggestion and may not be appropriate for all populations, especially people who are pregnant, suffer from previous injuries, or other special circumstances. Please consult a medical doctor prior to making lifestyle changes.

Plyo's workout

Plyo, or plyometric workout is a great way to improve agility, muscular strength, and cardiovascular fitness. Plyo workouts really target your fast twitch muscle fibers and your anaerobic system helping to build lean muscle mass.

One of the most important things to remember is that plyometric workouts place a lot of stress on the body and should be started at very low levels, then work up to more intense exercise. Many people can become injured if proper technique and form are not followed. Having said this, plyos are a great way to add intensity and excitement to a boring old workout.

Plyo workouts include quick, explosive exercisee designed to not only increase strength but also speed and power. Muscles lengthen during the eccentric phase, followed by a short rest, and then an explosive concentric phase. These three phases should be repeated as quickly as possible, again slower for beginners and faster for experts.

The goal of progression is to decrease the time between the eccentric and concentric phases, therefore increasing strength and power. Not only will your muscles develop strength and speed, tendons will become stronger the help reduce injuries through increased strength and elasticity. Your nervous system will also respond increasing neuromuscluar transmission and increases your overall athletic speed and power.

Here is a great ploy circuit that you can modify for any fitness level:
10 squat jumps, 10 plyo pushups, 10 alternating split squate jumps, 30 second lateral hops, followed by pullups to failure. (use an assistance pull up machine if needed and regular modified pushups if needed!)
Run through the circuit 3-5 times depending on your fitness level.

Remember to seek professional assistance to ensure your form is correct in order to reduce injury!

So now that we just had an intense exciting workout how do we refuel for tomorrow's exercise?
This weeks post workout snack suggestion:
1tbs peanut butter, 1/2 banana, on 2 rice cakes
remember post work out snacks are really important to replenish glycogen stores and rebuild damaged muscle. High to moderate glycemic foods are encouraged to provide quick delivery of nutrients. Snacks consumed within 30 minutes of exercise deliver the best results. Try to incorporate mostly carbs with a little healthy fat and lean protein. This snack is roughly 3:1 carbs to protein, and serving size can be modified to meet your individual caloric goals.

Remember this workout plan and snack is only a suggestion and may not be appropriate for all populations, especially people who are pregnant, suffer from previous injuries, or other special circumstances. Please consult a medical doctor prior to making lifestyle changes.

Creative Fitness

Nutrition goes hand in hand with physical fitness, and while everyone loves to eat, not everyone loves to workout. The reality is that no matter how "clean" we eat, we still need to exercise regularly to live a healthy lifestyle. As a personal trainer I am always looking for fun, unique workouts to help keep people of all fitness levels stay motivated and healthy!

Science has indicated regular exercise is essential to reduce the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, colon cancer, breast cancer, and depression. Exercise can also help improve psychological well-being, body composition, stress management, and performance!

Whether your goal is to lose weight, maintain weight, or gain weight healthfully, exercise is essential to reach your goals and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

This blog will focus on fitness tips and routines to stay motivated while increasing cardiovascular strength, building muscular strength, enhancing muscular endurance, and increasing flexibility. Since nutrition is so closely linked to fitness special attention will be give to to pre-, during, and post-workout snacks to help optimize your workout and meet your fitness goals.

This blog is meant to be a motivational tool to help everyone strive to be the best they can be! It is meant to be suggestive and in no way a prescription or recommendation. All lifestyle changes should be discussed with a physician, especially before engaging in a diet or exercise program.