Up The Exercise Intensity For Mind-Blowing Results

Millions of people commit many of hours out of their schedules at health clubs working out. The sad fact is, most fitness enthusiasts who regularly visit gyms know little about what makes up an effective workout system. In this article, I want to dispel 90% of the hype and help you understand exactly how to build your routine so it will guarantee that every second you spend in the gym will help you get stronger. After all, you spend a lot of time lifting weights; don't you want to make sure your workout time is spent as efficiently as possible?

With so many strength-training systems on the market today, it becomes difficult to cut through all the noise and find a training system that is based on solid science. A good indicator that a strength training system is less effective is if it uses a one-size-fits-all approach. Your body is unique. You are different than anyone else. It simply doesn't make sense that if you do exactly the same thing in the gym as everyone else, you will get the same results as everyone else. To get the best results, you must understand your body's individual needs. If you can give your body exactly the exercise it needs, nothing more or less, you will maximize your training results while not wasting even a second of your valuable time in the gym.

Another solid indicator that a strength training system is bogus is whether it is based in biology. Many strength-training systems are simply anecdotal. Some fitness gurus peddle their opinions, passing them off as training gospel just because it feels right to them. Be careful. A good training system should be backed up by the physiology of the human muscular system. The more a strength training system is steeped in the actual workings of the human body, the more customized it will be to your body type and the better it will work.

Now that we have explored a couple of indicators of less effective strength training systems, lets take a look at a system that IS based solidly in physiology and IS completely customized to your body.

Scientifically steeped high intensity training (HIT) power-packs your strength training routines. HIT training teaches that muscles grow and adapt more efficiently if they are worked intensely for short bursts of time on a relatively infrequent basis.

Three elements make up an effective HIT workout regimen; slow lifting cadence, timed sets, and adequate rest and recovery time between workouts. Lets take a closer look at these three elements.

Slow Lifting Cadence

Cadence, as related to strength training, is the time it takes to perform one full rep of exercise. Use of a slow lifting cadence is an excellent way to make every second of your workout count.

Fast, explosive weight lifting introduces many problems. First, it is less effective. Your goal, during a set of exercise, should be to spend every available ounce of muscular energy; you can't hope to accomplish this goal if you continually throw the weight past the most demanding parts of the exercise. Second, explosive lifting is dangerous; you can expose yourself to hazardous acceleration, velocity, and momentum spikes. These spikes can lead to loss of control of the weight, causing painful, and possibly permanent, injuries.

To get the most out of your workout, use a slow lifting cadence with every exercise. Each exercise should be divided into 3 lifting phases; move:hold:move. As a rule of thumb, use a 5:2:5 lifting cadence; 5 full seconds to move the weight from an exercise's starting position to its fully contracted position (the most difficult position at which to hold the weight); 2 full seconds to hold the weight in the fully contracted position; 5 full seconds to move the weight back to starting position. It should take a total of 12 seconds to perform one rep of exercise. If you lift enough weight and use a slow cadence, you can be sure that you are firing as much muscle fiber as possible.

Timed Sets

By timing your sets, you can determine the correct weight to rack up for each exercise. You can also be certain that your muscles are sufficiently spent during each set.

We have long been conditioned to break weight training exercise into sets and reps. Many strength training systems prescribe a consistent quantity of sets and reps for every person, regardless of sex or body type. This one-size-fits-all approach might not be optimal for you. Your muscular system is different than anyone else's. It's important, if you want big-time training results, to adapt your exercise regiment to your body's specific needs. Timed sets is the best way to determine how much exercise is best for each of your muscle groups.

To time your sets, you will need a stopwatch. At the beginning of each set, start the clock. With the seconds ticking, perform the exercise until you hit muscle failure. Don't worry about counting reps; complete muscle failure is your objective. Lift until you can't move the weight another inch, then try one more rep. After you have spent every ounce of your muscular energy, stop the clock. Your final seconds count is called your time under load--the total time spent performing the exercise.

A good set of exercise is not made up of a quantity of reps; it is made up of 30 to 60 seconds of high quality, slow cadenced exercise, with muscle failure at the end of the set. As you gain muscle mass, you will have to increase the weight you lift to keep your sets at between 30 to 60 seconds.

Adequate Rest And Recovery Time

With adequate rest and recovery time between workouts, you will hit the gym mentally and physically ready to workout with precision and energy.

Overtraining is a chronic problem among gym rats. Too often the success of a strength-training regimen is measured by the quantity of hours spent in the gym. Each time you workout, you spend a tremendous amount of muscular energy, leaving your muscles in a state of controlled shock. It takes a number of days to fully recover. If over-trained, muscles can remain in a continuously weakened state--a state at which they cannot perform beyond their usual, daily workload. Unless muscles are trained at a level far beyond what is usually expected of them, they cannot adapt by growing, hardening, and strengthening.

You must allow your muscles to fully recover between workouts. This means your strength-training regimen should have more off days than on days. To start, take 2 days off between workouts. As you gain muscle mass, you will need to add additional rest and recovery days. If you experience a stall in your strength gain progress, take a full week off from training so you can hit the gym recharged and strong. Often, the best way to break through a training plateau is to workout less frequently, not to increase hours spent in the gym.

When it comes to workout frequency, don't fall victim to the more is more mentality. Your strength gains stay with you for months before beginning to fade away. As long as you stimulate your muscles into growth and adaptation on a regular and relatively infrequent basis, you will make steady, satisfying progress.

There you have it. If you are after tremendous muscle mass gains and satisfying fat loss, high intensity training is the key. With a relatively infrequent, hard-hitting strength training routine, using slow lifting cadence, you can skyrocket your training success into the stratosphere.

Shane Provsgaard, M.S., C.R.T., and Craig Nybo teach many more in-depth principles related to high intensity training in their book, Total Human: The Complete Strength Training System, now available at www.totalhuman.com or wherever good books are sold.

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Weight Loss For The Total Beginner

The key to permanently losing weight is simple: burn more calories than you consume! That's it! If your body is burning 2500 calories a day, you simply need to burn MORE than that in order for your body to start burning off your bodyfat.

But 2500 calories is alot of calories!

Actually not really! Considering your body is burning calories 24 hours a day, 7 days a week just to maintain it's essential functions. That means while you're watching TV, playing video games, even SLEEPING your body is burning calories.

On average, a good estimate of total daily calories burned at rest can be determined by bodyweight x 15. So for a 150 pound male, 150 x 15 = 2250 calories. 2250 calories a day just sitting around! Imagine that!

But before we get into anything too complicated, lets take a step back and take a look at some of the basics for maintaining a healthy body. Now, these are some of the most important, but unfortunately most overlooked aspects of losing weight and getting into shape.

Water: Yes, that's right, water. You should be drinking at least a gallon of water a day. Don't feel silly carrying around a full jug of water in the gym, it's extremely beneficial. Your body carries out thousands of processes using water, so you want to make sure that you're getting enough of it. It flushes out toxins, carries vitamins and nutrients throughout the blood, and also helps to reduce water retention. So drink up!

Vitamins: Taking your vitamins everyday is hands down the most important part of being healthy. A large majority of people do not get the amounts of vitamins and minerals they need, and getting all of the recommended amounts from food alone would result in eating a ridiculous amount. So, instead of cramming down plate after plate of food, just take a daily multi vitamin instead!

Sleep: Just like most people don't get enough vitamins and minerals, a large majority of people don't get enough sleep either. Many people do not understand the benefits from constantly getting a solid 8-10 hours of sleep per night. Not only will you be energized throughout the day, but if you are lifting weights, sleep is essential to adding muscle. During sleep, your body releases growth hormones that aid your body in reparing muscles used during your workouts. So sip down a cup of warm milk (also a good source of protein) and hit the hay!

So now that we've gone over the basics, you're ready to tackle the 3 most valuable weapons in the battle of the bulge: Diet and Nutrition, Cardiovascular Exercise, and Weight Training. Just three more steps and you're ready to lose weight like you've always wanted to!

In order to successfully lose weight quickly and permanently, you need to get your diet in check. Weight loss is almost impossible without some adjustments to your diet. No need to fret. A diet isn't an ordeal to survive, it's a way to achieve that body you've always dreamed of. A diet is simply what you eat day in, day out. A diet isn't a temporary fix to a permanent problem. To successfully lose weight, you'll need to alter the way you eat. It's no wonder people who go on quick-fix diets often gain all the weight back (sometimes more). As harsh as it sounds, you need to change your relationship with food. But don't worry, with time, there are plenty of healthy foods out there that taste great and will still aid you in losing weight. And besides, after a while you'll really start to notice how much better you feel with a steady supply of nutrient rich foods going into your body. So let's get started!

For optimum performance and health, your body needs an adequate supply of healthy carbs, protein, and healthy fats. Here are some examples of each.

Healthy Carbs:

Oats

Brown Rice

Potatoes

Yams

Granola

Whole Wheat Bread

Beans (any kind will do)

All vegetables and fruits

Protein:

Lean meats such as chicken, lowfat beef, fish, and turkey

Low Fat Milk

Low Fat Cottage Cheese

Canned Tuna Fish

Any whey or soy protein supplements

Healthy Fats:

Nuts (almonds, peanuts, walnuts)

Olive Oil

Flax Seed Oil

Avacados

Natural Peanut Butter (also a good source of protein)

And now I'm sure some of you are wondering: "Wait, I thought carbs and fat were bad?". The answer, which may shock and appall you, is NO! Well, in some cases yes. Some carbs are bad (aka: sugar and processed junk) and some fats are bad (trans fats and most saturated fats). But good, complex carbs (such as oats, whole wheat products, veggies and fruits) are what your body thrives on. They are great for energy as well as heart health and maintaining a healthy. Healthy fats are good for the brain and the production of hormones as well as great for a healthy heart. DO NOT LISTEN TO THOSE FAD DIET EXPERTS WHO CLAIM THAT CARBS ARE THE ENEMY! THEY ARE W R O N G!!!

Now that we know what kinds of food to eat, the next logical question is "how much"? A simple rule of thumb for healthy weight loss is 10-12x your bodyweight in calories. So someone weighing 180bs would need to eat between 1800 and 2160 calories a day in order to lose weight. This ensures your body gets the nutrition it needs to stay healthy, but also taps into your fat stores to get you in the shape you want!

Cardiovascular exercise, or "cardio", as most people tend to call it, is a great way to burn some extra calories and lose weight. You see, anything that gets your heart rate elevated will cause your body to burn calories at a higher rate. The more calories you burn throughout the day, the more fat your body is capable of burning off and therefore the more weight you can lose.

It's not wonder marathon runners, swimmers, and most professional sports players are so slim and fit! They don't go a day without doing some kind of cardiovascular exercise for an extended period of time. In addition to the physical benefits of cardio (aka: WEIGHT LOSS) there are many mental benefits. Obviously losing weight and looking better will do wonders for your phsyche, but it's also been proven that exercise in general releases serontonin, a powerful hormone that may be the closest thing to a "natural" antidepression. It makes you feel great! It's easy to spot too, after you get done working out or doing a long jog, you'll instantly feel uplifted and just plain happy!

So throw on those running shoes and hit the pavement! Here are some fun ways to get your cardio...

Running

Walking

Bicycling

Hiking

Rock Climbing

Running Stairs

These fun activities will more than suffice to burn extra calories, which is your overall goal in the battle of the bulge. In addition to the calories that you'll burn while doing cardio, an added benefit is that your body will burn more calories throughout the day. An intense cardio session can cause your metabolism (the rate at which your body burns calories) to stay elevated for up to a day and a half! So while your sitting down watching TV, cooking dinner, or even sleeping, your body is burning calories faster and destroying the fat you've been dying to get rid of!

So you see, in the quest for losing weight and getting fit, cardiovascular exercise is an excellent tool. Not only do you get the benefits of burning calories, you also experience the effects of a raised metabolism up to 35 hours after the cardio session! You simply can't go wrong! Try to fit in a 20-30 minute cardio sessions 2-3 times a week to begin, and then once your body is ready step it up to 4-5 times a week.

And on a personal note, it's a great feeling once you've completed a long, grueling cardio session (such as a long jog, hike, or some quality time with the stairmaster). Just the feeling of being drenched in sweat, and the knowledge that you're a little less fat, and a little less closer to that body of your dreams than you were when you started your cardio. Great way to think of it, huh?

Many people shy away from this portion of the fitness journey, but weight lifting plays a key role in your body's abilityto burn fat and lose weight. You see, muscle burns calories to maintain itself. A pound of muscle can burn between 30-50 calories a day. By lifting weights, thus adding muscle, you can greatly optimize your ability to burn calories and as we've discussed earlier burning extra calories is key to burning fat and losing weight.

It's a good idea not to try and overdo it when starting out. A first time lifter can experience soreness like they've never felt before. It's always good to find a balance between pushing yourself, and knowing your limits. So to start out, try lifting 2-3 times a week, giving your body adequate time to recover. Start doing full body workouts, utilizing all major muscles.

Let me just add one simple thing. If you're lifting weights hoping to add muscle, you're going need to have you diet in check. Muscles are made out of protein and water, so it should be common sense to incorporate many high protein foods (meats, milk, cottage cheese, etc...) in your daily diet.

However, it's hard (and not to mention expensive) to buy and eat all that food. That's why there are protein supplements! Protein bars and powders are a great way to get that extra amount of protein your muscles need to be big and strong! Just mix the powder with milk or water for a great protein drink. Protein bars are a great option for those of you with "on-the-go" lifestyles are don't have alot of time to prepare and pack the meals you need. You can purchase them at nearly any grocery store or health food store. Purchasing online is a great advantage and will save you money!

Even if at first the soreness might turn you away from a vigorours weight lifting regiment, the long lasting benefits of lifting weights greatly outweight the occasional soreness. Gaining muscle, losing fat, and gaining strength are just a few of the many benefits from pumping irons. Pretty soon, the rush of adrenaline you from lifting will lure you back to gym day after day! Weight lifting is key to success in achieving permanent weight loss, so grab a dumbell or two and start lifting!

Well there you have it, you have a great start on the journey to weight loss and a better body! Good luck!

Steve Urbick is a self-taught fitness guru. By accumulating knowledge from various internet weight loss and fitness sites, Steve has successfully helped others change their body for the better.

[http://www.weightlossanswersnow.com]

Why Runners Should Avoid Gloves, Straps and Belts in the Weight Room

Weight lifting is a great cross training exercise for runners. Training with weights helps you build muscle in ways that aren't stressed enough as a runner, which can lead to a healthier and less injury prone body that can run faster and farther.

Weight training doesn't have to be complex. As a runner, you will usually want to stick to body weight exercises or simple moves with dumbbells or barbells. There's no need to start out with expensive equipment such weight gloves, wrist straps or weight belts, which can be bad for you and should be avoided except in limited circumstances.

First, what are they?

Weight lifting gloves are padded gloves that usually have the fingers cut off, much like bicycling gloves, that help you maintain your grip on a bar.



Wrist straps are pieces of rope or leather that you wrap around your wrists and then wrap around a bar to help support heavy weights and to make it so that you do not have to rely upon your grip to keep from dropping the bar.



Weight belts are belts that you wear around your stomach and lower back. They are not used to hold your shorts up; instead, they are used to support your back so that you are less likely to contort it into a potentially dangerous position.


All three items should be used when you are lifting heavy weights at or near your maximum where there is a good possibility of not being able to maintain your grip or keep your back straight. In fact, in some cases it would be foolish not to use them.

However, for the average runner, recreational weight lifter or even the serious athlete that is not a power lifter, they should not be necessary.

Instead, you should concentrate more on building a base and lifting weights that you can handle.

I recommend my athletes that are cross training in the weight room to avoid using gloves, straps or belts for the following reasons:

They discourage good form. By relying on a foreign implement, you are not learning how to support your own back or wrists. In most situations outside of a gym, you will not have gloves, straps, or a weight belt available (or you will not think to use them if you do) and can easily hurt yourself if you are used to having extra support that is not there. Moving a heavy box, or playing outside with your kids can be a lot less pleasurable after throwing your back out.



They make exercises easier. By helping to support the weight, you are not getting the same benefits. You will not develop a better grip by supporting the bar with straps or with gloves. Your back will not get as strong if it doesn't have to do all the work of keeping a bar from moving.



They can encourage lifting too much weight. Since exercises are made easier, it can be tempting to lift more weight than you are ready for. This is especially dangerous for inexperienced weight lifters who are not really sure what they are capable of and have not perfected the proper form. They just are not ready to push their limits yet.



You only have two hands. I think that carrying a water bottle around with you at the gym is much more important than carrying extra implements, and you should carry a memo pad or other journal where you can record your workouts as well. You do not want to have to keep track of a few extra items on top of those. Granted, you could wear them from exercise to exercise, but there is no reason to wear them for exercises where they would do no good under any circumstances.



Deadlifts and squats can be safely done without a weight belt. Despite the common assertion that your back requires the extra support, people were picking things up off of the floor long before weight belts were invented. The trick is to learn good form, and to remember to use that good form while exercising. It also doesn't hurt to lift manageable and realistic weights. For near maximum weight lifts, then you would want to use a weight belt.


Every tool has its place, but for a recreational weight lifter I do not see the need for gloves, straps, or belts. For somebody just getting into weight lifting, learn the proper form and method for each exercise and try to do it without extra support. In fact, you may even want to try getting rid of your shoes while lifting to help strengthen your feet. Your muscles are meant to be used in unison, not in isolation.

A good rule of thumb is that if you can do five or more repetitions in an exercise, then you probably do not need to use gloves, straps or a weight belt. For recreational or novice weight lifters, and for most athletes, there is often little reason to need to lift weights heavy enough that you can not lift them a half dozen times per set, and so little reason to run out to purchase something you don't need before you go to the gym for the first time.

Blaine Moore is a running coach in Southern Maine with 20 years of training and racing experience, which he shares on his blog at http://news.RunToWin.com - If you would like to watch one of Blaine's coaching session DVDs online for free, head over to: http://www.RunToWin.com/freesessions/

Will Weight Training Help Me Lose Fat?

In this world, there are many procedures, which you can use to attain your exercise goals. This applies to all aspects of our lives including fitness. There is a common belief that if you want to lose weight, you should go for aerobic workouts. They say that in order to lose fats, you must first start in aerobic exercises before weight training, but the truth is quite the contrary. People should understand that weight training is the key to developing muscle mass and strength. This means that weight training can also be a key in stimulating fat loss indirectly.

Weight training falls under the anaerobic category of exercises. Therefore it is mostly responsible for burning carbohydrates. Perhaps this is why the other exercises such as cycling, jogging, and step classes are favored in terms of fat loss since they are aerobic in nature. However, the body mechanism is very intricate and therefore, some more advanced things happen beneath the surface.

One of them is the formation of varying amounts of muscle depending on the exercises you concentrate on. Since the other forms of exercises under the aerobic category do not increase your muscles, they cause your metabolism to slow down significantly. Concentrating on these exercises can only make you fatter. Including weight training in your exercise regime means you will be increasing your lean body mass. This equals to a higher metabolic rate for up to 39 hours, which encourages burning of fat throughout the day and even as you sleep.

A perfect illustration for this can be seen in bodybuilders who have high muscle to fat ratios. This enables them to stay lean without including much aerobics in their workouts. So how do you combine weight training workouts with the other aspects of exercising to gain maximum fat burn? First, quick and efficient fat burning requires a three-way approach. First, you will be required to give proper attention to your nutrition. Secondly, you should include a bit of aerobic training.

Thirdly, rigorous weight training workouts are necessary to build your lean body mass. Neglecting one of these components will prevent you from attaining your goals. The inclusion of weight lifting workouts is also perfect for people who have a very limited time frame to lose their weight. Therefore anyone who is thinking of losing weight and keeping it off should seriously consider including a weight lifting session in his or her workout routine.

Bill has been an online article writer for nearly 6 years. In addition to his normal topics of diet, fitness and weight training, you can also check out his latest website on Lawn Mower Tires as well as Garden Tractor Tires to see reviews and product comparisons.

Women's Wellness Series - Exercise For Strong Bones at Every Age

Current research on osteoporosis is focused on how exercise can help prevent and treat this condition. Osteoporosis - which literally means "porous bones" - is a bone-thinning disease caused by a loss of mineral (primarily calcium) that weakens the bone structure. The bone becomes vulnerable to fracture.

The two most important kinds of exercise to strengthen the bones are weight-bearing aerobic exercise and weight lifting. When you do weight-bearing aerobic exercise, the muscles that keep you in an upright position against the pull of gravity are working against resistance and transferring that benefit to the bones. When you work with weights, you overload the muscles, which respond by getting stronger. The pull of muscle on the bone has a similar effect in strengthening the bones.

Exercise has a dramatic effect on the growing skeleton, which is why it is essential for children to be physically active. Once the skeleton stops growing, the effect of exercise on the bone is more modest. If you do not develop adequate bone-mineral density at an early age, your risk of osteoporosis increases in the postmenopausal years. However, some bone lost through inactivity may be restored and major bone losses can be prevented before ages 30 to 35.

From ages 18-35, the goal is to achieve the highest peak bone mass. Exercise should maximize the load to the bones with a progressive (i.e. gradual intensification) program of:

High impact exercise, defined as activities in which both feet are off the ground at the same time, as in running, jumping rope, and high-impact aerobic dance; also sports like basketball, volleyball and gymnastics.
High intensity weight lifting, using the heaviest weights you can lift in good form. Aim for 8-12 repetitions with the last few reps being challenging. Do 1-3 sets of each exercise.

From ages 35-50, the goal is to maintain bone mass, offset or reduce bone loss, and improve your coordination and balance.

Follow the guidelines above, using common sense. To protect your joints from injury, use good judgment regarding high-impact exercise and high-intensity weight training.
Focus on strengthening the bony sites most vulnerable to fracture: the thighbone, the spine and the wrist.
Add balance training, such as stork stance and "tight rope" walk.
To improve your stability, incorporate exercises using the stability ball, BOSU and foam rollers.

From 50-plus and post-menopausal, the goal is to conserve bone and reduce the risk of falls and fractures.

Continue with strength training, balance and stability exercises.
If you are doing a walking program, be sure to vary your route to include hills and steps, adding intervals of increased speed or jogging, if appropriate.
Focus on stretching exercises to maintain your height and spinal alignment. Changes in posture become more pronounced at this age and can cause a shift in your center of gravity, increasing your risk of falling.

If you have been diagnosed with osteoporosis, check with your health care professional for exercise guidelines and restrictions.

Joan Pagano is an authority on the benefits of exercise for women's health issues such as pregnancy, breast cancer, menopause and osteoporosis as well as strength training through the decades. For more about Joan and her services, please visit http://bit.ly/9x6XCs

Joan's expert guidance is also available in a series of best-selling fitness books. View her bibliography on Joan's Author Page on Amazon at http://bit.ly/bapUkU

(c) Copyright - Joan L. Pagano. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.