FUN!.. Yet Cardio? F.Y.C

"But I hate cardio!" Said almost everyone at some point.


It's because these people are probably thinking specifically: "I hate the idea of jogging on a treadmill for 30 minutes with nothing else to look at but the mirror in front of me."


Well if that's the only cardiovascular work you do then no wonder you hate it! If you want to have some fun with cardio why not try some of these options below?


ROWING:
Idea 1: Break down your distance into high intensity intervals. Instead of rowing 2,000m or 3,000m why not set up to row 250m, rest for 30 secs and repeat 10 times. A tough, more engaging and high intensity 2,500m.


Idea 2: Row for repetitions. Perform 10-15 strong strokes, jump off the rowing machine and perform a compound movement such as 10 kettlebell swings or 10 dumbbell thrusters. Jump back on to the rowing machine and repeat. Keep going until your total distance reaches 2,000m. The harder you pull, the less rounds you need to do.


Idea 3: Row for calories. Set the monitor to read calories rowed. Row until you achieve 1 calorie. Reset the monitor, count to 5 and repeat for 2 calories. Reset, count to 5 and row for 3 calories etc. Keep going finishing on 10 or more calories.


TREAMILL:
Idea 1: Deadmills / manual sprints / skill mills. This is much more challenging and interesting way to use a treadmill. Even better: it's quick! Below is a "how to" video for deadmills. Why not try getting the treadmill up to top speed, sprint for a count of 5 then jumping to stand on the sides. Rest until the treadmill belt stops moving. Jump back on and repeat. Try this 5-10 times.
Deadmills: HOW TO 


Idea 2: Hill running intervals. Run for 15 secs, rest for 45 secs. Start on incline 5% and increase the incline by 1% each interval. Repeat for 10-15 mins or until you can't complete the 15 secs.


Idea 3: Get off your feet and use your hands. Try some treadmill crawls like these: Treadmill Agility Work


SPINNING / CYCLING:
Idea 1: Hills, Sprints, Rest, Repeat. Start with a heavy resistance to replicate a hill climb. Pedal standing out of the seat, against a slow, heavy resistance. Then reduce the resistance and pedal quickly for a 30 second sprint, then pedal very slowly for 30 seconds of recovery. Repeat for 10-15 rounds.


Idea 2: Spin and pump. Rest 2 x dumbells on the bike handlebars. Pedal quickly for 30 seconds, then, while keeping th epedals moving slowly, take the dumbells and perform 10 x dumbbell curls or 10 x shoulder presses. When the next minute comes around, repeat this until you have done 10 x 30 sec sprints, 50 x dumbbell curls and 50 x dumbbell shoulder presses.


Idea 3: Add in some powerful bursts. Break up a 15 minute bike session by throwing in some sprint intervals. Try sprinting with maximum effort between 25-30 secs of each minute and again from 55- the end of each minute. ie: 2 x 5 sec sprints per minute.


If you'd like some more ideas on creating fun and interesting training sessions have a look here: Workout Ideas 


Don't forget to follow me on Twitter - @ MichaelD_PT

Ways to Structure a Short Session

Often people will say things like:

"I don't want to spend hours on end in the gym."

"I can only put aside a short amount of time for the gym." (perhaps a lunch break for example)

"When I get in the gym, I don't know how to best spend my time."

"I only have a short time to exercise so I end up just doing the same things that I already know."

"I only had 30 minutes so I just went for a run."

Or perhaps a combination of these things.

So what if you have these, or a combination of these problems? Well, I'm here to help you.

Below is a list of just some of the ways that you can structure a quick gym session in order to make the most of your time and get a short, yet effective workout.

First Things First...

Write it down BEFORE you get to the gym! You already have a limited amount of time so don't waste gym time walking around, thinking what you'd like to do. Take time to structure a session before hand, enter with a plan and follow it.

Now try these:

Timed Circuit Training

The most straight forward and traditional method of all. Simply set your self a few exercises (probably 5-8) and perform them for an allocated length of time. Use an interval timer to do time the exercise time and also your pre-allotted rest time. Don't cheat yourself and take extra rest; when the buzzer goes, you go.

One of the great things about this is you know exactly how long you'll need to exercise for; ideal when you're on a tight schedule. Two things to be aware of when planning your circuit 1) Logistics: Make sure the equipment and area you need to use at the gym is positioned near each other or able to be moved near each other. 2) Popularity: Don't design a circuit that has you using a mixture of equipment that's likely to be used as you move from one area to the next. Better still, use some bodyweight exercises then you'll always be able to include them and shuffle the order on the go should someone jump on to your equipment and muck up the circuit.

An easy example would be: 30 secs work, 30 secs rest x 5 laps (25 mins total)

A1) Press Ups

A2) Kettlebell swings

A3) Kettlebell Goblet Squats

A4) TRX Rows

A5) Jumping Lunges / Switch Lunges

Progressions: Reduce rest time, add more exercises, add more laps.

Combine Cardio and Resistance Work

This is one of my favourite ways to get your heart rate elevated and use your gym time wisely. Pick a cardio exercise and a resistance exercise that, given the layout of your gym, can be done with relative ease (either near to the cardio equipment to ensure you can keep an eye on it while you do the resistance work, or on a piece of cardio equipment (like a treadmill) which there are plenty of in your gym so you're happy to walk away from to perform the resistance exercise.

A session structure might look like this:

A1) 1 min high incline treadmill jog

A2) Pull ups to failure

5 rounds

B2) 200m Row

B2) 15 x Kettlebell Swings

5 rounds

C1) 30 Sec Bike Sprint

C2) 10 x Dumbell Curl and Push Press

5 rounds

Or Perhaps you'd prefer to stick with one piece of cardio equipment that you're more familiar with so something like:

A1) 5 x Burpees

A2) 5 x Medicine Ball Slams

A3) 5 x Double Kettlebell Clean and Press

A4) 30 Second Hill Run

Or, from a psychological point you might like to shorten your cardio effort as you go. Therefore knowing that after the first set, the cardio part gets shorter and shorter.

For example:

10 dumbbell thrusters, row 500m, 10 dumbbell thrusters, row 400m, 10 dumbbell thrusters, row 300m, 10 dumbbell thrusters, row 200m, 10 dumbbell thrusters, row 100m.

Beware: This might take a little bit of playing around with to get the correct difficulty level to match your abilities. Try not to completely fatigue similar muscle groups in both the cardio and the resistance work. For example: Don't pair high repetitions of walking lunges with hill running.

Ascending Ladders or Pyramids

Using "Ascending Ladders" is a challenging way to gradually improve your fitness as your progressively increase the volume of work that you're able to perform.

If you're doing it for the first time, pick 4 or 5 exercises (again, pick things that can be done relatively closely to one another) and do 2 repetitions of each exercise for the first lap, then on the second lap (without any rest) perform 4 repetitions of each, then on lap 3 do 6 reps, lap 4 do 8 reps of each and on your 5th and final lap you perform 10 reps of each. Try to do the entire 5 laps as quickly as possible without resting. It starts easy but creeps up on you.

An example could be:

A1) Kettlebell Swings

A2) Press Ups

A3) Jump Squats

A4) Plank with a hip drop (each side)

A5) Burpees

Progressions: Increase the number of exercises, go higher ie: up to 6 laps (12 reps) or 7 laps (14 reps) etc, use larger increments such as 3,6,9,12,15 reps for example.

Alternatively, perform a Pyramid and do 2,4,6,8,10 reps, then immediately 10,8,6,4,2 reps. Sometimes however the final lap of 2 reps might feel like an anti-climax so I you're feeling particularly motivated you might try another lap of 10 reps just as a final blow out... maybe!

On the Minute / Every Minute On The Minute (EMOM)

This is another great way to ensure that your session doesn't over-run. Simply set your interval timer to sound each minute. When the timer goes perform your pre-decided exercise for the number of pre-decided repetitions.

Remember: You will need rest times so make sure that the exercise doesn't use up the entire minute. Ideally work somewhere between 30-50 seconds.

An example workout could be:

A1) 15 x kettlebell swings

A2) 10 x Incline Dumbell Chest Press

A3) 15 x Lat Pull Downs

A4) 45 secs Bike sprint

x 5 rounds = 20 minutes exactly.

Progressions: Add more repetitions/ cut your rest time, Include more cardio vascular work, add more exercises, include something heavy like 3 x heavy deadlifts/push presses/ farmers walks etc.

You Go - I Go

I like this as a format for partner workouts as it keeps you working at a decent tempo and you push one another to keep working. You also get varied amounts of rest so you don't adapt to the timing protocols which you can do sometimes when you use the same interval variations week after week.

With a partner, select your exercises and select a high volume of repetitions. Then go about completing the target reps by taking it in turn.

A workout might be:

50 x Burpees (1 each, until you complete 50. 25 each total)

3000m row (sat on two rowing machines, row 100m, then the partner rows 100m while you rest, repeat until you have each rowed 1,500m)

220 kettlebell swings (partner A does 20 swings, partner B does 20 swings, then A, then B and so on... 6 sets each).

40 Barbell Push Presses (1 rep each, pass the bar back and forth between each other without putting it down)

Safety First: Don't be a hero! If, part way through you notice between you that one person is struggling and they are at risk of losing good form, then you may agree mid-workout that one of you will do more eg: 2-3 reps to the other persons 1.

Note: You can do this wih two people of unequal strength/fitness if you're smart about it by selecting exercises that you can set up two of and using different weights such as 2 different kettlebells or barbells side by side. This means that men and women may also use this structure to train with one another.

Tabata Intervals

This is just simply an interval variation that was designed orginially in conjunction with the Chinese Olympic cycling team. The design is 20 secs work, 10 secs rest x 8.

You can, if you wish, use it with one traditional cardio vascular exercise (such as cycling or running), a single resistance resistance exercise such as a lat pull down 8 times, a single bodyweight exercise such as burpees or a mixture of up to 8 exercises.

An example workout using the tabata protocol (20 secs work, 10 secs rest x 8)

A) Tabata Press Ups

B) Tabata Leg Press

C) Tabata Lat Pull Down

D) Tabata Walking Lunges

E) Tabata Kettlebell Swings

F) Tabata Plank

Progressions: It's actually harder to use fewer exercises; ideally just one.

Beware: Try not to use anything too technical or towards your maximum load unless you're very experienced. If it's your first time try it with a simple exercise such as press ups, lunges or a plank.

But wait...

Not all "quick sessions" need to be focused on getting you soaked in sweat and that alone. There are some that can be much more strength focused.

For instance?..

"Cluster Training"

I first heard this concept from Joe De Franco. It's a very straight forward way to utilise just one bit of gym equipment, in a relatively short time in order to focus on strength training.

How does it work? Take a single complex exercise that you're able to perform with a heavy load (ideally a barbell squat variation, deadlifts, bench press, cleans, snatch, push press or jerk). Warm up thoroughly then load the bar with your 5 rep max. Perform just a single repetition. Then start your stop watch. Allow yourself 20 seconds rest and perform another single rep. As you begin to fatigue allow a slightly longer rest period of between 20-40 secs.

Continue this until you have performed 15-20 repetitions.

The idea being that rather than performing 4x5 reps where some of the repetitions aren't as good as the others you'll perform 15-20 single reps so that you can focus on each one in order to make them as good as possible. It should also get your heart rate up by the end. 20 quality, heavy reps and a little bit of cardio work.

Look out: Don't be surprised that as you perform (roughly) reps 1-5 the reps feel very manageable. 6-9 (roughly) they then feel gradually more difficult. Then around 10-13 suddenly some reps may feel easy as your CNS really begins to fire. Then 13 onwards (roughly) the reps gradually begin to get tougher. Keep this in mind when you're gradually increasing your rest periods.

Barbell Complex or Kettlebell Complex

A babrbell complex or a kettlebell complex is a number of exercises performed with the same barbell or kettlebell continuously moving from one exercise to the next without resting the weight down.

Beware: Some exercises are easier than other so the weight might not be suitable for all exercises. One way around this is to vary the repetitions ie: more reps on the stronger movements such as the kettlebell comlex below.

Barbell complex example:

A1) 6 x bent over rows

A2) 6 x hang cleans

A3) 6 x front squats

A4) 6 x push press

Kettlbell complex

A1) 12 x kettlebell swings

A2) 10 x kettlebell goblet squats

A3) 8 x kettlebell push press

A4) 5 x kettlebell snatches

Low Rep Circuits

Put together a circuit using larger, heavier movements for fewer repetitions. An example circuit could be:

A1) 3-5 Deadlifts

A2) 3-5 Bench Press

A3) 3-5 Back Squats

A4) 3-5 weighted Pull Ups

Allow 15-30 secs between sets. Complete 5 full rounds.

Safety First: Be honest with yourself; or better still, work with someone that knows the correct techniques involved in the exercises you're performing. If you form begins to suffer drastically then stop.

Don't attempt this style of workout if you're not experienced in the gym.

Structure is key: Beware not to overload one body part. Make sure you vary the body parts being used in when deciding the order of exercises.

In Summary...

There's loads you can do in the gym if you're restricted for time. There's nothing wrong as such with "just going for a run" but... this shouldn't be your only idea when time is short. not now you have all of these ideas to try anyway...

Don't forget to follow me on Twitter (@MichaelD_PT) and YouTube

Too Much of a Good Thing

The phrase "too much of a good thing" can be applied in some shape or form to lots of things (depending on your definition of "good").

 

Too much alcohol - makes you feel terrible, too much pudding - also makes you feel terrible, too many late nights and parties - terrible; and you can add to this list "exercise".

 

Wait - This is NOT an excuse to just do the odd bit of exercise and me saying "you don't want to do too much - it's bad for you." That's not what I'm saying at all.

 

I'm talking about issues caused by repetitive movements. Here are a few tips to make sure that you don't make exercise "a bad thing".

 

CARDIO KINGS:

1) Off ya bike!

Imagine in your head a perfect posture. Head upright, spine in a neutral position, hips below shoulders. Then imagine your position on a bike. Far from this perfect posture correct? I'm not saying "never cycle" but if you want to repeatedly compromise your bodies natural shape and form then cycle every day. If you DON'T, then get off of your bike and add variety to your cardio. Also add in corrective resistance work and mobility work between bike sessions.

2) Run on the other side of the road

Most roads are cambered so if you do a lot of road running try to run on different sides of the road in order to avoid repetitive strain issues from an unbalanced running style. It's as simple as that!

3) Add resistance

Making resistance work a part of your weekly gym schedule with have multiple benefits to aid your bodies recovery and general robustness: 1) You'll be stronger and more efficient when it comes to your cardio sessions, 2) You'll be stronger and more robust when it comes to injury avoidance, 3) You can un-do  some of the repetitive strains added to your body by countless hours of cardio. 4) You'll give your body a break from the usual cardio and offer it an alternative stimulus.

4) Find a kinder surface

If you're a regular runner then road running can be very unkind for your joints. try to add variety and find a kinder running surface such as an athletics track.

5) Run correctly

Most people think they can run because they can move at a walking pace and then do some movements that make them move a bit faster. There is in fact a lot more technique to running than many people understand. If you intend of running regularly you should seek the advice of an experienced running coach. Not only will this help you to avoid injuries but it should also make you more efficient. You wouldn't buy a car and just "give driving a go" as you'd probably damage it. So why would you take the same risks with your body; an object that can't be replaced when damaged?

 

GYM FOLK:

1) Pull more than you push

Most things we as humans do are in front of us and require us to hold our arms in front to do so; driving, eating, typing etc. This often causes a shortness in the anterior muscles (front side of the body) causing a rounding of the shoulders and neck. Try to un-do the everyday tensions by focusing on "pulling" work in the gym far more than you do "pushing" work. For people that perform push ups and sit ups every morning.. stop it!

2) Move freely

It's important that you allow the body to move as it's designed to. Try to include a variety of movements in all sessions. As well as your standard push and pull work make sure that you rotate, hinge, lunge and crawl or climb. Don't be limited by resistance machines and conventional exercises, use your own body, move naturally and incorporate elements of play into your exercise regime.

3) Don't train the same muscle groups consistently without sufficient rest

By not allowing sufficient rest for muscles your body will not be able to repair, adapt and grow. If you have a set gym routine that you cover every time you're in there then this needs adjusting. If you're not sure how to do this then see a professionals help and ask them to design your gym programmes in 6-8 week blocks and then re-visit them for a new set,

4) Train the body equally

Most people (males especially) like to train what they can see. Usually their chest, abdominal area and biceps are the main focus week-on-week. Training with this as your sole focus not only leaves the symmetry of your body all out of whack, but also causes additional strain for areas of the body that are weaker and are forced to operate in an alternative, incorrect way in order to compensate for the weakness. For example, neglecting your legs and glute muscles may lead to back pains due to a weakness in that area.

5) Train limbs individually

It can be tempting to stick with resistance machines or barbell work for the majority of your resistance work. However, often these exercises to do not highlight areas of weakness or imbalance in terms of strength or range of movement. It can be hard to definitively say where the majority of the effort is coming from. For these reasons it's important to regularly train single limbs, uncover areas of weakness and imbalance between the left and right side of your body and then address these issues.

 

EVERYONE:

Foam roll and stretch

Everyone (in my opinion) should foam roll and stretch regularly. Even if you're not a regular exerciser you need to undo the unnatural confinements, positions and strains that your lifestyle imposes on you. We're not designed to be sedentary; we should move be mobile and be free. Help your body out and give back regularly.

 

Ultimately, it's about finding a good balance that suits both your lifestyle and your own personal rate of recovery. Listen to your body, think prevention rather than cure when it comes to injury and recovery, don't put all of your eggs in one basket and don't have "too much of a good thing."

Don't forget to follow me on Twitter (@MichaelD_PT) and YouTube

Use Your Time More Wisely

When you're in the gym and you're between sets, what do you do? Talk to a friend? How long does that go on for? Walk around the gym finding the best down-lights to make you look awesome? Get a drink? Prowl the gym floor like you own it? Check-in on Facebook, Tweet and upload a picture on Instagram to report on your gains?

While checking out how great you look might seem like a good use of your time, why not be even MORE productive?

The chances are when you spend time doing these non-specific activities, significant amounts of time may pass unnoticed and you lose the momentum of your workout.

Why not set 60-120 second timers between sets. This should be ample rest time. Then, during your rest period maximise your gym time even further by trying these things between sets:

 

Mobilise

Select a body part (not necessarily the parts your working) and try to mobilise them between sets with bands, foam rollers or lacrosse balls. Then, next exercise pick an alternative body part. You can plan these out before you start each exercise or, you might pick and choose them to help improve your current session depending on where you're feeling restrictions. For example, using a lacrosse ball to relieve tension in the hip flexors during the early sets of a back squats may benefit you as the weight increases. Alternatively, use a foam roller to reduce stiffness and soreness from previous sessions.
Here's a nice little gym flow that you could include between the warm up/build up sets next time you squat: VIDEO

 

Work Your Core

Loads of people leave ab and core work until the end of their session. They then do it half-heartedly or not at all as they just want to get home. Why not mix it into your session. Sometime I like to try and superset every exercise with a different test of core strength or a good ol' fashioned abdominal exercises. Most of my clients will have experienced this at one time or another. It's a great way to not only get through a lot of core work, but you also increase your anaerobic capacity, it tests you mentally but above all, it means that when the main part of your session is done, then you're done. You'll probably also find that the quality of core work increases due to improved rest periods compared to when you throw it all together at the end of a session.

 

Cardio

The OTHER thing that gets left until the end of a session or ignored altogether is cardio. Why not try and throw some small intervals between sets of resistance work. You may need to add further rest after each round though or you'll soon blow out. For example if you planned on doing 4 sets of 4 different exercises you might: row 200m between each of the first 4 sets, Run for a minute up hill between the second 4 sets, do 30 mountain climbers between the third 4 sets and do a fast 2 minutes on the bike between the last 4 sets. A fast and effective way to incorporate intervals into your session. Try to consider the structure of your session; for example: if you're doing lots of pulling work then perhaps save your grip and avoid rowing. Likewise, if you're already doing lots of lower body work, cycling may compromise the quality of the resistance work.

 

Isolation & Accessory Work

Between the "bigger exercises" you could try some isolation work or accessory work. It may be for aesthetic purposes or perhaps to help improve some weaknesses you have such as grip strength. As long as it doesn't then compromise the "bigger exercise". For example: Avoid doing sets of bicep curls between deadlifts as it is likely to fatigue your grip when you go back to deadlifting. But, you might want to do sets of calf raises for instance; I hear some people need that kind of thing.

 

Practice Breathing

Sounds stupid? It's not. Practice relaxation breathing, lowering your heart rate and breathing using your stomach muscles rather than lifting your entire diaphragm. Read more here about The Benefits of Diaphragmatic Breathing.

 

Practice Form

With a lesser load or perhaps, no load at all practice the technique of the exercise you're performing between each set. You might even use alternative equipment such as a broom stick to replicate a bar. If there's an element of the movement you want to practice such as improving your posture during squatting, you could replicate this with a light goblet squat, holding it in the bottom position and trying to adjust your posture.

 

THINK ABOUT IT...

Lots of people will go to the gym and perform 4-5 exercises and do 3-4 sets of each. That means you're potentially missing out on 8-15 opportunities to improve yourself every session. Do this kind of thing every session and you can imagine how it will add up over the year.

 

Don't forget to follow me on Twitter (@MichaelD_PT) and YouTube

Retro Bodybuilding Myths

As we get more and more information thrust upon us each day, it's easy to understand why some people take on bad advice and include it in their training.

However, there are some old fashion, retro "body builder" tips that, for no great reason, have hung around and still show their ugly face in many gyms across the world. "BroScience" to many of you is more apparent than ever.

Just because a big lad at the gym gave you a tip, don't take it as gospel. here's a few to look out for.

Bench Press with your feet in the air to isolate the chest...
There are some people that like to perform chest press with their feet on the bench, or worse still, feet in the air. The idea being that it "isolates the chest". Remember, just because something is harder, doesn't make it better. Performing squats balanced on a swiss ball is tough but not the best way of working your legs.
Ultimately, if you want to improve your chest and your pressing ability you want to be stimulating growth and adaptation. The best way to do that is through some form of overload via increased weight or repetitions or time under tension; if you want to do that then you're best to keep your feet planted firmly on the floor. You're not a balancing act after all.

Heavier squats are more important than deeper squats...
You'll see many people looking to squat the heaviest weight they can waddle out of a squat rack at the cost of sacrificing squat depth and at times, much squat form all together. In order to recruit the highest amount of muscle fires and stimulate growth from a squat depth is key. Work on proper depth under proper control and maintaining good form throughout - the weight increases will soon follow.

Always wear a weights belt for the heavier sets...
Many people still opt for a weights belt as they reach their upper limit for lifting weights. They looked shocked at you when you ask why their using a belt as if you wouldn't imagine lifting a heavy weight without a belt. Personally, I wouldn't ever advise a non-competitive lifter to use a belt. Instead, focus on strengthening all areas of your body equally to take the load and strains placed on it. Relying on a training assistance of any kind is never a good idea.

Walk for extended periods for fat loss...
Long bouts of steady-state cardio (usually treadmill walking) has been a staple exercise for body builders looking to shift body fay and retain muscle for many years. However, what many people ignore is the benefits of sprint work in reducing body fat and improving sporting performance. Sprint work is tough, but short bouts of interval sprint work are an incredibly effective way to shift body fat and boost your metabolic rate. It's a much more time-effective and less tedious option in my opinion. If like me, you're not a huge running fan, intervals of rowing, cycling and even crawling might be a viable option.

Wear a sweat suit to burn more fat...
Sweat suits like you sometimes see a boxer in are designed for one purpose only: to reduce your immediate weight. Not your body fat, just your weight. All that it may do is increase the rate at which you lose water. If you're under pressure to reach a specific weight in time for a pre-fight weigh-in then sure, a sweat suit might be a viable (though not ideal) option. Otherwise, be warned that any fast loss in weight is merely water weight that will return once you take on water again. Rather than a positive, in fact these suits are likely to have a negative impact on your training and results. A loss in water will cause dehydration. Dehydration will reduce your performance and rate you can work at and so, reduce your potential effort so burn less calories and lift less weight. It will also hamper your bodily functions which are heavily reliant on water.

Arms days are essential...
Don't be lured into thinking that you need to put aside an hour a week just to build your arms. Most of you will have other time constraints such as work, family and friends; so why not spend your valuable gym time a little more effectively? Sure, the odd bit of isolation work will target your arms specifically, but consider the benefit of fully body, multi-joint compound exercises like squats and deadlifts if you're looking to improve strength and general body composition. If your under-sized biceps are keeping you awake at night then opt for lots of narrow grip pulling work when working your back. This will not only target your back but also require a lot of forearm and bicep effort. Bigger back and better arms in one go.

More cardio to reduce body fat and get fitter...
It's often the view that if you want to "get fit" then running is the first option. Or, if you need to lose weight, it's cardio again. "Cardio" training is designed to improve the strength and capabilities of your heart and lungs by elevating the heart rate. This can be achieved in many more ways than just running. Heavy lifting or high intensity resistance work are all viable options. Just because you need to reduce your body fat, don't instantly opt for the treadmill. Build lean muscle and improve your everyday metabolic rate while also burning calories in the gym through high intensity resistance work. This is much more likely to avoid you spending a long time in a catabolic state (muscle wastage) and so, will help to retain the muscle mass you've worked hard to gain. if you want some ides for high intensity interval workouts I've written up plenty here: http://www.michaeldarren.blogspot.co.uk/p/workouts-that-ive-enjoyed.html

Carbs in the evening will make you fat...
Ever heard "no carbs after 8pm"? This can work... but usually as it stops people from eating anything after 8 and so, reducing their calorie count every day. Where they might usually opt for late night eating, if you cut that out of your life then yeah, you probably will make a difference. However, it's not that carbohydrates that were the villain in this whole lifestyle adjustment.

Conclusion...
Most of these ideas and tips will have an element of truth or, at one stage, were a current and up to date method of training. However, they're now out-dated and sports science has allowed us to find more beneficial and effective way to stimulate adaptation in the body. Don't be surprised when you still see the above happening in a  gym... just don't join them!

Don't forget to follow me on Twitter - @MichaelD_PT and subscribe to my YouTube channel

There's a reason why supersets are called "Super"...

So, I read an article on the benefits of supersets in a leading fitness publication the other day. I didn't like it, so I wrote a better one...

What are supersets?..

Superset: Two exercises performed consecutively without any rest between them. The two exercises are counted as just one set. No rest, no chatting, no sipping a drink between - nothing.

Where are they from?..
Supersets were popularised in the gym by Arnold Schwarzenegger. Although Arnold may not be the creator of supersets, he was credited by a number of his training partners at the time for bringing the benefits of supersets to their attention and into the mainstream exercise community.

But why are they so "super"?..
Any of my clients, former clients or training partners reading this will be more than aware of my love for supersets; and with good reason...

According to The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research: Performing antagonistic supersets increases the amount of calories you burn by 25% compared to traditional straight sets. Antagonist supersets involve working muscle meant for opposite functions, IE: A push and pull superset made up from push ups and a seated row.

The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research also found that performing 4-6 supersets in a session allowed for gains of 40% more muscle mass than you would if you trained using a single set....

In short, you can use super-sets to burn more calories AND build more lean muscle - perfect no matter what your goals.

Types of supersets...

Generally supersets fall into 3 main categories:

1) Antagonist supersets (Described above): these allow for greater muscle gains and calorie burning as you're able to exercise apposing muscle groups allowing you to complete two exercises without experiencing fatigue. The majority of the muscles used in the first exercise are effectively resting during the second. Twice the resistance work and an elevated heart rate for a longer period of time
2) Vascular shunt supersets: These are designed to make your heart work harder and burn more calories by "shunting" the blood a large distance around the body. The most effective example would be to perform a leg exercise and then a shoulders exercise as a superset meaning that the blood is needed in a huge volume in the legs before travelling a large distance to the top of the body
3) Overload supersets: Effectively, two exercises for the same body part as a superset. For example, bench press followed by plyometric push ups. This adds an element of muscular endurance and also encourage an overload and tearing of the muscles for additional growth. Most popularly used by "mirror monkeys" looking to improve their arms.

What is a good example of a superset?..
So here's my suggestions for 10 of the best supersets you can do. None of the below fall into the 3rd category described above (overload supersets) as these are pretty easy to create on your own...

1. Bench Press x 12 - Weighted Pull Ups x 8
2. Reverse Dumbbell Lunges x 8 (each side) - Standing Push Press x 8
3. Incline Dumbbell Chest Press x 12 - Renegade Row x 8 each side
4. Incline leg press x 12 - Dumbbell lateral raises x 12
5. Russian Step Ups x 8 each side - Plyometric push ups x 8
6. Cable Flys x 10 - Cable reverse flys x 10
7. Squats x 8 - Standing Arnold Press x 8
8. (Kettlebell set) Kettlebell front squat x 8 - Kettlebell Standing shoulder press x 8 with the same kettlebells
9. (TRX Super set) Chest Press x 12 - Inverted Row x 12
10. (Sports specific set) Plyometric box jumps x 8 - Single dumbell snatch x 5 each side

Workout ideas...
Why not piece two workouts together this week from the above?
Try exercises: 1,3,6,9,10 for workout one and then, 2,4,5,7,8 for workout two? Or just mix and match for 2 full body workouts.

NOTE...

It's important to note that the calorie burning is significantly increased when an action called VASCULAR SHUNT occurs.

Vascular shunt is most effective when the path between muscle groups is greatest, hence pairing leg exercises and overhead presses. The results can be significantly lessened by shortening this path and using smaller muscle groups IE: Pairing biceps and triceps exercises. Great for the ego, less so for the heart.

Don't forget to follow me on Twitter (@MichaelD_PT) and subscribe to my YouTube channel  

What ever happened to good old fashioned "Gym Etiquette"?...

I was talking to an older member at the gym last week and he said,

"What ever happened to good old fashioned 'Gym Etiquette'?..."

And it got me thinking. Perhaps it's the type of gyms that I'm more familiar with which are more sports-based or "spit n' sawdust" type gyms and less "health club" focused; but I too think there's a real lack of gym etiquette at times! (I'm sounding old now!)
So if you're new to the gym, don't think there's a problem with your gym or just need a refresher on desirable gym behaviour then here's the top 10 from my book...

1. (and this IS number one!) PUT YOUR WEIGHTS AWAY!
At the risk of sounding like someone's mum "Leave things how you'd like to find them!" We've all had the annoying times when you're walking around the gym like a simpleton, staring at the weights rack looking for the weight you need. How much better would it be if it was real easy to see if your weights were or weren't free?

2.Hold your tongue...
Why do so many people (mainly men) feel it necessary to swear at the gym ALL the time?... Is it the testosterone? The increased arousal levels? Or, just a chance to clean their tongue before they get home? Whatever it is, it's pointless and really annoying. Swearing doesn't make you cool, make you a "tough guy" or make you lift any better so leave it at the door.

3. Don't throw weights around...
Why would you throw a weight or drop it from such an unnecessary height? I've seen people throw weights so hard that I thought to myself "If you can throw them that hard, you could probably have used that energy for another 2 reps!?.." Sure, sometimes things get heavy but at least make SOME effort to lower them near to the floor. It's safer for you and others around you. Plus it's much less annoying!

4. Don't throw YOUR weight around..
This isn't the same as the previous point. This is more about intimidation in the gym. There is usually a real cross-section of gym goers in a gym at any time. Don't be one of the intimidating types that asks "How long have you got left on there!?.." and then hangs about to watch! Ask if you like but give people there space and don't rush their workout along (within reason!) Check that no one is using equipment before jumping on with your exercise and don't discuss others in the gym or stand watching others exercise. We all had our first time in the gym; they can be intimidating places so you don't need to add to the atmosphere!

5. Keep it moving...
Too many groups hang out on one piece of equipment for AGES! This isn't beneficial to their training and winds up all of the other members. Especially when they're camped on the bench press on a Monday for "International Bench Press Day". Use it, rest as you need, but don't just hog stuff and annoy everyone.

6. Remember: Mirrors are for safety...
I'm FAIRLY sure if you ask most gym goers why there are mirrors in the gym they will be able to explain that mirrors can be used for things such as checking technique on yourself and others and being aware of other around you when lifting. Mirrors are not JUST there for a pose down session in the middle of the gym. I neither want to hear, nor see, who has the best abs out for you and your pals! Especially when you're blocking me checking my form - GET OUT OF THE WAY!!

7. Keep your eyes to yourself...
Sure, we're always learning. And, as I always say, no one knows everything. BUT, there's observing and learning from others discreetly and there's staring at others in order to 1.Critique their exercise or form, 2. Check your manliness by seeing which weights they use and comparing to yours or 3. Staring to steal exercises (do it with some subtlety). All 3 of these are, in my mind, unacceptable.

8. Stay OFF your phone...
No one cares about what you and your pals are up to. What he said to her and what she said back. What sort of a state you were in at the weekend or which of your friends has annoyed you. If you MUST communicate with the outside world when you SHOULD be exercising send a quick text, or if you need to talk, do it outside if the gym quickly. It's annoying, off-putting and unnecessary.

9. Keep it clean...
If you've worn gym kit and sweated at all, don't wear it again until it's washed! If you've been at work all day and been warm, throw on some anti-perspirant before the gym and have a wash at least. There are too many people stinking up gyms and it gets even worse in the summer! Just be considerate to others and stay clean. Likewise, if you've sweated all over a piece of equipment, benches, cardio equipment, dumbbells or otherwise, WIPE-IT-DOWN!! Don't be a wrong'n!

10. Look right, look left, look right again...
Be aware of who and what's around you. It's SO frustrating to have a pair of dumbbells in your hand and while you're trying to make your way to your station a "mirror monkey" is posing it up or a group are standing in the way chatting away and blocking your way. It's not just "gym etiquette", it's just straight forward good manners. Be considerate to others.Keep your eyes to yourself...

Hold on.. there's one more. It's going to have to be a non-conventional "Top 11" article...

11. Keep the mouse in the house...
Until I spoke with female members at my gym, I assumed this was a male-only issue but I now know it to be a unisex problem! Dear naked guy in the changing room, PLEASE don't strut about with your shmackle swinging about the place. Don't stand parading naked in front of a mirror. Don't stand drying your under-carriage with hairdryers and don't "dust your gizzard" (excessively talcum powder your genitals) all over the place and make my possessions look like antiques! What confuses me is, this is often the behaviour of the less "in-shape" folk anyway? Changing rooms are still a confusing place!

Bit of a rant yes, but these, in my mind are the top... 11 things that all gym-folk should adhere to - young and old, newby and regulars, it's just common courtesy!

DON'T FORGET... You can follow me on Twitter and subscribe to my YouTube channel.

GUEST BLOGGER James Lakin - "Exercise and Nutrition: Some of the MANY myths"

Personal Trainer, James Lakin looks at just SOME of the nutritional myths that circulate in most gyms.

James says,

"You may have been given good and bad advice from other gym freaks on how to build muscle or burn fat. My favourite piece of bad advice that was given to me when I first started out training was from a meat-head I chatted to; unbelievably he said,"

“To get big you should eat KFC!” "I nodded and thanked him for the advice. Thankfully, over the years I have decided to educate myself and not rely on such pearls of wisdom from gym members. Here are just a few myths that must be dismissed!"

1. “My muscle turned to fat” Fat and muscle are two separate tisues. You can increase or decrease muscle or fat but they can not turn into one another.

2. “After training I can eat what I want”After training your breathing and heart rate will remain elevated to return your body to a natural state. To do this you will continue to burn energy and this is what people often refer to as “the golden hour” and mistakenly scoff the things they shouldn’t. After Training your body is crying out for nutrients feed it the energy it needs to replenish your stores to support growth and recovery. Water, protein, minerals and vitamins and not muffins or ice cream.

3. “If I train in the morning without eating breakfast I will lose more weight”Our body needs fuel to perform, without energy your workout will suffer. Research has shown skipping meals can slow down your metabolism eat small meals regularly to avoid this. Allow between an hour and a half and two hours to give your body enough time for digestion.

4. “I eat lots of pasta”
There seems to be a bit of an obsession with pasta. Many athletes load up on the stuff because of its high calorific content but they are burning thousands of calories through training several hours a day. For the average person being in a seated position 8 hours or more a day these excess calories will result in fat being stored if not burnt up! In no way am I saying don’t eat pasta, just be careful it doesn’t cause you to exceed your targeted daily calorie consumption.

5. “Which diet should I go on?”
I hear this a lot, any diet where you are taking in less energy will cause you to lose weight. They may work short term but the dieter can often put it straight back on plus more weight very quickly. A healthier way is to aim to lose no more than 2lbs per week eating a healthy balance of 80% good and 20% a little more relaxed. Two pounds may not sound a lot but in just 7 weeks that’s a whole stone! You will be more likely to sustain healthy eating and lose fat rather than muscle. From experience, clients that have lost weight gradually as opposed to crash or yoyo dieting have been able to keep the weight off. If diets worked, there wouldn't be a diet industr; there would just be a diet that everyone follows?


For more information on James, or to contact him directly regarding nutritional advice and/or personal training, view his website: http://www.uxbridge-fitness.co.uk/

"WOW-WOW" - 22/07/10 ("Words of Wisdom" - Workout of the Week)

Welcome to the first "WOW-WOW". This is the "Words of wisdom" - workout of the week. Don't be fooled by the name, it won't be a weekly post, just when I piece together an interesting workout, one I especially enjoy or just one I fancy sharing.

Today I had a day off so this in my head means "crank it up - you don't have to work afterward". So.. I did.

It was my day for shoulders and I was feeling a little lethargic and "under-cardioed" (I don't think that's a phrase?.. basically I felt lazy). So I went on down to the Gallery gym in Windsor and this is what went down. Try it if you like...

Warm up...
- 5 minutes steady rowing
- Rotator cuff/shoulder warm up (3 sets: 20,15,12 reps - see video below)
- 3 x 1 minute rounds of kettlebell swings varying between 2-hand and 1-hand swings and increasing the weight each minute

The rotator cuff exercises I use are like this dude but with bigger weights: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhAPCPAskJU

Exercise one...(Increasing the weights for each set)
- 1 minute treadmill run
- Standing military press (15 reps)
30 SECOND REST
- 1 minute treadmill run
- Standing military press (12 reps)
30 SECOND REST
- 1 minute treadmill run
- Standing military press (10 reps)

Exercise 2...(Increasing the weights for each set)
- 30 seconds rowing
- Arnold press (20 reps)
30 SECONDS REST
- 45 seconds rowing
- Arnold press (15 reps)
30 SECONDS REST
- 60 seconds rowing
- Arnold press (12 reps)

Exercise 3...(using the same weights for each set)
- 90 seconds stepper machine/rolling stairs
- Front raise, lateral raise super-set (12 of each)
30 SECONDS REST
- 90 seconds stepper machine/rolling stairs
- Front raise, lateral raise super-set (12 of each)
30 SECONDS REST
- 90 seconds stepper machine/rolling stairs
- Front raise, lateral raise super-set (10 of each - I was puffing a bit by now)

Exercise 4...the "finisher"...
Shrugs(dumbell or barbell style)... tabata style. 4 minutes my hands won't forget any time soon!
(If you're not sure on what exactly "tabata" is, you can find an explanation in my previous blog post "HELP, I don't have time to train!")

After this workout I was pretty much dripping. My heart was working overtime towards the end of each set - vascular shunt at it's finest (look out for future posts on vascular shunt training). Blood was travelling to the legs, then not only to the upper body, but all the way above the heart and over head. (This kind of workout is not recommended for anyone elderly or with a heart conditions or weak heart of any kind!)

This is a great workout and a quick one too. Great calorie burning and a method which can be applied to most muscle groups or styles of workout.

There are just a few issues to consider before trying it.

Issues to consider...
- Don't do it if you're new to the gym - you'll feel sick for sure!
- Don't do it if, as mentioned above, you are elderly or with a heart condition or weak heart of any kind
- I personally wouldn't do it with a complete leg session. It works well with one or two exercises but ultimately the cardio will impact the performance of the legs and ultimately compromise the quality of the session
- Think about your gym layout and the time that you're going to try it. It won't work if you need to move miles between equipment
- Likewise, if it's busy and someone is likely to use the equipment as soon as you move off it, this won't work either. Probably not one to try at peak time
- Be kind. Adjust the weights etc for the next set, THEN take your 30 seconds rest - you've earned it! If this is new to you allow a little extra time to regain your breath

Don't forget to follow me on www.twitter.com/MichaelD_PT