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Quick Workouts

Posted by nasouri on June 25, 2010 · Leave a Comment 

If you’re like most people, when you need to get a workout in, you want to get in, get it done, and get out.  We have so many demands constantly being placed upon us that it can be a real challenge to keep up with everything.

Rather than letting your workouts fall by the wayside though, consider using smart techniques to shorten them up slightly so you can manage to fit them into your busy day.

Here are some quick tricks to start incorporating in.

Add Supersets

The first way to shorten up your workouts is to begin by adding supersets.  This is where you pair two exercises back to back with each other.  Since you’ll work two muscles in the time it took you to usually only work one, you’ll cut back on the overall workout duration dramatically.

Remember to rest between the supersets for a long enough time that you do recovery however otherwise you could start to find you’re not maintaining the intensity necessary to make progress.

Reduce Your Rest Periods

Second, if you aren’t doing supersets but sticking with your usual straight sets, consider cutting back on the rest periods.  You don’t need to omit rest, but if you’re typically using two minutes between sets, one minute may be enough.

In some cases this may mean changing the overall protocol of the program and moving to a slightly higher rep range, lighter weight design, but the change can sometimes do you good.

Just don’t go past the 12 rep range for most exercises as then the productivity of those sets will really drop off unless you’re strictly training for muscular endurance.

Cut Down On Your Sets

If you’re really in a hurry and looking to get in a super quick workout, the method to use is to cut back on your total sets performed.  As a general rule you can maintain your muscle mass on half the volume you typically use, so if you normally use four sets for an exercise, you can get away with two for the time being.

Don’t expect to make very large gains using fewer sets, but maintaining is much better than risking losing muscle mass, so will be sufficient for those days when you really just don’t have time.

Use Compound Exercise

Being sure that the vast majority of your exercises are compound in nature is also wise for faster workouts.  This allows you to work a number of muscles all at once hence you have to do much less isolation work that really eats up time.

For example, doing a bent over row will work the back, the lats, as well as the biceps.  Likewise, an incline bench press will hit the chest muscle, the shoulders, the triceps, and even the biceps to a very small extent.

Compound exercises are a great way to get in a full body workout in just minutes.

Add Interval Training

Lastly, on the cardio side of things, make sure you are using interval cardio training.  Nothing beats this method for boosting the metabolic rate and getting the workout done in a hurry.  Within twenty five to thirty minutes you can be in and out, all while getting a leg up on overall fat loss.

So don’t let yourself skip a workout again. Instead use these principles to shorten the session so you can find the time to fit it in.

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Fitness Progression

Posted by nasouri on December 4, 2009 · Leave a Comment 

Just about everyone I meet want to learn the newest exercises on the latest inventions. Although there is nothing wrong with that, it is important to understand the concept of gradual progression.

With this post I want to address the question: Where should I start? Now as cliché as it might sound, and this is especially true with your fitness, the answer is…

At the beginning.

Why? Wouldn’t i be better off just starting with the more advanced exercises from the beginning?

Let me illustrate this with an example:

Two people, John and Brenda, are both starting an exercise program, have similar goals and experience working out. John is in a hurry to get in shape while Brenda understands the concept of gradual progression. John begins an intense exercise regimen with all the newest routines. Brenda on the other hand Decides to play it safe and starts at the beginning with the most basic and fundamental exercises.

Here is a typical outcome of this scenario:

Within just a few months John starts off by doing really well. He is still excited about his new exercise program and is seeing some good results. Brenda is doing good. Even the basic exercises are enough to create positive adaptations in her physique and overall fitness. She might not have seen the same results as John, but she is not too far off.

Important point to remember: the human body can only adapt at a certain pace – regardless of the intensity of a workout. Similar to the way a car can only reach a certain speed regardless of how much pressure you put on the accelerator.

So far it might seem that John took the right approach but look and see what happens next.

Since John pretty much started at the end (all the new stuff) he really does not have anywhere to go. The human body adapts to change and there really isn’t much that he can do to advance his workouts from here. All those intense workouts are finally starting to catch up to him and he is starting to feel fatigued and extremely frustrated that the results he showed in the beginning are starting to taper off.

Brenda has MANY options in how she can progress her workout. Week by week she gradually increases the intensity of each exercise session, her energy levels are still high and she is consistently seeing progress – she even passed up John who has now hit a plateau.

So, if you’re looking to start an exercise program be sure to start slow, start at the beginning, and stay consistent. There will always be something new ahead and there will always be room to progress. That is the KEY to a successful fitness program.

Always work hard and train smart.

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HIIT or Traditional

Posted by nasouri on July 7, 2009 · 1 Comment 

Avoiding Conflicting Studies By Combining Various Aerobic Methods

So, when it comes to aerobic exercise and burning the most calories per workout there are two common approaches:

1)    Long steady state cardio training for 45 minutes plus.

2)    HIIT High Intensity Interval Training. Basically the combination of low to moderate workloads interlaced with bouts of high intensity intervals.

Which is the preferred method and why? Well, although the second method is growing in popularity the truth is that BOTH methods are important tools.

Long steady state training is a great method for general cardiovascular and cardiorespiratory conditioning while at the same time teaches the body to burn stored body fat.

HIIT is time efficient and typically has a longer lasting after effect when it comes to keeping your metabolism spiked. Higher intensity levels result in a higher caloric burn.

The truth remains that the human body adapts best to variation and progressions. Vary your exercise by using BOTH steady state or HIIT or even a combination of the two. Always progress your program every few weeks by adding to the workload (increase the speed, incline duration…)

The current ACSM and AHA guidelines to maintain a healthy lifestyle are 5 days of moderate intensity exercise for 30 minutes a day. These guidelines are designed for maintenance. For those seeking physical change then the intensity and/or duration need to be increased.

Are you doing enough cardiovascular exercise for your goals? Take the time right now to set a weekly program and try to commit to it for 6 weeks straight.

Be sure to keep me updated on your progress.

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