To run, or not to run...that is the question

By: Jeff

Let me begin this post with admitting I am not fond of cardiovascular training. I am a weight lifter who utilizes my experience to get my cardiovascular training in the weight room by circuit training and minimizing breaks to increase my heart rate and get my body into calorie-burning mode. The thought of running just to run is enough to make me shudder.

Nonetheless, don't let my personal opinions on running sway you from enjoying a run to improve your health. However, I was asked the other day by a friend, "Is running okay? Is it good for you?", and the answer to that question is more complex than one may think.

Recent studies have shown excessive running (i.e - marathoners who don't allow their bodies to rest after running the 26+ mile race) can experience damage to their heart and other vital organs, but these people are rare in terms of the entire population who thinks of running as their primary exercise.

Running has it's place in your workout plan, but be sure to play it smart. Unless you are training for anything over a 5k race, you should be focused more on your heart rate than your distance. Forget about how far you ran, as well as how fast your ran that distance unless you are training for a race. Instead, take the focus on distance and time and put it towards effort and exertion.

Sprinting has been proven to be more effective in terms of burning calories and spiking heart rate than long distance running. Think back to primitive man (or woman) and what they had to accomplish on a daily basis. Walking to find food, and sprinting like hell to catch prey or also run away from predators.

The same can be true to your training today. If you don't have time to run for hours, sprint training is your ticket to spark your fat loss and increasing your metabolism. Here is a workout to try next time you hit the trail, and I guarantee you find it to be just as challenging as the classic distance run.

After an active warm up, jog for 5 minutes. At the 5 minute mark, sprint for 30 seconds. Trust me, those 30 seconds will be longer than you think. For those 30 seconds you sprint as fast as you can completely letting yourself loose. After the 30 seconds have expired, go back to a jog for 5 minutes. Repeat this process for 5 circuits. You will be jogging for 25 minutes, and sprinting for 2.5 minutes. A quality cardiovascular workout under 30 minutes.

If you feel the need to walk at any time, walk. Work yourself up to jogging and sprinting, but remember the sprinting is the most important part of the workout. So, as I told our friend, running is fine, but make sure it suits you and your fitness goals.

Happy Running!

Fitness Friday: The Ultimate Upper Body Challenge

By: Jeff

You've all heard the meat heads in the gym ask the age-old question, "How much do you bench?" The bench press has been thought to be the ultimate test of upper body strength for years, but it is time for that trend to change.

If the bench press isn't the ultimate test of upper body strength, then what is? The answer: The Pull Up.

Being able to take your entire body weight from a hanging position and pulling it up over a bar is by far a better test of upper body strength than push ups or the bench press. The bench press has it's validity in this discussion, but to do multiple pull ups and do them well shows a higher level of strength and fitness than hitting the bench press.

So, the challenge is, can you do a pull up? If you can't, it is time to start setting your goals higher. As we enter the month of February challenge yourself to do one pull up by the end of the month. If you can do pull ups, see if you can do 20 in a row, and once you do that it is time to start the weighted pull ups to keep challenging yourself.

For the beginners, try these exercises to get yourself ready to reach your goal and complete the pull up challenge:

Lat Pull Down (Wide Grip): 3 x 20
Flexed Arm Hang (Jump and hang on the bar keeping your chin over for as long as you can): 3 x's
Single Arm DB Row: 3 x 20
If your gym has this machine:
Assisted Pull Up: 3 x 15

Do this 3 days a week on top of your previous training regimen, while always trying at least once a week to see your progress towards defeating the pull up and defeating the challenge.

Good Luck and Happy Pull Ups!

Fitness Friday: See Big Gains With This Total Body Workout

By: Jeff

It's Friday, which means it is time for your weekly Fitness Friday article here at the blog. Today I give you a total body workout I actually did this morning which is guaranteed to give you gains you've been missing in the weight room as well as spark some growth. Give it a try!

Incline Dumbell Bench Press: 12, 10, 8 (Increase weight every set)
Decline Push-Ups: 3 x 10
Rope Triceps Extensions: 3 x 10
Dumbbell Triceps Kickbacks: 3 x 10

Pull Ups (Weighted for Advanced): 3 x 10
One-Arm Dumbbell Row: 12, 10, 8 (Increase weight every set)
Barbell Biceps Curls: 3 x 10
Dumbbell Concentration Curls: 3 x 10

Leg Press: 12, 10, 8 (Increase weight every set)
Weighted Walking Lunges: 20 steps
Seated Calf Raise: 3 x 10
Standing Calf Raise: 3 x 10

Each set of 4 exercises should be done in a circuit setting. Do a set of incline bench press followed immediately by push ups then rope extensions and kickbacks. All without a break. Try and do all 3 sets without a break, but do as much as you can with as little rest as possible. Once you finish a complete 3-set circuit, move onto the next circuit.

This workout is difficult, but will force you to push yourself to the max, and you will then see the benefits of your hard work and dedication!

Happy Friday and Happy Training!

5 ways to break out of your Fitness Funk

By Jeff:

There are occasions when even the seasoned veteran, in terms of exercise, goes into a funk. Your weight training gains might come to a halt, your mile time might stall or get worse and your overall energy level might just be lower than normal.

When this happens, what can you do to kick the funk you are in and get back on track? Here are 5 easy steps you can take to ensure you get back on the horse and back into your workout groove.

1. Rest - The majority of people who experience some type of exercise fatigue are the people who often times need to simply take a break. The human body is an amazing machine, but even the most sophisticated machine needs to be shut down from time to time. Try and get at least 8 hours of sleep a night and avoid over-training by giving yourself a day off in between intense training sessions.

2. Mix It Up - Often times when weight lifters see their bench press progress plateau, they get flustered and angry. The solution is typically very simple...stop doing the same thing over and over again. If you are obsessed with the bench press, try changing your grip. Close grip can stimulate different muscles throughout the upper body and could spark new growth and gains. Abandon the bench and try chest flies and push ups rather than the same routine repeatedly. Don't be afraid to take pride out of the equation and research some new training styles and workouts. It could be just the thing to ignite some new progress in your training.

3. Nutritional Back-Up - When a lack of energy is the cause of your struggles in the gym, you can point to your nutrition as the reason why. Be sure you give your body the proper fuel for your metabolic engine before hitting the gym, or the trail. About an hour before exercise you should digest some carbohydrates as well as protein to give your body something tangible to utilize to get you through your workout. Something like a banana and string cheese, or an apple and a hard boiled egg will be just the ticket to giving you the energy you need get through your next training session.

4. Grab a Partner - Working out with someone will always intensify your workouts. Whether it is the competition of who can run faster and lift more, or the reliability of someone being there helping you along the way. Be sure you choose a workout partner wisely. You want someone with similar workout goals in mind, but also someone who is focused on training and not talking. Nothing can be worse for fitness gains than someone who would rather talk than train.

5. Change of Scenery - The human body can be habitual and lazy. It gets accustomed to the same exercises, workouts and even the time of day you train. Throwing your body off is always a good thing to do. If you train every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 4:00 p.m., try changing it up a bit. Maybe train Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday but train in the morning for a few weeks. Take it another step further and go out of the gym for some outdoor workouts. Find some steps, do some springs, pull ups in a tree and push ups anywhere can make for a great total body workout that won't cost you a dime, but could kick start your gains.

Happy Training!

Fitness Friday: How to improve your workouts with mental focus

By: Jeff

[Editor's Note: We are starting a new series of articles called Fitness Friday. Every Friday we provide you with some advice to help you reach the level of fitness you desire. Enjoy!]

We've all been there. In the gym, going through the motions, thinking about something else and essentially not wanting to be there. You leave feeling as if you've wasted more time than made yourself better. The question remains, how do you prevent this from happening in the future?

The answer might seem corny and simple, but it is all about mental focus. Having the ability to put those external factors on the back burner for the next 45 minutes, and simply focus on the task at hand.

Here are some tips which I have found work for me, and could help you when it comes to becoming more focused on your workouts, and seeing the benefits of your hard work:

- Be prepared - Just like a coach has to have a plan in place for a practice or game, you need to have a plan before your workout. Forget just walking in not knowing what you are going to do that particular day, sit down the day before and chart out your workout, diagram your cardio session and mentally walk through the workout so you are ready for your scheduled training session.

- Music - Some like to listen to gangster rap, some prefer classic rock. Whatever floats your boat, in my opinion. Whatever you choose to listen to while you train, make sure it is music which motivates you. I don't know too many people who would choose to listen to Abba or the Carpenters when trying to rep out a set of biceps curls, but whatever works for you is what will keep you focused and motivated to do more.

- Block out distractions - This could be combined with the music piece, but if you workout by yourself, your best bet is to put the headphones on to tell others in the gym you are there to focus, not socialize. Many use the gym as a place to meet people and make connections. You can do all that after you are done training. Keep conversations to a minimum and remember you have a job to do.

- Have a backup plan - Everyone has walked into the gym looking forward to their workout and they suddenly see the equipment they had planned on using is taken. Don't fret, this is an easy fix. If you were prepared for the workout and wrote down your plan, simply move things around to make it work. If you were going to start with bench press, but all the benches are taken, move on to the squats you had planned next and go to the bench press when it becomes available. One small hiccup cannot derail an entire workout.

- Forget the TVs - Gyms across America are now putting televisions everywhere within their facilities. TVs on your cardio equipment, in the weight room, the ab room and some gyms even have movie theaters to watch movies while you workout. The absurdity of this has gone over the edge, in my opinion. When you step on a treadmill or a stair climber, it should be to workout, not to watch TV. The television can not only cause you to lose your balance and fall (yes, I've seen this happen several times), but takes your attention away from the workout.

Ultimately, when you approach your workout, you need to have the mental focus to get into the gym and improve. Whether your goal is a faster mile time, to lose weight, to see gains in the weight room or to just feel better. Your goals are just that...your goals, but you need to have the mental focus to achieve those goals you set for yourself. Hopefully these tips will help you do just that in 2015.

Happy Fitness Friday!