Whether you're new to the gym, returning after a break, or
resolved to bust through a plateau and take your fitness to a new level in
2013, this newsletter has you covered. In this issue, the tools
you need including help Setting Goals, Assessing Your Current Fitness,
Scheduling and Commitment, Program Design and Measurement, and sample
programs that you can adopt or adapt.
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Effective Fitness Goals are measurable, achievable, yet challenging. Break
big goals up into smaller goals so that you can track progress and be
motivated by little successes along the way. Choose the right measurements of success: Some goals like strength and
athletic performance and weight loss are easily measured in pounds, or with a
ruler or stopwatch. For toning, body measurements, clothes size and
subjective assessments of how you look and feel and move are often a better
indication of change in body composition. Ensure success by
incorporating the following into your plan: ·
· Burn 3500 calories (or eat 3500 fewer) to lose a pound of fat.
· Exercise at least 150 minutes per week to maintain health and
body composition, and 300 minutes weekly significantly improve body
composition according to the
· To ensure safe, effective long term weight loss, make
lifestyle changes that lead you to drop 1-2 pounds per week, according to
ACSM and the American Dieticians Association.
· It takes about 16 exercise sessions over several weeks to
increase the size of muscle according to the National Strength and
Conditioning Association.
· You cannot spot reduce, according to the American Council on
Exercise. Combine aerobic and strength training to burn calories so that the
body draws on stored fat from all areas.
Once you've established your goals, assess your posture, movement and any problem areas using this mini-self-assessment. Incorporate exercises that
improve your posture and movement. Common problems like rounded and elevated
shoulders, knock knees, out-turned feet and hips that are tilted can lead to
injury, prevent you from working muscles at the optimum angle, and interfere
with balance and force production. You'll perform better when working out or
in sports and reduce risk of finding yourself on the disabled list.
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Custom-tailor your
program to focus on your goals,
condition and abilities. You probably can't wear a new suit off
the rack without having it tailored to you, the same idea applies to
"one-size-fits-all" exercises program, or borrowing exercises that
suit another person or purpose. If your goal is weight loss, focus on
aerobic exercise, strength training large muscles (legs back chest),
circuit-style training with limited rest, and multi-joint exercises to
maximize calories burned. For other goals, select the number of sets,
repetitions and rest interval using the chart below.
Consistency/showing up takes commitment. Schedule your workout
appointments like any other important meeting. Put it right into your
calendar! Attend scheduled classes, meet a reliable friend, have an
appointment with a trainer, or create your own "incentive reward"
program - reward yourself for achieving a fitness goal or just for showing
up. My clients often tell me that without our scheduled appointment they
would find a reason to skip the gym. I even found myself skipping my
aerobic workouts or cutting them short - so I changed my schedule to
alternate days of total body strength training and aerobic exercise because
it made my aerobics more consistent.
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500 Crunches a Day
Won't Get You a Six Pack
Abdominal exercises may be the most over-hyped, overdone and
possibly least effective exercises. Your abdominal muscles are covered
with fat. To see the muscles, lose the fat. Abdominal exercises
do not burn a significant amount of fat. You cannot spot reduce.
So what's the secret? Diet, aerobic exercises, and working the big
muscle groups.
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Exercise progression means continually overloading the
body's system by changing the exercise stimulus. Increasing
weight and/or repetitions is one way to progress, but shouldn't be the only
way. Your body adapts to exercises within 4-6 weeks, you'll experience
diminished return from your program as you continue doing similar exercises
and a similar range of sets, repetitions, time under tension and stability.
Or in the case of aerobics, if you continue training in a steady state. You
also expose yourself to the same kind of repetitive stress injuries as
factory workers when you continually do the same exact movements and work at
the same intensity. Periodization is changing your exercise program at
regular planned intervals.
For best results, most people should Periodize their
training and cycle between 2-3 different phases of training on a 4-6 week
basis. If you've been focused on stable training such as machines, lying on
benches and/or sitting through your workout, try standing. It increases
core activation and targets a greater cross section of muscle fibers. Once
you've mastered standing, progress to exercises on a single leg, or with
balance boards and balls. Then come back to a more intensive stable strength
training routine. Or try plyometrics to increase power. I've got
some examples of progressions
here. Another option is to include different types of training within
each week. Instead of splitting between muscle groups, try
alternating workouts between strength, stability and power.
Visit trainercary.com/programs for a progression of programs for any
fitness level.
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Running the
The biggest mistake
people make is to assume that because they're running they don't need to do
leg exercises. In fact, a custom-tailored corrective strength and
flexibility program can help prevent injury and improve athletic performance.
The steps are almost identical to those outlined above for strength
training. Assess your posture and movement, and follow the programs
outlined on my website.
Has your running
program been sidelined by recurring injury or pain? It may be possible
to overcome these problems with the right program. I recently
began training a new client who stopped running years ago because it hurt his
knees. After 2 weeks on a corrective program, he was able to start
running without pain.
My niece is one of the
top divers on her Division 1 college team, but hamstring pain and
tightness has affected her ability to jump off the diving board. She's
about to begin a program to overcome this problem. Basketball players,
soccer players and other recreational and competitive athletes can often
benefit from corrective programs.
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Choosing the right
measurement tool can be an important part of your success. Many people want a hard objective measurement but softer
measurements such as how you feel and how your clothes fit are also
important.
People often rely too much on a specific
measurement, or choose one that lacks positive reinforcement or accuracy.
Body fat measurements, for example, are imprecise tools, and for someone
interested in losing a large number of pounds, potentially
discouraging. Changes in waist or clothing size might be a more
appropriate and motivating measurement.
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