January 2010
14 posts
6 tags
steak plus butter
I hate the scale, not because I am trying to lose weight but because it only gives you 33 percent of what you need to know about your true physical makeup. The number on the scale can be divided into two other parts, how much muscle and how much fat you have.
This is an extremely simplistic breakdown of the body, I know. It’s the two-component model of body composition which basically...
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fat: it's not what you think- book review
Every time I shop at Trader Joe’s I pick up a container or two of their brand of Greek yogurt. I have already blogged on how it can be used as a high-protein snack or as an addition to a protein shake. What I did not get into is which percent fat version I choose and why.
I always go for the full-fat version of yogurt, milk, and cheese because I now know that one, the saturated fats they...
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“Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.”
– Charles Caleb Colton
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Home gym equipment choices
Setting up a home gym can be a grind considering some major factors that go into the setup phase. First, you have to look at what space is available to determine what equipment will be there. Second, determining a budget (and sticking to it) is not as easy as it sounds given the prices of certain items. And lastly, what exactly should you buy to go into your gym?
I am not sure how much space...
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Bob Braman on Strength Training for Distance... →
NOTE: Click title above to view video
Nice video from Florida State University track and field coach Bob Braman explaining why core training is vital for distance runners. So many distance runners elect to just run and build up their volume at the expense of intensity. In addition, I feel there is a fear in runners that they will “bulk up” if they start lifting. There are three types of...
Teen core training
Yesterday afternoon was the first teen core training class at Breathe Fitness Studio, a class which I believe will be the first of many. I feel this class is vital not just for those teens playing sports, but for non-athletes as well.
There is a fitness continuum that we are all on. Whatever age we happen to be at a particular point in our lives will dictate what we must obtain through an...
Duet training, part two
A duet workout is different from a one-on-one workout in that clients work off of each others’ fitness levels. This provides for a good amount of exercise in a given time frame. A full example follows:
Warm-up 1
Quad to hamstring stretch
Mini band lateral walks
Warm-up 2
Jump rope
Plank to spider-man stretch
Strength 1- Clients switch off when sets are done
Dumbbell row
Rear foot...
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Duet training
Last night I had the privilege to train two friends for about 40 minutes before my next client arrived. I rarely have duet sessions in my schedule, but I created a workout on the fly.
I didn’t expect to have a duet session last night, but it was a nice change of pace. The time flies by much faster with two people and I can see why it is recommended in addition to one-on-one training. The...
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Snacktime
I was approached the other day in between sessions and was asked, “What are some good snack options that have protein?” It wasn’t an easy of an answer as I thought it would be.
Nutritionists recommend that 5-6 small meals be eaten throughout the day in order to keep energy levels up. Some of those meals have to come in the form of snacks. I think the easiest way to determine what snacks to pick...
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Where Do BOSU's Fit in a Training Program?
If I had to take a guess, I would say that there are several BOSU’s in most commercial fitness gyms and studios. In fact, I believe that they could even be found in physical therapy facilities as well. But are they really necessary to use for someone who is looking to develop better “balance” - are they useful for that goal?
On the BOSU website, it states that there should...
Workout of the Week
A copy of a workout completed by one of my clients this week:
Band assisted chinups > One leg deloaded squat
Two arm overhand cable rotation > Plank walkup + pushup complex > Triple squats
Side plank with knee flexion > Floor row > Two arm DB SLHE > Straight leg situps
Slideboard intervals- 30s work : 15s work X 6
Tabata Overload?
There seems to be a trend in fitness where Tabata intervals are used alot more often in workouts. Not only am I seeing them in cardiovascular programs, but they are used in strength training circuits as well. For those not familiar with Tabata intervals, they implement a 2:1 work to rest ratio where clients perform an exercise for 20 seconds and rest for 10 seconds while repeating that round 7-8...
“Learn to respond, not react”
– Buddha’s Little Instruction Book
Getting in shape for 2010
The more I train clients, the more I see how manipulating the time you have in a given week can dramatically improve ones fitness level. For example, the US government now recommends that all adults accumulate at least 150 minutes of physical activity a week. 150 minutes a week can be broken down into the following: 2 times a week for 75 minutes each session 3 times a week for 50 minutes each...