Newsletter Archive
April 2007
IN THIS ISSUE
Hello
from Cor Clinic!
Well, it is spring, and summer is right around
the corner! How are you doing with your fat loss
goals so far this year? Have you been eating a
healthy diet? Have you been consistent with your
workouts?
If you haven't been seeing the progress you
want so far this year, now is the time to buckle
down! You have 8 weeks until Memorial Day Weekend
- and the beginning of summer! Get your training
program and diet dialed in - it's crunch time.
As always, Cor Clinic is here to help with your
goals. This month's newsletter is full of information
addressing your training needs to help make the
next 8 weeks a straight path to your fat-loss
goal.
Again, just a reminder, we will be starting a
healthy lifestyle seminar series, "10 Weeks
to a Healthier You" on Wednesday, April 11.
There are still open seats - sign up today!
I also want to give a big "thank you!"
to everyone who attended the Whole Foods Shopping
Tour. I had a great time and hopefully you all
did too! We have been invited back to Whole Foods
for future tours, so if anyone wasn't able to
make it to last month's tour, we plan to do it
again soon, so stay tuned!
Finally, be sure to check out the special summer
programs we will be starting in June. There is
something for everyone. A 12-week summer program
for adults as well as a 12-week summer program
for youth athletes. Instead of letting the kids
stay in all summer, send them to us! We'll prepare
them for next school year's athletic season!
Have a Healthy Month,
Patrick Ward, Ms, CSCS, NASM-PES, CPT, USAW Club
Coach
FEATURE ARTICLE:
Workout Smarter, Not Longer!
You hear it all the time, "I just don't
have enough time to exercise!"
People have every excuse in the book as to why
they can't start an exercise program, much less
stick with one. The biggest problem I have seen
after working for many years in the fitness industry
is that people are always under the impression
that it takes hours and hours to achieve the results
they seek. I am constantly asked questions like
"How much do you workout?" and "Do
you lift weights seven days a week?"
People are usually amazed when I tell them that
I only weight train three times a week and the
workouts take about 30-40 minutes. "How can
that be?," they ask. Simply put, I know how
to be efficient when I train. I understand that
people have many other commitments, work, family,
social life, etc. I am no different than anyone
else.
Everyone seems to think that because I work in
a gym, I must just train all the time. Not true!
I still have to be able to get in there, get my
workout done and get on with my life! There is
always work that needs to be done, obligations
to take care of on the home front, and assignments
and papers to complete for my graduate program.
So, how do I do it? The answer can be found
in the simple phrase "get the biggest bang
for your buck." I waste no time when I get
in the gym. The goal is to get in and do a few
exercises that offer me the biggest bang for my
buck and then get out. What do I mean by "big
bang for your buck exercises" - In a nut
shell, what we are talking about are multi-joint
movements that are performed using large amounts
of muscle mass. Not only does this increase work
rate and elevate metabolism but, it helps keep
us from having to waste time doing smaller, single-joint
exercises, which have very little training density
to them.
For example, if I concentrate my efforts on working
very hard on chin ups (an exercise that works
both my back muscles and my biceps) I do not have
to waste time doing something like biceps curls.
If I work on doing push ups (an exercise that
works the chest, shoulders and triceps), I don't
have to waste my time doing something like triceps
press downs. If I work on an exercise like a squat
(which works pretty much everything in my lower
body), I don't have to waste time on those silly
inner and outer thigh machines which burn very
little calories and offer me almost nothing in
the way of metabolic increase.
Right there I just gave you three basic exercises
that cover your entire body. Now ask yourself,
how long will that take you to do? I'll answer
for you: about 30-40 minutes, if you do everything
correctly and warm up properly. How do I know?
Because this is what I do when I go to the gym!
I typically choose four exercises - two upper
body and two lower body movements - and perform
them in a superset fashion.
NOTE: A superset is a group of two exercises
performed back to back without taking a rest until
the second exercise is completed. Let's say my
exercises were push ups and pulls ups for the
upper body, and squats and step ups for the lower
body. I would simply pair one upper and one lower
body exercise and go at it! It would look like
this:
1a) Squat
1b) pull up
I would take a short rest of 30-60 seconds after
1b and then start over, completing the desired
number of sets. Once I am done with my sets of
this superset, I would proceed onto my next superset:
2a) push ups
2b) step ups
Again, I would take a short rest of about 30-60
seconds after 2b and start over, repeating for
the desired number of sets.
This simple formula combined with a proper warm
up is quick, efficient and easy to execute. NO
MORE EXCUSES! Get in there and get it done!
RESEARCH REVIEW:
Effects of Resistance vs. Aerobic Training
Combined With an 800-Calorie Liquid Diet on Lean
Body Mass and Resting Metabolic Rate
Bryner RW, Ullrich
IH, Sauers J, Donley D, Hornsby G, Kolar M, Yeater
R, Journal of the American College of Nutrition,
18(2):115-121, 1999.
My Comments:
I chose this study because of its relevance
to those who are trying to lose weight. Typically
when people want to lose weight, they just try
and limit their calories or they limit their calories
and add some form of cardiovascular exercise (like
running or biking). I have often heard this method
justified as "I want to lose some weight
before I start lifting weights, so that I can
put on muscle." My response has always been,
"You need to do all of it. The program has
to consist of proper diet, as well as both cardiovascular
exercise and weight training."
This study took twenty obese subjects (17 women
and 3 men) who had not performed regular exercise
or a weight loss program for the at least 6 months.
Subjects were placed into two different groups.
Group 1 consumed an 800-calorie liquid diet and
exercised four days a week by walking, biking
or stair climing. Simply put, they dieted and
did cardio. Group 2 consumed the same 800-calorie
liquid diet except instead of cardio, they performed
weight training. Their training followed a 3x
a week resistance training program consisting
of 10 exercises which were performed with a one
minute rest interval between sets.
The results of the test confirmed what many fat
loss professionals know to be true. The group
who performed the cardiovascular training protocol
lost more weight than the resistance training
group. However, when we look closer, the group
performing cardio ended up losing more lean body
mass; while the group that resistance trained
lost less lean body mass, so they preserved muscle,
which is possibly why they lost less total body
weight. Because of the fact that the resistance
training group retained more of their lean muscle,
they had a significantly higher resting metabolic
rate (RMR) at the end of the study. This means
that at rest, they are able to burn a higher amount
of calories. Due to these findings, the researchers
concluded that "the addition of an intensive,
high volume resistance training program resulted
in preservation of lean body weight and resting
metabolic rate during weight loss with a very
low calorie diet."
What this mean to us:
This study tells us that we need to not only
weight train during our weight loss efforts, but
we need to really work hard (the training must
be intensive). In other words, if you are looking
to lose some weight, you need to get to the gym
and establish a sound, well-rounded program that
includes both aerobic and resistance training.
In addition, you need to clean out your kitchen
and stick to a healthy, low calorie diet (I would
not recommend a low-calorie liquid diet like the
one used in the study). I would also like to note
that not only did the resistance training group
have better results, they also exercised a less
amount of time over the week (3 days compared
to 4 days)! So "I don't have time" becomes
even less of an excuse.
How can we use this information to our
advantage:
Since we now know the positive effects that resistance
training can have on our weight loss goals, we
need to take this information and apply it! This
study goes hand-in-hand with this month's feature
article regarding how to set up your own resistance
training program. If you also check out the February
newletter's research review, regarding interval
training cardio, you can put togther a pretty
good fat loss exercise program for yourself.
Wrapping it up:
This information should really take the guesswork
out of your fat loss program. All you need to
do now do is put everything together and be consistent.
You can be assured that you will see the results
you desire!
MONTHLY Q&A:
Q: What if I don't have time
to always make it to the gym? Somtimes I just
can't get there. What can I do to keep progressing?
A: This is a great question.
In today's busy world of work, family, kids, etc.,
we don't always have time to get to the gym. Maybe
we can get there twice a week. Or maybe we can
only get there once a week. What can we do to
get our workouts in?
The answer is simple, really. A home exercise
program! Just like when you go to physical therapy
and the therpist asks you to do some exercises
at home. Same thing. We need to have a home exercise
program in case of emergencies. A program that
doesn't require equipment.
Yes, you can have a great workout, right in your
own living room. All you need is a pair of sneakers,
a t-shirt and shorts, a bottle of water and a
clock that allows you to count seconds.
What you'll do is set up a little circuit of
work followed by some rest and then repeat. For
the circuit, you will rely primarily on a combination
of basic body weight exercises such as:
- lunges (or split squats)
- push ups (if you can't do full push ups,
place you hand on a table, chair or counter
top for assistance)
- body weight squats
- step ups (onto a chair or a step)
- crunches
- planks
- reverse crunches
- bird dogs
- 1-legged deadlifts (using your body weight)
Add to that, some good old-fashioned calisthenics,
like
- jumping jacks
- squat thrusts (aka burpees)
- jump rope
- mountain climbers
Pick 3 of the body weight exercises and 1 of
the calisthenic exercises and arrange them in
a circuit fashion with some rest in between them,
like this, for example:
1a. body weight squat- 30 reps
rest= 45 seconds
1b. push up- 30 reps
rest=45 seconds
1c. reverse crunches- 30 reps
rest= 45 seconds
1d. jumping jacks- 2min. of as many as you can
rest= 45 seconds
Repeat the circuit 5 times.
If the exercises are to easy for you, you can
alter variables, such as:
- repetition tempo: try performing the push
up with a 5 count hold in the bottom position,
before pressing up
- unilateral- try performing the squat on one
leg (you may need to start by having a chair
or low box behind you)
- rest interval- try shortening the rest interval
between exercises each week. Eventually try
to work through the circuit with no rest until
you get to the end.
The possibilities are really endless with this
stuff. You can get as creative as you want.
No more excuses!
Do you have a question you'd like to see
answered in next month's Q&A column? Email
your question to pward@corlcinic.com
VO2max
Testing at Cor Clinic
VO2max is defined as the maximal ability to extract
and use oxygen. It is measured in milliliters
of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute.
The greater your VO2max, the better your aerobic
capacity will be efficiency will be. Knowing your
VO2max can be extremely helpful in the planning
and programming of training.
"That's great, but how does that help
me, the Average Joe, just lookin' to get in shape..."
Aside from learning what your VO2max is, you
will learn other vital information such as resting
metabolic rate and the calories of fat, carbohydrate
and protein you are burning at a given work rate.
This will help you better understand how to tailor
your training and nutrition to get you to your
goals.
You can schedule a VO2max test at any time. Call
us to learn more and make your appointment.
For Coaches and Businesses:
If you are a coach or business and are interested
in offering VO2max testing to your athletes or
clients, we offer on-site testing at your location.
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