Exercise beyond what is optimal is at best a waste of time and possibly harmful as injuries occur or the body does not fully recover from the exercise. That time spend sweating and enduring discomfort could have been spent relaxing or more importantly recovering. The human body is the only machine that improves when it is worked, but at some point it wears down like any other machine. If the body is not permitted adequate time to recover injury, a compromised immune system or fatigue can result.
What is the point of the additional exercise if the end result is injury? Few are equipped to run long hours on the road without the eventual injury. Not everybody listens to their body and opts to stop exercise short of injury. According to Runners World 70 percent of runners who run regularly for a year will experience an injury. While these injuries may be small they can become chronic if not allowed to heal fully and in the end might require surgery. Is it worth possible injury just to burn a few more calories? This is not to say one should not run, but one should consider that possible downside of running those extra miles.
Each person must weigh the costs and benefits of exercise to find what is the appropriate amount of exercise for them. The more one does an activity the benefit, while it may be positive, becomes increasingly smaller for each extra hour spent doing it. For each additional hour spent doing an activity the likelihood of an injury increases and the foregone free time becomes more highly valued. At some point it is just not worth the extra time, effort, and potential injury for the very small benefit. Each person will have their own cost benefit analysis to answer the question of how much exercise is enough.
The body has a limited ability to recover from stress. If inadequate time is permitted for the body to recover the body cannot make a positive adaptation. This is especially true with weight lifting. Most people will show improvements from weight lifting program the first few months of training. Eventually the gains become much smaller or they stop improving altogether. It is at this point that the demands place on the body have become greater that the body’s ability to recover. In an attempt to keep progressing many place even greater demands on the system to get beyond the “plateau”. It is at this point that lifting becomes drudgery and injuries occur. Many eventually stop exercising when the results are not forthcoming.
It is hard to stay motivated when there is little or no real improvement to show for it. Little wonder that that average stay with a trainer is just six months. We all have a limit on how much we can improve our body. That limit is defined by our genetics. We can come closer to that limit only when the body is given adequate recovery time. Take some additional days off.
Rather than see how much exercise you can withstand start from the aim of determining what is the least amount that will produce the highest marginal return. The formula is simple; perform just enough work of a demanding nature, rest, following by work a little more demanding to see continuous improvement. You can be stronger, more toned, more flexible and less prone to injuries in as little as one or two 30 minute sessions a week with ahigh intensity training program, HIT.
One can live well without requiring hours each week engaged in monotonous exercise. Significant strength increases occur exercising as little as once or twice a week IF it's the right exercise program with the right trainer. Our fitness trainers at Austin Personal Training and at New Orleans Fitness Trainers can guide you through an effective HIT personal training program.
Burn calories long after your exercise session in over
We burn calories four ways. One of the ways is the burning of additional calories after the exercise session is over. Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC) is a measurably increased rate of oxygen intake following strenuous activity. All forms of exercise produce EPOC and burn additional calories post exercise. Strength training produces more EPOC; high intensity circuit strength training produces more than lower intensity strength training.
In one study, Effects of resistance exercise bouts of different intensities but equal work on EPOC, two groups underwent strength training, one at low intensity and the other at a high intensity. The conclusion:
“High-intensity exercise (85% 8-RM) will produce similar exercise oxygen consumption, with a greater EPOC magnitude and volume than low-intensity exercise (45% 8-RM)".
Subjects lifting more weight fewer times burned more energy and had a greater metabolic boost after exercise. The amount of additional calories burned after exercise can be significant. One study demonstrated a ninefold improvement in fat burning with high intensity interval training (HIIT).
HIIT is the type of personal training we do at Austin Personal Training and at New Orleans Fitness Trainers. The personal training sessions are short (20 to 30 minutes) and infrequent (once or twice a week) but demanding especially in regard to calorie burning. For those who wish to do more exercise this personal training program will free up your time to do other types of calorie-burning activities.
More results in eight weeks than I had in three years
Number sixteen in a series about what clients have to say about their workouts.
Barbi was an avid runner. She began strength training eight weeks ago. Barbi had this to say, “I have had more results in eight weeks than in three years working out with another trainer”.
With strength training in order to produce a change the body has to perform more work than it is used to handling. Then, given adequate time to recover and adequate nutrition, the body adapts as a form of self-protection by becoming stronger.
In Barbi’s case, she was happy with her change in appearance. Besides appearance there is a long list of positive changes that can take place. Clients will also see a change in their performance and a change in the overall feeling of well being.
For those who are extremely out of shape it will not take much to perform work that is beyond what the body is used to handling – even workloads of modest intensity will produce change. Our oldest client is 92, and she improves regularly. We move the bar a little higher each time – additional repetitions or additional weight. For those who are in great shape the bar is already high. To improve they will have to move the bar even higher.
These changes do not require endless hours in the weight room. Our fitness trainers at Austin TX Personal Training and at New Orleans Personal Trainers can guide you through an effective high intensity strength training program that will take less than an hour a week.
Previous blog entries in the series What Clients Are Saying:
1. @#%& incredible
2. Seems too good to be true, but it actually is that good
3. After each session, I always felt better on all levels.
4. This would not have happened to me if I had a personal trainer
5. This affects all aspects of my life.
6. I saw a remarkable change in my body
7. A Radical Transformation
8. I don’t think I would be alive today
9. Amazing and remarkable
10.My doctor said it would not be necessary to start taking drugs to preserve my bone density
11.What Clients Are Saying - "My years of strength training helped me survive cancer"
12. Under no circumstances stop exercising because that is what is keeping you going
13. I have officially lost 50 pounds
14. I was in tears walking on the Great Wall of China
15. I love this workout
High-Intensity Interval Training Is Time-Efficient and Effective
From this Science News article, High-Intensity Interval Training Is Time-Efficient and Effective, Study Suggests:
The study, from scientists at Canada's McMaster University, adds to the growing evidence for the benefits of short term high-intensity interval training (HIT) as a time-efficient but safe alternative to traditional types of moderate long term exercise. Astonishingly, it is possible to get more by doing less!
And this:
The study also provides insight into the molecular signals that regulate muscle adaptation to interval training. It appears that HIT stimulates many of the same cellular pathways that are responsible for the beneficial effects we associate with endurance training.
The training method in the study consisted of doing a series of 10 one-minute sprints on a standard stationary bike with about one minute of rest in between, three times a week. High intensity interval training (HIIT) can also done by doing a series of strength training exercises with brief rest periods between each exercise. The advantage of this type of training over the stationary bike is that one can get a whole body workout addressing all the major muscle groups of the body and also have the desired cardiovascular effect. HIIT is the type of strength training we do at Austin Personal Trainersand New Orleans Personal Training.
MedX exercise equipment
Twenty years ago John Kelly, the owner of Austin Personal Training and New Orleans Fitness Trainers, had been living with chronic back pain for three years. Sitting was painful; he avoided long trips and going to the movies. Even at night school which would often last more than two hours he would stand the entire time. He did everything he could short of the recommended surgery to alleviate it; he walked, swam, stretched, and bought a new bed. About this time he began using the MedX Lumbar machine in a doctor's office twice a week and then once a week. Over several weeks his back finally became pain free. Studies show others have had similar results. For the last twenty years he has remained pain free except in rare times when he has strayed from a regime of regular exercise for his back. Others have had such profound improvement in the health of their lower back they have bought this $7000 piece of equipment for their home.
There a number of devices for of exposing your muscles to the demanding work that stimulate the muscles to become stronger: heavy rocks, bar bells, a variety of brands of strength training machines, elastic bands, and there is MedX rehabilitative exercise equipment. Researchers at MedX spent 100 million dollars developing the first piece of MedX exercise equipment, the lumbar machine. Their exercise equipment has numerous patents that other exercise machine manufactures have tried to copy. The difference is MedX does not cut the corners that cheaper imitations often do. The result is equipment that is unmatched in it smoothness and safety. This allows us to eliminate jerking movements that cause injury, and smooth movement means minimal momentum. Minimizing momentum increases the intensity which produces the results you are looking for. This makes MedX uniquely suited for high intensity training (H.I.T.).
With most other equipment is it just not possible to move as smoothly because of all the friction. The result is a workout that is not as safe or as productive. The higher intensity allows us to get the job done more effectively and efficiently. There is no need to spend time dissipating energy on warm up sets. The equipment allows to safely and controlled momentum that increases intensity that produces the results.
For many the biggest benefit of strength training is to lessen the likelihood of injury and the pain that comes with it. The trouble is exercise for some can cause injury, or exacerbate an already aggravating condition. That can be caused by too much exercise, repetitive use injuries. These can take years to become evident. One of trainers, Kyle Kloor, has had two rotator cuff operations as a result of years of doing too many shoulder exercises. He cannot even do a conventional overhead press, but he is able to work out with over 300 pounds using the MedX overhead press because of its unique design. His shoulders are stronger than ever.
Injury can also be caused by doing the wrong type of exercises. Exercise done with great force, strain not only the muscles, but the joints and the connective tissue. In one single instant of great force one can sustain an injury that will heal. Those injuries often come back to haunt you. The injured joint is never quite the same as it was before the injury.
Because of the unique design of the MedX machines you are able to go through a much greater range of motion safely without the risk of injury. A muscle group can be worked effectively through a greater range of motion without resorting numerous less effective exercises for the same muscle group.
There are several routes to take to obtain a strong healthy body. It often comes down to personal preference or it comes down to what one can afford. The protocol and the equipment we use allows us to get it done in 30 minutes, without multiple sets, warm-ups sets or set of limited effectiveness.
What clients are saying, "I love this workout"
Number fifteen in a series about what clients have to say about their workouts.
Kathy is one of Timothy’s clients. Timothy is a trainer at Kelly Personal Training. Kathy is able to work out in spite of significant ailments. She had this to say about her training, “I love this workout. My daughter can’t believe that I am still with. On my most recent visit to the doctor my doctor was pleased - my blood pressure and my pulse is lower”.
Another client of Timothy’s also named Kathy (83 years old) had this to say,“I can do yard work for two and half hours now and not be exhausted”.
Regardless of condition or age one can get stronger. When one is stronger they improve their quality of life. As you become stronger you will find you will be able to engage in more activities, and this will further enhance your health. It all starts with strength. Just improve a little each week and over time you will feel years younger. High intensity interval training can be done by people of any age, and it is the type of personal training we do atPersonal Training Austin and at New Orleans Personal Training.
Previous blog entries in the series What Clients Are Saying:
1. @#%& incredible
2. Seems too good to be true, but it actually is that good
3. After each session, I always felt better on all levels.
4. This would not have happened to me if I had a personal trainer
5. This affects all aspects of my life.
6. I saw a remarkable change in my body
7. A Radical Transformation
8. I don’t think I would be alive today
9. Amazing and remarkable
10. My doctor said it would not be necessary to start taking drugs to preserve my bone density
11. "My years of strength training helped me survive cancer"
12. Under no circumstances stop exercising because that is what is keeping you going
13. I have officially lost 50 pounds
14. I was in tears walking on the Great Wall of China
How does one stick with an exercise program?
Seven out of 10 American adults don't exercise regularly despite the proven health benefits, a study released Sunday says - Study: Most Americans don't exercise regularly. That sounds about right. The renewal rate for health club membership is 30 percent. Of those that rejoin only a majority of them use the club on a regular basis.
Every January health clubs are crowded for what I call the two week resolution. By the end of the month the crowds are gone. The only thing that remains constant and enduring is the mandatory monthly payment for a gym membership not used.
Here just one approach for sticking to an exercise program that has worked for me and for those whom I have worked. (1) Commit to something you know you can maintain for the long term. Don’t set the bar too high. (2) Select an exercise that produces the most benefits. (3) Select a program designed to produce the highest marginal return – the most benefit for minimal time exercising.
Regarding number one, not setting the bar too high: consider high intensity training (HIT). HIT requires as little as one 30 minute session a week. The remainder of the week do something physically that you enjoy. Go for walks. Ride your bike.
Regarding number, two, the most benefit: High intensity strength training reverses more of the bio-markers of aging than any other form of exercise.
Regarding number three, for the highest marginal returning for time spent exercising nothing compares HIT for the time spent. The list of benefits is long.
You need not spend hours in the gym to make a profound difference. Studies have shown that significant strength increases result from high intensity interval training as little as once a week.
As you become stronger you will find you will be able to engage in more activities, and this will further enhance your health. It all starts with strength. Just improve a little each week and over time you will feel years younger. High intensity interval training is the type of personal training we do atAustin Fitness Training and at New Orleans Fitness.
Changing up your workouts
When the body is exposed to more of astimulus that it is equipped to handle the body will makes a positive adaptation as a form of self-protection. That change will occur if the body has the capacity to change plus the needed time and resources to recover. The changes will continue to occur if the body is faced with new challenges. We take our clients through a variety of different exercises, changing sequences, differing amount of sets for each muscle group, different techniques, exercises of different durations so that they are constantly presented with a new challenge to keep the positive adaptations ongoing.
Just some of factors to consider in designing a high intensity strength training routine that is productive, safe, and efficient:
· Frequency of workouts
· Selection of specific exercises
· Sequence of exercises
· Pre-exhaustion sets
· Number of repetitions of an exercise for a particular muscle group
· Number of sets of each exercise for each muscle group
· Rate of increase of resistance between sessions
· Amount of rest between each set
· Amount of rest after completing exercises on one muscle group before starting exercise on another muscle group.
· Unilateral versus bilateral movements
· Negative accentuated sets
· Full repetitions
· Partial repetitions
· Range of motion
· Form
· Type of equipment
· Level of fatigue
· Amount of rest between each repetition
· Compound movements versus rotary movements
· How heavy the weights should be
· Variable versus fixed intervals of time between workouts
· Alternating aerobic exercise and anaerobic exercise in one workout
· Speed during concentric movement
· Speed during eccentric movement
· How often should the exercise routine be varied
· Time under tension
· Active recovery between workouts
· Length of time of the workouts
· Achieving momentary muscular failure
· Concentric only exercise
· Negative only sets
· Negative only workouts
· Static holds
You can manipulate these variables and come up with large number of workouts that are productive, safe, and efficient. There is not one perfect workout; there will be trade-offs. You might opt for a less range of motion for less risk of injury but this also results in less enhanced flexibility. Variety exposes the body to changing stimulus that it must adapt to, but at some point too much variety makes it difficult to track improvement.
If you manipulate too many of the variables you cannot tell what is working or not working. It is best to keep it simple. As long as it is working there is little need to make wholesale changes in the workouts, but it is good to throw in a workout that is out of the norm and a shock to the system. The body is challenged in a new way. It is a welcome change to the weekly routine.
An experienced personal trainer can help you eliminate the trial and error, research, and possible injury involved in developing a high intensity train program on your own. An experienced personal trainer will adapt the workout to address the specific concerns of the client. A personal trainer with experience in high intensity strength training can develop an effective routine and will know how and when to manipulate the variables and when to change the routine.
High intensity strength training does not require hours each week engaged in monotonous exercise. Significant strength increases occur exercising as little as once or twice a week IF it's the right exercise program with the right trainer. At Austin Fitness Trainers and at Personal Trainers of New Orleansour personal trainers can guide you through a personal training program that will safely produce ongoing results, so you can avoid wasting time with trial and error and avoid possible injury.
Increase bone density by strength training
Many years ago I attended a conference hosted by Arthur Jones, the inventor and owner of Nautilus exercise equipment. He put forth the idea that older women with osteoporosis broke their hips before they hit the ground. He said that their bones were so porous that their hip bones gave way first and then they fell. In the confusion they were not sure when their hip broke and assumed it had broken from the impact of hitting the ground. Sure some broke their hips from the result of the impact, but he surmised that some had broken their hips first and then fell.
Arthur commissioned a study at the University of Florida to see if strength training would result in an increase in bone density for elderly women. Using the standard protocol of lifting the weight in one or two seconds resulted in too many injuries to the participants. They began using slower movements to minimize the potentially harmful acceleration forces that occur at the beginning of each repetition of exercise. The slower movements resulted in much less momentum and more effective loading of the muscle with the resistance necessary to induce increases in strength.
The women got stronger and persistent injuries stopped. Some who had entered the program and had requiring a walker no longer needed a one. Their bone density increased.
The elderly have much to gain from strength training. Some of those benefits are:
1. Increased strength
2. Increased balance
3. Less need for bone density drugs and avoiding the side-effects of those drugs
4. Increased protection from injuries
5. Reversed the bio-markers of aging
You need not spend hours in the gym to make a profound difference. Studies have shown that significant strength increases result from high intensity interval training as little as once a week.
As you become stronger you will find you will be able to engage in more activities, and this will further enhance your health. It all starts with strength. Just improve a little each week and over time you will feel years younger. High intensity interval training is the type of personal training we do atPersonal Training Austin and at New Orleans Ultimate Fitness
My whole life I have been looking for a workout like this
Part of the hiring process for potential trainers at New Orleans Fitness Trainers at Austin Personal Trainers is to go through several workouts to see what is involved with the job. If they are enthusiastic about the workout they often turn out to be good trainers. Marylou is one such trainer. I once asked her, “At one point did you decide this is what you wanted to do? She replied, “After the second exercise”.
Timothy has a similar experience. After his first workout Timothy told me, “My whole life I have been looking for a workout like this”.
He later told me that after the workout on the way home he was not sure he could ride his motorcycle.
Timothy understands being physical. Timothy was a standout in three sports. His ability to do pull-ups is three standard deviations beyond the norm. He worked as a firefighter in the national forests. He spent four years in the Army. After one hike through the jungles of Panama, Timothy and the other soldiers had to carry their injured platoon commander out of the jungle. Although unbeaten and unbowed he required an IV in each arm to get his fluids back to normal.
When he first came in more than three years ago he was working three jobs. He still works three jobs, but his personal training has taken off and consumes most of his working hours. His ability to work with a wide range of clients assures him a steady stream of referrals and a long standing clientele. Three of his clients are in their eighties. The secret for his success, as with any job, is that Timothy genuinely loves his work. Clients see his enthusiasm, they see the improvements, and the clients become enthusiastic as well.
The six factors of fitness
The six commonly recognized factors of fitness are:
· Stronger bones
· Cardiovascular efficiency
· Flexibility
· Leanness
· Muscular size, strength, and endurance
· Resistance to injury
You have options for improving each of those factors:
1. You can opt to concentrate on one or two of the factors that you enjoy or that is particularly beneficial to your sport or active and ignore that other factors. You'll not attain as high a level of overall fitness.
2. You could do one consolidated workout that addresses all the factors of fitness.
3. You could do a combination of two more more different forms of exercise that in combination address all the factors. That might be very time consuming.
4. You could do one consolidated workout that addresses all the factors of fitness and supplement that with exercise beneficial to your chosen sport or activity.
For those who want to address all factors of fitness and get the most out of your time in the gym you might want to consider High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). No other single workout addresses all six factors of fitness in one complete workout - none.
A properly conducted HIIT regime will result in increases in bone density, resistance to injury, strength, muscle, flexibility, muscle tone, resting metabolism, and cardiovascular conditioning. You will feel and look better, and your life can be transformed in minutes a week. Runners and tri-athletes can spend less time in the gym and have more time to spend running or doing other forms of aerobic exercise. They will seeimprovements in their performance.
HIIT is the type of personal training we do at New Orleans Fitness Trainersat Austin Personal Trainers. People who start such a personal training program find that this is a program they can stick to..
What a difference a year makes!
It is time for New Years’ resolutions. Every year we have great expectations of improvement in our well-being, but few achieve those improvements. Here is the story of one man who did make significant changes:
Marcus was 72 years old. He could play nine holes but lacked the stamina to pay eighteen holes. He was slowing down; he could no longer play every day. He began strength training at New Orleans Ultimate Fitness Trainers(our other location - Personal Trainers Austin). He strength trained for about 30 minutes once a week for a year.
A year older one would expect a 73 year old to be doing less not more. That was not the case for Marcus. He would play 18 holes of golf, and the next day he would play 18 holes again. He was hitting the ball farther and enjoying golf again. Marcus had added quality years to his life, and it took just 30 minutes a week.
Marcus had increased strength, stamina, flexibility, and very importantly added protection from injury. He was playing hell of a lot more golf creating a virtuous cycle of increasing well-being.
Every time Marcus exercised he would do a little more. Each week he gave himself ample time to recover, and because of that, each week he would continuously improve. 52 weeks of continuous improvement add up.
Significant strength increases occur exercising as little as once a week IF it's the right exercise program. A properly designed high intensity strength training program starts with the premise of not seeing how much exercise one can withstand but with just how little one can get away with doing and still have significant results.
Of all the bio-markers of aging the most important is the loss of strength. Strength training is by far the most effective exercise in addressing the bio-markers of aging that effect not only how young we look, but more importantly, how we young we feel. Loss of strength ultimately leads to life compromising conditions such as herniated discs, osteoporosis, arthritis, type-2 diabetes, weight gain, and heart disease. People aren't put in nursing homes because they're out of breath; it's because they're too weak.
Our program is one that people can stick to for life - a life where one feels better, looks better, is free to enjoy life more without endless hours in the gym. Is it worth 30 minutes of week? We think that it is.
What clients are saying: "I was in tears walking on the Great Wall of China"
Number 14 in a series about what clients have to say about their workouts.
“It was emotional partly because I was walking on a part of history that has been there for over a thousand years. I also remembered back to a year ago and it was emotional to think of how much I had changed. A year ago I was in such pain that it was difficult for me to even go out and buy groceries. It had been a year and one week since my hip replacement.”
The operation was life changing, and Cindy has made great progress since her hip replacement. Cindy is one of many we have worked with who have had hip, knee or shoulder replacements. It is our good fortune to be able to play a small part in helping people make positive changes in their lives. Seeing clients make positive changes is what makes our jobs worthwhile.
At both of our locations, Austin Personal Trainers and New Orleans Personal Training, we use MedX rehabilitative exercise equipment that is suitable for those with joint problems, but it is also suitable for those who are in peak condition.
Strength training for those with arthritis
Two excerpts from Arthritis Today/March 2006 Published by the Arthritis Foundation:
"Get the benefits of strength training sooner by taking your time. Some things are best done slowly, and weight lifting is one of them, say some fitness experts."
And:
“More control of motion the entire movement, causes less pressure on the joints and preventing pain, "People with stiff or impaired joints who need extra protection when they exercise are the ones who benefit the most," says David Fischer, MD, a rheumatologist in Palo Alto, California. He has recommended dozens of patients do this type of resistance training.”
A person with a debilitating condition such as arthritis or and a limitation because of an injury would do well to have the muscles around those compromised joints strengthened. Often exercise to strengthen those muscles can become problematic, as many forms of exercise can exacerbate the condition. The key is to eliminate the rapid acceleration (the jerking motion) that creates forces that stress the joints and also perform exercises that do not put the joints in a compromised position - an example of joints in a compromised position and how specially designed equipment can minimize those hazardous movements.
At Kelly’s Austin Personal Training and at New Orleans Personal Trainers we us MedX rehabilitative exercise equipment. This equipment is gentler on the joints and suitable for those with limitations. We are able to make fine adjustments to insure that the range of motion is limited to one that is pain-free. It is also adjustable to produce maximum resistance even for those who are much stronger– the weight stacks go up to 1000 pounds.
While not all exercise movements at our facilities are necessarily slow, special care is taken to insure that the initial acceleration of the repetitions are started smoothly (no jerking). This minimal initial acceleration reduces force that can cause injury to the joints and connective tissue. Even clients with limitations are able to increase strength safely. More strength results in more pain-free movement and a higher quality of life.
What clients are saying: “I have officially lost 50 pounds"
Number thirteen in a series about what clients have to say about their workouts.
A recent conversation with one of our clients: Leif said, “I have officially lost 50 pounds. It has taken three years. Three years ago I was eating a whole bag of Cheetos in one sitting, and that is not good for someone who is taking shots for diabetes. I am so happy I heard your commercial three years ago”.
I said, “You know these last three years could have been different. Instead of losing weight you could have continued gaining weight.
He replied, “Something clicked and I knew this is something that I needed to do”.
People are in a hurry. They crash diet only to gain it back quicker. Leif's loss of 50 pounds was slow in coming, but he is much more likely to keep it off going forward. Ninety-five percent of those who lose significant amounts of weight gain it all back and more within five years. Why bother if you are not going to reap long lasting life-sustaining benefits?
The average renewal rate for most health clubs is around 30 percent. Of those who rejoin only about 30 percent of them use the club regularly. Those are not encouraging stats. People start out with good intentions and fall by the wayside when the results are not immediate. Where are you going to be health-and-fitness-wise three years from now? Most people make the choice to do nothing and at some point find themselves very out of shape. It is a common refrain we hear from new clients. - “I was exercising regularly until about two years ago.” “I have not exercises since 2001.”
At Austin Personal Trainers and New Orleans Personal Trainers we offer high intensity training (HIT). It is a full body workout. It takes about 30 minutes, and you do it once or twice a week. This is a workout that you slowly build up to, but it is doable at 30 minutes once a week. All you have to do is to keep improving, make modest changes in eating habits, and you will get to where you need to be. The other days of the week you are free to engage in activities you enjoy; there are not hours of drudgery in the gym. This is a workout plan most people can stick to for the long haul.
Previous blog entries in the series What Clients Are Saying:
1. @#%& incredible
2. Seems too good to be true, but it actually is that good
3. After each session, I always felt better on all levels.
4. This would not have happened to me if I had a personal trainer
5. This affects all aspects of my life.
6. I saw a remarkable change in my body
7. A Radical Transformation
8. I don’t think I would be alive today
9. Amazing and remarkable
10.My doctor said it would not be necessary to start taking drugs to preserve my bone density
11.What Clients Are Saying - "My years of strength training helped me survive cancer"
12. Under no circumstances stop exercising because that is what is keeping you going
What clients are saying: “Under no circumstances stop exercising because that is what is keeping you going”
Number twelve in a series about what clients have to say about their workouts.
Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a rare condition that causes symptoms similar to Parkinson's disease. It is a neurodegenerative disease marked by a combination of symptoms affecting movement, blood pressure, and other body functions; hence the label "multiple system" atrophy. The cause of MSA is unknown. Almost 80% of patients are disabled within 5 years of onset of the motor symptoms.
One of our clients, Christine, was diagnosed at Mayo with MSA 3 yrs ago. Of all the patients monitored at Mayo Christine she has experienced the least amount of atrophy. Christine works out with Adam at our New Orleans location. She had this to say about her workouts:
I was diagnosed with MSA 3 years ago I went for two other opinions in Houston and the Mayo in Rochester and they confirmed the diagnosis. I immediately started the strength training with Adam, and I am still going. The last time I went to the Mayo in October 2009 and Dr. Feeley who is my neurologist said “under no circumstances stop exercising because that is what is keeping you going”. Adam has done a tremendous job with me.
A person with a stronger body can better withstand ailments one will inevitably confront. We are convinced that strength training is essential for a higher quality of life. It is our good fortune to be able to play a small part in helping people make positive changes in their lives, and we appreciate their kind words. Seeing clients make positive changes is what makes our jobs worthwhile.
Adams has been a trainer for 15 years. We feel that we have a deep bench of fitness professionals. Adam, a valued member of our team, is ready to help you improve the quality of your life.
Previous blog entries in the series What Clients Are Saying:
1. @#%& incredible
2. Seems too good to be true, but it actually is that good
3. After each session, I always felt better on all levels.
4. This would not have happened to me if I had a personal trainer
5. This affects all aspects of my life.
6. I saw a remarkable change in my body
7. A Radical Transformation
8. I don’t think I would be alive today
9. Amazing and remarkable
10.My doctor said it would not be necessary to start taking drugs to preserve my bone density
11.What Clients Are Saying - "My years of strength training helped me survive cancer" ---------------------------------------------
Austin Personal Trainers
New Orleans Fitness Training
What Clients Are Saying - "My years of strength training helped me survive cancer"
Number eleven in a series about what clients have to say about their workouts.
I recently visited New Orleans a place I had lived for many years. I had the good fortune to cross paths with an old friend, Gunnar. He was once a long time client. I did not recognize him at first as he had lost his full head of air as a result of cancer treatment. He is 76 and healthy now and has yet to retire.
He told me his years of strength training helped him survive his bout with cancer. I don’t know how much of an impact strength training played in this instance. I do know that as we age we get a little weaker and lose a little muscle each year, and that decline begins to accelerate as we get into our 60s. In his later years Gunnar was not getting weaker; he was getting stronger. He was strength training. A person with a stronger body can better withstand ailments one will inevitably confront.
Strength training reverses more of the bio-markers of aging that any other form of exercise. You need not spend hours in the gym to make a profound difference. Studies have shown that significant strength increases result from high intensity training as little as once a week.
As you become stronger you will find you will be able to engage in more activities, and this will further enhance your health. It all starts with strength. Just improve a little each week and over time you will feel years younger and your life will be transformed. High intensity training is the type of personal training we do at Austin Fitness Training and at New Orleans Fitness Trainers.
Previous blog entries in the series What Clients Are Saying:
1. @#%& incredible
2. Seems too good to be true, but it actually is that good
3. After each session, I always felt better on all levels.
4. This would not have happened to me if I had a personal trainer
5. This affects all aspects of my life.
6. I saw a remarkable change in my body
7. A Radical Transformation
8. I don’t think I would be alive today
9. Amazing and remarkable
10.My doctor said it would not be necessary to start taking drugs to preserve my bone density
What clients are saying - "My doctor said it would not be necessary to start taking drugs to preserve my bone density”
Number ten in a series about what clients have to say about their workouts.
I have had two women (aged 51 and 56) with osteopenia start strength training on the recommendation of their doctors. Both were told to strength train for six months and then have their bone density retested to see if there was an improvement. In both instances their bone density increased, and their doctors told them it would not be necessary to start a drug treatment.
A treatment, while not a cure, can have varying degrees of success. A treatment can slow the deterioration process, prevent the condition from getting worse, or it can reverse that deterioration process. With both these women they were able to reverse their bone losses. Hopefully that continues far into the future, but there are no guarantees.
There is presently no cure for osteopenia. There are two treatments often mentioned – exercise and osteoporosis drugs. When comparing the side-effects of the two treatments exercise is clearly a much better choice.
The exercise protocol used by the personal trainers at Austin Personal Training and New Orleans Fitness Trainers was derived from a study working with osteoporosis patients. Researchers found that joints hurt less, bone density increased and muscles were stronger and more toned with minimal time exercising. It has been shown effective for men and women of all ages.
Previous blog entries in the series What Clients Are Saying:
1. @#%& incredible
2. Seems too good to be true, but it actually is that good
3. After each session, I always felt better on all levels.
4. This would not have happened to me if I had a personal trainer
5. This affects all aspects of my life.
6. I saw a remarkable change in my body
7. A Radical Transformation
8. I don’t think I would be alive today
9. Amazing and remarkable
Previous blogs posted on the subject of bone loss and exercise:
1. Are bone loss drugs a good idea for those with osteopenia?
2. The under appreciated role of muscle in health and disease
3. High-intensity strength training effective for osteoporotic fractures
4. High intensity strength training preserves bone density
High intensity training - how long should each exercise be?
Take two people who can just barely lift 100 for one repetition. Now lighten the weight to 80 pounds and see how many reps each person gets. You might find that there will be a wide range of variability. One person might get eight reps, while the other will get 12. Why is that?
Those who have primarily fast-twitch muscle fiber will be able to lift a greater weight for their size. Those who are more effective at recruitment of muscle fibers will be able will lift more weight as well. Someone who is primarily fast-twitch and very effective at recruiting a lot of muscle fiber for the task at hand will be very strong and very fast. Dara Torres is an example.
The flip side of that is those who are primarily fast-twitch and very effective muscle fiber recruiters will fatigue much quicker. Those that fatigue quicker will be better suited to exercises of shorter duration to avoid over-training. A slow twitch person who is less effective at muscle fiber recruitment will require a longer duration of an exercise to reach a level of fatigue that is necessary to stimulate a change in the body. Some will do well with an exercise duration of less than one minute on a particular muscle group, while others might benefit more with times over two minutes for the same muscle group.
The composition of fast- and slow-twitch muscle fibers varies among individuals, and it varies for the various muscle groups within each individual. As trainers we do not know the muscle fiber composition of each client. We cannot do biopsies to determine that composition. Noticing the different rates of fatigue among individuals we can infer that a client might possibly be more fast-twitch than slow twitch and make necessary changes in the duration of certain exercises.
That can be problematic though. Sticking to a scheme of tailor-made set times may work well at first, but eventually the improvement will stop as the body adapts to the same stimulus week after week. At Austin Personal Trainers and New Orleans Fitness Training we might determine that a set time is better for a certain individual on a certain exercise and perform that protocol more often, but we feel variety in the length of times is important as well. We take our clients through a variety of different exercises, changing sequences, differing amount of sets for each muscle group, and exercises of different durations, so that they are constantly presented with a new challenge to keep the positive adaptations ongoing.
If a client stalls at certain time for a given weight we'll make changes by avoiding that particular exercise for awhile and substituting different exercises addressing the same muscle group. Those exercises will have different durations. When we go back to that exercise that the person had stalled on we very often find they outperform their previous best time by a surprising margin.
High intensity training - how often should one train?"
When the body is exposed to more of a stimulus that it is equipped to handle the body will makes a positive adaptation as a form of self-protection. That change will occur if the body has the capacity to change plus the needed time and resources to recover. Too much of the stimulus and too little time to recovery can produce a negative result – tanning versus burning or an increase in strength versus over-training and resulting weakness. Just like everyone has a different tolerance to exposure of the sun, each person has a different tolerance for high intensity strength training frequency.
With high intensity training there are those for whom twice a week will produce ongoing results while others would suffer under such a regime. For those who need more recovery time working out twice a week results in ruining two workouts, If you will not have fully recovered from your first workout, the second workout will be sub-par as you are not at full capacity. You will not improve, and you will have wasted valuable time and effort.
Working all the major muscle groups in a high intensity fashion once a week works best for most people. One of our clients trains every nine to ten days. You say surely that person can’t achieve peak strength training that infrequently. While it might not be optimal for others, it really works for him. He does 1000 pounds on the leg press, and he uses the stack on several other machines. A person that strong can put greater stress on the body that may require a longer recovery time.
Through trial and error you can eventually find out what works. I spent years figuring it out. At Austin TX Personal Trainers and New Orleans Personal Trainers our personal trainers have developed a high intensity training program (HIT) with special attention paid to recovery to insure that the improvements are ongoing – our business depends on it. We cannot afford to have clients come in and ruin two workouts in a row by not being adequately recovered.