Study: High Intensity training beneficial and safe for those with heart disease

New research examines the question of whether high-intensity exercise is beneficial for heart disease patients. The result:

“The four studies, which were composed of patients who either had acute coronary syndrome or angina pectoris, confirmed previous findings that high-intensity exercise is safe, even for patients with CHD” – quote is from this article High-Intensity Exercise for People With Heart Disease.

Another quote from the article:

"When we compared VO2max before and after the training period, we found that the number of training sessions, the subject's age or baseline fitness levels had no impact, but the intensity of the intervals had a significant effect, and seems to be the most important characteristic of an effective interval session.”

It was not how often but how hard they trained that produced the measurable change. They define high-intensity training as the point where a subject's HR during intensive periods is 85-95% of HRmax. They found that VO2max increased by 11.9 % after an average of 23.4 training sessions during the 12-week period for all subjects. They also found that when intensity that was greater than 92 % of their HRmax during the high-intensity periods, the effect was even greater.

This high intensity interval training works for those with healthy hearts as well. It can be conducted on various type of aerobic equipment or it can be done with interval strength training – a series of intense strength training exercises with little rests in between.

There are an infinite number of possible high intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts that can be performed. They cannot be both long and intense. Done right they will be brief and intense. You will have to build up to this. AtAustin Personal Training and at New Orleans Fitness Trainers we can help you gradually build up to a high intensity regime that is safe, effective, and efficient for your age and condition. You need not spend hours in the gym to feel better, look better, and perform better.

Other heart healthy blog entries:
1. The Heart Can Benefit From Brief Intense Exercise

2. Conventional wisdom and the benefits of strength training for cardiovascular health and weight loss

3. Brief, Intense Exercise Can Benefit The Heart

4. High-intensity exercise better at improving metabolic syndrome risk factors

Exercise and Brain Health

From the article Get Moving for a Health Brain in the September 2013 AARP Bulletin these quotes:

The latest research shows that cognitive decline is not inevitable…the brain continues to make new neurons and fine tune neural connections as we live…Aerobic exercise jumps-tarts that process and slashes your lifetime risk of Alzheimer’s’ in half and general dementia by 60 %.

And this:

Exercise boosts the flow of blood to the brain, spurring the release of what has been dubbed Miracle-Gro for the brain – brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). This chemical stimulates the formation of new neurons in the hippocampus, the area involved in memory, learning and the ability to plan and make decisions. BDNF also repairs cell damage and strengthens
synapses.

Is it to late to start if you are already older? According to the article No. Can aerobic activity cognitive benefit younger people? Absolutely, more on that in a later blog post. At Austin Personal Training and at New Orleans Fitness Trainers we can help you gradually build up to a high intensity program that is safe, effective, and efficient for your age and it will have your breathing hard. Our oldest client is 88. Using such a program you can expect to feel better and have a dramatic improvement in your health.

Brief Bouts of High Intensity Training Improves Maximal Oxygen Uptake

From this study, Low-and High-Volume of Intensive Endurance Training Significantly Improves Maximal Oxygen Uptake after Ten Weeks of Training in Healthy Men comes this quote:

“Our study demonstrated that slightly overweight and healthy individuals only required brief, duration bouts of exercise with good effort three times a week, to produce large increases in VO2max and work economy and reduce blood pressure and fasting glucose levels.”

And this:

“The present study demonstrates that a relatively intense stimulus administered only once and for a relatively short duration can substantially improve VO2max and work economy. A single bout of 4-minute interval training three times per week will not solve all lifestyle-related problems for people already obese or overweight, and it is not the only solution for inactive persons with a BMI below 25.”

In the study one group of men performing just one high intensity session three times a week (walking, jogging, or running on a treadmill) for 10 weeks saw a VO2max increase of 10%, and the other group that did four sprints three times a week experienced a boost of 13%.

This protocol of four bursts is called the 4x4 12-minute workout. Other protocols are the Tabata protocol (20 seconds of intense work, followed by 10 seconds of rest for eight cycles), the Timmons protocol (20 seconds of cycling at total effort followed by 2 minutes of gentle cycling), and the Gibala protocol (60 seconds of work at 95% VO2max with 75 seconds of rest repeated for 8 to 12 cycles).

There are an infinite number of possible high intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts that can be performed. They cannot be both long and intense. Done right they will be brief and intense. You will have to build up to this. AtAustin Personal Training and at New Orleans Fitness Trainers we can help you gradually build up to a high intensity regime that is safe, effective, and efficient for your age and condition. You need not spend hours in the gym to feel better, look better, and perform better.

High intensity activity affects fat loss

From this study, Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity and Weight Outcomes: Does Every Minute Count? comes this quote:

"What we learned is that for preventing weight gain, the intensity of the activity matters more than duration," says Jessie X. Fan, professor of family and consumer studies at the U. "This new understanding is important because fewer than 5 percent of American adults today achieve the recommended level of physical activity in a week according to the current physical activity guidelines. Knowing that even short bouts of 'brisk' activity can add up to a positive effect is an encouraging message for promoting better health."

The recommended number of minutes of exercise a week is 150 minutes. Fewer than five percent of American adults today achieve the recommended level of physical activity in a week. The recommended program might be a great program, but if next to nobody does it what good is it? People exercising with greater intensity for far less than the recommended 150 weekly minutes have achieved really amazing results.

At Austin Personal Training and at New Orleans Fitness Trainers we can help you gradually build up to a high intensity regime that is safe, effective, and efficient for your age. Our oldest client is 88. Using such a program you can expect to feel better and have a dramatic improvement in your health.

HIT exercise lowers cognitive decline in older women

From this study, Effects of aerobic exercise on mild cognitive impairment: a controlled trial this quote:

“Six months of high-intensity aerobic exercise had sex-specific effects on cognition… aerobic exercise improved performance on multiple tests of executive function, increased glucose disposal during the metabolic clamp, and reduced fasting plasma levels of insulin, cortisol, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor.”

The sixteen men in the study did not achieve the same positive cognitive results. They postulated that the difference was possibly because the body's use of and production of cortisol, insulin, and glucose differed in women and men. Regardless, the long list of positive changes resulting for high intensity exercise makes it worth the investment of one’s time.

All participants exercised at 75% to 85% of heart rate reserve and mean age of the group was 70 years old with the oldest being 85. At Austin Personal Training and at New Orleans Fitness Trainers we work with people of all ages in a high intensity fashion. High intensity varies by individual depending on their level of fitness. For those who are older the bar need not be that high to achieve high intensity exercise. To produce change you need to expose the body to more that it is used to handling.

We follow a simple protocol: Safely expose the body to more exercise than it is used to handling (longer duration, a greater distance, a quicker pace, or more weight lifted). Allow enough time for recovery and rebuilding. The body will then make a positive adaptation as an act of self-protection. When done correctly the human body is the only engine that improves with use rather than wearing down.

Studys Shows That HIT Exercise Lowers Blood Pressure

From this study, High-intensity interval training and hypertension: maximizing the benefits of exercise?:

"Several studies have shown that high-intensity interval training (HIT), which consists of several bouts of high-intensity exercise (~85% to 95% of HRMAX and/or VO2MAX lasting 1 to 4 min interspersed with intervals of rest or active recovery, is superior to Continuous moderate-intensity exercise training CMT for improving cardiorespiratory fitness, endothelial function and its markers, insulin sensitivity, markers of sympathetic activity and arterial stiffness in hypertensive and normotensive at high familial risk for hypertension subjects. This compelling evidence suggesting larger beneficial effects of HIT for several factors involved in the pathophysiology of hypertension raises the hypothesis that HIT may be more effective for preventing and controlling hypertension."

I have been on high blood pressure medication for over 30 years. For the past few years it has taken two blood pressure meds to keep my blood pressure under control. My doctor agreed to take me off one of the meds as long as I monitored it, and I started to exercise again after an eight month hiatus.

I did strength training and did sprint training on a recumbent bike. Both were done in a high intensity fashion - periods of high intensity work with short recovery periods in between. Both acheive 85% to 95% of a heart rate maximum.

I have been checking my blood pressure several times a day for the last six weeks. I shared the numbers with my doctor and he is pleased. We even discussed the possiblity of cutting back the dosage of the remaining medication.

Done correctly both, HIT strength training and HIT using aerobic equipment, will get one's heart rate up near the maximum for one's age. We can show you how to both at Austin Personal Training and at New Orleans Fitness Trainers. Both are safe, effective, and efficient. Using such a program you can expect to feel better and have a dramatic improvement in your health.

How Much Of Difference Can Three Minutes Of Exercise A Week Make?

How much difference can three minutes of exercise a week make? it turns out quite a lot. How can that be? From this article, Can three minutes of exercise a week help make you fit?, comes this quote:

"part of the explanation is (probably) that HIT uses far more of our muscle tissue than classic aerobic exercise.

When you do HIT, you are using not just the leg muscles, but also the upper body including arms and shoulders, so that 80% of the body's muscle cells are activated, compared to 20-40% for walking or moderate intensity jogging or cycling.

Active exercise also seems to be needed to break down the body's stores of glucose, deposited in your muscles as a substance called glycogen. Smash up these glycogen stores and you create room for more glucose to be sucked out of the blood and stored."

HIT stands for high intensity training. HIT can be done on most types aerobic equipment. HIT for strength produces similar results. HIT strength training is a series of high intensity weight lifting exercises with short rests in between. Done correctly both, HIT strength training and HIT using aerobic equipment, will get one's heart rate up near the maximum for one's age.

We can show you how to both at Austin Personal Training and at New Orleans Fitness Trainers. Both are safe, effective, and efficient. Using such a program you can expect to feel better and have a dramatic improvement in you health.

High-intensity intermittent exercise effectively burns fat

From the Journal of Obesity from this study, High-Intensity Intermittent Exercise and Fat Loss comes this quote:

“The effect of regular aerobic exercise on body fat is negligible; however, other forms of exercise may have a greater impact on body composition. For example, emerging research examining high-intensity intermittent exercise (HIIE) indicates that it may be more effective at reducing subcutaneous and abdominal body fat than other types of exercise.”

And this quote:

“Regular HIIE produces significant increases in aerobic and anaerobic fitness and brings about significant skeletal muscle adaptations that are oxidative and glycolytic in nature. HIIE appears to have a dramatic acute and chronic effect on insulin sensitivity.”

The study goes on to say that the results are promising but more studies are needed. They study states that aerobic exercise has little effect on body fat, and that the potential for fat loss high-intensity intermittent exercise (HIIE) is promising. There is a long list know benefits (see recent posts) plus potential benefits. That is good enough to start incorporating HIIE into a training training regimen.

High-intensity intermittent exercise is brief, intense exercise training with short rests in between the intense bouts of exercise. This can be accomplished on aerobic equipment or by doing a series of strength training exercises. We can show you how to both at New Orleans Fitness Trainersand at Austin Personal Training Both are safe, effective, and efficient. You won't need to spend hours in the gym.

Long distance running lowers testosterone; sprint training increases it

From This study, Effect of altered reproductive function and lowered testosterone levels on bone density in male endurance athletes: "Relatively short duration exercise bouts at maximum or near maximum intensity appear to increase serum testosterone levels, with measurable changes evident within minutes. However, with prolonged acute submaximal exercise bouts of approximately two hours or longer, suppression of circulating testosterone is noted which may remain for several days. "

You will likely lower your testosterone level if you run great distances, and you can raise your testosterone by doing all-out sprints. Sprints might not be an option for those with old injuries. I am eight months out from a torn Achilles tendon. My tendon is not quite right and never will be. I also run a 15 % probability of re-injuring it. I have no problem going all out on a recumbent bike and can elevate my pulse to my maximum after just a few sprints.

Sprints are very demanding but they are of short duration. A similar result can be obtained by doing high intensity strength training which is also demanding but short in duration. We can show you how to do both at New Orleans Fitness Trainers and at Austin Personal Training.

The benefits of human growth hormone and how to increase levels naturally

According to the Mayo Clinic Human Growth Hormone (HGH) can:

• 
  Decrease body fat
• 
  Increase exercise capacity
• 
  Increase bone density
• 
  Increase muscle mass

HGH levels are higher when we are young and growing and decrease with age. Raising HGH naturally is a good thing for most people. How to do that? One study, The time course of the human growth hormone response to a 6 s and a 30 s cycle ergometer sprint looked at the different responses to sprinting six seconds versus 30 seconds on a stationary bike. They found that:

Metabolic responses were greater after the 30 s sprint than after the 6 s sprint. The highest measured mean serum hGH concentrations after the 30 s sprint were more than 450% greater than after the 6 s sprint.

Sprint work is brief, intense exercise training. It can be accomplished on aerobic equipment or by doing a series of high intensity strength training exercises. We can show you how to both at New Orleans Fitness Trainersand at Austin Personal Training Both are safe, effective, and efficient.

High intensity interval training produces metabolic adaptations in far less time compared to traditional methods

In a two week study ( Short-term sprint interval versus traditional endurance training: similar initial adaptations in human skeletal muscle and exercise performance) researchers compared changes produced by sprint-inteval training (SIT) versus high volume endurance training (ET). Total training time 2.5 hours for SIT and 10.5 hours for ET, and total training volume was 90% lower for SIT versus ET

From the study: Brief, intense exercise training may induce metabolic and performance adaptations comparable to traditional endurance training....Given the large difference in training volume, these data demonstrate that SIT is a time-efficient strategy to induce rapid adaptations in skeletal muscle and exercise performance that are comparable to ET in young active men.

Brief, intense exercise training can be accomplished on aerobic equipment or by doing a series of strength training exercises. We can show you how to both at New Orleans Fitness Trainers and at Austin Personal Training Both are safe, effective, and efficient. You don't need to spend hours in the gym.

Less time exercising more fat loss

Exercises are performed in all sorts of ways. Expose your body to more work that it is used to handling, allow rest and recovery and the body will make a positive adaptation as a form of self protection. You can put in more time – do more reps, do more sets, run a little further, engage in whatever the activity is a little longer – and as long as you don’t overdo it the body will come back improved.

You can work a little harder – more weight on the bar, a steeper hill at the same pace, sprinting instead of jogging - and again as long as you don’t overdo it the body will come back improved. If you exercise in this way the workouts cannot be very long but they can be very effective. Just one benefit is fat loss.

From this study, High-Intensity Intermittent Exercise and Fat Loss this quote:

The effect of regular aerobic exercise on body fat is negligible; however, other forms of exercise may have a greater impact on body composition. For example, emerging research examining high-intensity intermittent exercise (HIIE) indicates that it may be more effective at reducing subcutaneous and abdominal body fat than other types of exercise.

For my time and effort, I much prefer high-intensity intermittent exercise. Doing exercise in this way you continue to burn calories long after the workout is over. It is a workout you need to work up to. It can be conducted on all sorts of aerobic equipment. I use a recumbent bike. The workout consists of a warm-up followed by an all-out sprint and then a recovery period at a slower pace. The sprint and recovery are then repeated for
up to eight cycles. There is not set formula on how long the sprints should
be. I use the format laid out by Dr. Mercola on his web site – three minutes
of warm-up followed by a 30 second sprint with a 90 second recovery period pedaling at a slower pace the sprint and recover again. Doing it for eight cycles would mean four minutes of highly demanding work. I think it is worth it for the results.

All-out isn’t 80 or 90%, it is really all-out. The first time I did I did two sprints and I was really spent. I am up to six and it is difficult. The fat is coming off; one is less likely to be lured by comfort food when one putting out a lot of effort. It is taking me less time to get my pulse back to normal after a session. After a long hiatus from exercise I managed to get badly out of shape. The best part of getting back to exercise is that I feel much better.

At New Orleans Fitness Trainers and at Austin Personal Training we can show you how to work up to this workout and how to workout effectively and efficiently so you can spend less time in the gym and more time doing the things you want to do.

Fifteen Minutes Of Training In Two Weeks Remarkable Result

After two weeks of exercise totaling 15 minutes, the result from this study,Extremely short duration high intensity interval training substantially improves insulin action in young healthy males:

Insulin sensitivity, as measured by the Cederholm index, was improved by 23% (P < 0.01), while aerobic cycling performance improved by ~6% (P < 0.01).

They concluded:

The efficacy of a high intensity exercise protocol, involving only ~250 kcal of work each week, to substantially improve insulin action in young sedentary subjects is remarkable.

The subjects did four to six 30 minutes cycle sprints for 30 seconds each. It sounds easy, but it is not. You have to build up to it. The results are worth it. You can do this high intensity interval training HIIT on cardio equipment or you can do your strength training that way – strength training at maximum effort, followed by a short break and repeat with a different movement. Stop into our facilities at New Orleans Fitness Trainers or at Austin Personal Training, and we can show you how to do it effectively and how to build up to it.

Improved insulin action is just one of the benefits of this type of training. We will feature more articles on this subject in future article.

The Price Of Inactivity

In the last 35 years I have had about a half dozen times where I got out of the habit of exercising as a result of injuries or life just getting in the way. When that happened I had a greater propensity to eat more comfort food. I would even get up in the middle of the night to eat. Of course I gained weight, sugar levels went up, bad cholesteral went up, and my blood pressure was a little harder to control. What was more striking was how badly I felt. Old injuries came back to haunt me.

Last year I tore my Achilles tendon right in two. The recovery was slow. I stopped all exercise for months. I woke up one day with a pain in my shoulder that’s lasted for days. I further injured it playing around with my daughter. The pain, numbness, and restricted movement lasted for months. Because I favored one shoulder I slept on the other shoulder, and it soon began to hurt as well.

The pain and numbness just would not go away. I couldn’t reach over my head, reach out to close the car door, and had trouble putting on a shirt. I couldn’t sleep; the pain was persistent. Each night was constant struggle to find a position that would not hurt or make my arms numb. I began therapy with positive results. Massage helped too. I eventually got a shot of cortisone, and the pain subsided enough that I began strength training again, slowly building up.

The pounds started coming off and the pain totally disappeared. I was motivated to eat better. If I was going to all this effort of exercising I did not want to sabotage it with bad eating habits. Eventually I could move my shoulders effortlessly without having to be conscious of every movement.

At New Orleans Fitness Trainers and at Austin Personal Training we have extensive lines of Medical rehab equipment that can be finely adjusted to accommodate those with physical limitations to get you back to effortlessly doing the things you want to do and increase your quality of life. The time, effort, and price of price of exercising far outweigh the price of not exercising.

Strength training, compounding the benefits

Strength training enables you to engage in other activities more often and longer than had you not strength trained. You'll to enjoy life more and play longer and more often. Additonally, You will suffer less injuries. Engaging in activities longer and more often compounds the benefits derived from strength training creating a virtuous cycle.

Examples:

Carole lived with constant back pain. Her back pain disappeared shortly after she began strength training. Three years later she was still going strong attending dance classes with people half her age. The additional activity of dance classes contributed positively to her health as well.

Before strength training Marcus played golfed nine holes of golf every other day. He could not play on successive days as he was too drained of energy. He began strength training once a week. A year later he was playing 18 holes of golf and then 18 holes the next day. Those 27 additional holes redound positively to his health.

These changes do not require endless hours in the gym. Our personal trainers at New Orleans Personal Trainers and at Austin TX Personal Training and can guide you through an effective high intensity strength training program that will take less than an hour a week. Improve a little each week, go out and do the things you enjoy, and over time your life will change significantly.

Previous blog entries about the changes clients have experienced:
1. I love this workout

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. Under no circumstances stop exercising because that is what is keeping you going
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

The best thing you can do for your brain - exercise

“There’s a lot of hype in this field in terms of brain improvement. I did set out to find out what actually works and what we know. What we do with our bodies has a huge impact on our brains. Our brains are more like our hearts in that everything you do for your heart is thought to be equally as good or better for your brain. Exercise is the best studied thing you can do to your brain. It increases brain volume, produces new baby brain cells in grownup brains. Even when our muscles contract, it produces growth chemicals. Using your body can help your brain.” From the NYT article, The Talents of a Middle-Aged Brain.

A strong body and a strong mind can be obtained through exercise. Prior blog entries dealing with cognitive decline and exercise:

Exercise Helps Increase Production Of Neural Stem Cells In Mice Brains And Helps Avoid Cognitive Impairment
Study: Exercise Slows Alzheimer's Brain Atrophy

At New Orleans Fitness Trainers and at Austin Personal Training we have designed our personal strength training sessions to have the biggest impact in the least amount of time so you will be stronger and have more time to do the activities you enjoy. It is worth considering that the strength training and the increased activity that results might have the added benefit of slowing cognitive decline. With the right exercise program your life can be transformed in just minutes a week.

High Intensity Interval Training Lowers Blood Sugar

[Lief, one of our clients' has gone from five insulin shots a day down to one. He has been training with us for about four years. His video testimonial is on this page.]

Short, intense bursts of activity to mini workouts seemed better able to metabolize sugars – from this article Brief Brief, intense exercise lowers blood sugar:

"Small, new study found that 30 minutes of high-intensity exercise a week -- a total exercise time of 75 minutes a week with warm-up and cool-down included -- could lower blood sugar levels for 24 hours after exercise, and help prevent post-meal blood sugar spikes in people with type 2 diabetes.

"If people are pressed for time -- and a lot of people say they don't have enough time to exercise -- our study shows that they can get away with a lower volume of exercise that includes short, intense bursts of activity," said the study's senior author, Martin Gibala."

This interval training can be done on most aerobic equipment. Interval training can also be incorporating into strength training - perform a series of high intensity strength training exercises will little rest between the exercises.

This form high intensity interval strength training produces more Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC) than any other form of exercise. This is the type of personal training we do at New Orleans Fitness Trainers and at Austin Personal Training.

Living without back pain or living with it

There are many changes that come from exercise - increases in strength, stamina, body leanness, speed, and flexibility – that can be measured. Changes that cannot be accurately measured include the decreased likelihood of injury and the attendant pain and how well you feel. The right exercise can result in an increase in one’s quality of life. In some cases it can be dramatically life changing. As trainers this is the most rewarding result we experience with clients.

One client: “ A year ago at this time I was experiencing frequent bouts of aches and pains in my neck, shoulders, and back. I figured it was just part of growing older. Since I started strength training last January, these problems have gone away. Amazing!”

This was the experience of Bill Milliken who trains with Timothy, one of ourAustin Personal trainers. Carole had a similar experience: “I woke up every day with back pain. Going up and down stairs was painful for me knees. I am now pain-free”.

Exercise can go a long way in relieving pain and decreasing the likelihood of injury if it is the right exercise and the right amount of exercise. We use exercise protocols that were derived from exercise studies and have been proven effective for all ages and levels of fitness. At New Orleans Personal Trainers and Austin Personal Trainers and we use MedX rehabilitative exercise equipment that can be adjusted to accommodate those with limitations and the equipment is easier on the joints. We also have many years of experience working with those with pain, so that they can avoid the trial and error and the possibility of additional injury that can result by doing it on their own.

Previous blog entries in the series What Clients Are Saying:
1. Under no circumstances stop exercising because that is what is keeping you going
2. This would not have happened to me if I had a personal trainer
3. A Radical Transformation
4. I saw a remarkable change in my body
5. I don’t think I would be alive today
6. Amazing and remarkable
7.My doctor said it would not be necessary to start taking drugs to preserve my bone density
8. Seems too good to be true, but it actually is that good
9. After each session, I always felt better on all levels.
10. I was in tears walking on the Great Wall of China
11. I love this workout

12. More results in eight weeks than I had in three years.

Exercise and weight loss, how much?

From this article this quote: Exercise: The News You Don't Want to Hear

“A much better and more efficient way to exercise -- and one that research is clearly showing works a lot better -- is to do high-intensity circuit training. Put the beauty bells down and lift some iron. Shorten your rest periods. If you're doing "aerobics," do some interval training where you sprint for a while then jog to catch your breath.

And by the way, forget about "toning." It doesn't exist. You're either building muscle, maintaining the muscle you already have, or your muscles are slowly shrinking. The first two are accomplished with weight that's heavy to lift. The third is accomplished by doing nothing.

Please understand: No one believes in exercise more than I do. But trying to lose weight with exercise alone -- particularly the long, slow, arduous and generally not-fun method of running mindlessly on a treadmill -- is a doomed strategy if your goal is to lose body fat“

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is the type of training we do at New Orleans Personal Trainers at Austin Fitness Trainers.

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. Seems too good to be true, but it actually is that good
2. After each session, I always felt better on all levels.
3. This would not have happened to me if I had a personal trainer
4. I love this workout
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. I was in tears walking on the Great Wall of China
12. Under no circumstances stop exercising because that is what is keeping you going