More Weekly Tips

04-30-07: How Many Reps Should I do? - Often I am dismayed by the information given as the sole truth for a better workout. Most often this is given from Weight Belt Joe, Super-Fit Marry Ann, and even from a Magazine's Wellness Expert giving weight training recommendations. What bothers me the most is not the kindness of giving, but the giving to an audience that is unknown.

Think for a moment. Does Weight Belt Joe who has arms bigger than an elephant's body and wearing a belt (a whole issue there) with a 12 pack belly really expects you to do his workout? Does Super-Fit Mary-Ann who runs 12 miles and jumps through four aerobics class a day (as a warm up) and says, "come with me and we'll do it together" really has your best interest in mind? How about the author who writes for a magazine quoting reps and sets and confirming it's true, "source: association xyz"...really expects you to buy into this. Does anyone ask the question, "Who's in the study? Are they super stars? Do they have a weight issue like me? Do they workout 2 - 3 times a week like me? I have a spinal fusion...do they?" "My shoulder hurts but I followed what they said!"

Simply, information is great but be aware if it is tailored for you. Always question and decide if it is valid...Think: Does it make sense?

Back to the question: How Many Reps Should I Do?
Answer: This can be broken down into several simple choices.
Caution: This is not for anyone who has physical, cardio, major posture, or movement issues.

Big Bulky Strong Muscles: 5-8 reps x 3-5 sets.
Strong and Solid Muscles: 8-12 Reps 3-5 sets.
Weight Loss and Solid Muscles: 12-15 Reps x 3 sets.
Acute Definition with Strong Endurance Muscles: 15-20 Reps x 3 sets.

Who is this For: The beginner to the advanced and the sport-specific to the fitness-maniac. Basically these guidelines are for the average person for an average workout experience. With these guidelines you should take solid one-on-one instruction. Education is the key. If you turn your head to watch yourself in the mirror, then you have just altered your posture and biomechanics.

Basis of Foundation: Twenty Years of observing, testing, experimenting, asking, reading, NASM continuing education, again testing, measuring, and testing again. However, read the CAUTION above.

3/12/07: Building Strength. Unlike myths or from Joe in the gym, building true strength requires primarily two scientific steps. First, it is crucial to focus on the eccentric movement (letting the weight go) and controlling it. On a bicep curl this would mean un-bending your elbows and letting your arms bend down, or, on a standing squat this would mean the downward movement. Reason: Controlling the eccentric movement assures the use of more muscle-filaments. Second, speed determines what you are attempting to accomplish. For building basic strength, the speed (tempo) of your movement should be 3-4 seconds letting go of the weight, 1 second stop and then 1-2 seconds bringing the weight towards you. Reason: The slower eccentric speed will focus on endurance and train the muscle(s) to accept more and use more of the muscle. Example: On a standing static lunge your tempo could or would be 3-1-1...down for 3, hold for 1 and up for 1.

For those of who just need all the technical jargon: Eccentric means the force you are applying is less than the force being applied upon you. Isometric means the force you are applying is equal to the force being applied upon you. Concentric means the force you are applying is more than the force being applied upon you.

3/19/07: Do More With Less Effort. Getting the most out of your workout (the biggest bang for your buck) requires a simple and totally effective step. It's using your Core. Your core (lumbar-pelvic-hip complex) is the main focal point for all strength, balance and control of your body. You should focus and challenge these areas to gain leverage. Performing your routines with a strong core will equal a simpler and more effective exercise movement. Example: When lying on a stability ball (supine) and dumbbell pressing, hold in your pelvic area as tight as you can and raise your hips and lumbar spine to be at the same height as your pelvic-abs. Reason: The tightening and bridging of your core will form a solid foundation without shaking or using other parts of your body to press up the dumbbells. If your body moves or shakes you will lose strength and energy just to keep yourself in place; less strength will be available to push up the dumbbells. Another Example: With a pushup, tighten your pelvic, glutes and inner thighs as you push up to lift your body. Reason: The tightening of these areas will stabilize your body and will free your arms from doing the majority of the work. Your body will propel upwards with ease.

Many routines exist for developing a strong and adaptive core. Spend time on your foundation...your building block, so your effort will not be wasted. A strong core will create a leaner and stronger body. Equally as important...a stronger core will burn more calories with less effort.

04-02-07: Preventing Knee Injury: Many knee injuries occur while exercising. While many of these injuries are from over-doing it during cardio, a greater number are a result of one's "Knee-Posture".

The Golden Rule: Never let your knee go past your toes when bending, lunging, squatting, etc. If you do, the result will be increased pressure on your patella, the surrounding tissues, and the entire knee complex.

The Mechanics: When performing a lunge (walking, static, active or dynamic) your knee should never move forward and past your ankle, and your torso's posture should be vertical. When performing a squat or any similar motion, the knees should never move forward of the mid-foot and most of the weight should be on your heals.

Advise: When doing any exercise routine especially one that involves the knee, always think about what you are doing first. Ask yourself, "Does this make sense? Why do I keep on losing my balance? Why does my back hurt?" Many of your answers can be simple body position adjustments.

04-16-07: Developing Partnerships for Your Goals: Increasing your protein intake is a very important strategy for weight loss and strength building and repair. Protein increases satiety (feeling full), promotes calorie increase, helps maintain lean body mass (LBM) during weight loss, and helps repair muscle and build muscle during and after exercise.

During weight loss consuming more protein preserves LBM, reduces body, and reduces hunger despite reducing your calorie intake. A good dietary and fitness strategy during weight loss (fat) and muscle building (LBM) is to eat the same amount of protein but eat fewer calories. A higher protein intake will increase satiety. You will feel full while eating fewer calories. This is important for success in loosing weight and increasing your LBM.

Maintaining protein intake when on a diet should be simple: Drink a high protein shake (add in fruit for taste and thickening) right after a workout, for an afternoon snack, or during a meal. The strategy will help maintain and increase LBM while reducing hunger.

04-23-07: FREQUENCY - Are Your Workouts Consistent? This topic cannot be understated. Its' importance is critical to your fitness goal. It is all important. It is the CATAYLIST to EVERYTHING!

It's like this. Your body and brain become accustomed to repetition. We get better, improve, and excel through practice from REPETITION and FREQUENCY. The more you do something the EASIER it gets. The more you do your cardio on the elliptical or run your muscles won't feel as tired because breathing becomes EASIER. The more you cable row, lunge, leg press, sprint, dumbbell press, or do crunches (with the correct core-control and posture), not only does it get EASIER, but you are getting MORE out of each routine.

What You Must Do: Keep to your FREQUENCY! If you workout three times a week, then don't miss. If you do then you are only fooling yourself and perhaps just spinning your wheels. Client: "I don't seem to improve. I still get tired. I still look the same."

What You Cannot Do: Miss! If you miss then you are on someone else's schedule...NOT YOURS. If you do miss because someone else is running your fitness life, be sure to make it up the week before or the week after.

It's Your Life...Your Mind-Set: FREQUENCY is the sure path to REPETITION that ensures you achieve a new benchmark because it gets EASIER. It is the CATAYLIST to EVERYTHING!

05-07-07: Stalling Tactics: Ingenious, sometimes amazingly creative thinking, a well thought out premeditated plan, and at times engaging others into your strategy of delay. What are they and how to expose them? Simple! They put you out of the loop during your workout.

Consider this: You are in the core of your workout. Your heart beat is elevated, muscles warm, and you are in rhythm. Then you stop! You take an extended break. You run to get your towel or water you left 30 feet away (premeditated) and slowly walk back. You say hi to some buddies or you start talking to your trainer (small-talk) and by the time you get going again, three minutes have passed. You heart beat is at 60%, muscles are relaxed and a bit tighter, your thought process has drifted, and you are out of the loop of repetition. In short, most of the gains you have achieved so far have now been lost.

Stalling instead of moving ahead and staying focused to use your fitness program for its advantage is one of the most negative things you can do. If you have a serious and strong goal then your attitude should match. Don't give it all you can 80% of the time. Once you back off even for a minute your body has to reset and start over. This small event might seem insignificant to you but its impact is more powerful than you can imagine.

Remember: The Principle of Adaptation. When the body repeats itself in a regular and consistent pattern, it not only learns and develops an easier and smoother movement it also manages your breathing and energy patterns for the highest gain. Through uninterrupted adaptation improvements are quicker, smoother and bigger and better.

05-14-07: My Uncle Ivan's Tip: A solid unique point of view from a truly unique individual. Each week my Uncle Ivan responds to my weekly tips. If you are interested in his alternative Tip of The Week, ask him at: ivanh@hubschercorp.com

"Begin by standing on a comfortable surface, where you have plenty of room at each side. With a 5-lb potato sack in each hand, extend your arms straight out from your sides and hold them there as long as you can. Try to reach a full minute, and then relax.

Each day, you'll find that you can hold this position for just a bit longer. After a couple of weeks, move up to 10-lb potato sacks.

After that, try 50-lb potato sacks and then eventually try to get to where you can lift a 100-lb potato sack in each hand and hold your arms straight for more than a full minute. (I'm at this level.)

After you feel confident at that level, PUT ONE POTATO in each of the sacks."

From Uncle Ivan; "If I were you I would send this to all of your clients that say it's too hard during their workouts...so they know there is a better way."