…to both burn fat and train the midsection.

Performing 22,000 crunches is not only an inefficient way to see your abs, it’s also an inefficient and potentially dangerous way to train them. This type and magnitude of repetitive spinal loading has been shown to damage discs and result in low back pain. The primary function of the core musculature isn’t really to move the spine; it’s to protect the spine from various forces that attempt to move it – which means we should probably train it to do this more efficiently.

Below is a killer core circuit using the slide board. If you don’t have one, pick up a pair of Val Slides and their booties HERE and use those instead. Enjoy!

1. Rollouts

As you can see, these are tough… But you can also do them from your knees to make them a little easier. Slide out only as far as you can go without arching your back, and let your elbow bend on the non-sliding arm.

2. Saw plank

Also a toughie. But try to keep your butt down.
 

3. Tucks

4. Pikes

These last two can also be done from the hands.

For best results, do 10-20 reps of each, trying not to rest between exercises. Even better, incorporate them into a larger metabolic circuit like the ones in our Focus Fit6 class and get additional fat-burning benefits. Hope to see you there!

This could simply be a result of individual variability in response (see THIS POST). And although there has been some evidence suggesting that training in a fasted state results in a higher percentage of fat used for fuel, I always recommend eating before training in order to have the energy to work as hard as possible and maximize EPOC, or the amount of fat burned after the workout. The results of a recent study in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism suggest the same.

When a group of men completed a treadmill workout in either a fasted or fed state, their oxygen consumption after both 12 and 24 hours was higher when they had eaten vs. not eaten prior to the workout. Their respiratory exchange ratios (RERs) were also lower after eating vs. not eating, signifying that a greater percentage of fat vs. carbohydrate was being burned for fuel.

Past research has consistently shown a heightened thermic effect of food after exercise, and my guess is that this phenomenon likely contributed to the results.

In any case, the bottom line is that to maximize fat loss, you still need to eat!

For example, strength training may produce muscle gains ranging from 0% to 59% – depending on the number of satellite cells (i.e., stem cells that circulate in the bloodstream and help repair muscle tissue) that a given person has.

Cardiovascular training responses among individuals have also shown to vary from a 0 ml/min to a 1,000 ml/min improvement in oxygen transport after 20 weeks of the same protocol.

And as far as sedentary weight gain is concerned, some individuals put on 10 lbs. while others pack on 30 lbs. after being overfed by 1,000 calories per day for 100 days. Abdominal fat gain can range from 0% to a whopping 200% increase during this same time period. Wild!

So what does this mean for our exercise programs? Well, we obviously don’t have the technology to tell us how well our genes are likely to respond to a certain type of training (yet). But given the evidence of inherent variability in individual response, we have even more reason to stray away from a purely scientific “one size fits all” approach to exercise and pay closer attention to what happens when we put our programs into practice. What’s worked for us in the past may be the best indicator of what’s likely to work in the future – but only for us.

I had a hard time choosing which to love first, but I finally landed on New Rules for the simple reason that I think Alwyn promoted Mike’s product even more than his own – and that’s just cool.

These guys just “get it.” They get exercise, and they get the industry. They learn from each other and they share their information. They work together to make everyone in the field better, including themselves. We should all be promoting good information in attempt to raise the bar, regardless of who it comes from.

But anyway… The great thing about all of the New Rules books is that (despite their titles…) they focus on training movement patterns rather than muscles. This latest one takes it one step further: Lou and Alwyn include several levels of these movement patterns. It literally lays out Alwyn’s programs and how he progresses them based on what his clients can do – so readers can choose the appropriate level of exercise for their fitness level. It’s almost like having a personal trainer in that the program can be customized to the reader’s capabilities. While the idea for the book came with the middle-aged crowd in mind, it’s really appropriate for everyone.

What’s also great is the use of what we call “self-limiting exercises,” or exercises that force correct technique. It’s actually harder or impossible to do them incorrectly, so you get immediate feedback and can work out with the comfort of knowing you probably won’t get injured. This is extremely important when not working under the guidance and supervision of a fitness professional, especially for the over-40 crowd – so big props to Alwyn for using self-limiting exercises in this book.

So whether you’re a fitness pro in search of smart programming or simply an exercise lover looking to stay healthy, New Rules of Lifting For Life will make a great addition to your library. Pick it up HERE.

And smiling at the same time!

There’s been a lot of discussion in the fitness world lately surrounding running – including but not limited to the barefoot running debate. To start, a fire sparked last month when Vibram was sued for making claims that its FiveFinger shoes reduced injuries.

In fact, while we have some research suggesting a reduction in impact forces to joints when landing on the forefoot vs. with a heel strike, we don’t yet know the long-term effects on injury rates with this difference in gait pattern, nor can we say that switching shoes necessitates this change.

But let’s be honest: The majority of seasonal “runners” we see aren’t that concerned with injury or performance anyway. Sure, some people really like to run and want to stay injury-free to continue doing what they enjoy. But the majority of them do it mainly to burn calories and ward off extra weight.

Interestingly, as mentioned in THIS NY TIMES ARTICLE, there is also research showing that running barefoot burns more calories than running shod due to the increased energy cost of muscle contraction to absorb impact forces – which would seemingly suggest that wearing supportive shoes is actually better for runners concerned with conserving energy and improving performance, whereas going barefoot might be more beneficial for those looking to lose weight.

Now that’s an interesting turn of events, don’t you think?

Don’t get me wrong: I’m not suggesting either strategy. Personally, I don’t think running is the best strategy for weight loss at all. It just goes to show that there’s always another side to the story, and we need to be careful before accepting dogmatic claims.

To further illustrate my point, here’s some more running research to think about: A study in this month’s Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that running 1600 meters burns more energy than walking the same distance.

I know what you’re thinking: “No sh*t, Sherlock!” But don’t forget that for years we were told the opposite: That walking and running the same distance were equal in terms of energy expenditure; you simply finish faster if you run. This study found not only a significantly higher energy expenditure during the run than during the walk, but also increased energy expenditure afterwards due to excessive post-exercise oxygen consumption (i.e., EPOC).

(If you’re a fitness nerd and want to learn a lot about EPOC, check out THIS POST. If you’d rather learn a little and laugh a lot, CLICK HERE instead.)

Bottom line: Be wary of what you hear (or read). What’s right today might be wrong tomorrow.

Despite what your mother may have told you or what commercials you may have seen on TV, most athletes (recreational athletes included) require the same basic attributes of fitness (scaled to the intensity and duration of their sport, of course… It kind of goes without saying that the training needs of a lineman are different from those of a ballerina.)

ALL sports (including the sport of LIFE) require strength, conditioning and power in varying dosages. Boston Marathon runners still need strength and power development if they ever want to accelerate (particularly in the final portion of the race), and even powerlifters benefit from a base level of conditioning – which can speed recovery between sets. The key is in knowing when to train what, and how hard  and how much. The general principles are simple, however, and actually quite universal:

1. Prepare for your sport by practicing your sport (we’re talking skill acquisition here)
2. Establish a base level of strength
3. Increase power output
4. Develop sport-specific conditioning

Even if it seems as though conditioning is your limiting factor, this should be your order of events – provided you don’t have a competition in less than eight weeks, that is. If you do have a competition or event sooner than eight weeks away… well, plan better jackass! Seriously, if you’re less than eight weeks out and don’t know what you’re doing, get your sh*t together or hire a trainer because there’s no way in hell you’ll be ready.

Strength takes longest to develop and should therefore be focused on first. It also diminishes the slowest, and a minimal amount of strength training will be required later on when conditioning is your primary focus. Conditioning adaptations happen relatively quickly, however, and diminish fairly quickly as well. Power is somewhere in between the two, but certainly no less important.

In fact, power is arguably MORE important, as it is typically the expression of power that determines athletic success.

Notice how strength, power and conditioning all take progressively less time to peak as you move down the aforementioned list – which means that the time you spend in the gym training should look something like this:

These are the basics of block periodization. Different attributes are emphasized at certain points within a given time frame. So get your priorities straight and train smart! And if you need help developing a sound plan, I am at your service.

I had the pleasure of meeting Bobby a few years ago, when he was first embarking on the idea to develop a device that would measure the amount of resistance his Lifeline users were lifting. But it looks like we might soon be in for a lot more fun than that!

I guess time will tell…

But what he’s known for in fitness is making complex things seem simple. Interestingly enough, Russian Kettlebell King Pavel Tsatsouline possesses these very same qualities.

So what do you get when Dan and Pavel team up to write a book? 288 pages of awesomeness, that’s what!

Written as a conversation between two like-minded friends with fitness wisdom and passion that are second to none, Easy Strength is a home run. (Can you tell I’m excited that it’s baseball season?!?! Go Red Sox!) And John Du Cane hits the nail on the head as to why:

Despite all their differences in background, culture, experience and proclivities, Pavel and Dan managed to form one of those extremely rare creative partnerships, where two individuals combine to produce a work whose whole is truly greater than the sum of its parts.

Because Easy Strength is not a Socratic dialog, it’s not a series of arguments, but rather two masters of the craft jamming together. It’s the strength world’s equivalent of Keith Richards and Mick Jagger at their peak writing and composing, say Sticky Fingers—then unleashing it on an unsuspecting but deeply grateful and appreciative world.

Now, let me tell you, when you read the final masterwork that is Easy Strength, don’t be misled by the almost magical smoothness of the Pavel-Dan dialogs. There was agony and there was ecstasy and it took two hard years to get it done. But that’s great art for you.

The result, I proudly present to you: Easy Strength, a book of wisdom for the ages. A book by two “warrior athletes” I deeply admire.

Thank you, gentlemen.

May these two men and their Easy Strength inspire you—as they have so inspired me—to continue your own, never-ending quest for athletic excellence and supreme physical cultivation.

Happy Easter and happy training, and enjoy!

In actuality, while there’s some evidence that suggests a reduction in impact forces when using a forefoot vs. a heel strike, we don’t have any long-term research on barefoot running – so all the claims at this point are simply speculation. Problem is, the ignorant consumer doesn’t realize this, nor does he/she allow ample time to adjust a gait pattern used to a lifetime of running in conventional shoes. End result? Injury and class action lawsuit against Vibram FiveFingers!

I wouldn’t be surprised to see similar claims come against hot classes, another fitness industry trend that hopefully won’t last much longer. Seems every exercise class is now offered in extreme heat to “detox” the body through excessive sweating. People seem to like the scorching environment because they think they’re working harder… But while the heat makes the intensity feel higher, that probably means you’re actually working less intensely than you would under cooler conditions.

According to that article, people also seem to think a hot environment negates the need for an adequate warm-up, and this simply isn’t true. What’s really disturbing is that the closest thing to a factual statement comes from Tracy Anderson… Warm-ups are meant to do more than raise body temperature; they serve to prepare both the muscular and nervous systems for the movements and ranges of motion involved in the workout – neither of which are accomplished with heat. Hot classes can also cause dehydration, which always negatively impacts exercise performance and isn’t safe or healthy.

By far my least favorite fitness trend is weight loss. In fact, it’s so heavily psychologically based that I typically tell people to set some type of health or performance goal and let weight loss be the side effect. Regardless, the “a calorie is a calorie” argument just won’t seem to die. But it’s just another trend. No, wait; I take that back. It’s a lie. And people are actually fatter for it!

There’s no question that calorie reduction plays a role weight loss. But while calories enter the body as units of energy, the way that energy is used by the body is a different story. Energy intake might be calorie-based, but the hormonal and metabolic contributions to the resulting energy expenditure are far more complicated than calories. Period.

So when you read something that claims the secret to weight loss lies is mummy poo… you may want to take it with a grain of salt.

Same goes for other fitness trends that aren’t scientifically backed. Otherwise, you could wind up injured, dehydrated and fat – not exactly a model for fitness.

And that’s precisely why I love the field; but the fact remains that we don’t have it as easy as you think.

Trainers have just as much trouble making time to train as anyone else – maybe more. Our saving grace is that we’re typically very active throughout the day, and it’s our job to put together efficient workouts.

That said, here are 3 ways to get in a good workout when time is tight:

1. Circuits. I think it’s Mike Boyle who says something along the lines of, “Push something, pull something, do something for your legs and something for your core, and you’re probably pretty good.” Well, that’s really all there is to it. Alternating movement patterns in circuit fashion is a great way to cover all your bases (i.e., full-body resistance and cardiovascular training) in a short amount of time. Go through 3-4 times with minimal rest and call it a day. If you pick combination exercises (e.g., squat with overhead press, deadlift with row, lunge with curl, etc.), you’ll get even more work done. And if you set a clock to keep you on pace, you’ll get through faster and work harder because you’re bound by time without the option of extending your rest periods when you get tired.

2. Tabatas. Tabatas are great. Pick a full-body or conditioning exercise and work all out for 20 seconds, followed by just 10 seconds of rest. Repeat eight times. Four minutes total is all you need, and probably all you’ll be able to handle. Tabatas are typically tough enough to be workouts on their own, but they can also be used as finishers after a circuit or strength workout. Here’s a great tabata workout from Coach Nick Tumminello:

3. HIIT cardio. High-intensity interval training protocols work well for quick cardio workouts. They’re time-efficient and yield better results – for both cardiorespiratory capacity AND fat loss. With short rest ratios and hard work intervals, 10-20 minutes is really all you need.

Here’s one more tip: Stop trying to find time to train; you’ll be looking forever. You have to make time. Trainer or not, put your own workouts in your schedule like any other appointment and make them a priority.