If you're looking for a way to vary your weight room routine, and you should vary your weight room routine, here's a good way to shock your muscles.
Repeating the same exercises and rep counts over and over again can eventually lead to a plateaus in your muscle growth. Your muscles will get used to the same movements and say, (if muscles could speak:-)), "Oh, this again?"
Eventually, your muscles can just become more adept at that skill, not necessarily be growing.
Let me also reiterate here that if you do the same thing over and over, and it works for you, then by all means, roll with it. However, if you notice a lag in your progress, try something new and completely random. Your body thrives on variety.
In this particular workout, we are going to get our major muscle groups used to the same thing, form a habit, if you will, then suddenly shock them in the end.
Pick three multi jointed free weight exercises for the three major muscle groups. I'm recommending barbell squats for legs,glutes, and core, chest press (bench or dumbbells, depending on if you have a spotter) for chest, shoulders, and triceps, and the lat pulldown for your back and biceps.
*Note-when I say multi jointed, I mean working more than one muscle at a time. I always recommend bigger movements over smaller ones. A squat would be multi jointed, and a bicep curl would be single jointed. Leave the single jointed movements behind for this workout.
You're going to pick a weight that is fairly easy/moderate for you to lift for 10 reps. It shouldn't be a struggle, but it shouldn't be a breeze. Find the happy medium. Then you're going to lift that same weight for 10 reps, for 8 sets. Sorry, it may get kind of boring. Again, the weight should not be so heavy that you fail at all for any of the 8 sets.
After the 8 sets of 10 at the moderate weight, you're going to then do one set of the heaviest weight you are able to do for as many reps as possible. It should be so heavy that maybe you can only crank out 2-3 reps. But you should fail here. So we're going to maintain, then shock.
The actual workout looks like this:
Squats ( moderate weight) 10 x 8
Squats (max weight) 1 x failure
Bench Press or Dumbbell Press (moderate weight) 10x 8
Bench Press or Dumbbell Press (max weight) 1 x failure
Lat Pulldown (moderate weight) 10 x 8
Lat Pulldown (max weight) 1 x failure
Your muscles are going to be so used to those 8 sets of 10 that the sudden shock of doing your max at the end of it will send them into high growth. So we're going to "kick the habit" of the 10 reps of the same weight. (Like that?;-))
Also, the fact that this is a full body workout, where we're hitting all the major muscle groups, as opposed to just one, can contribute to that lean look you may be going for as well as growth.
This workout could be very easy for you if you're used to heavy lifting all the time, but so what? It's different, your muscles will be "glad" for something new. But if you wanted to, you could do more exercises for the same rep scheme.
If you find it to be very difficult and you find you don't necessarily have the muscle endurance to keep repeating these movements, drop your moderate weight even lower and finish.
Again, this is just one example of routine variation. There's thousands of way to mix it up. Let me know if you have any questions.
-D
###
Six Minute Push-up Challenge
Tack this quick push up drill onto the end of your workout to get those pecs and triceps popping for the last weeks of Summer!
I ran a couple of miles then did this, but you could add it to any type of routine. Also, it's simple!
You could try it alone as we'll just to do the challenge, but I'd recommend at least a warm-up first.
*Do 10 pushups every 30 seconds for 6 minutes straight.
Unless you did a heavy chest workout beforehand, this will probably seem easy at first, because the average person will do 10 push-ups in about 10-12 seconds, then you have rest time until the next 30 seconds come around. However, once you get to about the third minute, your chest and triceps should be screaming!
Modifications:
Too easy? Do this for 10 minutes straight instead of 6.
Too hard? Try for 8 push-ups every 30 seconds instead of 10. Also, you can modify your push-ups (knees on a mat) .
Tip: I don't care if you're a male or a female, if your form starts to suffer and you can't do a full rep anymore, modify your push-ups. I would rather see a full range of motion done on your knees than a half rep doing them regular. Do whatever you have to do to finish all 6 minutes with proper form.
Vanity tip: Check out your arms, shoulders, and chest in the mirror when you're finished (you know you're going to anyway;-)), and report back to me! I bet you will see that extra "pop" or cut in your muscles. If you don't, I will eat crow!:-)
Good luck!
###
I ran a couple of miles then did this, but you could add it to any type of routine. Also, it's simple!
You could try it alone as we'll just to do the challenge, but I'd recommend at least a warm-up first.
*Do 10 pushups every 30 seconds for 6 minutes straight.
Unless you did a heavy chest workout beforehand, this will probably seem easy at first, because the average person will do 10 push-ups in about 10-12 seconds, then you have rest time until the next 30 seconds come around. However, once you get to about the third minute, your chest and triceps should be screaming!
Modifications:
Too easy? Do this for 10 minutes straight instead of 6.
Too hard? Try for 8 push-ups every 30 seconds instead of 10. Also, you can modify your push-ups (knees on a mat) .
Tip: I don't care if you're a male or a female, if your form starts to suffer and you can't do a full rep anymore, modify your push-ups. I would rather see a full range of motion done on your knees than a half rep doing them regular. Do whatever you have to do to finish all 6 minutes with proper form.
Vanity tip: Check out your arms, shoulders, and chest in the mirror when you're finished (you know you're going to anyway;-)), and report back to me! I bet you will see that extra "pop" or cut in your muscles. If you don't, I will eat crow!:-)
Good luck!
###
Don't Be a "Gym Robot"
I see
way too many people I refer to as “gym robots”. A gym robot comes to the gym and does the
exact same workout all the time, and never deviates from the routine. I’d go as
far to say that one could set their watch to a gym robot. But routine is the
enemy in the fitness arena! If you do the same thing, all the time, your body
will adapt to it, and not improve. Your body will think that the same old
motions you’re putting it through are normal.
The
common retort of a gym robot is “Well, I’m not trying to improve, I’m just
trying to maintain. This has been working for me for years so I won’t change
it.” More power to you. But the body should always be improving. As we age,
staying in shape is going to be more difficult. Your body, eventually, if you
keep just putting it through the same motions, is going to be more susceptible
to injury and an accelerated aging process.
I see
people come to the gym every day and go to the same machines, in the same
order, using the same weight. I ask you, is this not boring? Why not make a
workout fun? We are more likely to stick to an exercise schedule if we are not
bored. Stop going through the motions! Make it harder, make it easier, change
your reps, change your exercises, etc. Don’t be afraid to ask a trainer how to
vary your routine. Some folks just don’t know any different.
I
understand a lot of people are just set in their ways, which is fine. It is
better to come to the gym and do the same thing all the time than to not come
at all. But if you want to achieve your fitness goals to the fullest, you may
want to change those ways from time to time.
Our
bodies thrive on variety. There are just way more benefits to varying your
routine than there are to doing the same things all the time.
-Damon
Costantini
###
5 Things Exercise Class Participants Should Know (From an Exercise Class Instructor)
Good afternoon, exercise world!
I don't wanna make mountains out of molehills. I have an awesome job and I love what I do. It's generally a fun job 90% of the time. But I'd like to speak up a minute, if not on behalf of all exercise instructors, for myself as one at least. I've been in the business for almost 20 years, and these are some minor observations I have that may make your limited time inside the gym as efficient and as fun as possible. I completely understand that I am not the customer in this case, and the customer is always right, however in some cases, maybe they're a little bit wrong? I saw some folks in the restaurant business post similar sentiments and was inspired! :-)
Read on with a smile, but please also consider these 5 things.
1. Don't come bother me to start class before class time.
In my job, I get a half hour to workout myself before I teach a class if I want to get paid for the class. If you want to come ask me what equipment we may need for class to set up ahead of time, cool. If you want to come ask me a fitness question, awesome. If you just want to chit chat, even better! But please do not come try to pull me into class before class is supposed to start. I don't care if it's 11:29 and class starts at 11:30. I will be on time.
2. Don't make rude comments about the music I am playing.
There's usually a rhyme and reason to the songs I am playing and when. If a song comes on that is not good for exercise, it's an accident, and I will run to my ipod asap. If it's too loud and you want me to turn it down, no problem. If you're offended by a curse word, I totally understand and it was most likely a mistake that that song came on. But if you just don't like the genre of music I am playing, please bear with it. I promise I will play an even blend of all genres. I can't please everyone. It's my class, I've been doing this for years, and I know what I am doing. Mistakes will happen with play lists, etc., I understand. Trust me I will remedy a situation as soon as I can. I will even ask the class for suggestions from time to time. But if you yell out, "Change it!", or "Boring", in the middle of my class, it's going to distract me and pull my enthusiasm level back a notch, and the class will suffer.
3. Come to class late with grace and class.
I personally do not mind latecomers, better late than never! However I don't teach quiet classes like yoga where concentration or meditation is going on, so you may take that up with those instructors. You may be interrupting in that case. But in my cases, come late, a lot or a little. I don't mind. However, come late nicely. Don't push people out of the way, steal other people's equipment, get in someones personal space, unless of course they clearly don't mind. There's usually room for everyone, but be nice please. This is a positive atmosphere and a lot of these folks have limited time. Let them get their workout on!
4. Don't make comments to other participants about their form unless they ask.
I am doing my best to teach and walk around to correct form. If you're a regular and you know some of the routines better than a newcomer, and you tactfully help them out, you've made my job easier. Thank you! But don't call someone out who may be doing something incorrectly. It embarrasses them and will make them not want to come back. Unless they're obviously about to hurt themselves badly, let me correct them,again, unless you do it nicely.
5. Be nice!
We're all here to have fun and get in better shape. There's no need for rude comments to others or me. I am a big believer in tact, if it feels like it may offend, don't go there. If you're just socially awkward, well then I guess we will deal with it in the most tactful way possible.;-) If you're in better shape than most, you don't tell me class was too easy for you afterwards, unless you're busting my chops. "Did you take it easy on us today?", can be said in a cool way. We're all adults here.
Thank you for reading and I hope you keep coming to my classes!
Your Trainer,
Damon
I don't wanna make mountains out of molehills. I have an awesome job and I love what I do. It's generally a fun job 90% of the time. But I'd like to speak up a minute, if not on behalf of all exercise instructors, for myself as one at least. I've been in the business for almost 20 years, and these are some minor observations I have that may make your limited time inside the gym as efficient and as fun as possible. I completely understand that I am not the customer in this case, and the customer is always right, however in some cases, maybe they're a little bit wrong? I saw some folks in the restaurant business post similar sentiments and was inspired! :-)
Read on with a smile, but please also consider these 5 things.
1. Don't come bother me to start class before class time.
In my job, I get a half hour to workout myself before I teach a class if I want to get paid for the class. If you want to come ask me what equipment we may need for class to set up ahead of time, cool. If you want to come ask me a fitness question, awesome. If you just want to chit chat, even better! But please do not come try to pull me into class before class is supposed to start. I don't care if it's 11:29 and class starts at 11:30. I will be on time.
2. Don't make rude comments about the music I am playing.
There's usually a rhyme and reason to the songs I am playing and when. If a song comes on that is not good for exercise, it's an accident, and I will run to my ipod asap. If it's too loud and you want me to turn it down, no problem. If you're offended by a curse word, I totally understand and it was most likely a mistake that that song came on. But if you just don't like the genre of music I am playing, please bear with it. I promise I will play an even blend of all genres. I can't please everyone. It's my class, I've been doing this for years, and I know what I am doing. Mistakes will happen with play lists, etc., I understand. Trust me I will remedy a situation as soon as I can. I will even ask the class for suggestions from time to time. But if you yell out, "Change it!", or "Boring", in the middle of my class, it's going to distract me and pull my enthusiasm level back a notch, and the class will suffer.
3. Come to class late with grace and class.
I personally do not mind latecomers, better late than never! However I don't teach quiet classes like yoga where concentration or meditation is going on, so you may take that up with those instructors. You may be interrupting in that case. But in my cases, come late, a lot or a little. I don't mind. However, come late nicely. Don't push people out of the way, steal other people's equipment, get in someones personal space, unless of course they clearly don't mind. There's usually room for everyone, but be nice please. This is a positive atmosphere and a lot of these folks have limited time. Let them get their workout on!
4. Don't make comments to other participants about their form unless they ask.
I am doing my best to teach and walk around to correct form. If you're a regular and you know some of the routines better than a newcomer, and you tactfully help them out, you've made my job easier. Thank you! But don't call someone out who may be doing something incorrectly. It embarrasses them and will make them not want to come back. Unless they're obviously about to hurt themselves badly, let me correct them,again, unless you do it nicely.
5. Be nice!
We're all here to have fun and get in better shape. There's no need for rude comments to others or me. I am a big believer in tact, if it feels like it may offend, don't go there. If you're just socially awkward, well then I guess we will deal with it in the most tactful way possible.;-) If you're in better shape than most, you don't tell me class was too easy for you afterwards, unless you're busting my chops. "Did you take it easy on us today?", can be said in a cool way. We're all adults here.
Thank you for reading and I hope you keep coming to my classes!
Your Trainer,
Damon
Run Your Fastest Mile
If you want to run your fastest mile on the treadmill, my advice is to run 3 miles.
Your fastest mile will be the second mile of these three. You'll be sandwiching your fastest mile in between two slow ones.
I was never a very fast runner, but using this method, I bested my own mile time by about 14 seconds.
If you just hop on the treadmill and go as fast as you can out of nowhere, it's going to be difficult to do your best time. Even with a few minute warm up, I don't find the body is really ready to take on the high speed yet. A good slow mile will prepare your body for what lies ahead. You need to work out the kinks! You will get your blood moving, your heart rate up gradually, and your body better prepared for the taxing fast mile.
Another reason this method works well is because you already have your miles per hour up. So when it's time to run that second mile, you won't waste precious seconds pressing the speed button to get up to a fast mph. You lose a lot of seconds pressing that button when you just run a fast one first thing. With this method, your speed is already up, so you won't waste as much time.
When you're finished your fastest mile, I recommend running one more mile slow. The fastest mile is so taxing on your body that it's best to cool it down sufficiently afterwards.
Consider the first mile a warm up, the second mile your sprint speed, and the third mile as a cool down.
Let me know your fastest times!
D
###
Your fastest mile will be the second mile of these three. You'll be sandwiching your fastest mile in between two slow ones.
I was never a very fast runner, but using this method, I bested my own mile time by about 14 seconds.
If you just hop on the treadmill and go as fast as you can out of nowhere, it's going to be difficult to do your best time. Even with a few minute warm up, I don't find the body is really ready to take on the high speed yet. A good slow mile will prepare your body for what lies ahead. You need to work out the kinks! You will get your blood moving, your heart rate up gradually, and your body better prepared for the taxing fast mile.
Another reason this method works well is because you already have your miles per hour up. So when it's time to run that second mile, you won't waste precious seconds pressing the speed button to get up to a fast mph. You lose a lot of seconds pressing that button when you just run a fast one first thing. With this method, your speed is already up, so you won't waste as much time.
When you're finished your fastest mile, I recommend running one more mile slow. The fastest mile is so taxing on your body that it's best to cool it down sufficiently afterwards.
Consider the first mile a warm up, the second mile your sprint speed, and the third mile as a cool down.
Let me know your fastest times!
D
###
Get Good At Stuff
In the fitness arena especially, I hear way too many people saying they don't want to try things because they're not that good at them. It could be any new venture- a sport, an exercise, or even talking to someone you have a crush on.
"It wouldn't work out anyway" or "I'm just no good at it" are the easy things to say.
Don't take the easy way out. If you really want to get good at something, how will you ever do it without trying?
The old saying, "You never know until you try" is true.
I also like this one, "It's okay if you strike out as long as you take a few swings first."
Here is my 2 step system for getting good at stuff, and the first step is the most important:
1. Try
2. Practice
Still didn't succeed? Then try my next system for getting good at stuff:
1. Try again
2. Practice more
3. Repeat
...and so on, and so on....
You see? It's not even really "my system". It's just how life works.
How do you think people who are good at something got that way? With a few exceptions, people who are good at things probably weren't always good at them.
How about an example? Okay, let's say you want to be able to run a 5k (3.14 miles), but you've never ran before. I wouldn't be able to stand hearing "I'd love to be able to finish that distance, but I'm just no good at running."
This is not a reason not to be able to do it.
My advice is to start small. Don't overdo it your first time or it will be a complete turnoff to you. Run in little increments weekly, and work your way up. Walk when you have to. Give yourself time for preparation. Ask other runners how they started. Set weekly goals for yourself. The first week, try to run a quarter mile without stopping, a half mile the next week, and so on.
You can apply this to anything really, no matter what your goal is.
Don't be one of those people who don't try things because they're "not good at them". That's not living. Turn words into action. You will feel better because of it.
How do I know?
Because I used to be one of those people who said "I'd like to be able to do that, but I'm just not good at it", and I'm not anymore.
"It wouldn't work out anyway" or "I'm just no good at it" are the easy things to say.
Don't take the easy way out. If you really want to get good at something, how will you ever do it without trying?
The old saying, "You never know until you try" is true.
I also like this one, "It's okay if you strike out as long as you take a few swings first."
Here is my 2 step system for getting good at stuff, and the first step is the most important:
1. Try
2. Practice
Still didn't succeed? Then try my next system for getting good at stuff:
1. Try again
2. Practice more
3. Repeat
...and so on, and so on....
You see? It's not even really "my system". It's just how life works.
How do you think people who are good at something got that way? With a few exceptions, people who are good at things probably weren't always good at them.
How about an example? Okay, let's say you want to be able to run a 5k (3.14 miles), but you've never ran before. I wouldn't be able to stand hearing "I'd love to be able to finish that distance, but I'm just no good at running."
This is not a reason not to be able to do it.
My advice is to start small. Don't overdo it your first time or it will be a complete turnoff to you. Run in little increments weekly, and work your way up. Walk when you have to. Give yourself time for preparation. Ask other runners how they started. Set weekly goals for yourself. The first week, try to run a quarter mile without stopping, a half mile the next week, and so on.
You can apply this to anything really, no matter what your goal is.
Don't be one of those people who don't try things because they're "not good at them". That's not living. Turn words into action. You will feel better because of it.
How do I know?
Because I used to be one of those people who said "I'd like to be able to do that, but I'm just not good at it", and I'm not anymore.
Your "Stay At Home" Workout
I recently spent a wonderful vacation in England where we were put up by our gracious friends in their house.
As it happens on vacations, one often finds themselves at a loss for a regular workout routine, which is fine, after all, you're on vacation. However, I found myself one day sitting alone in their house while they worked and shopped and I realized I had been sitting on the couch watching TV for quite a long time, not moving. I felt like I had to move, but it was rainy and cold outdoors, and I had no car to go anywhere.
(Don't get me wrong, I LOVE alone and downtime like anyone else, but I hadn't been steadily working out really on my trip. I felt like I needed to get my blood flowing, if anything for my mood and outlook.)
So the mood struck me, and I went upstairs to the bedroom we were staying in, found a 15 lb dumbbell and went to work. I didn't have a lot of space, but you don't need a lot of space for this workout. It's not incredibly difficult either, so this workout is great for beginners or those with certain limitations.
Here it is:
*squat with dumbbell shoulder press, 10x one arm, 10x other (20 squats total in the set)
supersetted with
*bent over dumbbell row 10x each arm
repeat set 4x
*squat with dumbbell curl, then press 10x each arm supersetted with underhanded rows each arm 10x
repeat 2x
*pushup set 10x-9x-8x-7x-6x-5x-4x-3x-2x-1x (minimal breaks in between, depending on your skill level)
*plank set --regular plank 30 seconds, side plank 30 seconds, regular plank 30 seconds, other side plank 30 seconds
repeat set 3x
And done! This didn't take me very long at all, and I wasn't pouring buckets of sweat, but I got my blood moving, felt a pump, and did a full body workout.
Don't have a dumbbell handy? Use bands or a soupcan!
No excuses!
###
As it happens on vacations, one often finds themselves at a loss for a regular workout routine, which is fine, after all, you're on vacation. However, I found myself one day sitting alone in their house while they worked and shopped and I realized I had been sitting on the couch watching TV for quite a long time, not moving. I felt like I had to move, but it was rainy and cold outdoors, and I had no car to go anywhere.
(Don't get me wrong, I LOVE alone and downtime like anyone else, but I hadn't been steadily working out really on my trip. I felt like I needed to get my blood flowing, if anything for my mood and outlook.)
So the mood struck me, and I went upstairs to the bedroom we were staying in, found a 15 lb dumbbell and went to work. I didn't have a lot of space, but you don't need a lot of space for this workout. It's not incredibly difficult either, so this workout is great for beginners or those with certain limitations.
Here it is:
*squat with dumbbell shoulder press, 10x one arm, 10x other (20 squats total in the set)
supersetted with
*bent over dumbbell row 10x each arm
repeat set 4x
*squat with dumbbell curl, then press 10x each arm supersetted with underhanded rows each arm 10x
repeat 2x
*pushup set 10x-9x-8x-7x-6x-5x-4x-3x-2x-1x (minimal breaks in between, depending on your skill level)
*plank set --regular plank 30 seconds, side plank 30 seconds, regular plank 30 seconds, other side plank 30 seconds
repeat set 3x
And done! This didn't take me very long at all, and I wasn't pouring buckets of sweat, but I got my blood moving, felt a pump, and did a full body workout.
Don't have a dumbbell handy? Use bands or a soupcan!
No excuses!
###
Exercises for Autism
First and foremost, I am not a Doctor or Behavioral Specialist. I just happen to raise two boys who are both on the Autism spectrum, and I work in fitness. I've taken what I know from my experience raising children with Autism and what I know about fitness and combined them to come up with these few exercises that should be beneficial to not just children who are on the spectrum, but people of all ages.
According to Autism Speaks, research has demonstrated that increased exercise can significantly decrease the frequency of negative, self-stimulating behaviors that are common among individuals with autism, while not decreasing other positive behaviors. Behaviors such as body rocking, spinning, head-nodding, hand flapping, object-tapping, and light gazing, that have been shown to interfere with positive social behavior and learning can thus be controlled by the use of exercise.
You may be saying, 'There's no way I will be able to motivate my child who is on the Autism spectrum to do these exercises.' I'm not saying this will be easy, but what is there about dealing with Autism that is?
Set aside a few minutes a day and try in short increments. I think in many cases, these movements will help stimulate something in them that will motivate them to keep going. Do the movements with them, show them, and in some cases if needed, set up some sort of reward system for completing the exercise. Employ the sticker system. Make them a little exercise chart, and when they complete a couple of sets, give them a sticker.
This is not an exact science, but I recommend you give these a try. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me.
These exercises I have laid out can be tried by children as young as 3 and up to adults of all ages. Be practical of course in regards to a child's age when performing these movements or drills.
*Try some simple runs or jogs.
We all know that kids and with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) love to run and move around. If you look at it as exercise that will eventually calm their minds, it will help you as a parent or guardian go a little less crazy ;-). Take them in the backyard, a park, or even make some room in your home, set up some intervals and run back and forth with them. Try to make them realize that the intervals are the markers are where they stop and turn around. This will help with structure.
Eventually, maybe try to set up the intervals in different markers, have them zig zag, run triangle drills, etc. This is great for agility, and creates a positive outlet for all that energy.
*Planks
Teach your child to have a strong core. The core is the foundation of a strong body, and holding a plank is one of the best exercises for it.
This one can be tricky to stay on top of because it's not movement, it's stillness. However, the still movement and concentration it takes is good for individuals with ASD.
Find some room on the floor, and put your forearms down, then support your body on just your forearms and feet. Keep your body straight, and try not to bend upwards into a "tepee" shape.
This may sound like a tough exercise for them, but once grasped, it can be quite relaxing to their mind. You can teach them to try to hold it for a specified amount of time. Depending on what part of the spectrum your child is on, this may become a way to use that part of their brain that needs the structure.
Try this just for a few seconds. Then try to beat your time on a second try.
I don't recommend very long planks for very young children in general.
*Marine Crawls
Crawl on your stomach with your chest close to the ground. Move your arm forward, then move your opposite leg with that arm, bringing your knee almost to your chest. Try for a smooth and coordinated crawl.
Try a few laps on the floor, up and back a few times.
*Sit and Stands
This is very simple. Find a stable chair, sit down, then stand up. Repeat this as many times as they will do it. Try to make sure your feet are out in front of you and you're using your thighs and glutes to stand up, not your knees. Make sure the knees do not cross the toes at any time. Also, if the chair has armrests, try not to use them to get yourself up. Focus on the lower body doing the work.
Shoot for maybe doing a set of up to ten reps, then if they get into a groove, do a couple of more sets.
Try these few exercises, and if you find they work well for them, I will gladly offer you some more options. It can be hard to explain to an individual with ASD why this is good for them, so don't bother if you don't think it will help. Just make a game out of it, make it fun, and do it with them. Monitor them at all times and if at anytime you find the exercise is getting too strenuous for them, mentally, and physically, stop, and/or move on to another exercise.
The bottom line is that exercise creates endorphins. Endorphins make us happy, no matter who we are or what we have. I find this to be beneficial, especially to individuals with Autism. The happiness may be experienced a different way than you or I experience it, but it's there, somewhere. This should help them channel sometimes negative or repetitive behaviors in a positive direction.
ALSO: Stay tuned to my blog in coming months. When it gets warmer, I am going to hold an outdoor Autism Boot Camp. More info later!
According to Autism Speaks, research has demonstrated that increased exercise can significantly decrease the frequency of negative, self-stimulating behaviors that are common among individuals with autism, while not decreasing other positive behaviors. Behaviors such as body rocking, spinning, head-nodding, hand flapping, object-tapping, and light gazing, that have been shown to interfere with positive social behavior and learning can thus be controlled by the use of exercise.
You may be saying, 'There's no way I will be able to motivate my child who is on the Autism spectrum to do these exercises.' I'm not saying this will be easy, but what is there about dealing with Autism that is?
Set aside a few minutes a day and try in short increments. I think in many cases, these movements will help stimulate something in them that will motivate them to keep going. Do the movements with them, show them, and in some cases if needed, set up some sort of reward system for completing the exercise. Employ the sticker system. Make them a little exercise chart, and when they complete a couple of sets, give them a sticker.
This is not an exact science, but I recommend you give these a try. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me.
These exercises I have laid out can be tried by children as young as 3 and up to adults of all ages. Be practical of course in regards to a child's age when performing these movements or drills.
*Try some simple runs or jogs.
We all know that kids and with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) love to run and move around. If you look at it as exercise that will eventually calm their minds, it will help you as a parent or guardian go a little less crazy ;-). Take them in the backyard, a park, or even make some room in your home, set up some intervals and run back and forth with them. Try to make them realize that the intervals are the markers are where they stop and turn around. This will help with structure.
Eventually, maybe try to set up the intervals in different markers, have them zig zag, run triangle drills, etc. This is great for agility, and creates a positive outlet for all that energy.
*Planks
Teach your child to have a strong core. The core is the foundation of a strong body, and holding a plank is one of the best exercises for it.
This one can be tricky to stay on top of because it's not movement, it's stillness. However, the still movement and concentration it takes is good for individuals with ASD.
Find some room on the floor, and put your forearms down, then support your body on just your forearms and feet. Keep your body straight, and try not to bend upwards into a "tepee" shape.
This may sound like a tough exercise for them, but once grasped, it can be quite relaxing to their mind. You can teach them to try to hold it for a specified amount of time. Depending on what part of the spectrum your child is on, this may become a way to use that part of their brain that needs the structure.
Try this just for a few seconds. Then try to beat your time on a second try.
I don't recommend very long planks for very young children in general.
*Marine Crawls
Crawl on your stomach with your chest close to the ground. Move your arm forward, then move your opposite leg with that arm, bringing your knee almost to your chest. Try for a smooth and coordinated crawl.
Try a few laps on the floor, up and back a few times.
*Sit and Stands
This is very simple. Find a stable chair, sit down, then stand up. Repeat this as many times as they will do it. Try to make sure your feet are out in front of you and you're using your thighs and glutes to stand up, not your knees. Make sure the knees do not cross the toes at any time. Also, if the chair has armrests, try not to use them to get yourself up. Focus on the lower body doing the work.
Shoot for maybe doing a set of up to ten reps, then if they get into a groove, do a couple of more sets.
Try these few exercises, and if you find they work well for them, I will gladly offer you some more options. It can be hard to explain to an individual with ASD why this is good for them, so don't bother if you don't think it will help. Just make a game out of it, make it fun, and do it with them. Monitor them at all times and if at anytime you find the exercise is getting too strenuous for them, mentally, and physically, stop, and/or move on to another exercise.
The bottom line is that exercise creates endorphins. Endorphins make us happy, no matter who we are or what we have. I find this to be beneficial, especially to individuals with Autism. The happiness may be experienced a different way than you or I experience it, but it's there, somewhere. This should help them channel sometimes negative or repetitive behaviors in a positive direction.
ALSO: Stay tuned to my blog in coming months. When it gets warmer, I am going to hold an outdoor Autism Boot Camp. More info later!
Workout of the Day
Grab a spin bike and a step. Put a good number of risers under that step, depending on your height. Try to make it as tall as at least 2 lengths of your feet, if not taller.
*First, run a mile
*Then grab that spin bike and ride for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, do 10x box jumps on your step. Propel yourself up onto the step, land with two feet, and step back down.
*Get back on your bike, go another 5 minutes, then get off and do 9x box jumps.
And keep going from there.
This is what the sets look like:
-5 min. bike/10x box jumps
-5 min. bike/9x box jumps
-5 min. bike/8x box jumps
-5 min. bike/7x box jumps
...and go all the way down to one box jump.
During the spin intervals, play with the intensity on your bike, making it high resistance, low, medium, etc. Challenge yourself. The workout will be too easy if you keep the bike on zero intensity the whole time.
I finished off the workout with 20x box jumps before I called it a day, but this is not integral to the workout's effectiveness. It just adds a nice ending to it.
This workout burns a lot of calories and the plyometric jumps are great for cutting your muscles up! The combination makes this a perfect workout for losing weight/cutting.
*Note: If you don't have access to a spin bike and/or a step, you can do this on a recumbent or upright bike, and find something else to jump on. If you can't find something to jump up on, run steps instead. You could also be super hard core and go outside and find a bench to do your jumps and use a real bike to ride around.
Let me know if you have any questions!
###
*First, run a mile
*Then grab that spin bike and ride for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, do 10x box jumps on your step. Propel yourself up onto the step, land with two feet, and step back down.
*Get back on your bike, go another 5 minutes, then get off and do 9x box jumps.
And keep going from there.
This is what the sets look like:
-5 min. bike/10x box jumps
-5 min. bike/9x box jumps
-5 min. bike/8x box jumps
-5 min. bike/7x box jumps
...and go all the way down to one box jump.
During the spin intervals, play with the intensity on your bike, making it high resistance, low, medium, etc. Challenge yourself. The workout will be too easy if you keep the bike on zero intensity the whole time.
I finished off the workout with 20x box jumps before I called it a day, but this is not integral to the workout's effectiveness. It just adds a nice ending to it.
This workout burns a lot of calories and the plyometric jumps are great for cutting your muscles up! The combination makes this a perfect workout for losing weight/cutting.
*Note: If you don't have access to a spin bike and/or a step, you can do this on a recumbent or upright bike, and find something else to jump on. If you can't find something to jump up on, run steps instead. You could also be super hard core and go outside and find a bench to do your jumps and use a real bike to ride around.
Let me know if you have any questions!
###
Hallway/Staircase Boot Camp
No time to get to your gym? Or maybe you just want a change of surroundings for your workout. If you work or live in a building with stairs and hallways (and you're permitted to exercise in them) I have the perfect workout for you to do. Especially a few days before Christmas, where you'll most likely be overindulging in food and drink.
Today, I took my class through these drills, and I know they loved me for it. This is based on having 5 floors in your stairwell. If you have less,or more, you can adjust it accordingly.
50x squats (on the ground floor), run up to the 5th floor
40x squats, run up to the 4th floor,
30x, 3rd floor
20x, 2nd floor
10x, 1st floor
*Let's say you only have one flight of stairs, you can adjust it by doing the 50 squats, then running the stairs 5 times, then do your 40 squats, then run it 4 times, and so on.
Want to make this even more challenging? Reverse it, start with 10 squats and one floor and work your way up.
For your next drill, find a hallway that has low traffic. Try to find a hallway that is a good distance, not too short, but not too long.
Do 10x pushups, run the hallway and back
8x pushups, run the hallway and back
6x pushups, run hallway and back
4x pushups, run hallway and back
2x pushups, run hallway and back
For your final drill you will mix jumping jacks and planks. You don't really need the hallway or stairwell for this, but it's good to finish up with some core work.
20x jumping jacks/1 min. plank
15x jumping jacks/ 45 sec. plank
10x jumping jacks/30 sec. plank
5x jumping jacks/25 second plank
*If you have a partner you guys can switch off holding the plank and doing jumping jacks.
Let me know if you have any questions!
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy New Year!
Today, I took my class through these drills, and I know they loved me for it. This is based on having 5 floors in your stairwell. If you have less,or more, you can adjust it accordingly.
50x squats (on the ground floor), run up to the 5th floor
40x squats, run up to the 4th floor,
30x, 3rd floor
20x, 2nd floor
10x, 1st floor
*Let's say you only have one flight of stairs, you can adjust it by doing the 50 squats, then running the stairs 5 times, then do your 40 squats, then run it 4 times, and so on.
Want to make this even more challenging? Reverse it, start with 10 squats and one floor and work your way up.
For your next drill, find a hallway that has low traffic. Try to find a hallway that is a good distance, not too short, but not too long.
Do 10x pushups, run the hallway and back
8x pushups, run the hallway and back
6x pushups, run hallway and back
4x pushups, run hallway and back
2x pushups, run hallway and back
For your final drill you will mix jumping jacks and planks. You don't really need the hallway or stairwell for this, but it's good to finish up with some core work.
20x jumping jacks/1 min. plank
15x jumping jacks/ 45 sec. plank
10x jumping jacks/30 sec. plank
5x jumping jacks/25 second plank
*If you have a partner you guys can switch off holding the plank and doing jumping jacks.
Let me know if you have any questions!
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy New Year!
Holiday Eating Tips
It's hard to stay on a regimen over the holidays and let's face it; we are all going to splurge a little bit during the holidays. With that in mind let's all remember these tips for making it through the holidays without reversing any of your great progress:
1. Keep working out every day.
2. On a day when you anticipate eating a lot, do a high impact cardio workout beforehand to counter some of the effects of overindulging.
For example, perform a sprint workout. Yes you have to bundle up and go outside.
Do 8-10 sprints (meaning as hard as you possibly can run) about half the length of a soccer field. Sprint on the lap up, and jog back. Repeat this 8-10 times. If you must rest in between, take a short rest. Remember to breathe through your nose when exercising outside.
3. At a big dinner, just have a little bit of everything. Only put a small amount of each course on your plate. Of course make sure you have your veggies and watch those simple carbohydrates! Here’s a hint, serve your food with the opposite hand of which you usually use. For instance if you are right handed, serve your food with your left. This sounds crazy, but you actually wind up serving yourself less food this way.
4. Chew your food at least 10 times before swallowing.
5. Use the 10 minute rule, meaning if you think you must have seconds, wait about 10 minutes and see if you feel the same way. That so called hunger for seconds goes away after waiting 10 minutes. Often people grab more food on impulse when they are not really hungry. The 10 minute rule is a huge help on this.
6. Limit alcohol consumption. (especially on New Year's Eve! )
7. Last but not least, don't deny yourself a Christmas cookie or two, but leave it at that. You don't want to sit there and eat the whole tin of cookies. I guarantee you will regret it. If you think you can't have one without having 15, it's best to stay away and opt for a healthier holiday snack.
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays!
1. Keep working out every day.
2. On a day when you anticipate eating a lot, do a high impact cardio workout beforehand to counter some of the effects of overindulging.
For example, perform a sprint workout. Yes you have to bundle up and go outside.
Do 8-10 sprints (meaning as hard as you possibly can run) about half the length of a soccer field. Sprint on the lap up, and jog back. Repeat this 8-10 times. If you must rest in between, take a short rest. Remember to breathe through your nose when exercising outside.
3. At a big dinner, just have a little bit of everything. Only put a small amount of each course on your plate. Of course make sure you have your veggies and watch those simple carbohydrates! Here’s a hint, serve your food with the opposite hand of which you usually use. For instance if you are right handed, serve your food with your left. This sounds crazy, but you actually wind up serving yourself less food this way.
4. Chew your food at least 10 times before swallowing.
5. Use the 10 minute rule, meaning if you think you must have seconds, wait about 10 minutes and see if you feel the same way. That so called hunger for seconds goes away after waiting 10 minutes. Often people grab more food on impulse when they are not really hungry. The 10 minute rule is a huge help on this.
6. Limit alcohol consumption. (especially on New Year's Eve! )
7. Last but not least, don't deny yourself a Christmas cookie or two, but leave it at that. You don't want to sit there and eat the whole tin of cookies. I guarantee you will regret it. If you think you can't have one without having 15, it's best to stay away and opt for a healthier holiday snack.
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays!
Vanity Muscles
What muscles did you work today? Let me guess, if you’re a male you worked your chest and biceps and if you’re a female you worked your legs, thighs, and glutes? It seems to me that in general most men and most women seem to concentrate more on these respective areas.
Why? Because these are the vanity muscles. These are the muscles you see when you look in the mirror. And let’s face it; men are conditioned to think their chest and biceps should be big and developed from childhood and women are bombarded with magazine covers and pop culture suggesting their lower half is what needs to be sculpted But if these are the only muscles you train, your workout is seriously flawed.
You are not going to develop that physique you may be picturing if those are the only muscles you train. If anything you are overtraining them, and you are going to make your body asymmetric, thus leaving you open to more injury and an oddly shaped body. First off, overtraining is not going to help you make gains, it’s counter productive to making gains. Overworked muscles do not grow or develop. Also, any development in those vanity muscles will also seriously be stalled if you do not workout the rest of your body. You will get leaner faster if you work every muscle in the body (yes guys, that includes legs too) at least one time per week.
Doing the same routine over and over is another gym no-no. The body thrives on variety. You will either get bored or your body will plateau and you may stop seeing development altogether. If you did bench press and dumbbell curls last week, this week do an incline dumbbell press and cable curls. If you did squats last week, do lunges this week. There are hundreds of different ways to mix it up.
I know it’s tempting to go into the gym and plop right down to work on those vanity muscles, and this is fine, it just means that you are working those muscles that day, which, in turn means the next day that you go into the gym, you need to work other muscles.
Why? Because these are the vanity muscles. These are the muscles you see when you look in the mirror. And let’s face it; men are conditioned to think their chest and biceps should be big and developed from childhood and women are bombarded with magazine covers and pop culture suggesting their lower half is what needs to be sculpted But if these are the only muscles you train, your workout is seriously flawed.
You are not going to develop that physique you may be picturing if those are the only muscles you train. If anything you are overtraining them, and you are going to make your body asymmetric, thus leaving you open to more injury and an oddly shaped body. First off, overtraining is not going to help you make gains, it’s counter productive to making gains. Overworked muscles do not grow or develop. Also, any development in those vanity muscles will also seriously be stalled if you do not workout the rest of your body. You will get leaner faster if you work every muscle in the body (yes guys, that includes legs too) at least one time per week.
Doing the same routine over and over is another gym no-no. The body thrives on variety. You will either get bored or your body will plateau and you may stop seeing development altogether. If you did bench press and dumbbell curls last week, this week do an incline dumbbell press and cable curls. If you did squats last week, do lunges this week. There are hundreds of different ways to mix it up.
I know it’s tempting to go into the gym and plop right down to work on those vanity muscles, and this is fine, it just means that you are working those muscles that day, which, in turn means the next day that you go into the gym, you need to work other muscles.
Impromptu Boot Camp this Saturday
I've decided to hold an impromptu outdoor Boot Camp class this Saturday, October 22,2011 to get one more in before it gets too cold out. The forecast is calling for about 61 degrees this Saturday, but sunny.
If you're interested in a great workout outside, come by Gilston Park in Catonsville this Saturday at 10:30am. You don't have to bring anything except maybe some water, a towel, and of course, as many friends as you'd like. The cost is only $5 per person(cash, please) for a 45 minute class. At 10:30am it may be a little chilly so dress accordingly.
It's not going to be anything too fancy, we're just going to get in the grass and get to work! All skill levels are welcome.
Here's the directions:
Take 695 to exit 15B to route 40 by HH Gregg (the old Circuit City), veer right off of 40 onto North Rolling Road--pass mcdonalds, subway, 7-11 on your right down to the light at Chesworth Rd.--make a right at the light onto Chesworth, Gilston park is right after the first stop sign.
Not that you'd be at work on Saturday, but...
**SSA or CMS people: this park is located about 5-8 minutes from your buildings.
If you were coming from SSA, make a left off of Crosby road at the Crosby Crossing swim club onto Chesworth road, take this up to a stop sign and the park is on your left a little ways after.
If you were coming from CMS you'd veer right at the 5 Guys and take Rolling Road all the way up to the stop light at Chesworth and make a left. The park will be right after the first stop sign on your right.
Feel free to just show up, but an e-mail or a text to let me know you were planning on coming would be appreciated so I can plan better.
Thanks! Hope to see you Saturday!
If you're interested in a great workout outside, come by Gilston Park in Catonsville this Saturday at 10:30am. You don't have to bring anything except maybe some water, a towel, and of course, as many friends as you'd like. The cost is only $5 per person(cash, please) for a 45 minute class. At 10:30am it may be a little chilly so dress accordingly.
It's not going to be anything too fancy, we're just going to get in the grass and get to work! All skill levels are welcome.
Here's the directions:
Take 695 to exit 15B to route 40 by HH Gregg (the old Circuit City), veer right off of 40 onto North Rolling Road--pass mcdonalds, subway, 7-11 on your right down to the light at Chesworth Rd.--make a right at the light onto Chesworth, Gilston park is right after the first stop sign.
Not that you'd be at work on Saturday, but...
**SSA or CMS people: this park is located about 5-8 minutes from your buildings.
If you were coming from SSA, make a left off of Crosby road at the Crosby Crossing swim club onto Chesworth road, take this up to a stop sign and the park is on your left a little ways after.
If you were coming from CMS you'd veer right at the 5 Guys and take Rolling Road all the way up to the stop light at Chesworth and make a left. The park will be right after the first stop sign on your right.
Feel free to just show up, but an e-mail or a text to let me know you were planning on coming would be appreciated so I can plan better.
Thanks! Hope to see you Saturday!
The Problem With Some Push-ups
The push-up, along with a pull-up, in my opinion, is one of the most beneficial upper body movements one can do. The combination of upper body and core muscles this movement hits in one shot is hard to top.
A push-up should be a staple in any serious exercise routine for men and women.
However, to get the full benefit of it, you really need to do a full range of motion. The problem I see with a lot of push-ups, and this is mostly done by men, is that they sacrifice a full range of motion in order to crank out more reps, or to finish more quickly.
Specifically, when one does a regular push-up, they should lower their chest almost to the ground, but not actually touch the ground, then push themselves all the way back up. I see too many men doing short, choppy push-ups, barely pushing themselves back up at all. These are called 'pulses' and they have their place in certain routines, but a pulse is more of a vibration. A full, regular push-up is with the full range of motion, and it should be done this way to get the full benefit. One should be pushing up at least until their tricep muscle (the "horseshoe muscle") is fully flexed.
I've seen several push-up "contests", where the object is to crank out as many push-ups as one can in a certain amount of time, and the push-ups in these contests are often done as pulses, ie-the guy is not pushing himself all the way back up. I've always had a slight problem with these contests because the guy is not doing a full push-up. He's more or less vibrating, and barely going back up at all. You can spot these push-ups because they become hard to count or keep track of, because they blend into each other and the range of motion is so small.
One should be pushing themselves up almost all the way into a hand plank position. If you want to test this for yourself, your eye level in the 'down' position should be pretty different than your eye level in the 'up' position. If you find your eye level is not moving so much, or only inches, you need to push back up further.
You will get more bang for your buck doing it the proper way. And your "rep count" may suffer, but so what? It's better to do a less, full reps the correct way, then crank out more "pulse" reps the "almost correct way".
Once I see a contest where the range of motion is full, I will take that contest a little more seriously.:-)
But more importantly, fixing your form will be more beneficial to your fitness goals. And this really should be what it's all about.
A push-up should be a staple in any serious exercise routine for men and women.
However, to get the full benefit of it, you really need to do a full range of motion. The problem I see with a lot of push-ups, and this is mostly done by men, is that they sacrifice a full range of motion in order to crank out more reps, or to finish more quickly.
Specifically, when one does a regular push-up, they should lower their chest almost to the ground, but not actually touch the ground, then push themselves all the way back up. I see too many men doing short, choppy push-ups, barely pushing themselves back up at all. These are called 'pulses' and they have their place in certain routines, but a pulse is more of a vibration. A full, regular push-up is with the full range of motion, and it should be done this way to get the full benefit. One should be pushing up at least until their tricep muscle (the "horseshoe muscle") is fully flexed.
I've seen several push-up "contests", where the object is to crank out as many push-ups as one can in a certain amount of time, and the push-ups in these contests are often done as pulses, ie-the guy is not pushing himself all the way back up. I've always had a slight problem with these contests because the guy is not doing a full push-up. He's more or less vibrating, and barely going back up at all. You can spot these push-ups because they become hard to count or keep track of, because they blend into each other and the range of motion is so small.
One should be pushing themselves up almost all the way into a hand plank position. If you want to test this for yourself, your eye level in the 'down' position should be pretty different than your eye level in the 'up' position. If you find your eye level is not moving so much, or only inches, you need to push back up further.
You will get more bang for your buck doing it the proper way. And your "rep count" may suffer, but so what? It's better to do a less, full reps the correct way, then crank out more "pulse" reps the "almost correct way".
Once I see a contest where the range of motion is full, I will take that contest a little more seriously.:-)
But more importantly, fixing your form will be more beneficial to your fitness goals. And this really should be what it's all about.
Your "Beach-Ready" Workout
Headed to the beach soon? Want to get as lean as you can before you hit the sand in your bathing suit? Try this workout a couple of times a week. It's short but intense.
This workout, combined with a healthy diet and steady cardio days will have you on the fast track to getting that sculpted physique you want. It combines intense plyometric drills with body weight strength traning to set the calorie burn and muscle building into overdrive.
It's a tad advanced, but beginners can make minor alterations. Just ask me!
*jog one mile
*medicine ball slam burpie pushup:
Raise a medicine ball high over your head, slam it down onto the ground as hard as you can, drop down onto the ball with your hands, kick your legs back and do a pushup. Repeat for 10 reps, 3 sets.
**No access to a medicine ball? Try a soccer ball or volley ball, just make sure they're pumped up. (For a slightly less difficult alteration, pretend your holding a ball, whip your arms down to the ground and do a ground burpie pushup)
*Stability Ball rollouts/stability ball pikes (superset) :
Rollouts:Lay stomach down on a stability ball, walk yourself out on your hands until the ball is at your shins,roll yourself back until the ball is at your waist. To make it harder, walk yourself out until just your feet are on the ball.
Pikes: Hands on the floor, feet on the ball. Roll your feet into you until your body is in a full pike position, hold for a count, roll back into a straight position.
Do both exercises, one after the other, 5 x each 3 sets.
**No stability ball? Use paper plates at your feet.
*Squat jumps/Clap pushups (superset):
Squat jump: Perform a deep squat then thrust yourself into a jump, land a lightly as you can.
Clap pushup: Perform a pushup, then thrust your body up off of the ground and clap your hands together. To modify this, do a knee pushup instead.
Do the squat jumps for 3 sets, 10x, and the clap pushups for 3 sets 5x.
*Low row
3 x 10 (increase weight each time)
**No access to a row machine, use dumbbells or soup cans.
This workout, combined with a healthy diet and steady cardio days will have you on the fast track to getting that sculpted physique you want. It combines intense plyometric drills with body weight strength traning to set the calorie burn and muscle building into overdrive.
It's a tad advanced, but beginners can make minor alterations. Just ask me!
*jog one mile
*medicine ball slam burpie pushup:
Raise a medicine ball high over your head, slam it down onto the ground as hard as you can, drop down onto the ball with your hands, kick your legs back and do a pushup. Repeat for 10 reps, 3 sets.
**No access to a medicine ball? Try a soccer ball or volley ball, just make sure they're pumped up. (For a slightly less difficult alteration, pretend your holding a ball, whip your arms down to the ground and do a ground burpie pushup)
*Stability Ball rollouts/stability ball pikes (superset) :
Rollouts:Lay stomach down on a stability ball, walk yourself out on your hands until the ball is at your shins,roll yourself back until the ball is at your waist. To make it harder, walk yourself out until just your feet are on the ball.
Pikes: Hands on the floor, feet on the ball. Roll your feet into you until your body is in a full pike position, hold for a count, roll back into a straight position.
Do both exercises, one after the other, 5 x each 3 sets.
**No stability ball? Use paper plates at your feet.
*Squat jumps/Clap pushups (superset):
Squat jump: Perform a deep squat then thrust yourself into a jump, land a lightly as you can.
Clap pushup: Perform a pushup, then thrust your body up off of the ground and clap your hands together. To modify this, do a knee pushup instead.
Do the squat jumps for 3 sets, 10x, and the clap pushups for 3 sets 5x.
*Low row
3 x 10 (increase weight each time)
**No access to a row machine, use dumbbells or soup cans.
If You Want It, Get It! - Simple Eating Tips
I have been all different kinds of weights in my lifetime. In 2001 I weighed 270, in 2010 I weighed 210, and now, in 2011 I weigh 175. Like most people, I fluctuate, I slip, and I stumble. I definitely know and understand the battle. No one ever said it would be easy. If it was easy, everyone would be at their ideal weight, right?
But I am entirely satisfied with where I am weight-wise at this moment in time, and I know what to do and how to eat if you want to lose weight and keep it off. I am 100% confident that following these simple tips in regards to your eating lifestyle will be integral to your progress.
Let me be clear, these tips are not JUST for those who want to lose weight and keep it off, these tips are relevant to anyone, whatever their goals may be. We are all different genetically of course, but we are all human beings, and our bodies more or less operate the same way. Think of it as car repair. Changing the oil on an old Ford Pinto will involve the same process as it would on a 2011 Porsche. They may be built differently with things in different places,etc., but the process is the same.
* Weight Loss=Calories in vs. calories burned. It doesn't get any simpler than this. Burn more calories than you eat and you WILL drop weight. And don't forget, we aren't just burning calories when we exercise, but when we walk from our car into work, when we take the stairs, when we stand up out of our chairs, etc. It all adds up.
• Eat your bigger meals earlier in the day. Your metabolism works faster in the morning than it does at night. So big meals or snacks before bed aren't the best option. You should be hungry when you wake up the next day. If you're not, you ate too much the night before. Pyramid down your meals throught the day.
• Avoid simple sugars and carbs: jams, candies, sodas, desserts, white pasta, white bread, white rice
• Always eat a small meal after your workout, do not wait more than 30 minutes-an hour after a workout to eat. (you worked your muscles so they need to feed afterwards)
• Don’t weigh yourself a lot because weight always fluctuates depending on many factors and most scales are not correct.
• Eat small meals every two hours or so. But, if you are hungry, eat. Don’t think, ‘well it’s not two hours later yet so I can’t.’ Hunger is your metabolism telling you “okay I am ready to eat again”, thus moving faster and providing more energy and clarity of the mind for the day. Don't go overboard though.
* Regarding the small meals every few hours: for someone who feels like they don’t need to eat much or doesn’t normally eat a lot anyway, this may seem like a huge amount of food to eat in a day. For someone who tends to eat more it may seem like not enough. You need to adjust portion size accordingly. You know how long something will fill you up. But regardless, after a few weeks you will get used to it, and after a steady couple of months it will just become part of your lifestyle.
• I wouldn't eat immediately before a workout, often it effects energy and performance, but make sure you are not hungry either; there’s a happy medium. If you're the type to wake right up and exercise in the AM, make sure you're at least hydrated and have something in your stomach though.
• You will hear a million different theories from a million different people and trainers. You need to follow what works for you, not what may have worked for your friend. You should know your own body pretty well, so listen to it.
• Sleep, of course, is very important. 6-8 hours at least. This is the time when your muscles do their thing. But too much sleep can work against you. (i.e., NAPS!)
• Don’t slack on fiber. It is crucial to waste breakdown and proper metabolization. Having to go to the bathroom is a good thing. If you're on the road and your only option is some sort of protein bar at a gas station market, the best option is the one with the most dietary fiber in it.
• Don’t think if it as a diet, this is a lifestyle change. Diets are usually temporary and have too many fads that may work but are not healthy or are short term. Most people who “diet” may lose weight, but will eventually gain it back and then some.
• As far as exercise is concerned, add variety to your workouts for better and faster results. Manipulate your time, duration, and intensity. Doing the same thing over and over will eventually work against you. Routine is the enemy.
• Keep the on-hand healthy snacks everywhere. (car, pocket, purse)
• I know this is hard, but concentrate on how you feel, not how you look, especially at first. This is the healthier and more practical approach.
• If you’re in a restaurant or at a family dinner, don’t bend over backwards to follow a plan, you have to live a little in life. Just try to have a veggie, fruit, and protein and watch what kind of starch you have. Generally you want to stay away from fried foods and white flour starches such as white bread, white rice, pasta, etc. But when you are at a dinner or out, there is always some sort of adjustment you can make.
* Have cheat meals. Like I said, you have to live a little in life. But be confident in yourself to go back to healthy eating afterwards. If you're not confident in yourself to do that, I advise against cheating until you are.
* Where do you find motivation? In you!
Trainers, Nutritionists, Doctors, etc. are only pieces of the puzzle. You have to want it. No one else can do it for you. You really have to want your results and do what it takes to get them, i.e. getting a lot of groceries, cooking and preparing meals ahead of time and taking them out with you. Is it a pain in the ass sometimes? Of course it is, but it is worth it.
It feels 100% better to fit into an old pair of jeans than it does to taste delicous junk food. Compare those feelings: Loose jeans vs. taste of cookies. That good cookie taste is going to be gone in a matter of minutes, and you will feel bad afterwards. The jeans fitting loosely will make you feel great and help your mood throughout daily life activites. Which is more important to you?
I could throw a million cliches and mottos at you. But in the end, if you want it, get it.
But I am entirely satisfied with where I am weight-wise at this moment in time, and I know what to do and how to eat if you want to lose weight and keep it off. I am 100% confident that following these simple tips in regards to your eating lifestyle will be integral to your progress.
Let me be clear, these tips are not JUST for those who want to lose weight and keep it off, these tips are relevant to anyone, whatever their goals may be. We are all different genetically of course, but we are all human beings, and our bodies more or less operate the same way. Think of it as car repair. Changing the oil on an old Ford Pinto will involve the same process as it would on a 2011 Porsche. They may be built differently with things in different places,etc., but the process is the same.
* Weight Loss=Calories in vs. calories burned. It doesn't get any simpler than this. Burn more calories than you eat and you WILL drop weight. And don't forget, we aren't just burning calories when we exercise, but when we walk from our car into work, when we take the stairs, when we stand up out of our chairs, etc. It all adds up.
• Eat your bigger meals earlier in the day. Your metabolism works faster in the morning than it does at night. So big meals or snacks before bed aren't the best option. You should be hungry when you wake up the next day. If you're not, you ate too much the night before. Pyramid down your meals throught the day.
• Avoid simple sugars and carbs: jams, candies, sodas, desserts, white pasta, white bread, white rice
• Always eat a small meal after your workout, do not wait more than 30 minutes-an hour after a workout to eat. (you worked your muscles so they need to feed afterwards)
• Don’t weigh yourself a lot because weight always fluctuates depending on many factors and most scales are not correct.
• Eat small meals every two hours or so. But, if you are hungry, eat. Don’t think, ‘well it’s not two hours later yet so I can’t.’ Hunger is your metabolism telling you “okay I am ready to eat again”, thus moving faster and providing more energy and clarity of the mind for the day. Don't go overboard though.
* Regarding the small meals every few hours: for someone who feels like they don’t need to eat much or doesn’t normally eat a lot anyway, this may seem like a huge amount of food to eat in a day. For someone who tends to eat more it may seem like not enough. You need to adjust portion size accordingly. You know how long something will fill you up. But regardless, after a few weeks you will get used to it, and after a steady couple of months it will just become part of your lifestyle.
• I wouldn't eat immediately before a workout, often it effects energy and performance, but make sure you are not hungry either; there’s a happy medium. If you're the type to wake right up and exercise in the AM, make sure you're at least hydrated and have something in your stomach though.
• You will hear a million different theories from a million different people and trainers. You need to follow what works for you, not what may have worked for your friend. You should know your own body pretty well, so listen to it.
• Sleep, of course, is very important. 6-8 hours at least. This is the time when your muscles do their thing. But too much sleep can work against you. (i.e., NAPS!)
• Don’t slack on fiber. It is crucial to waste breakdown and proper metabolization. Having to go to the bathroom is a good thing. If you're on the road and your only option is some sort of protein bar at a gas station market, the best option is the one with the most dietary fiber in it.
• Don’t think if it as a diet, this is a lifestyle change. Diets are usually temporary and have too many fads that may work but are not healthy or are short term. Most people who “diet” may lose weight, but will eventually gain it back and then some.
• As far as exercise is concerned, add variety to your workouts for better and faster results. Manipulate your time, duration, and intensity. Doing the same thing over and over will eventually work against you. Routine is the enemy.
• Keep the on-hand healthy snacks everywhere. (car, pocket, purse)
• I know this is hard, but concentrate on how you feel, not how you look, especially at first. This is the healthier and more practical approach.
• If you’re in a restaurant or at a family dinner, don’t bend over backwards to follow a plan, you have to live a little in life. Just try to have a veggie, fruit, and protein and watch what kind of starch you have. Generally you want to stay away from fried foods and white flour starches such as white bread, white rice, pasta, etc. But when you are at a dinner or out, there is always some sort of adjustment you can make.
* Have cheat meals. Like I said, you have to live a little in life. But be confident in yourself to go back to healthy eating afterwards. If you're not confident in yourself to do that, I advise against cheating until you are.
* Where do you find motivation? In you!
Trainers, Nutritionists, Doctors, etc. are only pieces of the puzzle. You have to want it. No one else can do it for you. You really have to want your results and do what it takes to get them, i.e. getting a lot of groceries, cooking and preparing meals ahead of time and taking them out with you. Is it a pain in the ass sometimes? Of course it is, but it is worth it.
It feels 100% better to fit into an old pair of jeans than it does to taste delicous junk food. Compare those feelings: Loose jeans vs. taste of cookies. That good cookie taste is going to be gone in a matter of minutes, and you will feel bad afterwards. The jeans fitting loosely will make you feel great and help your mood throughout daily life activites. Which is more important to you?
I could throw a million cliches and mottos at you. But in the end, if you want it, get it.
Outdoor Boot Camp Saturday, July 2nd!
Do you want the ultimate workout that's also quick and efficient?
Boot Camp is a hard core workout that combines cardiovascular exercise and strength training for ultimate calorie burning and muscle building. It involves several drills involving old school military style exercises (sprints, pushups, squats, etc.) that may remind you of a football practice!
There is no better workout!
It's also a lot of fun. Come out for the sun, fun, and great exercise!
Here are the details--
What: Outdoor Boot Camp class with Damon!
When: Saturday, July 2, 2011--11:00am (*class lasts approximately 45 minutes to an hour)
Where: Gilston Park-- Chesworth Road, Catonsville, MD. 21228
Directions: Take 695 to exit 15B to route 40 by HH Gregg (the old Circuit City), veer right off of 40 onto North Rolling Road--pass mcdonalds, subway, 7-11 on your right down to the light at Chesworth Rd.--make a right onto Chesworth, Gilston park is right after the first stop sign.
**SSA or CMS people: this park is located about 3-5 minutes from your buildings.
Email me or call me for more details if needed.
Cost: Just $10 a person! Bring your friends!
What to bring: Friends, water, your $10 (cash preferably). All you will need to do when you get there is fill out a quick waiver.
FYI-We will be working out in the heat, but not "dangerous" heat or rain. I will reschedule if the weather is not cooperating.
If you are interested in taking the class please provide me with your name, e-mail address, and cell phone number. I will need your # to call or text you that morning in case it is raining and we need to change the date.
You can feel free to just show up as well, but I'd just like to get an idea of how many people I will have coming, so if interested, please call me.
I believe I have covered everything--Just e-mail me if you have any questions.
Thanks and I hope to see you all there! Here is my info:
Damon Costantini, Certified Personal Trainer
Damon M. Costantini, B.S., C.P.T.
NSPA Certified Personal Trainer
"We don't workout, we train."
"If the mind can conceive it, the body can achieve it."
Boot Camp is a hard core workout that combines cardiovascular exercise and strength training for ultimate calorie burning and muscle building. It involves several drills involving old school military style exercises (sprints, pushups, squats, etc.) that may remind you of a football practice!
There is no better workout!
It's also a lot of fun. Come out for the sun, fun, and great exercise!
Here are the details--
What: Outdoor Boot Camp class with Damon!
When: Saturday, July 2, 2011--11:00am (*class lasts approximately 45 minutes to an hour)
Where: Gilston Park-- Chesworth Road, Catonsville, MD. 21228
Directions: Take 695 to exit 15B to route 40 by HH Gregg (the old Circuit City), veer right off of 40 onto North Rolling Road--pass mcdonalds, subway, 7-11 on your right down to the light at Chesworth Rd.--make a right onto Chesworth, Gilston park is right after the first stop sign.
**SSA or CMS people: this park is located about 3-5 minutes from your buildings.
Email me or call me for more details if needed.
Cost: Just $10 a person! Bring your friends!
What to bring: Friends, water, your $10 (cash preferably). All you will need to do when you get there is fill out a quick waiver.
FYI-We will be working out in the heat, but not "dangerous" heat or rain. I will reschedule if the weather is not cooperating.
If you are interested in taking the class please provide me with your name, e-mail address, and cell phone number. I will need your # to call or text you that morning in case it is raining and we need to change the date.
You can feel free to just show up as well, but I'd just like to get an idea of how many people I will have coming, so if interested, please call me.
I believe I have covered everything--Just e-mail me if you have any questions.
Thanks and I hope to see you all there! Here is my info:
Damon Costantini, Certified Personal Trainer
Damon M. Costantini, B.S., C.P.T.
NSPA Certified Personal Trainer
"We don't workout, we train."
"If the mind can conceive it, the body can achieve it."
Get lean with this easy running/leg workout of the day! (5-26-11)
Depending on how long it takes you to jog two miles, this workout may only last about 30-45 minutes, much shorter if you're a speed demon.
It's ideal to do outside on a running trail or a track, and it combines a cardio and a leg workout in one short workout. This is a very time efficient day at the gym (or out of the gym, I should say). And bonus, it's quite simple and easy to remember.
*run one mile
*during your 2nd mile, every time you get .25 of the way through, stop jogging and do a walking lunge for 20 steps, after your done your 20 lunges, resume running, until you hit the .5 mile point, do 20 more lunges, and so on. You should have one more set of lunges to do as you complete the 2nd mile.
(note: These are walking lunges,not stationary. They should advance you in your mile. it can almost act as a break from the run)
And that's it! You will have a 2 mile jog and 80 reps of walking lunges under your belt afterwards, and you will have burned many calories and gained lean muscle mass in a short amount of time.
Note:If you can't get outside, you can do this on a treadmill, just slow it down during your second mile, hop off and do stationary lunges at the quarter mile point instead.
Let me know if you have any questions!
It's ideal to do outside on a running trail or a track, and it combines a cardio and a leg workout in one short workout. This is a very time efficient day at the gym (or out of the gym, I should say). And bonus, it's quite simple and easy to remember.
*run one mile
*during your 2nd mile, every time you get .25 of the way through, stop jogging and do a walking lunge for 20 steps, after your done your 20 lunges, resume running, until you hit the .5 mile point, do 20 more lunges, and so on. You should have one more set of lunges to do as you complete the 2nd mile.
(note: These are walking lunges,not stationary. They should advance you in your mile. it can almost act as a break from the run)
And that's it! You will have a 2 mile jog and 80 reps of walking lunges under your belt afterwards, and you will have burned many calories and gained lean muscle mass in a short amount of time.
Note:If you can't get outside, you can do this on a treadmill, just slow it down during your second mile, hop off and do stationary lunges at the quarter mile point instead.
Let me know if you have any questions!
Step Up
We're coming upon the last days of Winter and if you're like me, you're getting 'gym-ed' out. Not being able to go outdoors to change up your workout every so often can be stifling (unless you like the cold weather workouts, in which case, more power to you!).
People often fall into a rut of either doing the same workout over and over or barely working out at all. Being on the same treadmill or elliptical day after day can get boring. And boredom leads to uninspired workouts, which can ultimately lead to no workouts.
My co-worker and I ran stairs today in one of our building stairwells.This is something I did often back when I worked in SSA's gym, but since I have been over here, I haven't done them. I think it was just a matter of getting comfortable with my new surroundings. But we found a great set of stairs with five flights (SSA had 4, but were wider) and not too much traffic to dodge. The object is to sprint all the way to the top, then walk back down. I don't recommend running back down stairs. Walking back down is safer and offers some recovery time. My co-worker also had the idea to do doubles and triples, that is, stepping over 2 steps at a time, then 3.
This was brutal stuff, but an incredible workout. It's invigorating, gets your heartrate way up, and burns a boatload of calories. And even more so, it's a nice deviation from the same old gym surroundings. You're more isolated with less distractions. It's just you and your music. You really get a good chance to focus and challenge yourself. After running one round of 5 flights, you find yourself saying, 'ok, just one more', but after a while, you keep challenging yourself, and you try another, then another, etc. I stopped because my lunch break was over, but I doubt I would have lasted too much longer anyway. I did 11 rounds with a mix of sprints, doubles and triples. My legs were mush afterwards.
My challenge to you is to find yourself a set of stairs and run them one day instead of going to your gym. Chances are, you have access to stairs in your work or your home. You should base how many rounds you perform on what your stairs look like. If it's only one flight in your home, go more for time instead of rounds. Shoot for 30 minutes of straight step work. If you're on your lunch break in your work building and you have more stairs, shoot for doing rounds. How many you do depends on how many flights there are.
Make sure you go very easy on your first couple. If you go balls-out, as hard as you can on the first couple, your heartrate will skyrocket too quickly and you may get light-headed. This will affect your workout in a negative way. Your first couple rounds should be nice and easy to work out the kinks in your legs and get your blood moving. You should really start to hit your stride in the middle rounds. By the end your leg muscles should be screaming.
This will certainly count as a leg routine for the week, as well as a cardio workout, so you get more bang for your buck this way, as it's a more efficient use of time. I'm a huge proponent of more work in less time.
This is a lot of high impact, and can be hard on the knees, so I don't recommend this as a daily routine, but try to get it in once a week or a few times a month. And if you're new to running stairs, use common sense and take it easy. Try for a shorter amount of rounds and work your way up as it gets easier to you.
Let me know how it works out for you or if you have any questions.
Of course, consult a Doctor before starting any type of exercise program.
People often fall into a rut of either doing the same workout over and over or barely working out at all. Being on the same treadmill or elliptical day after day can get boring. And boredom leads to uninspired workouts, which can ultimately lead to no workouts.
My co-worker and I ran stairs today in one of our building stairwells.This is something I did often back when I worked in SSA's gym, but since I have been over here, I haven't done them. I think it was just a matter of getting comfortable with my new surroundings. But we found a great set of stairs with five flights (SSA had 4, but were wider) and not too much traffic to dodge. The object is to sprint all the way to the top, then walk back down. I don't recommend running back down stairs. Walking back down is safer and offers some recovery time. My co-worker also had the idea to do doubles and triples, that is, stepping over 2 steps at a time, then 3.
This was brutal stuff, but an incredible workout. It's invigorating, gets your heartrate way up, and burns a boatload of calories. And even more so, it's a nice deviation from the same old gym surroundings. You're more isolated with less distractions. It's just you and your music. You really get a good chance to focus and challenge yourself. After running one round of 5 flights, you find yourself saying, 'ok, just one more', but after a while, you keep challenging yourself, and you try another, then another, etc. I stopped because my lunch break was over, but I doubt I would have lasted too much longer anyway. I did 11 rounds with a mix of sprints, doubles and triples. My legs were mush afterwards.
My challenge to you is to find yourself a set of stairs and run them one day instead of going to your gym. Chances are, you have access to stairs in your work or your home. You should base how many rounds you perform on what your stairs look like. If it's only one flight in your home, go more for time instead of rounds. Shoot for 30 minutes of straight step work. If you're on your lunch break in your work building and you have more stairs, shoot for doing rounds. How many you do depends on how many flights there are.
Make sure you go very easy on your first couple. If you go balls-out, as hard as you can on the first couple, your heartrate will skyrocket too quickly and you may get light-headed. This will affect your workout in a negative way. Your first couple rounds should be nice and easy to work out the kinks in your legs and get your blood moving. You should really start to hit your stride in the middle rounds. By the end your leg muscles should be screaming.
This will certainly count as a leg routine for the week, as well as a cardio workout, so you get more bang for your buck this way, as it's a more efficient use of time. I'm a huge proponent of more work in less time.
This is a lot of high impact, and can be hard on the knees, so I don't recommend this as a daily routine, but try to get it in once a week or a few times a month. And if you're new to running stairs, use common sense and take it easy. Try for a shorter amount of rounds and work your way up as it gets easier to you.
Let me know how it works out for you or if you have any questions.
Of course, consult a Doctor before starting any type of exercise program.
Your Pre-Thanksgiving Workout
So the big meal is upon us. I'd like to wish everybody a very Happy Thanksgiving and just remind you that there are ways to compensate for all that overeating we will be doing. Although I don't recommend overeating, I know that it sort of goes with the territory on Thanksgiving. So I have compiled this short (so there's no excuse to not get it in) but intense workout for you to do this week to get that metabolism moving fast and better able to burn up all the calories you'll be consuming.
I did this workout myself today and I was finished in about 30 minutes. The time will vary depending on your skill level, however, it should be intense no matter what.
What we have here are intervals of 2 minutes of running on the treadmill, hopping off carefully, doing 10x of an exercise and hopping back on the treadmill. It combines cardio intervals at different paces with cardio drills and strength drills, to combine building lean muscle, burning many calories,and shredding fat, thus speeding up your metabolism.
Alter this workout if you choose by using an elliptical machine, stairmaster, etc., but don't cheat yourself, use a challenging machine.
*2 min. treadmill (jog easy pace)
*hop off the treadmill and do 10 burpies, get back on the treadmill (I just left mine running and eased my way back on, be careful when doing this though)
*2 min. treadmill (medium pace)
*10 burpies
*2 min. treadmill (same pace)
*10 burpies
*2 min. treadmill (slightly faster pace)
*10 squat jumps
*2 min. treadmill (same pace)
*10 squat jumps
*2 min. treadmill (fast pace, not a sprint though)
*10 squat jumps
*2 min. treadmill (same pace)
*20 jumping jacks
*2 min. treadmill (faster pace)
*20 jumping jacks
*2 minute treadmill (same pace)
*20 jumping jacks
*2 min. treadmill (sprint)
*10 push-ups
*2 min. treadmill (slow down, but still fast))
*10 push-ups
*2 min. treadmill (easy jog)
*10 push-ups
Hit the showers!
###
I did this workout myself today and I was finished in about 30 minutes. The time will vary depending on your skill level, however, it should be intense no matter what.
What we have here are intervals of 2 minutes of running on the treadmill, hopping off carefully, doing 10x of an exercise and hopping back on the treadmill. It combines cardio intervals at different paces with cardio drills and strength drills, to combine building lean muscle, burning many calories,and shredding fat, thus speeding up your metabolism.
Alter this workout if you choose by using an elliptical machine, stairmaster, etc., but don't cheat yourself, use a challenging machine.
*2 min. treadmill (jog easy pace)
*hop off the treadmill and do 10 burpies, get back on the treadmill (I just left mine running and eased my way back on, be careful when doing this though)
*2 min. treadmill (medium pace)
*10 burpies
*2 min. treadmill (same pace)
*10 burpies
*2 min. treadmill (slightly faster pace)
*10 squat jumps
*2 min. treadmill (same pace)
*10 squat jumps
*2 min. treadmill (fast pace, not a sprint though)
*10 squat jumps
*2 min. treadmill (same pace)
*20 jumping jacks
*2 min. treadmill (faster pace)
*20 jumping jacks
*2 minute treadmill (same pace)
*20 jumping jacks
*2 min. treadmill (sprint)
*10 push-ups
*2 min. treadmill (slow down, but still fast))
*10 push-ups
*2 min. treadmill (easy jog)
*10 push-ups
Hit the showers!
###
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