Abs in the Kitchen - Part 3 of 3
16th August 2010 - Exercises
How To Use Cardio For MAXIMUM Fat-Burning
Times have changed since the Aerobics revolution of the 1970's and 1980's. For years, aerobics was the darling of the fitness world. Then scientists began to acknowledge the benefits of weight training - for everyone, not just for bodybuilders.
Recently, the pendulum has swung the other direction and we've actually started hearing fitness "experts" suggesting that cardio should be kept to a minimum or even avoided completely. That's the way things tend to go in the fitness world - they swing back and forth in trends, from one extreme to another. Lots of cardio or no cardio.
I suggest you avoid trend-hopping and pay close attention to what actually works, by people who know what they are talking about (such as bodybuilders, who are the leanest muscular athletes in the world). Doing nothing but cardio is a mistake. But cutting our cardio completely is also a mistake. From where I sit the truth lies in the middle. Maximum fat burning occurs when you combine cardio training and weight training together.
Those who are genetically gifted with above average metabolisms will find that a slight drop in food intake and just a few days a week of cardio will usually do the trick. However, most people who are struggling with fat loss (sometimes referred to as "endomorph" body type) are simply NOT burning enough calories to get the results they want. The answer for them is more activity to burn more calories.
For health and weight maintenance, I would suggest 3 short cardio workouts per week, about 20-30 minutes per session. But for maximum fat loss, I recommend 4-7 days per week of cardio or other physical activity for 30-45 minutes (based on results), at a moderate pace. You can mix up the type of cardio you do, or choose the type you enjoy the most - stationary cycling, elliptical machines, aerobic classes and other continuous activities are all excellent fat burners (it doesn't have to be indoors or on a cardio machine).
If time efficiency is a concern for you, you could do 2-3 of those cardio workouts as high intensity interval training and you'll achieve very good results even with briefer workouts. Even as little as 20-25 minutes per session can get great results if your intensity level is high enough. Remember, seeing your abs is about low body fat. Low body fat is about burning calories and creating a calorie deficit. The calorie deficit is created by increasing the number of calories you burn and decreasing the amount of calories you take in from food. Increasing intensity is one way to burn more calories in less time.
NOTE: To reach the "ripped" i.e. 6% body fat level you see in my photos, I do cardio 7 days a week for around 45-50 minutes per session, in addition to my 4 weight training workouts per week.
I've spent my entire career - through more than 10 years and bodybuilding competitions - studying the science and practicing the art of body fat reduction. I speak from experience and I walk my talk as you can see.
> more
16th August 2010 - Exercises
How To Use Cardio For MAXIMUM Fat-Burning
Times have changed since the Aerobics revolution of the 1970's and 1980's. For years, aerobics was the darling of the fitness world. Then scientists began to acknowledge the benefits of weight training - for everyone, not just for bodybuilders.
Recently, the pendulum has swung the other direction and we've actually started hearing fitness "experts" suggesting that cardio should be kept to a minimum or even avoided completely. That's the way things tend to go in the fitness world - they swing back and forth in trends, from one extreme to another. Lots of cardio or no cardio.
I suggest you avoid trend-hopping and pay close attention to what actually works, by people who know what they are talking about (such as bodybuilders, who are the leanest muscular athletes in the world). Doing nothing but cardio is a mistake. But cutting our cardio completely is also a mistake. From where I sit the truth lies in the middle. Maximum fat burning occurs when you combine cardio training and weight training together.
Those who are genetically gifted with above average metabolisms will find that a slight drop in food intake and just a few days a week of cardio will usually do the trick. However, most people who are struggling with fat loss (sometimes referred to as "endomorph" body type) are simply NOT burning enough calories to get the results they want. The answer for them is more activity to burn more calories.
For health and weight maintenance, I would suggest 3 short cardio workouts per week, about 20-30 minutes per session. But for maximum fat loss, I recommend 4-7 days per week of cardio or other physical activity for 30-45 minutes (based on results), at a moderate pace. You can mix up the type of cardio you do, or choose the type you enjoy the most - stationary cycling, elliptical machines, aerobic classes and other continuous activities are all excellent fat burners (it doesn't have to be indoors or on a cardio machine).
If time efficiency is a concern for you, you could do 2-3 of those cardio workouts as high intensity interval training and you'll achieve very good results even with briefer workouts. Even as little as 20-25 minutes per session can get great results if your intensity level is high enough. Remember, seeing your abs is about low body fat. Low body fat is about burning calories and creating a calorie deficit. The calorie deficit is created by increasing the number of calories you burn and decreasing the amount of calories you take in from food. Increasing intensity is one way to burn more calories in less time.
NOTE: To reach the "ripped" i.e. 6% body fat level you see in my photos, I do cardio 7 days a week for around 45-50 minutes per session, in addition to my 4 weight training workouts per week.
I've spent my entire career - through more than 10 years and bodybuilding competitions - studying the science and practicing the art of body fat reduction. I speak from experience and I walk my talk as you can see.
> more
Abs in the Kitchen - Part 2 of 3
16th August 2010 - Exercises
My Winning Ab Routine
Personally, I only do about 15 minutes of ab work two times per week if that, with anywhere from two to four exercises for about 10-25 reps per exercise. Forget about thousands of reps of sit ups – it's a waste of time. The reason my abs look the way they do is not from endless repetitions, but because I get my body fat down into the single digits with a highly specialized fat-burning diet program especially leading up to competition time.
Here's a recent ab routine that I've used (for bodybuilding/ ab-development purposes). I do this routine only twice a week and I change the exercises approximately every month so my body doesn't adapt. I prefer slightly higher rep range than other muscle groups, but as you can see, it is far from doing a thousand reps a day.
1 Hanging leg raises
3 sets, 15-20 reps
Superset to:
2 Hanging knee ups (bent-knee leg raises)
3 sets, 15-20 reps
(no rest between supersetted exercises 1 & 2, 60 sec between supersets)
3 Weighted swiss ball crunches (or weighted cable crunches)
3 sets, 15-20 reps
Superset to:
4 Incline Bench Reverse crunches
3 sets, 15-20 reps
(no rest between supersetted exercises B1 & B2, 60 sec between supersets)
> more
16th August 2010 - Exercises
My Winning Ab Routine
Personally, I only do about 15 minutes of ab work two times per week if that, with anywhere from two to four exercises for about 10-25 reps per exercise. Forget about thousands of reps of sit ups – it's a waste of time. The reason my abs look the way they do is not from endless repetitions, but because I get my body fat down into the single digits with a highly specialized fat-burning diet program especially leading up to competition time.
Here's a recent ab routine that I've used (for bodybuilding/ ab-development purposes). I do this routine only twice a week and I change the exercises approximately every month so my body doesn't adapt. I prefer slightly higher rep range than other muscle groups, but as you can see, it is far from doing a thousand reps a day.
1 Hanging leg raises
3 sets, 15-20 reps
Superset to:
2 Hanging knee ups (bent-knee leg raises)
3 sets, 15-20 reps
(no rest between supersetted exercises 1 & 2, 60 sec between supersets)
3 Weighted swiss ball crunches (or weighted cable crunches)
3 sets, 15-20 reps
Superset to:
4 Incline Bench Reverse crunches
3 sets, 15-20 reps
(no rest between supersetted exercises B1 & B2, 60 sec between supersets)
> more
Cardio First Thing In The Morning Before Breakfast
18th February 2010 - Exercises
This is one that you can get over and done with literally as soon as you step out of bed. You get up, get a glass of water, and either hit the treadmill, go on a power walk, or hit a bike. No breakfast, no small bite beforehand, you do not take in a single calorie until you do at least 20 minutes of cardio first.
When Is The Best Time To Do Cardio?
Some people wake up at 4:00am just to do their cardio. Then later in the day they do their weightlifting routine. Others do their cardio before or after their workout routine.
The reasoning behind this is when you do the cardio without eating, your body needs to tap into something for energy. In an aerobic state, your body will go straight to your fat storage. This results in more fat loss as opposed to doing cardio in the middle of the day or in the evening. If you can't do it first thing in the morning, then at least do it after your weight training.
In An Aerobic State, Your Body Will Go Straight To Your Fat Storage.
When you workout, your body will use up the energy it has so when you do cardio, it will have to resort to the fat storage. You will burn more though if you do it in the morning.
> more
18th February 2010 - Exercises
This is one that you can get over and done with literally as soon as you step out of bed. You get up, get a glass of water, and either hit the treadmill, go on a power walk, or hit a bike. No breakfast, no small bite beforehand, you do not take in a single calorie until you do at least 20 minutes of cardio first.
When Is The Best Time To Do Cardio?
Some people wake up at 4:00am just to do their cardio. Then later in the day they do their weightlifting routine. Others do their cardio before or after their workout routine.
The reasoning behind this is when you do the cardio without eating, your body needs to tap into something for energy. In an aerobic state, your body will go straight to your fat storage. This results in more fat loss as opposed to doing cardio in the middle of the day or in the evening. If you can't do it first thing in the morning, then at least do it after your weight training.
In An Aerobic State, Your Body Will Go Straight To Your Fat Storage.
When you workout, your body will use up the energy it has so when you do cardio, it will have to resort to the fat storage. You will burn more though if you do it in the morning.
> more
S.M.A.R.T. APPROACH - LIFES TO SHORT TO BE SMALL
14th December 2009 - Exercises
Till next time Train hard and remember LIFES TOO SHORT TO BE SMALL
> more
14th December 2009 - Exercises
Finding motivation to train or stick with exercise on a regular basis isn't always easy. Demanding schedules, burn-out, and illness are just a few of the things that may interrupt your fitness routine. However, sometimes motivation can be found by following a very simple formula. Goal setting based upon the S.M.A.R.T. approach, is a simple technique that provides structure for your training program. Many everyday athletes and trainers successfully use this formula to set both short and long-term training goals.
The S.M.A.R.T. principle
- Set Specific Goals. Research shows that specific goals are the most motivating. A specific goal is to increase your bench press by 15kgs within 6 months. Many people just say they want to get bigger. This goal is far too general to really motivate you in your training.
- Set Measurable Goals. Simply saying that you want to get bigger is not enough detail. You need to be able to chart and document progress toward your goal. One way to measure your progress is to document your performance at set intervals. In the above example you may want to monitor your weight increase once a month so you have a good measurement.
- Set Adjustable Goals. This means your goals are flexible enough to accommodate unexpected challenges without becoming obsolete. An injury may force your to modify your goal. If you goal is to squat and you are injured, you may need to change your goal to do leg press for high reps. An injury doesn't need to mean you abandon all your plans. At the same time, you may find you are progressing quickly and need to raise your goal.
- Set Action-Oriented Goals Another important aspect of goal-setting to to keep them focused on personal action. Don't forget to consider not only what you want to achieve, but how you plan to acieve it.
- Set Realistic Goals. Start where you are, and increase your goals accordingly. If you haven't ever benches press it's probably not a wise goal to say you want to bench press 100kgs. While that may be your long-term goal, in the short-term you may want to shoot for the 30-40kgs on the way to yourgoal. This sort of progression is healthy and realistic. Also, keep in mind that as you become more and more fit and near your full potential the room for continued improvement gets smaller. Similarly, if your goals are too simple, you won't feel much satisfaction by attaining them. Only you truly know what is realistic for you.
- Set Time-based Goals. Look again at first example: increase your bench press by 15kgs within 6 months. This is specific and time-based. Without a time line there is a tendency to procrastinate or get bored. You may also need to set interim goals with shorter timelines to keep you on track. In general, goals that stretch out beyond 6 months are too long to keep you interested and motivated. Try to re-evaluate your goals every 2-3 months.
Goal setting is an Art as well asa science, but if you make sure your goals follow the S.M.A.R.T. formula, you will find you are more likely to stay motivated and reach goal after goal.
SO GO FOR IT
Till next time Train hard and remember LIFES TOO SHORT TO BE SMALL
> more
KETTLEBELLS - THE FACTS, THE FICTION
25th February 2009 - Exercises
THE MINUTE I SAW A KETTLEBELL, I HAD TO HAVE ONE. IT WAS A BRIGHT, HEAVY AND IN A VERY GYM JUNKIE WAY, CUTE!!! PLUS, ITS BALL BOTTOM, WITH HORSESHOE-SHAPED HANDLE, WOULD EASILY FIT IN ANY ROOM IN THE HOUSE. I ORDERED AN 8KG, 12KG AND 16KG SET. GOT MYSELF TRAINED UP BY A PROFESSIONAL (THE HARDEST WORKOUT I HAVE EVER DONE)!! I WAS DEAD, WORN OUT, SPELT!! YOU NAME IT I WAS IT....OUT!!!
KETTLEBELL TRAINING HAS LONG BEEN USED BY THE RUSSIAN MILITARY AND ELITE ATHLETES. THE IDEA IS THAT YOU PERFORM BASIC RESISTANCE MOVES SUCH AS SQUATS AND PRESSES, WHILE SWINGING AND PUSHING THE KETTLEBELL. THIS REVS UP YOUR HEART RATE AND WORKS YOUR MUSCLES, SO YOU END UP LEAN AND FIRM IN VERY LITTLE TIME. BEST OF ALL, BECAUSE THE BELL THROWS YOU SLIGHTLY OFF BALANCE, YOU'RE FORCED TO WORK YOUR CORE HARD TO STAY UPRIGHT. THIS ALL RESULTS IN BEAUTIFUL BACK, TRIM WAIST AND ROCK-HARD ABS.
THEY'RE PREFECT FOR ANYONE WHO IS ON A REALLY TIGHT SCHEDULE, THIS IS BECAUSE A KETTLEBELL WORKOUT COMBINES STRENGTH AND CARDIOVASCULAR TRAINING, PLUS IT WORKS THE WHOLE BODY.
KETTLEBELL TRAINING IS FUN, EFFECTIVE AND I CAN INCORPORATE IT INTO YOUR WEEKLY WORKOUTS.
"GET UP ON YOUR FEET, PICK UP YOUR BELL AND START DEVELOPING THE HABIT".
CALL ME AND BOOK A SESSION, YOU WILL BE HOOKED!!!!
> more
25th February 2009 - Exercises
THE MINUTE I SAW A KETTLEBELL, I HAD TO HAVE ONE. IT WAS A BRIGHT, HEAVY AND IN A VERY GYM JUNKIE WAY, CUTE!!! PLUS, ITS BALL BOTTOM, WITH HORSESHOE-SHAPED HANDLE, WOULD EASILY FIT IN ANY ROOM IN THE HOUSE. I ORDERED AN 8KG, 12KG AND 16KG SET. GOT MYSELF TRAINED UP BY A PROFESSIONAL (THE HARDEST WORKOUT I HAVE EVER DONE)!! I WAS DEAD, WORN OUT, SPELT!! YOU NAME IT I WAS IT....OUT!!!
KETTLEBELL TRAINING HAS LONG BEEN USED BY THE RUSSIAN MILITARY AND ELITE ATHLETES. THE IDEA IS THAT YOU PERFORM BASIC RESISTANCE MOVES SUCH AS SQUATS AND PRESSES, WHILE SWINGING AND PUSHING THE KETTLEBELL. THIS REVS UP YOUR HEART RATE AND WORKS YOUR MUSCLES, SO YOU END UP LEAN AND FIRM IN VERY LITTLE TIME. BEST OF ALL, BECAUSE THE BELL THROWS YOU SLIGHTLY OFF BALANCE, YOU'RE FORCED TO WORK YOUR CORE HARD TO STAY UPRIGHT. THIS ALL RESULTS IN BEAUTIFUL BACK, TRIM WAIST AND ROCK-HARD ABS.
THEY'RE PREFECT FOR ANYONE WHO IS ON A REALLY TIGHT SCHEDULE, THIS IS BECAUSE A KETTLEBELL WORKOUT COMBINES STRENGTH AND CARDIOVASCULAR TRAINING, PLUS IT WORKS THE WHOLE BODY.
KETTLEBELL TRAINING IS FUN, EFFECTIVE AND I CAN INCORPORATE IT INTO YOUR WEEKLY WORKOUTS.
"GET UP ON YOUR FEET, PICK UP YOUR BELL AND START DEVELOPING THE HABIT".
CALL ME AND BOOK A SESSION, YOU WILL BE HOOKED!!!!
> more
