Get Absorbed in Fitness
October 27, 2009
Get absorbed in fitness. Learn everything you can about your body and your training and it will help keep you motivated. Now go have a great workout!
Exercise Update Podcast Episode 2 – Interview with Sarah Stanley
October 26, 2009
I had a chance to meet Sarah Stanley this year at the Blog World Expo 09 and I was so excited that she agreed to do a interview for ExerciseUpdate. Sarah Stanley is the creator of the website Sarah Stanley Inspired which is devoted to helping people reach their fitness and life goals. The thing that makes Sarah unique however is that she absolutely practices what she preaches. She inspires and motivates other through the amazing goals she sets for herself. Her most recent accomplishment is the completion of the Lean Horse 100 Mile Ultra-Marathon. In this interview Sarah tells us about her race, what it takes to accomplish amazing goals, and how you can apply these lessons to your own life.
Check out Sarah’s awesome coaching program that is designed to help you reach your personal goals.
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You Should Have Fitness Goals
October 24, 2009
Just like you have goals for other aspects of your life you should have fitness goals. They should be detailed and have a specific date to achieve them. For example if you want to exercise with your kids set a specific event and date that you will do something with them you can’t do now. If your goal is to lose weight to fit in a special dress or swimsuit set a specific date and activity where you will wear that outfit. If you want more help setting your fitness goals you can download our free Workout Blueprint.
Exercise Update Podcast is Now Available In iTunes
October 23, 2009
Our new Exercise Update Podcast is now available in the iTunes store. Our first episode is available and our second episode is coming soon and trust me you don’t want to miss it. You can subscribe to our free podcast in iTunes.
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Your Best Workout Partner
October 22, 2009
It is rare that I actually feel alone when I am exercising. Usually my workouts are a way for me to focus on improving my body and relieving stress. I am internally competative so I am constantly pushing myself to make little improvements from my previous workout.
On this particular day I took off on my morning run and got almost a mile down the road when I came upon a family of four out for a morning bike ride. I passed them at the stoplight as they organized themselves back on to their bikes to cross the street and it didn’t take long for them to pass me back as this family of four pedaled along. The Dad was on his bike and attached in tandem to his rear wheel was a smaller bike upon which sat his proud son. The son would, of course, pedal his tandem bike as hard as he could but without any bike chain his Dad was actually doing all the work. On a second bike was the mother and directly behind her, in a small baby seat, was the youngest of the family just taking a nap and enjoying the outdoor family workout.
This delightful scene, that seemed to be straight out of a movie, made me think of my family and how enjoyable it would have been to have them there on my morning run. We just had our first baby 1 month ago so I am excited now about taking her along on some workouts. My point is that whether you are a family of 2 or 10 we can often find our best workout partners right in our own home. Some couples are on the same fitness level and it is great when you can workout together and push each other. If you are not on the same fitness level as the rest of your family you can still set aside some of your easier or recovery workouts as family workouts. Why not have fun and spend time together while getting in shape.
If you are interested in solutions to bring young kids along on your workouts I have two suggestions.
The BOB Revolution Running Stroller may be just what you need to keep the little one cool and comfortable while running. It is well built and has a shock system to absorb bumps in the road.
You can find the BOB Revolution at Road Runner Sports.
Shop at Road Runner Sports – The World’s Largest Running Store
Burley Bike Trailers and Convertible Strollers also make a great do-it-all solution.
Burley Bike Strollers and Trailers
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A New 10 Minute Workout System for Women
October 9, 2009
Do you struggle to find time each day to workout? Have you not been able to workout for so long that you just need a fast, effective way to get started again?
If the answer is “yes” then I had you in mind when I created the Home and Tone Workout System. It’s a simple and challenging workout for women. The workout circuits can be completed in as little as 10 minutes for a quick workout or you can expand the system and make your workouts last longer. That is why I call it a workout system. As you get in better shape you can adapt the workouts to keep up with your changing body.
Part of the Home and Tone philosophy is that you can still get a great workout at home or while traveling. We do this by showing you exercises that workout multiple muscle groups and working them hard for a short amount of time. With any workout you’ll get more benefit by focusing on large muscle groups and avoiding isolated exercises.
You should check out this new workout and give it a try for yourself. It is an easy to read e-book that includes complete pictures and tracking sheets so you can learn the exercises and keep up with your workout. I offer a 60 day money back guarantee.
If you want to know more you can visit the website HomeandTone.com. You can even download the first chapters of the book absolutely free.
Thanks for checking it out and have a great workout!
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Benefits of Yoga
August 26, 2009
Yoga…It’s stretching, and bending, and contorting the body in ways it was never meant to move, right? Not exactly. I think there are huge benefits to yoga even if you practice only one time per week. While some yoga positions are basic and other yoga positions are more advanced there is a fundamental principal that “you work within the comfort and limits of your body”.
I started practicing a little less than a year ago while in the process of training for a marathon. I have, however, continued to stick with regular yoga practice because of the benefits I have received. I would encourage other individuals to give it a try and see if you recognize some of the same benefits I have experienced.
Increased Flexibility – It’s no secret that our lifestyle of sitting causes poor posture and for myself, tight, weak hamstring muscles (back of your legs). Also, my long distance running tends place more work on the quadriceps muscle group (front of legs). These two senarios create a muscle imbalance. Regular yoga tends to counter some of the effect by practicing good posture and moving through positions which stretch and strengthen the hamstrings. The end result is better muscle balance, increased flexibility, and decreased risk of injury.
Relaxation and Stress Relief – Part of every yoga practice is directing your focus inward away from the outside world and the typical stresses of daily life. Focusing only on your breathing and movements for a period of time may seem selfish to some, but it’s not. I typically find that I leave each yoga class with a great sense of peace and clarity in my own thoughts and this makes me ready to give again to the outside world.
A Great Workout – There are over 600 muscles in the human body and while some of these muscles are prime movers many of them are small stabalizing muscles. Because we spend so much time sitting or we have given up daily chores due to automation many of these muscles get less than normal use. Try one yoga class and you soon realize how you many small muscles you work in keeping your balance and engaging your core.
I have seen a lot of these benefits with only one class per week, and yoga is a lifetime activity meaning that it is something I can continue to learn and practice. Yoga is also a cost effective workout solution. Since most classes are typically done in a group environment you don’t pay as much as you would for one-on-one private instruction. However, most instructors do offer private one-on-one sessions if you desire. Typically, yoga classes cost between $10 and $30 per class just depending on the type of package you purchase or the specialty level of the class and instructor.
On top of regular classes I have been looking for a product that I can use to do an additional yoga workout during the evenings without having to drive to the studio. I think I have come across a great product! It’s called Runner’s Yoga. However, don’t let the name fool you because they say it’s not just for runners. Take a look for yourself, but in the mean time I’m going to give it try and report back with a complete review so we can find out if it’s a good solution for me and hopefully for you.
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Changing Your Treadmill Workout
July 14, 2009
Most of the time I don’t use a treadmill. I prefer to run outdoors because I like getting out on the road where my running stride feels more natural.
The treadmill however can be very beneficial for certain types of workouts.
On a treadmill you have some great tools right at your fingertips. You can control your running or walking speed, time, and incline, but how often do we just set these adjustments to one setting and forget about them for duration of our workout? I encourage you not to take this approach and instead use these tools to make your workout interesting and effective.
The possibilities are endless but here are three good suggestions.
Ladder Up
With this workout you build in speed and intensity over a short period till you are close to your max peceived exertion. Then you back-off on the treadmill speed, recover for a couple of minutes, and then buildup or “ladder up” again.
For example:
Start at a treadmill speed of 5.0 and get a good warm up for 10 minutes.
After the warm up take it up to 6.0 for 1 minute,
Then 6.5 for 1 minute,
Now 7.0 for one minute (now your moving)
Finally 7.5 for 1 one minute (Whew!)
Then back off so you are back down to 6.0. Jog there for 2-3 minutes to recover and then do it again.
You speed will need to be faster or slower than what I have suggested based on your current level of conditioning. Don’t be afraid to experiment.
See if you can repeat the “ladder up” up to 4 times. That should give you a good 20 minute workout on the treadmill and this kind of training is great for fat loss.
Here’s another idea you could do a similar “ladder up” but instead of changing the speed of the the treadmill increase the incline and keep the speed constant.
Intervals or Fartleks
Fartlek style training is great because how often do we really run at an absolutely constant speed. If you are running outside you may be going uphill or downhill. If you are in a race your pace will always be speeding up or slowing down depending on what is happening around you. We need to train our bodies to adapt to these variables and that is the reason for doing fartleks. Not to mention it makes your workout harder and is great for fat loss.
Your fartlek interval is made up of one period of running fast followed by a period of running slower to recover.
For example:
Warm up for 10 minutes at a comfortable jogging speed of 5.0.
Then speed up for 1-2 minutes to 7.0 – 7.5 This is your fast interval.
Then slow back down to 6.0 and recover for 1-2 minutes or more if needed.
Repeat fast and then slow up to 10 times for a great workout.
Again your speeds will be different than those suggested based on your conditioning and you can have your intervals be longer or shorter to suit your needs. What if you just did 30 second intervals? How would that feel? Or are you able to hold out for a longer 3 minute interval? It will surprise you how quickly the workout seems to go by when running fartleks vs. running at a constant speed.
Want more variety? Try creating an in interval switching from a high incline to a low incline.
Ladder Down
This one is a little harder to master. I would suggest starting with the first two examples till you have a good idea of your ideal running speed and capabilities.
The concept here is that you get a harder workout because you go hard in the beginning when your body is recovered and as you get tired you decrease the speed just a little bit to compensate. However, over the duration of the entire workout you are working at a higher intensity than your average.
For example:
Start at a treadmill speed of 5.0 and get a good warm up for 10 minutes.
After the warm up take it up to 7.5 for 1 minute,
Then 7.2 for 1 minute,
Now 6.8 for one minute
Finally 6.5 for 1 one minute
Then back off so you are back down to 6.0. Jog there for 2-3 minutes to recover and then do it again.
I hope these suggestions help add some variety to your workout and remember that changing up your workout is a good thing. It places new stresses on the body which in turn cause you to adapt and get stronger.
Thought about getting a treadmill for your home Save $300 on Horizon Fitness T93 Treadmill
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Top 5 Fat Loss Tips
July 12, 2009
By Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTraining.com
Men’s Fitness magazine recently asked me for 3 of my best fat loss secrets. Since most times the magazines just don’t have enough space to run my full tips, I thought I’d give you a more detailed explanation of my secrets here (plus a few extra bonus tips that I didn’t send to the magazine).
Secret #1 – Focus on burning carbohydrate, not fat, during your fat-loss workouts.
Sounds backwards, right? But not when you look at how I structure my workouts. Remember that Turbulence Training focuses on resistance training and interval training. Both of these use carbohydrate as the main source of energy. So it’s obvious the workout is designed to burn carbohydrates during the training session.
I have no interest in you trying to train in your “target heart rate zone” for fat burning (aka – the fat burning zone). The whole idea of a fat-burning zone is an over-simplified idea of how the body works during exercise.
Leave the inefficient fat burning zone to the mis-educated trainers in the commercial gyms (that not surprisingly, also want to sell you a heart rate monitor so you can stay in your “fat
burning heart rate zone”).
If you want to get the most results in the least amount of time, focus on burning carbohydrates, not fat.
Why do my fat loss workouts focus on burning carbohydrate rather than fat? In order to burn more calories after the workout, that’s why. When you exercise with intervals and heavy resistance training, your body uses more calories in the hours after exercise than it would if you did traditional cardio and lifted lighter weights.
Alwyn Cosgrove calls this ‘afterburn’, and I call it ‘Turbulence’.
By any name it gives you the same results – maximum improvements in your body composition (helping you lose fat while gaining muscle).
Secret #2 – Use a range of repetitions in your strength training workouts.
In order to train more muscle fibers and burn more carbohydrates, I have clients use a range of repetitions within the same workout. My workouts now use 6, 8, and 12 reps per set in order to work the muscle the most effectively.
This will burn more carbohydrates and promote as much muscle growth as possible when you are keeping the calories low.
Secret #3 – Use the stationary cycle for interval training.
I choose the stationary bike for intervals whenever possible because cycling against a resistance can help maintain muscle mass.
Cycling against a resistance also allows you to perform a large amount of mechanical work, and that is a key determinant of the Turbulence in my training.
But please note: I don’t use low-intensity, fast pedaling ’spinning’ intervals as I’m convinced that the hard, resistance based intervals are more effective for fat loss. My clients only cycle against a strong resistance in their intervals.
I really like the bike, but there are many other ways to do intervals. Use what works for you, but if you are at a plateau, try the bike.
Secret #4 – Increase meal frequency
Okay, so this isn’t really a secret to anyone that has read about fat loss. But a 2005 study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that eating 6 times per day was associated with eating fewer calories per day, lowering cholesterol levels, and lowering post-meal insulin levels.
Combine an increased meal frequency with an increased protein and fiber intake, and you’ll see your body composition improve rapidly.
If you need more nutrition help, then you’ll love the new Turbulence Training Nutrition Guide for Men & Women – written by Dr. Chris Mohr, Ph.D.
See below for more details…
Secret #5 – My Synergistic Turbulence Training Workouts
My Turbulence Training Fat Loss workouts are fast becoming the most effective way to burn fat, build muscle, and get lean. The synergistic strength training-interval training workouts are efficient and effective – getting you in and out of the gym in under an hour.
Here are some tips that you can use for an advanced training phase
- use these tips for 2 weeks then return to your normal training schedule:
a) Add 10 seconds to each interval but maintain the intensity
b) Add in some bodyweight circuits (10-20 minutes per day) done in the morning or evening (if you do your regular workout in the AM, do your bodyweight circuits after dinner; otherwise, do the bw circuits first thing in the AM, and then do your regular workout at lunch or later in the afternoon or evening)
If you are advanced, you can use squats, pushups, and bodyweight rows for your circuit.
If you are a beginner, you could use lying hip extensions, modified pushups, and stick-ups.
c) Add an extra set to each exercise in the first superset you do in each workout.
Again, use these three tips for an advanced fat loss period of two weeks, then return to a normal training schedule.
But always stick to the best fat loss nutrition plan possible.
If you have any other questions, just let me know.
Sincerely,
Craig Ballantyne
Author, Turbulence Training
P.S. Big Nutrition Announcement!
The Turbulence Training Nutrition Guide for Men & Women – written by Dr. Chris Mohr, Ph.D., is ready for you.
Here are just some of the things you’ll learn from Dr. Mohr…
1) How to calculate your calorie needs (p. 6)
2) Calorie recommendations for obese individuals (p.7)
3) The 23 types of sugar (many hidden!) to avoid (p. 9)
4) The 20 whole-grain sources to fuel your fat loss program (p9)
5) Over 60 fruits and vegetables that should be added to your diet (p. 10)
6) The 16 protein sources you should select most often (p. 13)
7) Shocking trans-fat content of 18 common foods – find out which food is the deadliest in terms of fat content (p. 16)
8 ) The 9 Fat Sources you should select most often (p. 17)
9) Dr. Mohr’s 12 Rules for Fat Loss (p. 18)
10) The TT Nutrition Plan for Men (p. 19)
11) The TT Nutrition Plan for Women (p. 23)
12) Bonus Supplement Report: The Truth About Fat Loss Pills (p. 27)
About the Author
Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit www.TurbulenceTraining.com
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The 4th of July Workout
July 4, 2009
Happy Fourth of 4th of July! I know everyone most everyone has plans today to go be with family and friends, or maybe you just plan to relax at home and enjoy the freedoms that we have in America. I want you to remember that you also have the freedom to get outside and workout and so for the 4th of July I am sharing with you a special military style workout. This means a workout that requires no weights and no fancy equipment. This simple yet effective workout can be done at home in your backyard. A nearby park would also be perfect. Let’s keep it simple and get back to basic training
These four exercises will target most all your major muscle groups and give you quick hard workout. All this workout will require is a pull-up bar and some space to run. If you have a hard time finding a place to do pull-ups or chin-ups you could instead try doing a bent over row type movement with a dumbbell.
Start:
Do one set on Pull Ups or Chin Ups 1-10 reps depending on your strength. If needed you can have someone spot you or use the ground to give you a little extra boost over the bar.
Do one set of sit-ups or crunches 15-30 reps
Do one set of push ups 10-15 reps
Get up and sprint as hard as you can 40-50 yards out and back. This should be enough distance for you get up to full running speed. Slow down and come back again at full speed.
It should take about 2-3 minutes to complete one circuit. Now rest for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. *You should not be resting between the exercises*
You can repeat this circuit anywhere from 3-10 times depending on your level of conditioning. Trust me, this is an intense workout. Hope you enjoy!
What ever you are doing for the holiday have a great time, but let’s not forget all those who have died or currently fighting for the freedoms we enjoy everyday.
Download our free Ultimate Update Package for help setting your workout goals, building muscle, and getting in shape.
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Six-Pack Abs – How To Get Six Pack Abs
May 27, 2009
By Vince DelMonte
One of the most popular requests among people in the gym is to get six pack abs. There is no doubt about it, obtaining this elusive goal not only takes hard work, but also demonstrates that you clearly know what you are doing in the gym. Learning how to getsix pack abs is definitely not the easiest thing in the world but it’s also not the hardest, as long as you follow the right steps.
So, what should you be doing to get results?
Focus on your diet.
Without a clean diet, six pack abs will never be yours. One thing you must realize is that while exercise is important, it’s only going to take you so far. No matter how many crunches or sit-up variations you perform, if you’ve got a solid layer of fat covering your stomach, your muscles are not going to be seen.
Try and focus on consuming enough protein to keep your appetite under control, supplemented with healthy fats for satiety and fruits and veggies for energy. It is important, however, that you are running a calorie deficit, because regardless of the food you eat, if you are consuming more than you burn off that day, you aren’t going to lose weight.
Perform a variety of exercises
Next up on your quest for six pack abs, you need to make sure you change up the exercises you perform on a regular basis.
While it’s fine if you have some that you generally like to stick with as you really feel it when you do them, try and alternate between at least a few from week to week.
The main reason for this is because your abdominal muscles adapt to change very quickly. As soon as they are finished adapting, you are going to stop seeing results – this is the truth about six pack abs.
By keeping them guessing as to what’s coming, you keep the results coming as well. Don’t make the mistake of doing the same boring workout, day in, day out.
Get Your Cardio In Line
Finally, step three for getting a nicely chiseled stomach is performing cardio properly. This isn’t to say you should run out and start doing hours upon hours on the treadmill. We aren’t aiming to turn you into a hamster here.
All you really need is a few quality sessions of cardio work a week. What’s high quality? Sprint sessions. Skipping. Hill running. Anything your body is not efficient at.
Yes, these are going to be much more intense than plodding along at a moderate pace while you read the fitness magazine of the week, but trust me, you will get results a thousand times faster.
Crank that intensity up for twenty to forty seconds and then back it down again for another minute. Repeat this process eight to ten times and you’ll have a workout that’ll shed that body fat in no time.
So, next time you’re admiring your physique in the mirror and are still longing for a better mid-section, take these three factors into consideration and you’ll discover this is the truth about six pack abs.
About the Author:
Vince DelMonte is the author of Your Six Pack Quest found at http://www.YourSixPackQuest.com
He specializes in helping chubby guys and gals get six pack abs without gimmicks, supplements or dieting.
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Exercise Update Ready to Launch
May 13, 2009
In just three days our Exercise Update website will be ready to officially launch. We are in the process of putting in some great finishing touches and adding product content. We are excited about this new product, but we are most excited about helping you. Feel free to take a sneak peak at www.exerciseupdate.com and tell us what kind of articles and future offering you would like to see.
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