Burn Baby, Burn

Weight lifting is one of the most popular exercise forms. Weight lifting was earlier taken up by body builders. However, today anyone looking to lose fat and build up a toned and structured body should add it to their workout. Weight lifting is a great way to burn lots of calories.

Adding weight lifting to your regular exercise routine will help you burn some serious calories. If you are looking for a leaner, more muscular physique, you need to lift weights. Strength training is a fantastic way to burn calories. This type of training uses more muscles at any given time than other forms of training. When you use more muscles it requires your body to use up more energy. Although cardio burns calories throughout the exercise, building muscle through weight lifting burns fat during the exercise, and long after the exercise has been completed.

Muscles burn about 10 times the calories per pound than fat does. Weight lifting increases your metabolic rate and burns calories effectively. It also helps to check the calorie count even when the muscles go through the repair process when you are not working out. If you want to lose over all body fat then weight lifting programs are the best options. Weight lifting speeds up the process of calorie loss.

In addition, weight training is essential for keeping the weight off once you have reached your goal weight. Many research studies have shown that the participants who lost weight through a combination of exercise and caloric restriction were better able to keep weight off over the long term versus those that only undertook caloric restriction.

When you start to workout with weights, never workout any more than 4 days per week. Your body is put through a tremendous amount of stress when you are lifting weights. Anything more than this could be opening yourself up to muscle fatigue, muscle strains and injuries. You get the most of your gains on your rest day. If you are new to weight training, be sure not to focus so much on the scale. Muscle weighs more than fat, so as you are gaining muscle and losing fat, the scale may not tell the whole story.

Unfortunately, as we age we lose muscle and gain fat. We lose about 20% of our muscle mass after 30 years of age. The only way to retain our muscle mass is with weight lifting. When you increase your muscle mass you burn more calories. Your metabolic rate will remain elevated longer and you will burn more calories with less effort. Weight lifting will help you lose weight faster.

Meet with a personal trainer to get you on the right program of weight training for you to reach your workout and weight loss goals. A trainer will teach you the proper exercises and form so that you don’t injure yourself during your workout.

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Gym Time

How can you get the most of out of your gym experience when the only time you can get there is the busiest time? Trying to complete a workout in a busy gym can be intimidating, confusing, and frustrating.

  1. Don’t fall into the routine trap. The trick is to be able to recognize the alternatives available to you and understanding the purpose of each exercise. When you know why you are using the exercises you use you will be able to find other options to help you get to your goals. For example, if the rower you normally use is busy try using the treadmill.
  2. Make the most of dumbbells. Dumbbells take up less space and offer you more flexibility. Plus, even in a busy gym, there are always some available.
  3. Stand to do it. Don’t waste time waiting for a bench to become free. Stand to do the work out and get exercise options and angles you won’t get sitting down. Standing will work more of your body since you have to work your core and support muscles to hold you in place while you perform the exercise.
  4. Body Weight Exercises. Body weight exercises are a great way to still work out in a crowded gym. Try pull ups and dips while you may be waiting for another piece of equipment to become free.

    If you are using a machine and MUST leave it for a minute to come back to it, leave a marker. Signify that your machine or equipment is still in use. However, try to make sure you stay on the machine when possible for the whole duration of use. That will eliminate any misunderstandings of the machine being available. While you’re busy working on one piece of equipment, plan your next move. Look around the gym and take note on what is or looks like it will be coming available. This way you won’t waste time and let that heart rate slip while you stand around waiting for your next move. It is also helpful to get to know other members and trainers in the gym. You can then feel more comfortable sharing equipment.

    There are many workout options you can try in between stations or while waiting for a machine. Try some of the following:

    • Wide squat – 10 reps
    • Chin ups – 8 reps
    • Step ups – 10 reps per leg
    • Barbell rows – 10 reps
    • Side Plank – 8 reps per side hold for 10 seconds each
    • Balance Ball Rollout – 20 reps

    Think outside the box when it comes to your workout. A crowded gym can be an opportunity to vary your workout. A trainer is a good way to get your work out going during a busy gym time. They have programs built based on equipment available and know what would be a great substitute when you can’t get on the machine you need.

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Fitness Walking – A Complement to Any Fitness Program

Walking for Fat LossI’ve been a personal trainer in Willow Glen for over 25 years.  In those 25 years I’ve suggested a lot of strength training and interval cardio workouts for my clients, because most of my clients come to me to help them get rid of unwanted body fat.  I’ve always felt that “plain old walking”, while valuable as a stress reducer,  just wasn’t enough to improve someone’s fitness level.

I’m going to change my tune on this.  Sort of.  I think walking can be part of a great fat loss program. I think we need to establish how and where walking  fits into a fat loss program, though.

 

 

First, let’s talk about the general benefits of walking:

  • Walking is an incredible form of exercise that can be carried out by most people.
  • It’s a low impact workout which carries a very low risk of injury.
  • It is an activity that requires no equipment (just good shoes, really!).
  • Walking is a great “entry” form of exercise for a new exerciser.
  • Regular walking can help improve some health markers such as blood pressure and blood glucose.

 

Now, let’s move on to how walking can be a valuable part of  a fat loss program.  Because walking is low impact, it’s a great form of recovery exercise in between the high intensity interval workouts I design for my clients.  It’s also a great form of recovery in between strength training days.  So, for my money, walking is the last piece of the fat loss puzzle.  Walking is the longer, lower intensity cardio exercise that you can do on your off days.  You don’t work out as hard, but you go for a longer time.  For me, this is where walking for fat loss is best used.

So, here’s my breakdown of where our efforts lie for the best fat loss program:

Nutrition first, strength training second, intervals third and finally …..walking.

If you’ve been walking  for awhile, you may want to try walking hills on occasion.  If you live near a hilly area, your basic fitness walk may turn into an interval training session as you huff and puff up the hills!

Whether fat loss is your goal, or you’re simply wanting to feel better, lace up your shoes and get yourself out for a walk.  It’s a solid way to support your fat loss efforts!

 

Committed to your success,

Becky

 

Want Fat Loss Fast? Try HIIT Workouts

Increase fat loss with interval trainingIt seems everyone is looking for an easy fat loss strategy these days.  Although it isn’t easy to perform, I highly recommend High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) for exceptional fat loss results.

Interval training is an exercise strategy alternating periods of hard exercise effort with lower intensity recovery periods. Unlike your traditional cardio workouts in the gym that might have you on a treadmill or elliptical trainer for 45 plus minutes, interval training workouts are much shorter (usually 5-20 minutes).  These short, intense workouts provide improved athletic capacity and conditioning, improved glucose metabolism, and accelerated use of stored fat for fuel in the hours after the HIIT workout is over.

Don’t expect this short workout to be a walk in the park, though! It is very intense if done right.  This is one of the reasons a HIIT session is shorter than a traditional cardio workout.

It’s important to do a proper warm up before engaging in high intensity exercise.  If you are new to exercise, I recommend that you have at least 10 minutes of warm up time, and then approach the higher intensity intervals in a step-wise manner, adding on additional cycles of exercise as you become more fit.

For example, you might do 30 seconds of higher intensity exercise followed by 90 seconds of lower intensity exercise, and repeat this cycle only 3-5 times.  As you become more fit, you can increase the number of cycles you do, and also decrease your recovery time a bit.

There really is no ideal time for work/recovery cycles.  With interval training, you can mix it up!  One day you might do intervals of 40 seconds hard work/20 seconds recovery.  Another day you might do a 20/10 split.  The key to effective interval training is to work HARD on the high intensity segments  (about a 9 on a scale of 1-10 once you’ve built up a good conditioning base).

With regard to what types of exercises you can do in a HIIT workout–the sky is the limit!  Combining sprinting with slower running (or walking) is a simple way to do HIIT.  You can also use a variety of cardio machines at your gym, or utilize any number of calisthenic-type exercises right in your own back yard.

For an idea on how to put together a HIIT workout, please check out a video I did for my customers.  It’s a sample HIIT program you can do in your own backyard.

As San Jose personal trainer for many years, I’ve recommended HIIT as a means to better fat loss results for hundreds of my clients.  Although it’s really hard while you’re doing it—-you’re exercising for a fraction of the time of a typical gym goer.  I call that good exercise math ……..MORE results……..LESS time .:-D.

 

Committed to your success,

 

Becky

 

 

Getting the Most From Your Personal Trainer in San Jose

Selecting a Personal Trainer in  San JoseAre you thinking of  hiring a personal trainer to help you lose unwanted fat or improve your fitness? Working with a personal trainer, even if only for a few sessions to get you started, is a great way to achieve goals that can be pretty tough to achieve on your own. The right fitness coach can guide your efforts safely and effectively and re-design your program as your body evolves.  How many successful business owners and athletes do you know that have coaches to propel them further in their business or sport?   Many successful business owners and athletes have solid coaching behind them.  Why shouldn’t YOU have a fitness coach to achieve your goals?

One of the most important things to do at the start is  select the right personal trainer for the job.  The personal training situation is just that—personal.  Make sure that you pick a personal trainer with whom you feel comfortable.  Having a good rapport and good communication with your coach is vital.

Another important aspect when choosing a personal trainer is experience and education.  I’ll be honest, though,  I’ve been a personal trainer in San Jose for many, many years, and only a few people have asked for my credentials when I interview them.  Experience has made me a better trainer, but a formal education in kinesiology was a great foundation.  I don’t think a college degree is necessary to be a great trainer, but I do believe it’s a great foundation.

Before signing on with a personal trainer, interview them a bit and ask questions.   Find out if you’d be comfortable with this person for 2-3 hours a week.  Find out if they’ve worked with people like you before.  Some trainers specialize in certain types of clients (e.g., women only, seniors, high level athletes, figure competitors, etc).  The more they’ve worked with people like YOU, the better they will be able to help you get results.

Once you’ve decided on the personal trainer that fits your needs the most, have a frank discussion with him or her about your goals. This is the only way to ensure that you get the most appropriate training. The more specific your goals, the more specific your training program can be.

Once your training with your new coach has started, make sure that you are doing all that is required of you outside of your coached sessions.  In order to see results you may need to exercise outside of your personal training sessions.  You may need to modify your eating habits or your sleep habits.  Be fully transparent with your trainer regarding your food intake, additional exercise and hydration outside of your personal training sessions. Hydration and rest are exceedingly important because they help the muscles rest after the exercise.

As you can see, getting the most from  your personal trainer isn’t just about the workout he/she gives you.  It’s about what you do the other 165+ hours a week outside of your sessions 😉

Here’s an easy check list to follow as you begin your search for a personal trainer in San Jose:

  1. Establish what you want a personal trainer for. Healthy weight loss, building muscle mass, or becoming a faster runner will all require different expertise.
  2. Interview potential trainers to make sure you connect well and have good rapport before signing on with someone
  3. Find out if a trainer has the right qualifications and experience to help you with your specific goals 
  4. Make sure a trainer you’re interested in is available during the timeframe that is convenient for you to work out.
  5. Ask for references
  6. Be very specific when communicating your goals
  7. Ask about rates, cancellation policies and any contracts that might need to be signed

 If you’re interested in interviewing lifeSport Fitness to see if we’re a good match, please give us a call at 408-265-1540 to set up a complimentary consultation!

We currently offer on-site/in-home personal training in most areas of San Jose (Willow Glen, Cambrian and Almaden), and 8-week small group training programs in the Cambrian area of San Jose.

Squat for Life

As babies and toddlers, we were able to squat for hours. It is actually considered a resting position in many cultures. A person’s ability (or inability) to squat is a good indication of his or her physical condition. One must not only possess a flexible body, but also have well-developed leg and back muscles. Although we were exceptionally good at it long ago, the lack of practice in squatting could render a person incapable of squatting, or to maintain the squatting position for more than a minute. Full squatting involves resting one’s weight on the feet with the buttocks resting on the backs of the calves. Most western adults cannot place their heels flat on the ground when squatting because of shortened Achilles tendons largely caused by habitually sitting on chairs or seats and wearing shoes with heels (especially high heels). For this reason the squatting position is usually not sustainable for more than a few minutes as heels-up squatting is a less stable position than heels-down squatting. With continual practice, we can get back to the full squat position we were used to as a child.

Top 8 Benefits of Squats

  1. Builds Muscle in Your Entire Body. Squats not only build leg muscles but they also create an anabolic environment, which promotes body-wide muscle building. In fact, when done properly, squats are so intense that they trigger the release of testosterone and human growth hormone in your body, which are vital for muscle growth and will also help to improve muscle mass when you train other areas of your body aside from your legs.
  2. Functional Exercise Makes Real-Life Activities Easier. Functional exercises are those that help your body to perform real-life activities, as opposed to simply being able to operate pieces of gym equipment. Squats are one of the best functional exercises. When you perform squats, you build muscle and help your muscles work more efficiently, as well as promote mobility and balance. All of these benefits translate into your body moving more efficiently in the real world too.
  3. Burn More Fat. One of the most time-efficient ways to burn more calories is actually to gain more muscle. For every pound of additional muscle you gain, your body will burn an additional 50-70 calories per day. So, if you gain 10 pounds of muscle, you will automatically burn 500-700 more calories per day than you did before.
  4. Maintain Mobility and Balance. Strong legs are crucial for staying mobile as you get older, and squats are phenomenal for increasing leg strength. They also work out your core, stabilizing muscles, which will help you to maintain balance, while also improving the communication between your brain and your muscle groups, which helps prevent falls – which is incidentally the number one way to prevent bone fractures versus consuming mega-dose calcium supplements and bone drugs.
  5. Prevent Injuries. Most athletic injuries involve weak stabilizer muscles, ligaments and connective tissues, which squats help strengthen. They also help prevent injury by improving your flexibility (squats improve the range of motion in your ankles and hips) and balance, as noted above.
  6. Boost Your Sports Performance – Jump Higher and Run Faster. Squatting strength has been linked to athletic ability and therefore has helped athletes run faster and jump higher. That’s why this exercise is part of virtually every professional athlete’s training program.
  7. Tone Your Backside, Abs and Entire Body. Few exercises work as many muscles as the squat, so it is an excellent multi-purpose activity useful for toning and tightening your behind, abs and of course your legs.
  8. Help with Waste Removal. Squats improve the pumping of body fluids, aiding in removal of waste and delivery of nutrition to all tissues, including organs and glands. They’re also useful for improved movement of feces through your colon and more regular bowel movements.

Try these tips to perform a proper squat.

  1. Warm up.
  2. Stand with your feet just over shoulder width apart.
  3. . Keep your back in a neutral position, and keep your knees centered over your feet.
  4. Slowly bend your knees, hips and ankles, lowering until you reach a 90-degree angle.
  5. Return to starting position – repeat 15-20 times, for 2-3 sets for beginners (do this two or three times a week). As you practice over several weeks you’ll be able to slowly lower yourself to full squat.
  6. Breathe in as you lower; breathe out as you return to starting position.

Squats have been criticized for being destructive to your knees, but research shows that when done properly squats actually improve knee stability and strengthen connective tissue. Get your trainer to watch to make sure your form is correct to prevent injury. Go ahead, squat!

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Tread Lightly

Treadmill exercise has been proven to be beneficial for all kinds of people, including at risk groups like older individuals and pregnant women. Some kinds of aerobic exercises do not suit pregnant women or older people, but walking is always recommended and a treadmill is ideally suited for this purpose. Cardio-vascular exercise derived from walking or running on a treadmill helps you to burn extra calories and will help you to lose weight rapidly if you exercise on a frequent and consistent basis. A treadmill adds consistency to your walking workout and you can set both the pace and duration of your session and increase this in order to achieve a progressive improvement over time. A treadmill can also help you to achieve your personal fitness goals.

If you like walking or have been advised to walk regularly, then the weather conditions outside can create problems. When the weather conditions are poor during periods of rain, wind, snow or unfavorable temperature it makes it unpleasant or impossible to walk outside. With a treadmill you don’t need to worry about the weather and you can continue with your regular exercise regime.

With the constant walking on a treadmill looking at the same wall and space, how do you overcome boredom and lack of motivation? Try using the treadmill trainer, an audio workout that you can download on your iPod or Mp3 player to listen on your headphones while you jog/walk on the treadmill. It is like having a mini trainer in your ears to motivate you and guide you every step of the way. Or, try choosing an upbeat music compilation of your favorite motivating songs. You can also pick a time and television show you just can’t miss and plan your treadmill workout during that time. You’ll be so engrossed in your program, you’ll forget all about the calorie burn and exercise you are doing at the same time.

With a consistent treadmill workout, you want to make sure you are preventing injury. Remember these key points when walking or running during your treadmill workout.

  • Avoid toe, heel and knee injuries by using good shoes. Replace old worn out shoes so they give you a good support and have proper shock absorption.
  • Don’t overdo it. Use the treadmill every other day, not every day. Don’t go too fast and take it slow.
  • Warm up. Make sure you stretch and warm up your muscles before getting into your exercise routine.

A treadmill can be an excellent addition to any workout. Use some of these suggestions to keep yourself motivated and injury free. Enjoy walking all year long during any temperature or weather conditions that are outside by doing your walking/running routine on a treadmill.

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5, 6, 7, 8, Dance

A dancer’s body looks so fit – they must get a good workout. There must be some tricks of the trade that can be applied to our every day workout to get some of the same effects. Dance-type exercises will focus more on muscle development and flexibility. Dancers are serious athletes that are continually working out to improve strength, agility, speed, flexibility and cardiovascular endurance in order to prevent injuries. Most people know that they have to exercise to maintain a healthy lifestyle, but it is getting motivated to exercise that is the difficult part. Exercise need not be boring – try dancing!

Pole Dancing
Using pole dancing moves is a great way to get a good workout. It’s a fun activity that will burn tons of calories and give you a toned body. One of the basic moves is climbing which is a perfect beginning exercise to prepare you for learning many others. The basic climbing move is excellent for giving you added strength and flexibility. There are a few different climbing moves and all of them are good for toning the back, legs and arms. The basic climbing move is to use the same concept that you learned in climbing ropes. Feet are together at the base of the pole with arms stretched high above your head, then by alternating the movement of hands and feet, work your way up the pole. Once you’ve master that move, you can try leg hooks, inversion moves and climbing down.

Jazz Dancing
Jazz dancing can spice up any workout because you don’t have to have a partner and you can learn basic moves in a short period of time. One basic move is the Jazz Square. Jazz Square is a fluid, easy dance move where you can complete a square in four short steps. Stand with your feet together and your arms at your side. Begin to step your right foot across your left foot. You then step back, but this time with your left foot. Follow that by stepping to the side with your right foot. Finally, step forward with your left leg. At this juncture, you are ready to step your right leg across your left leg to start yet another Jazz Square. Repeating this can add up to a really good workout routine. Add it to your exercise regime to spice up your cardio exercises.

80s Dance Moves
If you want to really spice up your workout routine, you can go “old-school” and head to the 80s for inspiration. Some of this decade’s biggest dance moves came from popular singers. Try the Fairy Dance, made popular by the group the Smiths. Simply hold out your hands in front of you loosely while you also lower your arms. Begin to wave both hands and arms about as you sway your body to music. Have music going that will keep time to your moves.

A workout routine does not have to be boring. Incorporate some dance moves with your favourite upbeat music and have some fun. You’ll get a great cardio workout while strengthening, toning and developing your muscles while increasing flexibility. With all the physical activity of an intense nature that dancing provides, it is clear that dancing is a great opportunity for you to burn off a lot of calories in any one session. The added bonus of using dance moves to exercise or weight loss is that it doesn’t feel like exercise because you will likely be too caught up in the fun of the dancing activity and therefore be enjoying yourself too much to see that your actually working out.

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Plyometric Workouts

If you are an athlete who takes part is sports that require speed, agility and vertical power such as basketball and volleyball, then a plyometric workout will enhance your game. Plyometrics are specifically designed to help increase your vertical leap and better your ability to explode into sudden bursts of speed.Plyometrics leads to better body posture, improved balance and flexibility. Plyometric workouts come in many shapes and forms depending on the specific goals of the athlete. Having a regular plyometric workout is an important part of any strength and conditioning program. It is suggested that you do plyometrics only three or four days a week. Doing it every day could cause serious damage to your body. It is important to give yourself ample rest in between workouts to avoid injury.

Plyometrics have numerous benefits including stronger muscles and tendons and a better nervous system. Muscles are strengthened by the quick and rapid exercises. It trains your muscles to convert strength into speed. In plyometrics you place stress on your tendons as you workout. Over time, your tendons would become elastic and stronger. Stronger tendons mean fewer injuries. The rapid movements involved in plyometric workouts are also training your nervous system to react faster. Quick muscle contractions need rapid signals to your brain in order for you to perform. As you continue to train, you’ll notice your movements will become quicker.

If you’re new into plyometrics, start with something simple. Try the workout below.

As with any exercise, you must start by warming up your muscles through some stretching and jogging around for a few minutes. Using a jump rope for a few minutes is a good way to warm up as well.

Mini Plyometric Workout:

  1. Begin by performing 10 Jump Squats. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Squat deep, keeping your knees behind your toes, abs tight and chest out. Jump off the floor explosively and as high as possible, landing back in a squat position. Land softly by using your leg muscles and engaging your core throughout.
  2. After you have completed 10 squat jump repetitions, go right into your Plyometric Push-Ups. Get into a regular push-up position, lower your chest to the floor and explosively push off, forcing your hands to leave the floor. Land and lower your chest to the floor again, then push up again into your next rep. Keep your body straight with your abs tight throughout the exercise.
  3. Another great exercise is to do Lunges. This exercise helps build the muscle in your quads. You can use dumbbells or you can start without any weight. Start in a standing position and lunge forward with one leg until your knee is at a 90 degree angle and then push yourself back to a standing position. Repeat with the other leg. Make sure to keep your torso upright when performing the lunge.
  4. Try some Step Ups. For this exercise you can use a bench or a chair. Start by standing in front of the bench and then putting one foot flat on the bench and step up on the bench. Step back down to the floor and repeat with the other leg.

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Beat the Winter Blues with Exercise

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) also known as winter depression, winter blues or seasonal depression is a mood disorder that affects many during the dark, cold winter months. People experience mood changes during the winter that find them sleeping more, having little energy and may also leave them feeling depressed. Adding a good dose of daily exercise can help beat these mood changes.

Stay Consistent
You can only benefit by exercise by staying consistent. Allow yourself time each day to do some kind of physical activity. Visit your gym for a workout and on off days, head out for a walk with the family. If your time schedule is tight, break it up into segments of ten minutes for example. Consistency makes you more productive. The more productive you are, the more you will accomplish.

Strength Train
Strength training has many benefits for you. It will help with looking good and adding to your self esteem. If you tend to gain weight this time of year, the increased muscle mass will help aid those unwanted pounds by boosting your metabolism. You will also have an increase in energy so you will not feel so lethargic all the time and be tempted to sleep so much. If you tend to get sick this time of year, strength training will help boost your immune system.

Do Your Cardio
Cardiovascular exercise holds many benefits for you. It is great for relieving stress. You can run or walk off pent up frustrations, disappointments and anger. You will have more clarity after a bout of aerobic exercise. Cardio exercise increases your metabolism. It will help you control the body weight normally gained this time of year. Your heart will become stronger. You can lower your blood pressure, cholesterol, and heart attack risks through regular aerobic exercise.

Add in Friends
Find a fitness buddy. Friends or family can help motivate you and keep you going. If you don’t have someone to join you, attend a group exercise class. Group exercise classes are a great place to make new friends, learn new exercises, and relieve stress. Being social can also help with the feeling of depression.

The benefits of exercise last longer than quick-fixes such as comfort-eating, smoking, or drinking coffee/tea, all of which may contribute to the problem. While exercising you body produces endorphins or feel-good chemicals which will make you feel instantly better and happier. Don’t let the winter blues get you down. Get out there and fight them with daily exercise! You’ll end up benefitting in many other ways.

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