Month: May 2016

Training Smart

It certainly doesn’t happen all the time, and I’m the biggest violator of that rule! However, as I’m getting older, I don’t have as much of a choice.

Up until just a few years ago, my weight training was based on; preparedness, a loosely planned workout sequence, extreme focus, and to max out the weight on whatever lift I was performing. That worked well for a long time and brought me much success during my forty year bodybuilding career. But over time, things changed.

What is important for you to know, is that the body’s requirements for maintaining optimum health, changes with age. It is hard to stop a freight train traveling at top speed. And so it was for me; trying to ease back on the intensity after so many years of heavy lifting. The first sign that the body has changed are injuries.

Looking at it from a physiological standpoint, muscle growth comes to an end after a certain amount of years. So the logical question is; why am I still lifting heavy? The correct approach at this point is still; preparedness, a loosely planned workout sequence, and extreme focus. But instead of maxing out the weight; back off a little on the resistance, increase the reps slightly, and possibly add some compound and supersets into the mix. This formula has been working very well for me. Yes, on occasion, I will lift heavy, but now I know my limitations.

Have fun lifting weights, it’s the only way to optimum health!

 

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!

Mother’s, you have the most difficult task of all. For me and most men, we do our day’s work, come to the gym to workout, go home to eat, and go to sleep. As long as we eat right, we can transform our bodies relatively quickly. Drop weight? A few weeks. Add muscle? A few months. Done deal. With women, especially Mother’s with a family to take care of, it’s a much greater challenge.

For a woman in her forties, there are challenges men will never have to endure. Not only does she have nonstop work caring for her family, a full or part time job, but hormonal changes may begin that will wreak havoc trying to maintain body fat levels. Even good nutrition will no override changes in hormone levels. With all that on her mind, she is now expected to keep lean and strong year round. Here are a few suggestions to Mothers young and old.

If you are still in your twenties and thirties, don’t rely on good genetics, they don’t last. Incorporate all forms of exercise, especially resistance weight training. Now is the time to develop muscle and to also strengthen your skeletal system. Always eat healthy, natural foods, and drink plenty of water. Cardio should be done five or six days a week, weight training three to four days. The more effort you put in now, the easier it will be to maintain the health and beauty you currently possess. Those of you forty and over will need to preserve what you have and make advances wherever possible. Unless you have injuries, there is no reason why your regimen should not be the same as younger women. I have quite a few clients over forty and I train them as if they were still in their twenties! It’s not about heavy weight; it’s about intensity and frequency. When hormonal changes come, these women are in good health to ride out the storm. Nutrition becomes even more important during and after hormonal changes take place.

Rest assured that maintaining a healthy lifestyle as soon as you can, will bring you a future of longevity and good health. HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!!!

Gyms of Yesterday

There was a time when a gym was a place to transform your body. It was a place to go where you could discuss nutrition, whether your goal was to pack on muscle, burn body fat, or both. There was always someone working out whose physique got your attention. A role model to learn from, a true motivation to spark your workout. Unfortunately, times have changed.

Unless you have years of training experience or are working with a professional trainer, the chances of you making significant progress from what you see in today’s gyms are slim. A good portion of the members are either using the gym equipment for cell phone texting, listening to music, or a meeting place for conversation. Can someone please tell me why there is a need to carry around a gallon of water and a gym bag filled with clothes during your workout?!!! Are they leaving for the airport after the gym? There are so many distractions to the actual workout, focusing on training is all but lost.

Some months back, there was a televised health club commercial featuring a bodybuilder simplifying his workout in just a few words, “I pick things up and I put things down”.  Now although their intent was to discriminate against extreme bodybuilders, from a productive standpoint, that is really all you really need to do! It’s not that difficult to improve your physical condition. Eat right, show up at the gym on a regular basis, have a plan on what you want to accomplish, execute it as intensely as possible, then go home and get some rest.

Have a great workout!