Short on Time, Need a Workout? What You Can Do In Just 30 Minutes.

We all have busy lives and it seems that with each passing day, our lives become busier and busier.  Wh that, I receive many questions surrounding “what can I do if I only have 30 minutes to workout, but yet I still want my workouts to be effective?”

There is a saying that “something will always be better than nothing”.  Remember even if you only have 30 minutes and make it to the gym, you will always do better than the people still sitting on the couch.  That being said, here are some things to remember that could help you make your 30 minutes productive in the gym:

1. Have a Pre-Gym Routine.
If you live close to the gym, get a good warm-up in by either walking or jogging to your gym.  If you live further from the gym and cannot walk to the gym, find parking that is half a mile to a mile away from the gym and either walk or jog the remaining distance.  This will allow you to arrive at the gym warmed up and ready to workout.

2. Dynamic Stretching.

Spend just a few minutes stretching out your muscles that you are going to workout.  You just warmed up with your walk/jog to the gym; this active stretching will prime your muscles and joints for your workout.

3. Circuit Training.

Do a quick circuit of six to nine exercises between 12-20 repetitions each, with no rest between each exercise.  At the end of one circuit (which will act as one set), you can rest for 60-90 seconds before doing the same circuit again.  Depending on the number of days you will be working out, you can either do a full body workout for the weeks you can only get in one or two day or you can break up your workouts into an upper body/lower body routine.

A sample workout could look something like this:

• Chest Press
• Pull Downs
• Squats
• Shoulder Press
• Bent Over Row
• Lunges
• Overhead Dumbbell Extensions
• Bicep Curls

A circuit similar to the above allows you to work your full body and get the most out of your workouts.

With the inclusion of stretching, and completing your designed circuit for two rounds, you should be able to complete your workout in 30 minutes or less.

To find out more about circuit training, please contact Kenny Yates (kyates1@tollbrothers.com) or stop by the Fitness Center to schedule a consultation and get started today!

Why Deadlift?

Many of us choose to lift weights as part of a healthy lifestyle.  We know it is a great way to build muscle, boost metabolism and increase strength.  More often then not, we opt to train those muscles that can be seen directly in the mirror for immediate gratification.  This includes the chest, biceps, and abs.  If you’ve been in the gym environment long enough, you know that this is what most Monday routines look like.  Fresh off the weekend, come into the gym and give it your all on the “most important” muscle groups.  I would, however, like to make a case explaining why I think the Deadlift should be at the top of everyone’s priority list.

If you’re looking for the biggest “bang for your buck” strength based exercise in the gym, the Deadlift is it.  No other strength movement will involve as many muscles as the conventional Deadlift.  Hamstrings, glutes, low back, upper back, biceps, quads, grip, core…the list goes on, and an argument could be made for every muscle group on the human body.  The more muscles involved in a movement, the more calories are spent and the more muscle building hormones are released.  For those “bench-aholics” out there, the best in the business will tell you that in order to have a big bench, you need a big strong back.  Insert Deadlift here.  For those women who want to lose weight but maintain their “posterior shape”, the Deadlift is your answer to increase the size and strength of your glutes.  Also, if you get bored with the same exercises easily, don’t worry, there are plenty of variations to the Deadlift to keep things exciting in the weight room.  These variations include the snatch grip, sumo stance, RDL, trap bar, dumbbell, and even tire flips to name a few.  There are enough variations out there to perform a different Deadlift each workout for a month. The Deadlift will never get old, especially once you see the results it delivers.

Secondly, considering the typical lifestyle we live, the Deadlift is the perfect compliment to regain the postural balance that is destroyed by sitting throughout the day.  The posterior chain is a term used to define the synergistic efforts of the hamstrings, glutes and back muscles.  Whether you’re a student or working adult, chances are much of your day involves sitting, whether it’s at a desk or in a car commuting.  With the exception of the few who strive for perfect posture, most of us will slouch to some degree.  This lack of postural control weakens the posterior chain, and tightens the opposing anterior muscles, which could lead into upper and lower cross syndrome and possibly injury.  The Deadlift will allow for a greater load to be placed on the posterior chain than any other exercise, meaning it has the potential to strengthen those muscles more than any other exercise. When combined with the proper programming and ancillary movements, this can help you regain that healthy, upright appearance.

If fear of injuring your back is a concern to you with the Deadlift, there are ways to learn the movement in a safe and controlled manor. This could include starting off with a rack pull movement at mid-thigh height to help you learn to bend over while maintaining a neutral curve in the spine.  Over time, and with the proper load, begin to lower the height of your rack pull until you achieve the conventional Deadlift height. Dumbbells and a trap bar are also great tools that can be used to assist in learning the movement, as these help you to retract your shoulder blades better while bending to maintain that neutral spine posture.  Once proper form is mastered, no other exercise will help you better maintain a healthy and injury free back like the Deadlift can. Not to mention that countless daily activities depend on us being able to bend over and pick up various weighted items from as low as the ground. I’d say it’s pretty critical that we learn to Deadlift, like yesterday.

For more Fitness, Nutrition, and Wellness advice contact Paul Wantuck or stop by the Fitness Center to schedule a consultation and get started on the path towards a healthier you!

Reasons Women Should Incorporate Weight Training As Part of Their Workout

By Kenny Yates

Many women believe that the only way to lose weight is by means of some type of cardiovascular/aerobic exercise.  To complicate maters even more, there are millions of options to choose from including spinning, running, Zumba, etc.  So in many cases, what happens?  You sign up for numerous aerobic classes during the week and hit the treadmill for countless hours. While there is nothing wrong with incorporating this method, it must be understood that this is only part of the equation.  Aerobic exercise is important for good health, however if you want to look and feel your best, you will need to strength train in some capacity. It is essential for optimal fitness, longevity and developing a lean body. 

One of the top reasons why most women stay away from weight training is the fear of getting “big and bulky".  The reality is that due to women’s hormonal make up, without eating an enormous amount of calories every day or utilizing chemical supplementation, it would be impossible to gain a significant amount of mass as the male body can.  In fact, many women have found that weight training has lead to numerous positive results such as loss of body fat in those hard to lose areas, more energy and strength for day to day activities and chores, and a shapelier body to boost self-confidence.  Let’s take a deeper look at some of these benefits that women can expect from incorporating strength training into their workout routine.

1. Burn More Fat

Researchers at Tufts University found that when overweight women lifted heavy weights twice a week, they lost an average of 14.6 pounds of fat and gained 1.4 pounds of muscle. The control group (women who dieted but didn’t lift weights) lost only 9.2 pounds of fat and gained no muscle. When you perform intense weight-training, your metabolism stays elevated and you continue to burn fat for several hours afterward through an effect known as EPOC (Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption). On the other hand, during typical cardio exercise, you stop burning excess calories and fat shortly after the workout due to the lower relative intensity in this style of exercise.

2. Reshaping of the Body

You may think your genes determine how you look. While this is true to some extent, weight training can slim you down, add shape, and help avoid the “middle-age spread.” Dropping only 3% of your body fat could translate into a total loss of 3 inches off your hips and thighs. Combine this with a clean diet with just the right amount of food to help you burn even more fat.

3. Increased metabolism

The less muscle you have, the slower your metabolism will be. As women age, they lose muscle at increasing rates, especially after the age of 40. According to the National Strength Professional Association, when you diet without doing resistance training, up to 25% of the weight loss may be muscle loss. Weight training while dieting can help you preserve and even rebuild muscle fibers. The more lean mass you have, the higher your metabolism will be and the more calories you’ll burn all day long.

  

4. Get Stronger, Gain Confidence

Lifting weights increases functional fitness, which makes everyday tasks such as taking the stairs, carrying children and picking up heavy items much easier. According to the Mayo Clinic, regular weight training can make you 50 percent stronger in 6 months. Not only does it improve your physical activities, it builds emotional strength by boosting self-esteem and confidence.

5. Build Strong Bones

It’s been well documented that women need to do weight-bearing exercise to build and maintain bone mass to help prevent osteoporosis. Just as muscle get stronger with weight bearing exercise, so does bone. Stronger bones and increased joint stability will also lead to better mobility and balance, which is equally important for overall health and wellness.

6. Effects on Depression

You’ve probably heard that cardio and mind body exercises such as yoga help alleviate depression.  Well strength training has the same effect. The endorphins that are released during aerobic activities are also present during resistance training. A Harvard study found that 10 weeks of strength training reduced clinical depression symptoms more successfully than standard counseling did. Many women find that regular strength training in conjunction with psychological therapy helps lessen their depression symptoms substantially.

8. Injury Management

Weight lifting improves joint stability and builds stronger ligaments and tendons. Training safely with proper form can help decrease the likelihood of injuries in your daily life. It can also improve physical function in people with arthritis. A study conducted at the University of Wales in Bangor, United Kingdom found that mildly disabled participants who lifted weights for 12 weeks increased the frequency and intensity at which they could work with less pain and increased range of movement.

9. Heart Health

More than 480,000 women die from cardiovascular disease each year, making it the number-one killer of women over the age of 25. Most people don’t realize that pumping iron can also keep your heart pumping. Lifting weights increases your “good” (HDL) cholesterol and decreases your “bad” (LDL) cholesterol. It also lowers your blood pressure. The Journal of the American Medical Association reports that people who do 30 minutes of weight lifting each week have a 23 percent reduced risk of developing heart disease compared to those who do not lift weights.

10. Defend Against Diabetes

In addition to keeping your ticker strong, weight training can improve glucose utilization by as much as 23 percent. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 16 weeks of strength training can improve glucose metabolism in a way that is comparable to taking diabetes medication. The more lean mass you have, the more efficient your body is at removing glucose from the blood, which can reduce complications from diabetes or even help prevent type 2 diabetes in the first place.

Additional Interesting Facts:

• 1991 William Evans and Irwin H Rosenberg, both professors at Tufts University, published a study titled Biomarkers.  It established a number of factors that influence how we age, one of which was that the more muscle a person has, and the more strength there is in those muscles, the greater their life expectancy.

• In 2011 the American College of Sports Medicine published guidelines prescribing adults of both genders an exercise regime that include muscle-strengthening activities on two or more days a week.

• NHS recommends bodyweight and weighted resistance exercises.  These activities build muscle, reduce the risk of osteoporosis, osteoarthritis and type-2 diabetes, and could even lengthen you life.

Interested in hiring a Personal Trainer? Contact Kenny Yates (kyates1@tollbrothers.com) or stop by the Fitness Center to schedule a consultation and get started today!