BOSU Exercises - Take it up a notch?

If you have a gym membership or happen to own a BOSU, then it is often cited as a great way to challenge yourself, take it up a notch and test your limits.

BOSU stands for "both sides utilized". It can be placed either flat side or ball side down and can be used for various balance, core, strength and cardio exercises. There are some neat ways for you to get the most out of your BOSU...

#1. Use the BOSU flat side down (for extra challenge switch to ball side down) to take basic exercises up a level by adding the challenge of balance to them. Standing on the BOSU try the following exercises: Shoulder press, bicep curls, overhead extension, squats and lunges with one leg on the ball and one leg off.

#2. With the ball side down use the handles to do push ups. Or place the BOSU flat side down, and place your feet on the ball for push ups. This targets the upper pectorals more, while simultaneously engaging the core.

#3. Using both a stability ball and BOSU try a bench press bridge. Use the stability ball like a bench for your press, but place feet on the BOSU, and raise the hips up high into a bridge. This targets the core, buns, hamstrings, chest, triceps and shoulders all in one exercise!

#4. Try using the BOSU flat side down to perform aerobic step exercises (variations of step ups with weights) but now you have to balance, and the surface is even smaller!

#5. Try uneven traveling squats. To do this one, place the BOSU flat down. Perform a squat with one foot on the BOSU on the other off. Then step or jump over the BOSU to do the other side. Repeat this exercise for 15 squats on each side. It is harder than it looks!

The good thing about BOSU is that they are relatively cheap and take up very little space under your bed, in your closet, etc.

For more of a challenge you could also use a stability ball, or even a basketball or football for doing various exercises. eg. Doing push-ups on a football.

Stairs and Steps - Frugal Exercising

Using your steps or stairs at home or near your workplace in Toronto can give you a fantastic cardio and/or strength workout. By adding the stairs into your daily regimen, and by performing step exercises you will strengthen your legs and butt muscles, while using core stabilizing muscles for balance - thus giving you an almost full body workout which make you buttocks and legs look fantastic if you do these exercises regularly for a year.

And the best part is it will help build endurance so you don't get tired so easily while climbing stairs in the future.

And the bonus is that its very frugal. No equipment needed. And you don't need a personal trainer to tell you what to do. I've provided everything here.

Stairs Exercises Instructions

#1. Go slowly. Rushing or running up the stairs will more likely cause you to trip and hurt yourself. Possibly even result in falling down the stairs.

#2. If you are a beginner and don't normally take the stairs start out with no weight. Intermediate to advanced can use dumbbells, soup cans, or even tote bags filled with books.

#3. Start by standing at the bottom of the staircase and placing one foot on the bottom step.

#4. Step up each leg one at a time by placing all of the weight on your heel and by keeping your hamstrings, quadriceps and glutes strong while driving up through the foot until both feet are on the same step. Perform one set of 10 to 15 reps on the first foot and then switch sides, doing the other foot first.

Ideas for More Variety

#1. Alternate feet.

#2. Side Step. Turn sideways and step up the stairs facing sideways. Try adding a lateral raise while lifting the free leg out to the side.

#3. Reverse step up. Start by standing on the bottom step. Step off the stair with one foot. This will bend the knee of the leg remaining on the step. Straighten the leg to bring the foot back up to the step.

#4. Stairs can also be used for uneven squats (one foot on, one foot off) and lunges, by placing one foot on the step. The back foot on the step will make lunges much more challenging.

#5. Do Cardio and Weight Lifting Intervals. Time yourself for 2 minutes and try cardio intervals on your stairs in between weight lifting sets. Remember to wear running shoes and don't go too fast or else you will risk falling.

How to Bicycle in the Winter without getting Cold

I admit cycling indoors in the winter is pretty boring compared to the scenery and the constant threat of being run over by a car...

But on the plus side you can listen to music or watch a movie while you bicycle.

"Bike Trainers" as they are called are basically gadgets you can attach to your bicycle in the safety of your living room and then cycle to your heart's content.

If you are still feeling guilty about all the food you ate during the Holiday Season and want to burn some off via some heavy duty cardio exercise, a Bike Trainer might be just the thing you are looking for because they are a great way for people struggling to regain their fitness to do just that.

And the beauty of them is that it doesn't matter how much rain and snow is outside because attaching one of these things to your bicycle is so easy a 10 year old can do it.

Here is a short primer on bicycle trainers so you can stop sitting on the fence undecided and add it to your exercise routine.

Learn About Them First

People looking to buy cycling trainer should learn a few basics before they spend their hard earned cash on a bike trainer that might not meet their specific needs for winter exercising. They may choose a product that isn't 'enough' trainer for them, or on the other hand, they may waste money getting something that they don't have the power or resolve to make adequate use of. So try and find one that is right for you, not just the most expensive one you can afford.

There are three types of Bike Trainers: Wind, Mag and Fluid.

Wind Trainers

If you're a casual rider, a wind trainer may be enough for you. These are the simplest trainers with the least number of things that can go wrong. With a minimal number of parts, high quality (good metals and bearings) wind trainers from companies like Kurt Kinetic, CycleOps, Minoura, or Blackburn will last forever... and never need replacement parts

However wind trainers can be loud. Loud enough that some cyclists wear earplugs when using a wind trainer. Enough to annoy the neighbours.

But there's another downside to wind trainers (or upside if you are new to this). They don't produce enough resistance, even at high speeds, to provide a good workout for strong cyclists. They're great for beginners, but professional cyclists will want something with a lot more resistance to make them really strain their leg muscles.

Most people use their bike trainer for mild to moderate steady state workouts so a wind trainer may be all you'll need to burn fat. You aren't training for the Olympics so you don't need anything more than that, right?

Magnetic Trainers

Magnetic (mag) trainers have a bad reputation thanks to the internet being littered with old complaints from mag trainer owners who didn't appreciate their trainers clattering their way to the scrapyard. The newer Mag Trainers don't have this problem, but the old complaints are still there.

This class of bike trainer develops resistance by rotating repelling magnets past each other. Most Mag Trainers provide the ability to be adjusted through multiple levels of resistance.

The most common method of 'switching gears' is to dismount and change the resistance level at the trainer unit itself. But if you spend a few extra bucks you can get a Mag Trainer that has a lever which attaches to the handlebars, enabling you to increase or decrease the resistance while riding.

The latest innovation is the CycleOps Magneto, which is designed to 'progressively' increase resistance the harder the cyclist pedals. Using centrifugal force, the Magneto changes the configuration of its magnets without any input from the rider.

Mag Trainers are appropriate for moderately serious cyclists who want more resistance than a wind trainer can provide.

Fluid Trainers

Fluid trainers are the quietest and most expensive of the three types.

Fluid trainers are willing to motor along at low intensities, but are ready and able to fight back no matter how hard the cyclist wants to work them. Thus this category of bike trainer provides what could be termed an 'exponential' increase in resistance - the harder you cycle the more difficult it gets.

A chart of the type of resistance that fluid trainers provide, you'll see an ever increasing slope that gets steeper and steeper the more the speed increases. So if you want to burn calories hardcore, a fluid trainer will give you that challenge.

Fluid trainers are really only for serious cyclists who aren't afraid to spend lots of money on cycling equipment and who know they will be using their trainers for high intensity workouts.

Conclusions

So there you go! A complete guide to how you can bicycle in the winter without leaving the safety and warmth of your home, and a guide to what kind of bike trainer is right for you!

Happy Cycling!

Why a Stopwatch is Important

If you don't have a personal trainer or an exercise partner who can time you, well then you should really consider getting a stopwatch for doing a variety of exercises - especially Interval Training.

Indeed. Some stopwatches are specifically made for Interval Training - one such stopwatch is the Gymboss Interval Timer which you can clip on to your belt during your workouts. You can also get stopwatches which has a light for early morning or late night running.

A stopwatch is a bit like your own little personal trainer, but without all the fancy motivational advice. Many people have the tendency to not push hard enough when working out at their own pace and they need more of a regimented approach to truly challenge themselves. They will complete a few sets of exercises, and then they wander around, and maybe looking into the mirror expecting to see some kind of instant results. Then they do another couple of sets, followed by writing a couple of text messages to friends...Well you get the idea. They're too relaxed and not really paying attention to their activity that much and sort of daydreaming about their end results.

Stopwatches can help put a stop to that (as fun as daydreaming is!) and take care of your mental focus, especially if you can set them on intervals. Here are some examples of how to use a stopwatch for a more intense workout:

Set your stopwatch to interval every 2 minutes and then 1 minute. The combinations will be endless. Think of the 2 minutes as intense exercise, and 1 for recovery / slowdown period.

Run 2 mins, abs 1 min
Lift weights 2 minutes, kick side to side or punch 1 min
Run 2 minutes, walk 1 min
As many push ups and crunches as you can do 2 mins, stretch 1 min
Weightlifting 2 mins, yoga 1 min

If your stopwatch doesn't do timed intervals, no problem! Use it for timed exercises such as planks, wall sits, pulsing lunges and for running up and down the stairs.

You can also use your stopwatch to time your workout exercises individual length, making sure you do each exercise for 1 minute. A 30 minute workout really adds up quickly, and since you will be racing against the clock each minute, it WILL be more intense.

Become a Fat Burning Furnace

Losing weight is actually just math: Burn more calories than you eat.

Of course, it is never as easy as it sounds! To burn those calories you will need a lot of hard work, a lot of sweat and maybe even a few tears.

There are also factors that contribute to not losing weight, whether its a slower metabolism, or having a body that stubbornly will not keep the pounds off due to hormones - But the good news is that it is possible to speed up your metabolism and its also possible to change your hormonal balance. ie. Weight lifting increases your testosterone levels AND boosts your metabolism at the same time.

To help speed results along, here are 5 handy tips to rev weight loss results as safely and quickly as possible.

Five Fast Weight Loss Tips

1. Drink a lot of water

You have probably heard this one before but health experts cannot stress how important it is. Water will: Speed up metabolism, decrease water retention (it sounds backwards, but its true), lubricates joints (less injuries so you can keep exercising!), curbs appetite, and being hydrated keeps energy and attention levels at their peak.

 

For best results drink cold water. Cold water is actually calories negative. (Likewise cold showers burn calories at a rate of 700 to 900 calories per hour, depending on the coldness of the water and your body type.)

2. Eat Soup

Weird suggestion, but you will see why soon. When you are trying to eat light, salads just do not cut it. You can't eat like a bird every day. You will be hungry again in an hour! Soups are hydrating, low calorie, filled with veggies and can even be frozen and saved, to minimize cooking time and trying to figure out your next healthy meal.

3. Cardio = Weight Loss, Weight Lifting = Muscle Gain

Don't confuse cardio with weight lifting. Yes it is good to both, but cardio is more effective at burning fat whereas studies have shown that weight lifting is not effective at burning fat and really only builds muscle.

 

Make sure you are doing both cardio and weights, but try to do 70% cardio and 30% weight lifting if your goal is weight loss. Cardio will boost metabolism short term, quickly burn through stored carbohydrates and fat and its heart healthy. Weights will boost metabolism long term by building muscle. Strength training also prevents injuries and tones the body, so you look good when you do lose weight. 

 

Weight lifting also prevents sagging skin and and adds muscle definition!

4. Lower your Carbs

Cut back on the bread and pasta. Eat smaller portions or eliminate from your diet entirely.

 

When you are trying to lose weight, go lighter on carbohydrates, and try eating most of them earlier in the day. Protein keeps you full, does not store as fat, and helps to repair damaged muscle tissue, which is perfect after weight training. Carbohydrates give you energy and is absolutely essential, you just don't want to eat more than you burn. A great breakfast is a low fat protein like cottage cheese or yogurt with a healthy carb like fruit or oats. At lunch have a sandwich and for dinner have a protein with vegetables. Snack on 100 calories of something healthy 2-3 times in between those meals, and you're set with a perfect weight loss diet plan.

5. Schedule your workouts

This one is really important!

 

If you "book yourself" in for a workout, you are more likely going to do it. Many people will forget or pass it up for something that seems more pressing. Put it on your to-do list and then DO IT!

Aerobic Exercises the Better Bet

While it is important to do weightlifting if you want to maintain muscle tone, if your goal is to lose fat then cardio exercises is far better than resistance training, researchers say. And gets far better results.

The study in question was conducted by North Carolina researchers and is the largest randomized trial ever done to directly compare changes in body composition induced by comparable amounts of time spent doing aerobic and resistant training, or both in combination, among previously inactive overweight or obese non-diabetic adults.

So how did they do it?

A total of 234 previously sedentary overweight or obese males and females, ages 18 to 70 years of age, were enrolled in one of three eight-month supervised protocols: aerobic training (AT), resistance training (RT), or a combination (AT/RT). Of the total 234 overweight / obese people, 119 participants completed the trials and had complete data for the variables of interest for the study. The remaining 115 people gave up part way through.

The people assigned to aerobic exercises did so vigorously, at about 70-85 percent of their maximum heart rate. They exercised approx. 45 minutes three days per week throughout the study period.

The people assigned to weight lifting also exercised three days a week for a period of approx. 45 minutes, completing three sets of 8-12 reps on eight different resistance machines that targeted all major muscle groups. The amount of resistance was increased throughout the study to maintain a steady level of challenge as the participants gained strength.

The people who were assigned to AT/RT performed all the exercises assigned to both AT and RT groups, for a total of approx. 90 minutes.

At the end of the study each person was assessed for weight, body composition, waist circumference, cardiopulmonary fitness and strength compared to their baseline.

The researchers found that the groups assigned to aerobic exercises and aerobic plus resistance training lost significantly more weight than those that did resistance training only. In fact, some of those who did resistance training only actually gained weight due to an increase in lean body mass and didn't lose any fat weight.

Fat mass and waist circumference significantly decreased in the AT and AT/RT groups, but were not altered in RT. However, measures of lean body mass significantly increased in RT and AT/RT, but not in AT. The findings show that aerobic exercise is more effective in reducing fat.

Lean muscle mass increased with both RT and AT/RT, but not AT. Having the benefit to of both modes of exercise allowed AT/RT to decrease body fat percent significantly more than either AT or RT due to decreased fat mass combined with increased lean body mass.

Given the results it is clear that weight training isn't very effective at reducing fat. Cardio exercises is the clear winner when it comes to fat reduction, although a mixture of both is certainly advised if people want to both cut fat and gain muscle.

"If increasing muscle mass and strength is a goal, then resistance training is required. However, the majority of Americans could experience health benefits due to weight and fat loss. The best option in that case, given limited time for exercise, is to focus on aerobic training. When you lose fat, it is likely you are losing visceral fat, which is known to be associated with cardiovascular and other health benefits," says the lead author of the study, Leslie H. Willis, an exercise physiologist at Duke University Medical Center.

As a personal trainer in Toronto I must admit that there are some people in this industry who are pushing the idea that you can achieve all the results cardio can using weight lifting... but they don't have the science to support their claims, and it is, frankly, putting all of your eggs in one basket.

The clear solution is a mixture of both cardio and weight lifting, modified to a person's goals and needs. Because if you're only lifting weights and wondering why you aren't losing any fat, the answer becomes pretty obvious - Its time to do more cardio.

10-Minute Fat Blaster

The beauty of the "10-Minute Fat Blaster" is that you can do these exercises basically anywhere, you don't need any equipment so its frugal and it only takes 10 minutes to do. Thus if you do it in the morning right after waking up you can burn calories before you jump in the shower with this aggressive bodyweight circuit.

Perform this circuit without rest between exercises. Then rest 1 minute and repeat the circuit. Do as many circuits as you can in 10 minutes.

When you consider a day is 1440 minutes, a mere 10 minutes is less than 1% of your day. A mere 0.69%. And if you can't exercise for 10 minutes daily, something is wrong with you.

For reference 30 minutes is 2.1% of your day, and an hour is 4.2%. Exercising less than 5% of your day doesn't seem horribly unreasonable.

Jumping Jack

Start with your feet hip-width apart and hands at your sides. Simultaneously raise your arms above your head and jump so you can spread your feet shoulder-width apart. Then jump again to lower your arms and bring your feet together. Do 20 reps.

Prisoner Squat

Stand with your hands behind your head, your chest out and your elbows back. Sit back at your hips and bend your knees to lower your body as far as possible without losing the natural arch of your spine. Squeeze your glutes and push yourself back up to the starting position. Do 12 reps.

Pushup

Assume the classic pushup position: legs straight, hands beneath your shoulders. Now brace your abs. Keeping your body rigid, lower yourself until your chest touches the floor. Then push back up until your arms are extended. Do 15 reps.

Forward Lunge

From a standing position, take a large step forward with one leg. When your front thigh is parallel to the floor and your back knee is off the floor, hold for 1 second. Then return to the starting position and repeat with your other leg. Do 12 reps with each leg. (Make it harder by holding the lowered position for 5 seconds.)

Stickups

Stand with your back to the wall and feet about 4 inches from the wall. Place the back of your arms against the wall, with upper arms parallel to floor and forearms at 90 degrees. Raise your arms overhead while keeping them against the wall at all times. Slowly return to below the starting position, tucking your elbows into your sides and bringing shoulder blades together. Do 10 reps.

The Importance of Rest Periods

Regardless of whether you are doing Cardio, Endurance training or Weightlifting the importance of having rest periods cannot be ignored.

Your body builds new muscle tissue while you sleep and rest. It is a very common beginners mistake to forget to rest properly.

Lets say for example that your goal is Muscle Gain via Weightlifting - Well then you need to be lifting weights 3 days per week - say Monday, Wednesday, Friday - with plenty of rest in-between your weightlifting sessions.

If you don't have rest periods you will end up taxing your muscles too much and you won't be getting the optimal amount of muscle gain.

In theory you could do weightlifting as much as 3.5 times per week, doing a full body routine every 2nd day and resting in-between.

Or another way to do it would be to only exercise your upper body muscles on odd days and only exercise your lower body muscles on even days of the month. So yes, you could exercise every day of the week, but you would be giving different parts of your body a break on alternating days.

When it comes to Cardio or Endurance training you want to aim for 4 days per week. eg. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, Friday. And you want to work your way up endurance wise so eventually you are doing a single activity - eg. swimming - for 60 to 80 minutes.

But the end result is that you still need time to relax, recuperate and heal from the physical stress of your ordeal.

If you aren't resting it will result in you developing a number of physical and emotional sideeffects, including insomnia, anti-social behaviour and all the other warning signs of Exercise Addiction / hormone deficiencies.

Exercising burns through hormones in your body like crazy. It eats it up. Those hormones affect other things health wise however and even your personality / behaviour. Your body needs rest periods between periods of strenuous exercise so that you can recharge and rebuild, not just ripped muscle tissue, but also to correct hormonal imbalances.

So if you're still feeling guilty about slacking off during the Christmas / Holiday season, don't worry, it was a well deserved rest period.

Note: Sometimes its also necessary to switch to low strain recuperative periods in your exercise routine. Maintenance / Healing phases. Basically instead of exercising really hard and intense you take 2 weeks and just sort of "chill" while you exercise. You still exercise, but you do it at a less intense level and you avoid anything that is painful such as Power Lifting or marathon running.

Such phases also give your body more time to build up / repair any muscles, and is great for if you are recovering from a minor sports injury.

Lastly SLEEP!

Remember that the best sleeping pattern is a 1 hour nap during the day and 5 hours of sleep every night. Failing that the next best thing is 7 to 8 hours of solid sleep per day.

If you have difficulty sneaking in naps during weekdays, try to have 1 or 2 naps every weekend. Naps and sleeping do wonders for your hormone and energy levels, making you feel more alert and more energetic.

8 Fun Football Exercises - Useful for Everyone

You don't have to play football to enjoy football exercises. Indeed most football exercises are actually stretches or cardio. A few are even bodyweight exercises.

Some of them are also ab workouts and/or work your obliques (side muscles). The end result is that football exercises are both versatile and inexpensive (you can buy a football for approx. $15 to $20).

So find yourself a clear space to exercise, get out your football [although in theory, any large ball will do - basketball, soccer ball, volleyball, etc.] and get ready for some exercises.

#1. Twists

Standing with two feet apart hold the football in front of you with both hands. Without moving your hips or legs, twist your upper torso as far to the right as you can. While you do so maintain arm pressure on the football in front of you. Do the same again to the left. Repeat 100 times.

This is my personal favourite of all my football exercises. Once you get good at it you can go really fast and it ends up being really exhilarating. It stretches and works the obliques and your lower back muscles.

#2. Squat Jumps

Holding the football in front of you and maintaining your torso in an upward position lower yourself into a squatting position. Then jump upwards, raising the football high above your head. Repeat 20 times.

#3. Forward + Backwards Bends and Sides

Standing with your feet apart place the football behind your head and hold it in place with both hands. Lean forward like you are doing a situp. Then do the same but lean backwards. Next lean to the right as far as you dare, then the left. Repeat 20 times.

#4. Knee Bumps

Holding the ball in front in front of you with both hands, raise your right knee until it is just below the football. Next in one swift motion lower your right knee and raise your left knee in a jump and try to bump the football out of your hands. (You may feel like you are doing that kick from the 1st Karate Kid movie.) With your hands try to with-strain the ball as best you can. Repeat 20 times.

#5. Squeezes

This exercise is easy. Just squeeze the football between both hands and move from side to side, squeezing as hard as you can, alternating which arm you are pushing the most with. Continue this exercise for 2 minutes.

#6. Toss and Catch

Catching a football requires good hand-eye coordination and also muscle coordination / balance. Simply tossing a football in the air and catching it with one or both hands is good exercise. Try to alternate which hands you throw and catch with. Throw and catch 100 times.

#7. Football Situps

Sit and balance yourself on top of your football. Place your feet out in front of you and lean backwards about 45 degrees. Then lean forward you are doing a situp, but without falling off the football. I admit this is nearly identical to using a standard exercise ball, but with a football it is lower to the ground and provides less stability due to it shape, thus you will need to pay attention to you balance. Try not to fall off it. :)

#8. Circle Passing

Pass the football behind your back from your left hand to your right hand, then in front of you from right to left, completing a circular motion. Repeat 50 times and then switch direction.


Better yet, find a friend or family member and go outside and throw the ball back and forth for an hour or so!

Swimming - A Full Body Workout

The beauty of swimming is that you can control how fast or slow you want to exercise.

Furthermore its a full body workout, utilizing all of your major muscle groups.

Plus the water works like resistance weight training. Thus swimming combines the benefits of cardio with a light weightlifting program.

You can also alternate different kinds of swimming activities whenever you want to try something different. eg. Snorkeling!

Lastly swimming is FUN. So it makes it easier to stay motivated.

Below is a calories burned chart for a variety of swimming activities.

Activity, Exercise or Sport (1 hour)	130 lb	155 lb	180 lb	205 lb
Swimming laps, freestyle, fast	590	704	817	931
Swimming laps, freestyle, slow	413	493	572	651
Swimming backstroke	413	493	572	651
Swimming breaststroke	590	704	817	931
Swimming butterfly	649	774	899	1024
Swimming leisurely, not laps	354	422	490	558
Swimming sidestroke	472	563	654	745
Swimming synchronized	472	563	654	745
Swimming, treading water, fast, vigorous	590	704	817	931
Swimming, treading water, moderate	236	281	327	372
Water aerobics, water calisthenics	236	281	327	372
Water polo	590	704	817	931
Water volleyball	177	211	245	279
Water jogging	472	563	654	745
Diving, springboard or platform	177	211	245	279

Kicking and Kickboxing as Exercise

Not all exercises have to be cardio or weightlifting or yoga / stretching (which reminds me, I need to write more posts about proper stretching)... Sometimes activities can just be fun.

#1. Dancing - Yes, technically its a cardio, but you forget that it is and just have fun exercising without realizing it.

#2. Sex - Again, its a cardio... and it can also be weightlifting, depending on what you are doing. *wink*

#3. Martial Arts...

The simple act of kicking as high as you can kick does two things:

#1. Its cardio. So you can get a decent workout by doing 100 high kicks with each leg per day.

Note: If you have a sedentary lifestyle don't start with 100 per day because you could injure yourself since your legs aren't used to it. Start with 20 per day and work your way up gradually. (See the comments near the bottom about patience.)

#2. Its stretching. You feel it especially in the back of your leg, where your muscles aren't used to being stretched like that. Stretching helps to increase and maintain flexibility.

So if you're exercising at home and you want to add some flexibility exercises to your routine, kicking is a good place to start. Just make sure you have plenty of room to practice your kicks.

If you get really into it you may be tempted to get into Kickboxing, which as the name implies, combines boxing with various kicks into a martial arts-based sport.

Note: I did kickboxing back when I was in high school and later I did Taekwondo when I was living in South Korea (Taekwondo is focused on kicking and tripping opponents), so I feel confident speaking on the topic of kickboxing and Taekwondo even though I don't formally teach either of them. And frankly I prefer traditional boxing.

Kickboxing, is also sometimes referred to as "cardio kickboxing" or "boxing aerobics", because it is often employed as an exercise routine combining a mix of boxing, martial arts and aerobics that really packs a workout wallop.

Because Kickboxing uses both the muscles of the upper and lower body, as well as the core muscles, you get a great all-around workout in a short amount of time. You may discover that many sports have a tendency to do provide a full body workout, with several exceptions (eg. golf is a lazy man's game).

A typical martial arts class begins with some stretches and a light cardiovascular warm-up including push-ups and jumping jacks. The remainder of the class is usually comprised of a series of repetitive punches, alternating hand-strikes and kicks - typically switching between all three -- followed at the end by some kind of cool down/floor work/stretching combo.

Unlike other cardio exercises like running, cycling, etc which focus on only your legs, martial arts training (boxing, kickboxing, judo, karate, etc) requires a full body workout and also fuels an adrenaline rush, making it an adrenaline high workout too - which burns added calories in a hurry and helps tone muscles. And its good for developing functional strength, balance and coordination.

According to the American Council on Exercise, a kickboxing workout will burn about 350 to 450 calories/hour. That is a huge number when you consider its recommended that you only eat approx. 2,000 calories per day.

HOWEVER!


Because kickboxing is such a strenuous exercise the risks for beginners are also higher. People with back or joint problems (eg. arthritis) should avoid this kind of workout. Beginners are always wanting to learn something in a hurry. They have no patience and no commitment.

Kickboxing is very strenuous and the problem with a sedentary person trying to get into a kickboxing program is that they end up in over their heads very quickly. They're trying to do something that's too hard for them and they don't have the patience to practice just a little bit daily and instead they are trying to do a lot daily, which results in muscle fatigue and injury.

An hour of kickboxing for someone new to the sport is too much. 30 to 45 minutes is more recommended and then after 10 or 20 lessons they can work up to an hour. They have to build up gradually and be patient about it otherwise they will either injure themselves or give up due to lack of patience.

This perhaps explains why so few people get into any of the martial arts. They simply lack the patience and determination to keep at it and learn gradually. Learning patience and humility are arguably the two biggest steps.

Note

If you live in Toronto you can hire me as your personal trainer and we can add kickboxing lessons to the list of things to do if you are interested. Kickboxing (and boxing in general) is a lot of fun and makes a great cardio exercise.

Understanding Plyometrics

Ever heard of Plyometrics?

Plyometrics, otherwise known as jump training, is a sports conditioning technique to improve performance. If you've never heard of it, don't worry, but the good news is that it is very good for building strength and full body conditioning while receiving a cardiovascular benefit - all at the same time.

The exercises that are included in plyometrics cause the exerciser to utilize muscles they don't normally use, including both lower and upper body muscles important for balance and core strength.

They're also great for doing morning exercises and they cost nothing for equipment, so they're frugal too.

They're also adaptable. Exercises such as push ups, squats and lunges can be made into plyometric exercises by pushing upwards to make you leave the ground through the point of contact (heels for squats and lunges, palms for push ups). Thus the simple act of push ups becomes more difficult and also more rewarding physically.

Other plyometric exercises include:

#1. Jumping side to side, back and front
#2. Long jumps
#3. Jumping with a knee tuck
#4. Swing kicks (straight leg swinging over a chair)
#5. Exercises that mimics sports movement such as throwing a basketball in a jump shot.

When you first start doing plyometric routines you might be concerned over prior injuries in your ankles and/or knees. However, what you will discover is that the training actually strengthened those weaknesses, instead of aggravating them.

The beauty of plyometric training is that it can be easily modified for the individual:

#1. Exercises can explode out of the form without leaving the ground
#2. One leg exercises can be completed on two legged exercises
#3. Smaller jumps can be substituted for high jumps

Plyometrics training will make athletes stronger at their game and the hobby exerciser receives overall body conditioning, and provide a nice change of pace for a general fitness regimen.

You may even enjoy it and make it part of your regular routine. :)

Going the Distance: Building Heart and Lung Muscles

Do you get tired easily?

Does taking the stairs at a friend's apartment building sound like a chore to you?

If your car broke down and you only had to walk for 30 minutes to get there, could you do it with a smile on your face?

The thing you probably don't know is that endurance is very difficult to measure because it really comes down to two things:

#1. The strength of your heat muscles

The human heart is composed of a series of intricate muscles which contract and squeeze the heart, thus pumping fresh blood (and energy) throughout our cardiovascular system. Some of the energy being transported is sugar, fat and even proteins, but another source of energy the blood transports is oxygen from your lungs...

#2. The strength of your lung muscles

Air is drawn into the lungs by the pharyngeal muscles. Breathing out is automatic and requires no effort, but breathing in requires a contraction of the pharyngeal muscles. Rapid breathing is the result of a rapid use of these muscles, resulting in more oxygen being sent from the lungs to the heart, which makes re-oxygenizes blood to make fresh blood. That oxygen is then transported all over the body to specific muscle groups which need it most.

So how do you make your heart and lung muscles stronger? The answer is quite simple: Cardiovascular Exercises (or Cardio for short). Running, swimming, cycling, jumping jacks, boxing and similar activities get your heart racing and your lungs working quickly. Such exercises don't just build up your muscles in your heart, lungs, legs, arms, etc, but they also burn a lot of calories (fat, sugar, etc). They also reduce your risk of heart failure as you get older because you have a good strong heart.

Additional benefits include: A boosted immune system, a higher metabolism, a more enjoyable sex life, a slimmer figure, reduced chances of cancer and many other health benefits.

When you hear about people who go jogging or running for 60 to 120 minutes on a regular basis you may wonder how they managed to get that way. Truth is they didn't start out they way. They built up their heart and lung muscles over time, years of jogging and running on a weekly basis. Compared to some people who can only run for a minute or two, it may seem mind boggling that some people are able to run that far over long distances.

But what if I was to tell you that was actually the norm during "cave men times"? No TV, no internet... everyone hunting and gathering for food. Exercise was part of daily survival and recreational sports. The human body hasn't really advanced much physically since then. We still have the same genetic codes for accomplishing such feats of strength and endurance. So you do have the genetic material inside you to become a caveman (or cavewoman) running machine. You just need to unleash it.

Learning How to Improve Your Endurance

1. Practice Often (Once a Week is Not Enough)

A huge factor in improving cardio endurance is not letting progress slip away by taking a week off. You need to be doing intense cardio at LEAST twice a week to see progress. Even though it is built back quickly, stamina is lost rather quickly if you stop practicing because your heart and lung muscles wither back to normal if you aren't giving them a regular challenge. When starting out, aim to train at least 2-3 times a week.

The BEST routine is to go jogging every second day. 15 days per month. Why? You need the day off in-between to rebuild muscles. If you try to do it everyday then your muscles will be damaged repetitively without enough time for them to repair themselves.

2. Always Reach Limits and Aim Higher

It will be difficult when you first start jogging and running. One way to improve your stamina in a quicker way is to turn your jogging routine into Interval Training Exercise. You alternate jogging for several minutes with walking for several minutes, increasing times for the jogging on a weekly basis until eventually you are jogging the entire time. See the image on the right as an example of how to do this.

3. Push Through your Mental Barriers

Psychologically it's not going to be easy to keep jogging. Nobody likes to lose their breath or have sore legs but you know what, it will get better really soon as you build up your strength and endurance! Keep at it and within a couple of months the less enjoyable parts of building endurance will be a distant memory.

And you will be so happy you did it and succeeded when you do reach that point where you've realized you have the endurance to do it and keep doing it.

How to Succeed in a Marathon

Autumn is a popular time of year for races and marathons in Toronto. The Scotiabank Waterfront Half Marathon for example, but if you want to compete in a long race you may want to take the following tips and advice into account to make yourself more competitive and to give yourself an extra energy boost.

Four Tips for a Successful Race-Day

#1. Eat well the night before and day of

You will want lots of energy and that means packing in the carbs the night before the race and on the morning of the race. Think pasta, bread, pretzels, anything with lots of energy in it. Just don't overdo it or you will feel bloated.

#2. Use the Washroom before the race

If you think that those porta-potties on the course will be vacant, think again! There's a huge line-up at every one! If you don't want to botch your time waiting in line 10 minutes, make sure everything is taken care of before you enter the corral and cross the start-line. Plus you will be able to run faster without carrying the extra weight in your bowels.

#3. Wear your Foil Blanket (Heatsheets) 

After you finish the race the volunteers will hand you a foil blanket. After the run you're pretty hot and sweaty and at first you think that the last thing you want is a blanket! But what actually happens is you start to cool down quickly after the race and you will feel hypothermic for about an hour after the race.

#4. Remember to stretch and eat after the race

It won't help you win, but its a good idea to eat something and stretch your legs/arms after the race. Otherwise you will be very sore for a week after the race. Have a friend bring grapes or some kind of fruit for you to eat after the race is over and try to do some stretching / yoga after the race.

Happy Racing!

Walking Burns more Calories than you think

It might surprise you but the simple act of walking daily burns quite a few calories.

 

Exercise & Calories Burned per Hour	130 lbs	155 lbs	180 lbs	205 lbs
Walking 2.0 mph, slow	148	176	204	233
Walking 2.5 mph	177	211	245	279
Walking 3.0 mph, moderate	195	232	270	307
Walking 3.5 mph, brisk pace	224	267	311	354
Walking 3.5 mph, uphill	354	422	490	558
Walking 4.0 mph, very brisk	295	352	409	465
Walking 4.5 mph	372	443	515	586
Walking 5.0 mph	472	563	654	745

However it is very silly when you realize that most people don't think of walking as a good exercise. Mostly I think because its not as quick as jogging or running, but if you read the chart above you will see that if you just walk briskly or almost jogging then you can burn quite a few calories in a single hour.

Part of the problem is that people do it everyday and it seems so easy... But for those of you looking to get the most out of your walks here are tips to step up your walk to make it a highly beneficial cardiovascular exercise:

1. Walk Faster

It seems like a no brainer but a fast walk really makes a difference. You're walking fast enough when the breath increases and the heart rate is elevated. You should feel like you're exercising!

2. Move your arms / Power Walking

Those speed walkers are not just swinging their arms to look determined. Pumping the arms brings more blood to the heart and therefore, offers more cardiovascular benefits.

3. Do Intervals

Just like a run. Speed walk super fast for a couple of minutes and then do a minute at a less intense pace for recovery. Here is a sample timing:

Fast Walk 4 minutes, Slower Walk 2 minutes. Repeat 10 times for 1 hour.

4. Walk Often

One or two walks a week is better than nothing but for results aim for 4 to 5 one-hour walks per week.

5. Eat like any other activity

Walking requires fuel. Eat a good meal before and take in food for recovery afterward.

6. Get a Walking Stick for Hiking

If hiking in the woods get a walking stick so that you are moving your arms more while you walk. It will also benefit your back and core muscles.

Follow these tips and pump of your walking regimen for a non-impact, healthy and result-promoting exercise.