Training Thursday: 50 rep burn

This week's Training Thursday is all about simplicity. This total upper body routine is not for the ADD-gym rat. We're going back to the basics with only one exercise per muscle group. What's the catch? You need to complete a total of 50 repetitions of each exercise! I do not mean 50 consecutive reps. I mean a total of 50 reps. You may find that when you start these you can easily pump out 10-15 reps but with the short rest period, the full set of 50 will seem like I'm one sadistic trainer! Trust me, you'll feel good tomorrow.

The recommended weight I have indicated is just that: a recommendation. If you feel like it is either too much, or not enough, adjust accordingly. As a general rule, you want to aim for a 10-12 repetition max (RM) weight. This means that by about the 8th rep, you should definitely be feeling challenged.

To warm up, perform a series of dynamic shoulder and back stretches to prepare your body. Perform one set of 10-15 reps with a weight about 25% lighter than your working weight. And no, these reps do not add to your 50 rep total, these are just the warm up!

Bench Press
Load: 50-60% of your body weight
Rest between sets: 30 seconds

Underhand Bent Over Barbell Row
Load: 50-60% of your body weight
Rest between sets: 30 seconds

Military Press
Load: 30-40% of your body weight
Rest between sets: 30 seconds

Dumbbell Bicep Curls (on slightly reclined incline bench)
Load: 20-30% of your body weight (total for both dumbbells)
Rest between sets: 30 seconds

Dumbbell Tricep Kickbacks
Load: 20-30% of your body weight (total for both dumbbells)
Rest between sets: 30 seconds

Remember: FOCUS ON FORM! Do not cheat through these reps. Take as many rest periods as you need to complete the full 50.

And, don't forget to stretch!

Happy sweating :)

Training Thursday: Ripped in 100 reps - Part Three

I thought I would end this series off with some personal advice on goal setting and motivation.

Whether you are a complete beginner or a seasoned gym rat, starting a new program is always exciting! You have your hopes that within a week you will look like Demi Moore in “G.I. Jane” or Arnold Schwarzenegger in “Pumping Iron” (Okay, maybe not quite, but you get where I’m going). All too easily we get discouraged when after a solid week or two, our efforts don’t show to the degree we expect them to. The advice I can give anyone is: “Rome wasn’t build in a day!” Changing your body composition (gaining muscle, shedding fat) requires time, consistency, shifting your focus.

Time… Did you know that 1 pound of fat is equivalent to 3500 calories? Unless you are starving yourself, it is impossible to lose 1 pound of fat a day! So if your goal is weight loss, be aware that a 1-2 pound loss per WEEK is a healthy and achievable goal. Anything more than this and you are likely to gain the weight back. Just remember, you didn’t gain extra weight over night, you will not lose it over night. As soon as you come to terms with this fact, sticking to your goal will be a lot easier. Focus on making each day worth while by sticking to a clean diet and following your weekly program. Stressing about losing weight will not make you lose weight any faster. Patience is important in order to stay focused on your goal.

Consistency… We have all been guilty of this at one point or another: You’re doing great with your healthy eating, then a sugar craving hits and you devour a giant cookie from the coffee shop next door faster than you can even say “Ripped in 100 Reps”. Don’t freak out! It’s okay to let lose every once in a while! Just be aware that just because you had that cookie doesn’t mean the entire day is a write off and free-for-all binge fest. Hop right back on that healthy food band wagon and let your moment of weakness go. Dwelling on a minor diet-mishap like that one will only put you in a negative mind set. Acknowledge that it happened, remind yourself that it’s okay, and move on. Consistency isn’t a perfectly straight line. It’s got some ups and downs, but overall it carries on towards the same direction.

Shifting your focus... The best advice I can give anyone struggling to either gain or lose weight is to shift your focus. We live in a society that bombards us with what the “perfect” body should be. We are all either too fat, too skinny, too muscular, not muscular enough, or out of proportion. STOP comparing yourself to what you see in the media. I challenge you to focus on how healthy nutrition and regular exercise makes you FEEL versus how you’d like to look at the end of it. Next time you’re squatting in the gym think to yourself, “My legs are so strong. They carry me through my entire day!” Next time you’re eating a healthy meal think to yourself, “I’m respecting my body by feeding it the nutrients it deserves”. I promise that once you accept your body shape for what it is, and start focusing on optimizing health, your body composition will fall into place in it’s own time. Everyone is unique and beautiful in their own way and this whole series is designed to help you achieve YOUR best body!

Here is the final workout of the “Ripped in 100 Reps” program:

**Disclaimer: If you are a beginner please seek help from a qualified fitness professional before attempting this program as proper form is required to avoid injury.

Be sure to perform an appropriate warm up utilizing all the major muscle groups prior to starting your first working set. You may want to perform 2-3 very light sets of the first exercise per muscle group in order to get the movement pattern down and warm the muscles up. You will be performing 100 repetitions per muscle group. If this is too much, cut back on a set or two per exercise and gradually work up to the full workout.

DAY 3: ARMS, ABS, & CARDIO

Straight Set 1 Barbell Bicep Curls: 10 reps x 4 sets 60-90 sec rest

Super set 1 Hammer Curls: 8 reps x 3 sets + Tricep Dips w/ legs on the Swiss ball: 12 reps x 3 sets   60-90 sec rest

Straight Set 2 Swiss Ball/Bosu Crunches: 10 reps x 4 sets   60-90 sec rest
*When performing this exercise be sure to into a full abdominal extension, then lift up from your abs (not your neck) as you bring your chest up. Keep your lower back in constant contact with the ball, and do not round over. Keep your chest and chin up at the top.

Super set Double Leg Drop (or Hanging Leg Raise): 12 reps x 3 sets + Side Plank with a Hip Dip: 8 reps x 3 sets   60-90 sec rest
*In a side plank, using your oblique muscles, relax your hip so it almost touches the floor, then contract them and lift the hip back up into a straight alignment.

Cardio Training:

Using a cardio activity of your choice (example: jumping rope, sprinting, spinning, etc.) perform the following workout after an appropriate cardio warm-up:

2 min at an effort of 7-8/10 (…This means you should be able to maintain it for the full 2 minutes, but talking throughout it would be a challenge.)

1 min at an effort of 5-6/10 (… This is a fairly easy pace, enough for you to catch your breathing and to be able to maintain a back and forth conversation)

Repeat 6 times for a total of 18 minutes.

Finish off with a proper cool down and a full body stretch.

Training Thursday - Ripped in 100 reps - Part two

Training to build muscle can be simple: follow a hypertrophy program, don’t ignore the principle of progressive overload, and stay consistent. Eating to build muscle is the tough part. So many times I hear the same complaints: “I’m training hard throughout the week, I’m getting stronger, but my body composition is not changing!” In order to altering body composition (as in decreasing body fat and increasing muscle tissue), your diet needs to be top notch!

When it comes to nutrition, I recommend following these 4 basic principles:

1. Eat enough nutrient-dense calories

This is a very basic, yet often overlooked principle. The best (and most cliché) analogy is to think of your body as a slick and sexy Ferrari. You can’t take a sports car out for a spin without enough fuel in the tank. That being said, you also need to make sure to fill that tank with premium fuel! Okay, enough with the Ferrari analogy. My point is: you need to consume healthy, nutrient-dense food in order to have enough energy to not only take you through your workouts, but to then rebuild the damage you have done to your muscles!

2. Eat carbohydrates, and don’t over do it on the protein!

Carbohydrates are broken down into glucose during digestion. Glucose circulates in your blood and is used by your brain and nervous system for energy. Simply put, with out it your mental power suffers. Glycogen is the storage form of glucose found in your muscles and liver and is the major source of fuel for working muscles (1). Consuming carbohydrates helps with altering body composition because it spares protein from being used as energy and allows it to do it’s primary job: rebuild tissue. Approximately 45-65% of your total energy intake should consist of carbohydrates (2). That being said, be sure to consume healthy complex carbohydrates such as whole grains (brown rice, quinoa, oatmeal), vegetables (yams, beets, kale), and fruit (bananas, mangos, pears) to ensure adequate vitamin and mineral, as well as fiber intake.

The most common misconception is that in order to gain muscle you need to load up on the protein. Protein is essential for the growth, maintenance, and repair of cells and are found in all animal food sources (meat, fish, dairy, eggs) and a very wide variety of plant sources (nuts, seeds, legumes, grains). Approximately 10% to 35% of your energy intake should consist of protein (2). The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for healthy adults is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body, however studies have shown that if you are working on increasing muscle mass, this number can be increased up to 1.5 - 2.0 grams (1,3). Once your body has used up all the protein it needs, guess what happens with the rest? Yup, it gets stored as fat! If a 130 lbs (59 kg) woman is looking to increase muscle size, she could consume up to approximately 90-120 grams of protein daily. With a well balanced diet, this could easily be attained without having to gorge on meat at every meal. Beans and lentils provide up to 18 grams of protein per serving! This brings me to the next principle…

3. Vary the foods you eat

By including a balance of complex carbohydrates, lean sources of protein, and healthy fats with every meal, you ensure an adequate supply of not only energy, but nutrients as well. Each food group provides essential vitamins and minerals that promote good health, so don’t get stuck in a rut of eating the same foods day in and day out. Eat locally grown in-season fruit and vegetables, and experiment with a variety of grains and protein sources.

4. Eat small meals frequently throughout the day

The best advice I can give anyone trying to alter his/her body composition is to eat small, but well-balanced meals frequently (about every 3 hours) throughout the day. This is the best fat-burning, muscle-building strategy because it promotes variety of nutrients in your diet and keeps your blood sugar levels stabilized (1). Keep in mind these are small meals. You should feel satiated but not overly stuffed after each meal. Listen to your hunger cues. If you feel hungry (not just craving a treat), eat a small meal, if not, wait 30 minutes and check in with your body again.

Incorporate these 4 principles into your lifestyle and you will be amazed at the results! Stay tuned for next week’s posting as the final wrap up in the “Ripped in 100 Reps” series.

And now for the muscle burn! Here is Day 2 of the “Ripped in 100 Reps” program:

 **Disclaimer: If you are a beginner please seek help from a qualified fitness professional before attempting this program as proper form is required to avoid injury.

Be sure to perform an appropriate warm up utilizing all the major muscle groups prior to starting your first working set. You may want to perform 2-3 very light sets of the first exercise per muscle group in order to get the movement pattern down and warm the muscles up. You will be performing 100 repetitions per muscle group. If this is too much, cut back on a set or two per exercise and gradually work up to the full workout.

 DAY 2: HAMSTRINGS, GLUTES, BACK & TABATA TRAINING

Straight set 1 Traditional Deadlifts: 10 reps x 4 sets   60-90 sec rest

Super set 1 Straight Legged Deadlifts: 8 reps x 3 sets + Swiss Ball Hamstring Roll Ins: 12 reps x 3 sets   60-90 sec rest

Straight set 2 Pull Ups (or Lat Pull Downs): 10 reps x 4 sets   60-90 sec rest

Super set 2 Wide Grip Bent Over Row: 8 reps x 3 sets + Single Arm Bent Over Row (on a bench): 12 reps/arm x 3 sets   60-90 sec rest

Tabata Training Using a cardio activity of your choice (example: jumping rope, sprinting, spinning, etc.) perform the following workout:

20 sec HARD (…and I mean the hardest you can physically push yourself!) + 10 sec RECOVERY (full rest, but keep moving at a very low intensity) x 8 rounds

Finish off with a proper cool down and a full body stretch.

References

(1) Kleiner, S. (2007). Power Eating. 3E. Human Kinetics.

(2) Hammond, G. 2012S. UBC FNH 250 Class Notes: Carbohydrates; Protein

(3) Baechle, T. R., & Earle, R. W. (2008). Chapter 10: Nutritional Factors in Health and Performance. Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning (3rd Ed). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

Training Thursday: Ripped in 100 reps - Part one

The “Ripped in 100 Reps” program is a high volume, moderate intensity split-training program designed for those who want to see some serious muscular hypertrophy. Hold on, hyper— what? The word hypertrophy means an increase in cell size of a particular tissue. In other words, bigger muscles! With summer just around the corner, now's the time to seriously start working on your physique.

Arnie knows a thing or two about hypertrophy!

But first let’s clear up some confusion about repetition ranges and program planning! There are several ways to train: one can train for endurance, strength, speed, power, or hypertrophy. We are concerned with hypertrophy. In order to see muscle gains, the muscle needs to receive a stimulus sufficient enough to elicit a hormonal response. The best way to do this is through high volume multi-joint compound exercises at a moderate intensity with minimal rest between sets (2,3). To clarify, “volume” is the total amount of weight lifted in a workout whereas “intensity” refers to the average amount lifted in a workout in relation to the lifter’s one repetition max. This program ranges in intensity from 70%-78%, in other words, you will be lifting within the 8-12 repetitions max range with little (60-90 sec) rest between sets (1).

There is an acute hormonal response 15-30 minutes post-exercise to this mode of training. Let’s start with testosterone. Testosterone is an anabolic hormone, meaning it helps with tissue growth. It has been shown that large muscle exercises (such as squats or deadlifts) result in the greatest testosterone concentrations in men but, interestingly, not in women (2). So don’t worry ladies, this program will not turn you into the Incredible Hulk over night. Another anabolic hormone of importance for muscle building is human growth hormone (GH). GH concentrations have been shown to be elevated in both men and women 30 minutes post-exercise (2). Protocols that produce high blood lactate levels (that burning sensation in your muscles) produce the most substantial GH responses (2). And trust me, you will feel the burn with this program! It is important to note that with an increase of GH comes an increase of cortisol, a catabolic hormone. “Catabolic” refers to tissue breakdown. Hold on, isn’t that the opposite of what we want? With a proper dietary intake of carbohydrates, this acute increase in cortisol is just a part of muscular tissue remodeling process, and is inevitable. I will educate you on adequate nutrition for muscle building next week.

Now it’s time to feel those muscles burn with the first of this 3-day split routine!

 **Disclaimer: If you are a beginner please seek help from a qualified fitness professional before attempting this program as proper form is required to avoid injury.

Be sure to perform an appropriate warm up utilizing all the major muscle groups prior to starting your first working set. You may want to perform 2-3 very light sets of the first exercise per muscle group in order to get the movement pattern down and warm the muscles up. You will be performing 100 repetitions per muscle group. If this is too much, cut back on a set or two per exercise and gradually work up to the full workout. Don’t forget to stretch at the end!

DAY 1: CHEST, SHOULDERS & LEGS 

Straight set 1 Squats: 10 reps x 4 sets    60-90 sec rest

Super set 1 Walking lunges: 12 reps/leg x 3 sets + Sumo goblet squats: 8 reps x 3 sets    60-90 sec rest

Super set 2 Bench press: 10 reps x 4 sets + Military shoulder press: 10 reps x 4 sets    60-90 sec rest

Super set 3 Incline dumbbell chest press: 8 reps x 3 sets + Lateral raise: 8 reps x 3 sets    60-90 sec rest

Super set 4 Push ups: 12 reps x 3 sets + Reverse flies: 12 reps x 3 sets    60-90 sec rest

Happy sweating :)

References:

(1) Brzycki, Matt (1998). A Practical Approach To Strength Training. McGraw-Hill.

(2) Kraemer, W. J., & Ratamess, N. A. (2005). Hormonal Responses and Adaptations to Resistance Exercise and Training.Sports Medicine, 35(4), 339-361.

(3) Rippetoe, M., & Kilgore, L. (2010). Practical programming for strength training. 2E. The Aasgaard Company.

Training Thursday: Prepping for hiking season

Happy May everyone! May I point out to you that hiking, biking, running, and outdoor exploring season is upon us? All puns aside, if you've been lacking in the lower body training department, it is time to up your game. If there's one thing that all of the above mentioned activities have in common, it is that they require a set of strong and powerful legs. Today's training Thursday is dedicated to helping you prepare for hiking season.

Why hike? Because THIS is the province we live in!!! The Lions Binkert Trail.

As usual, be sure to warm up adequately before jumping into this routine. I highly recommend beginning with a few minutes of foam rolling, followed by some dynamic stretches to open up the hips and gain full mobility. Do not neglect any rehab exercises you may need to incorporate as well. And finally, perform one set of each exercise with only about 50-60% of the weight you would normally use in order to warm up the movement pattern.

Unlike my other workouts, this is not a circuit style session. Perform these sets as indicated, making sure that you're focusing on form. If you're unsure of how to execute any of these exercises, ask a fitness professional for technique advice.

1. Deadlift 6RM x 4 sets 30-60 sec rest
2. Front (of goblet) squat 8RM x 4 sets 30-60 sec rest
3. Weighted step ups onto bench 10RM* x 3 sets 60-90 sec rest
4. Bulgarian split squats 10RM* x 3 sets 60-90 sec rest
• *perform all reps on one side, then switch leading legs. Rest once both sides are complete.

And for a quick kick of HIIT, if you're feeling up for it, try...

Speed skater lateral jumps x 30 sec superset with jump squats x 30 sec
Rest for 30-60 seconds between supersets.

Don't forget to stretch. You'll be feeling sore after this workout for sure :)
Happy sweating!

High intensity interval training & fat loss

High Intensity Interval Training, also known as “HIIT”, has received a lot of attention in the strength and conditioning industry. And for good reason: It’s effective. But what exactly is HIIT? What are the effects of HIIT? And is HIIT for everyone? As your trainer, I will do my best to educate you on this trendy acronym.

HIIT is exactly what it sounds like: intervals of short but very intense bursts of activity followed by intervals of rest (or “recovery”). The most commonly studied protocol involves the usage of a cycle ergometer. Unfortunately not a lot of research has been done on the usage of other forms of exercise such as running, rowing, or skipping (1).

The Wingate test is the most popular of all the protocols. It involves a 30 second full out sprint against a hard resistance followed by 4 minutes of recovery, usually repeated 3 to 4 times. I have performed this protocol for various lab assignments throughout my schooling, and let me tell you it is anything but easy! This is by far one of the hardest tests out there because it involves extreme self discipline to push for those 30 seconds. By the last 5 seconds your legs feel like jello, and it’s not uncommon to feel nauseated. A gentler protocol involves 4 to 6 second sprints followed by 12 seconds of rest repeated for 60 rounds total. Alternatively, for the novice, perhaps a slightly easier option would be a 2 minute sprint (obviously not at the same resistance as the Wingate) followed by a 3 minute recovery for a period of 20 minutes (1).

There are numerous physiological effects, but I will focus specifically on how HIIT aids with fat loss. There is a significant catecholamine response to HIIT. What does that mean? That means that there is an increase in epinephrine and norepinephrine. In other words, your adrenaline gets going. This is important because epinephrine in particular has been shown to release fat from subcutaneous tissue for lypolysis (1). (That’s the scientific way of saying that HIIT burns fat!) A decrease in post-exercise appetite has also been observed which could be another reason for the increase in fat loss with this type of training (1).

A study by Trapp et al. compared the effects of HIIT (using the Wingate protocol) to steady state aerobic training and to a control group among healthy but inactive nonsmoking women aged 18 to 30 years all with healthy BMI levels (2008). The study found that the woman in the HIIT group lost more weight overall, specifically due to a greater loss in fat mass (2)! If that’s not good enough news then keep on reading: Where was the greatest fat loss? In the abdomen and in the legs! We all know that you can’t spot reduce fat, but this article seems to be proving otherwise.

As I have already mentioned, HIIT is not for those faint of heart. It is an extremely demanding form of exercise both physically and mentally, and is not recommended for those who are brand new to fitness. Be smart when you train. Just because everyone is talking about the latest trend does not mean it’s appropriate for you yet. Here are a few of my personal tips for anyone looking to start their fat loss journey.

Kat’s HIIT Tips:

• If you are brand new, it is imperative that you build your aerobic capacity before delving into HIIT. Build the habit of exercising first, build your tolerance, then slowly start incorporating HIIT into your workout schedule. Stay focused and positive. You will eventually be able to work up to the Wingate!

• HIIT is like cayenne pepper. You can sprinkle it in throughout your workout to add some intensity, but if you do too much, everything else will suffer. I suggest that you start with only one session per week, and eventually work up to 3 non-consecutive sessions per week MAX. Remember, this form of training is extremely taxing, and your body needs rest in order to recover.

• Periodize your training schedule. Incorporate HIIT into your program for no more than 12 weeks at a time. Studies have shown that anything more than this and you stop reaping the benefits of it (1)! Once your 12 weeks of HIIT are up, let your body recover from it before starting it up again. I recommend incorporating HIIT into your summer plan!

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to email me: trainwithkat@gmail.com. 

(1) Stephen H. Boutcher, “High-Intensity Intermittent Exercise and Fat Loss,” Journal of Obesity, vol. 2011, Article ID 868305, 10 pages, 2011. doi:10.1155/2011/868305

(2) Trapp, E.G., Chisholm, D.J., Freund, J.J., & Boutcher, S.H. (2008) The effects of high-intensity intermittent exercise training on fat loss and fasting insulin levels of young women. International Journal of Obesity, 32(4), 684-691. doi:10.1038/sj.ijo.0803781

Training Thursday: Planks, planks, planks

This week's Training Thursday is basic but it'll have wincing Holy Mother of Mercy probably after the first set. The workout consists of 3 variations of planks, each performed for 30 seconds. Beginners may shorten this time, and may take rests between each plank. More advanced trainees will perform all of the planks in succession and rest at the end of each set.

Planks explained...

Table top plank: Get onto all fours. Make sure your hands are directly under your shoulders, and your knees are directly under your hips. Curl your toes underneath, slightly tuck your tailbone under and lift your knees only about an inch off the ground. Imagine that you are pushing the ground away from you and keep your spine in a neutral position. Keep your gaze down at the ground to avoid hyper-extending your neck. Hold here.

High plank: From the table top plank, walk your feet back and extend your legs. Keep the torso exactly as you were in the table top plank, and hold here.

Low plank: Carefully walk your hands down towards the ground so you are resting on your forearms. Legs are still extended long, tailbone is still slightly tucked under, and once again you are pushing the ground away from you to engage all of the core muscles. Hold here.

Do you remember that hot lava game from when you were a kid? Imagine you are playing it again and do NOT let your knees come in contact with the ground until you have completed your final plank in the series. Rest for 30-60 seconds between sets.

To make this even more challenging, reverse the order with every set. Aim for 3-4 sets total.

Happy sweating :)