How to Tie Your Shoes

12 08 2010

Courtesy of Runner's World Magazine

I had no idea I wastying my shoes the wrong way all these years.   There are two common knots that most people use to tie their shoes: the granny knot and the reef knot.   The granny knot is the one pictured on the left above looks a little sloppy and has a tendency to loosen with activity.  The reef knot on the left is much neater and will actually tighten with activity.  No more untied shoes.

If you are using a granny knot now it is very easy to switch to a reef knot.  You just need to change one step of your shoe tying routine.  The good people at Runner’s World provided step by step instructions and a video to show you how!


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Fat Burning Zone Myth

11 08 2010

Highway to the Danger Zone!

If you’ve ever used a cardiovascular machine at a gym, you are probably familiar with the above graphic.  This colorful box is a target heart rate zone chart.  You  jump on a cardio machine, look at this handy guide and by simply matching your age to your goals find the perfect heart rate to work at to achieve the results you want.  Sounds good in principle but in practice it is very flawed and is misunderstood in the world of fitness.

My first problem with the chart is that most of them get their information from old research originally used for cardiac rehab patients.  The heart rates listed on these charts can be off by as many as 20 to 40 beats per minute depending on the population.  According to this chart, yesterday I was in the danger zone numerous times during a bike interval workout but I’m still here typing this blog, none the worse for wear.

My second and main problem with these charts is the “Fat Burning Zone”.    In my opinion this area of the graph has done many exercises a disservice by preventing them from working up to their full potential.  Let me explain.   It is true that your body will burn a higher percentage of  fat calories in this zone.  (So maybe it’s not a myth, but a mislead!)  The problem is that at this low-level of effort you burn very few calories.  So in the end you’ve burned a high percentage of fat, but very few calories which isn’t very efficient.

You are better off working harder for less time.  See my post on Interval Training for a full description of how to do this and the benefits of this style of exercise.  When you work harder, your body uses a lower percentage of fat for its energy needs and gets more from carbohydrate stores.  But since you are working harder you burn exponentially more calories and a higher number of fat calories.  Keep in mind this is a simplified explanation of a more complicated process you get the idea.

The target heart rate zone charts also don’t consider post exercise energy consumption.  After most forms of exercise there is a period of time that the body will continue to burn calories at a high rate.  With low intensity “fat burning zone” exercise this time period is very short.  At higher intensities you body will continue to burn fat well after you’ve finished the activity.

So for your own good get out of the fat burning zone and see if you can get your heart rate up a little higher so you can get better results faster.  As always, this information is geared towards healthy individuals with some exercise background.  If you have any pre-existing conditions check with your doctor as higher intensity training may not be right for you at this time.


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Beware of Toning Shoes

23 07 2010

You should see my butt after wearing these shoes for 2 weeks!

The American Council on Exercise released results this week of an independent study on the effectiveness of toning shoes.  I know this will anger some of my readers because I know some of you wear these shoes!  The study showed no evidence that the shoes can help you exercise more intensely, burn more calories, or improve muscle strength or tone.   For the full study results go here:  http://www.acefitness.org/getfit/studies/toningshoes072010.pdf

The manufacturers tout their own studies that “prove” the benefits of their shoes, but really, how do you trust a study done by the maker of the shoe.  Do you think they would release a study that showed their sneakers did no more than any other sneaker?

A big problem I have with these products is that even if they did work there is no way to progress.  Let me explain- the human body responds to progressive resistance.  As you get stronger, you must challenge yourself more.  If these shoes did make your butt or legs stronger, then your body would adapt in a week or two and then no more benefit for you.

I’m just not a big fan of anything to alters your normal gait- this includes common running shoes that supposedly help with pronation, supination, flat feet etc.  In my mind, these shoes are just crutches.  If you really have a problem with your foot, don’t just put a shoe on it and hope it will get better.  Fix your foot.  Is it even a problem with your foot or does your foot flatten because there is a problem at your hip?  You would get better results and probably feel better if you explored the root of the problem and not just a symptom.

The study did reveal one positive attribute to the shoes- the ability to get some sedentary folks of their butts and moving more.  So, if you are in that group, great.  However, don’t buy into the marketing hype that these shoes will cure all that ails you.  You won’t miraculously lose weight and get stronger just by putting on a pair of shoes.  You do have to do some work, even if it is just walking more.  Sorry to be Danny Downer today but if it sounds too good to be true, it is.  Losing weight and getting in shape takes work, dedication and effort.   Beware of the quick fix, as they are all just marketing and promises.   To lighten the mood, I give you my newest favorite infomercial…..  The Shake Weight!


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My Workout

22 07 2010

This used to be a favorite of mine

I’m asked what my workouts are like all the time.  So I decided a good post would be to share what my workouts are like as of late.  Before I get into the details, I’d like to tell you some of the general principles I follow to design workouts for myself and my clients.

I don’t do bodybuilding type workouts.  Ex. Chest day, Leg day, Chest and Triceps, etc.  This style of workout is only good for one population- bodybuilders.  So unless you are preparing for a bodybuilding competition stop working out like this!

I don’t do long, slow bouts of cardiovascular exercise.  I don’t have the time and this style of exercise is very inefficient.

I very rarely do any isolation exercises.  I consider an isolation exercise one that only works one muscle group at a time.  Examples are most circuit machines at a gym, such as a leg extension or bicep curl.  Muscles don’t work in isolation in the real world so I don’t train them that way.

I break my workouts into very simple categories: 1.  Push  2. Pull   3. Core  and 4. Legs.  Each of these can be broken down into more detail but basically these 4 categories define my workouts.  Pushing exercises work chest, shoulders and triceps.  Pulling exercises work back and biceps.  Core exercises work the abs, back and hips.  Leg exercises work everything from the waist down.  Keep in mind this is a simplified description but you should get the idea.

I do high intensity interval training for cardiovascular exercise.  Interval training is simply alternating between periods of high intensity and low intensity.  You can vary the amount of time you are exercising and how long you are resting to create a number of challenging workouts.

These are just some of my guiding principles but with these guidelines I have built my current workout which is perfect for me now.  Here is a sample week:

Monday:  Lower Body

  • Squats
  • Deadlifts
  • Walking Lunges
  • Stability Ball Leg Curl

Tuesday: Intervals

Treadmill or Airdyne Bike (this bike has a fan on the front which is perfect for interval training since the faster I go the more challenging the exercise is)   30 second sprint followed by a 90 second slow recovery.  I repeat this 8-10 times which takes about 20 minutes.

Wednesday: Upper Body

  • Dumbbell Press
  • Bent Over Row
  • Pull Ups
  • Dips
  • Overhead Press

Thursday: Intervals

Treadmill   60 second sprint followed by a 60 second slower recovery.  Notice I increase the sprint time and decrease the recovery time to make this day more challenging.  Repeat 8-10 times.

Friday:  Full Body

  • Single Leg Deadlift
  • Side Squat
  • Planks
  • Side Planks
  • Push Ups
  • Pull Ups

Saturday: Intervals

Bike, Treadmill, Pool, etc.  90 seconds high intensity with 120 seconds of recovery time.  The longer high intensity period requires a longer recovery period.  Repeat 4-6 times.

Sunday:  Rest

This workout fits my life perfectly right now.  Strength training on one day and cardio on the next.  If I miss a cardio day I don’t mind tacking it on to the end of one of my strength training sessions.  The 3 day split for strength training (Lower Body, Upper Body, and Full Body) are broad enough categories that I can swap out exercises but specific enough that I work all my muscle groups at least once a week.

I will do this workout for 2-4 weeks and then change some exercises and tweak interval times but the skeleton will remain the same.  This is one of many ways to split up your workouts during a week.  This is a confusing topic so if you have any questions please ask me in the comments section.


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Exercise of the Week: Medicine Ball Circuit

23 06 2010

Stressed Out? Try this medicine ball circuit!

We all have stressful days, weeks or even months occasionally and this week has been a challenging one for me.  So I’ve decided to share with you one of the best stress reducing exercise circuits that I know.  The circuit has 3 separate exercises done back to back for a full body workout that really gets your heart pumping.

Here is a breakdown of the circuit:

  1. “Medicine Ball Chest Pass”- a big long name for throwing a medicine ball against a wall.  Pretty good stress reliever.
  2. “Rotational Throw”- still throwing the ball against the wall but now with a twist.  You can pick up the pace with this one and work out some aggression.
  3. “Medicine Ball Slam”- just like it sounds.  Slam the medicine ball into the ground as hard as you can and repeat.  There would be far less stress in the world if everybody tried this exercise when they were angry.

This circuit is great for everyone but is very beneficial for athletes.  Every athlete needs some type of power, speed or explosiveness.  This medicine ball circuit trains these qualities in all the different planes of motion.  So whether you are just trying to burn some calories, train for your sport or just burn off some stress, throwing a medicine ball is just the exercise for you.


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Product Review: P90X

17 06 2010

P90X Package

As you can tell from this blog, I am a huge fan of working out at home.  So I love any product that adds some variety to my at-home workouts.  P90X is such a product.  I bought it about a year and a half ago and was really impressed with the entire product.  This program is the reason I built my own pull-up bar in my basement.

I haven’t used P90X in a while so I’ve decided to dust it off and give it another go round.  I’ll be sure to describe the workouts in the blog to give you all an idea of what the program is all about.  Basically, the program comes with 12 DVD’s that work all your different muscle groups with incredible variety.  The workouts include strength training, core work, flexibility, yoga, kickboxing and many more.  I especially like how the program covers all aspects of fitness.  I can’t say I agree with all the exercises or workouts but overall they put together a well-rounded program with enough variety to keep boredom at bay.

The program also comes with a nutrition plan and online support which are key components to any successful lifestyle changing program.  You do need some equipment to do the entire P90X program: a variety of dumbbells, a pull-up bar, rubber tubing, yoga mats and blocks and of course a bit of space to do the exercises.

The first workout is called Chest and Back.  During this workout you alternate between push-ups and pull-ups.  There are many varieties of each exercise but the basic premise is push then pull and repeat.  You do mix in a few dumbbell exercises like bent-over-rows or band pulls to round out the workout.  You are left with a puffed out upper body and arms hanging by your sides.  I forgot to mention that on most days you have the option to end your workout with a 15 minute ab workout called Ab Ripper X.  This is a tough 15 minutes that will leave your midsection crying.   Look for more reviews and descriptions of all the workouts in the near future.


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Exercise of the Week- Overhead Press

13 05 2010

The overhead press (aka shoulder press or military press) is a great exercise that engages all the muscles of the shoulder.  While some people do this exercise seated I prefer to do this exercise standing for many reasons:

  • less stress on the spine when standing compared to sitting
  • core muscles more involved when standing
  • leg muscles involved in the standing position
  • would you ever lift a heavy object over your head from a seated position in real life?

Many of my older clients struggle with this movement because they lose range of motion in the shoulder as they age.  They lose the ability to reach overhead simply because they never do it.  If you practice the overhead press regularly, you will never have that problem.

Variations I show in the video include alternating the arms, changing the position of the hands, and the Arnold press (yes, named after the governor of California- supposedly it was his favorite exercise before he got into politics!)  Enjoy…


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Ask The Trainer

12 05 2010

Go ahead, ask me anything...

I’ve been busy with work and family lately which is why I have posted less lately.  Plus, my focus in the evenings is on the Bruins and Celtics playoff series.  That being said, I started this blog to help people with exercise and nutrition and I intend to.  How better to help people than to answer your specific questions.

So ask away.  Post your questions in any comment section of the blog and I’ll do my best to answer them.  Be it nutrition, exercise, relaxation, equipment I want to know what you want to know!  Now I have to get back to the Bruins game!


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My Home Gym

10 05 2010

In one of my first posts I wrote about Home Gym Essentials.  These are the things that I couldn’t do without in my home gym.  You can see from this post that you don’t need a lot of equipment to work out effectively.  Now that being said, I have and use more equipment than I showed in that post.  Today, I will show you the rest of my equipment and the home gym in all its unfinished basement glory!

I haven’t been using the home gym in about two weeks because it became a spring cleaning storage area for all things in my basement.  Sporting goods, tools, toys and old baby stuff had taken over my exercise sanctuary.  Well I finally finished cleaning it out and changed the layout to a much more open and more efficient area.  I will enjoy working out in this space even more now simply because I moved some things around!  Here it is!

Adjustable Bench, Adjustable Dumbbells, Body Bar, Steps, Medicine Ball, Push Up Bars, Stability Ball, Yoga Mat and Blocks

Treadmill- Helpful for cold, New England winters!

Ipod- Nothing beats music for motivation. Kings of Leon "Sex on Fire" was playing at the time!

This is my home gym.  It isn’t much but it’s mine and it serves its purpose.  I can do challenging full body workouts in the comfort of my home.  What more do I need?  Someday I will finish the basement and create a dream gym complete with indoor driving range and sauna but for now this is all I need to stay healthy.

(Update)

Home-Made Pull Up Bar, Various Resistance Bands

I forgot to post the pride and joy of the gym- my homemade pull-up bar.  This only cost me a few dollars for lag screws and a gas pipe.  I already had the wood, which I attached to the floor joists above then just slipped the gas pipe between the two and voila- instant pull up bar!


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Are You Wasting Money on Sneakers?

8 05 2010

The foot is an amazing and complex piece of anatomy.  Muscles, ligaments, tendons and bones all work together to absorb the forces of standing, walking, running and jumping.  The arches of the foot act like springs as we move and further help to dampen force.  When we wear sneakers the impact forces on the feet are significantly decreased.  Sounds good, right?  Well, not necessarily. Let me explain.

Expensive running shoes do a great job of absorbing force- that’s what they are designed for.  The problem is that when the shoes absorb all the force the foot becomes less efficient at doing its job.  After years of wearing cushioned sneakers the foot “forgets” how to support itself. I’ve even read one study that suggests the more you pay for your shoes the more likely you are to get injured. Researchers have even shown that runners land on their feet differently when wearing shoes and when unshod.  When people wear shoes and run they land on their heel which sends a lot of force up the leg and can damage joints.  When people run barefoot they land on the ball of the foot and transfer the force of impact more efficiently in the foot meaning less stress on other joints.

So what does this mean? Throw your shoes out and start running barefoot?  While more and more people are doing this everyday, there are some things to consider.  If you are used to running with sneakers your foot will not be ready to just start running barefoot.  Like other muscles of the body, your feet need time to adapt to the stresses of being barefoot. Sneakers also protect the bottom of the foot from abrasion very well. A good quality if you run on pavement.  Shoe manufacturers are starting to make shoes with less support but with all the protection of a normal shoe.  These are a good place to start.  Here are some options:

Vibram Five Fingers

Vibram Five Fingers

I haven’t tried these yet as the look of them turns me off but from what I’ve read this is as close as it gets to running barefoot but still having some protection for the soles of your feet.

Nike Free

Nike Free

I have a few pairs of these shoes and love them.  They do offer more support than the Vibram’s and I think they are a good first shoe to try for barefoot activity.

While these sneakers won’t exactly save you any money (they aren’t cheap) they may help you save your feet.  I firmly feel that sneakers are doing more harm than people realize.  The research on barefoot running is still in the early stages but I think we will see more come out supporting the benefits of barefoot activity.  Here is good blog from a person who has been running barefoot for some time…. check it out.

Barefoot Ted’s Adventures


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