Ever jump into a new workout program and then feel extreme muscle soreness for the next few days? Most workout programs do not prime you (get you ready) for all the physical activity you’re about to endure. With my clients I like introducing a priming workout for the first 3 or 4 weeks that stimulates muscles, gets cardio going and revs up fat burning systems. The priming workout utilizes compound exercises, full range of motion, and supersets. Yes there is some soreness, but not as extreme because the priming workout is meant to prepare your body for the actual training program. During priming workout I do not push clients to fatigue, but enough so they feel their idle muscles reignited. Another purpose of this workout is to educate and demonstrate proper exercise techniques and practice breathing. The priming workout is ideal for anyone who hasn’t been active in ages.
Here’s a sample workout
| Super Set 1 | Clean and Press |
| Lunges | |
| Super Set 2 | Bench Press |
| Lateral Pulldown | |
| Super Set 3 | Barbell Curls |
| Assisted Dips | |
| Super Set 4 | Big Shoulder Rotations with Weight Plate |
| Crunches |
Key points:
- use enough resistance to complete 10-12 reps in each of 3 sets, with proper form
- perform all exercises in a superset before taking a rest
- perform the workout 3 x a week
- warm up beforehand
- stretch afterwards
- and lastly, don’t forget to do cardio
Depending on how well your body adjusts, you might be able to dive into the training program that focuses on your specific needs (ie. weight-loss, muscle gain, sport training, etc.) only after 2 weeks of doing the priming workout.
Before you even hit the weights or get on that treadmill you need to have a plan. You need to plan what you are going to do, how, when and why. If you do not have access to a fitness professional here are five things you should consider before designing a workout program on your own. Read More
People are often surprised to find out I have the energy to hit the gym very early in the morning. Depending on my schedule, some days I’m there at 6am other days around 9am. 9am doesn’t sound as impressive and shocking as 6am because in order for me to be at the gym for 6, I need to be up at 5. I prefer to be at the gym as early as possible. For the reasons listed below it is also the only time of the day that I truly have to myself. I put on my headphones, tune out and focus on my workout. But here are a few other reasons why working out in the morning is way better than later in the day. Read More
Pre-exercise warm up and post exercise cool downs are usually ignored and their importance is overlooked by a lot of people. Fitness experts and athletes have been long time proponents of a proper warm up and a cool down. I must admit, I skip it from time to time. Like a lot of people I find it boring and that it takes away valuable time from more fun and exciting activities. However, after reading several articles and going back to my university textbooks on subject I will no longer be skipping a warm up and a cool down. Without getting into detailed science behind it, warm up is important because it gets your mind and body ready for the workout. Warming up diverts blood to your muscles and preps your energy systems. This way your body will endure less stress, your energy system don’t have to play catch-up, and you are able to optimize your workout. Cool down is important because it helps your body return to pre-exercise state. Opposite of the warm up, during the cool down your circulatory system redistributes blood back to organs and other parts of the body. This prevents the blood pooling, aids in oxygen debt reduction in cells, and reduces stress on cardiorespiratory system.
Here’s something you can do right now to start losing weight today; replace all fluids in your diet with water. That means you have to eliminate pop, juices and alcohol from your diet. Speaking from a personal experience, the most I have ever weighed was 193lbs. However, I was able to lose over 30lbs in about 4 months, and most that weight loss was due to elimination of drinks that contained empty calories, especially alcohol. There are numerous studies prove that sweetened pop and juices are related directly to weight gain. Just Google it if you don’t believe me. Also, by eliminating sweetened drinks you will ultimately cut your calorie count by over 10%. But if you still like to have a flavored drink once in a while, go for the juice. Choose organic, unsweetened and fresh juices. They do have sugars, but those sugars are natural and slightly healthier. Remember to consume it in moderation.
But let’s be realistic. It requires great discipline and motivation to completely eliminate all pop, juice and alcohol from your diet. If you do chose to consume any of them, please be aware of what you’re taking in and how much.
