You should spend five to ten minutes warming up as well as cooling down before and after exercise, respectively. Why? Because there are numerous physiological benefits as shown below:WARM-UP BENEFITS:- Increased muscle tissue temperature
- Increased blood flow to the extremities
- Increased oxygen to muscle tissue
- Increased heart rate
- Increased metabolic rate
- Increased connective tissue extensibility *
- Increased movement coordination
- Increased joint range of motion due to lubrication *
- Increased muscular contraction and relaxation
- Decreased cardiovascular abnormalities
- Decreased risk of musculoskeletal injury *
COOL-DOWN BENEFITS:- Increased venous return from the extremities
- Decreased body temperature
- Decreased metabolic rate
- Decreased heart rate
- Increased body heat dissipation
- Increased lactic acid removal
- Decreased cardiovascular abnormalities
- Decreased muscle soreness *
- Decreased muscle stiffness *
* Most significant
NOTE: Light aerobic exercise (e.g., biking) can dissipate lactic acid buildup within muscles immediately following a weight training session and lessen delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) later.
- Increased strength, mobility and flexibility
- Increased energy and stamina
- Increased endurance
- Increased bone strength
- Increased respiratory fitness
- Increased sex drive
- Increased lean body mass
- Increased life expectancy
- Increased self-esteem and confidence
- Increased metabolic rate
- Increased ability to manage stress
- Increased HDL ("good" cholesterol)
- Increased peripheral circulation
- Increased memory capacity (i.e., increased oxygenation)
- Increased lactate removal per intensity level
- Decreased loss of muscle
- Decreased bodyweight
- Decreased risk of falls
- Decreased knee pain (i.e., increased tendon strength)
- Decreased lung disease risk (i.e., increased oxygenation)
- Decreased joint pain (i.e., increased synovial fluid flow)
- Decreased reliance on medications
- Decreased menstrual problems (i.e., increased endorphin release)
- Decreased bodyfat
- Decreased osteoporosis risk (i.e., increased bone density)
- Decreased obesity risk (i.e., increased metabolic rate)
- Decreased vericose vein risk (i.e., increased venule valve strength)
- Decreased lower back pain (i.e., increased abdominal and lumbar strength, increased hamstring flexibility)
- Decreased nasal congestion
- Decreased angina risk (i.e., increased blood flow)
- Decreased anxiety (i.e., increased endorphin release)
- Decreased bursitis & tendonitis (i.e., increased muscular strength)
- Decreased cancer risk (i.e., decreased bodyfat)
- Decreased carpal tunnel syndrome (i.e., increased tendon strength)
- Decreased constipation (i.e., increased pelvic muscular strength)
- Decreased depression (i.e., increased oxygenation due to increased blood circulation)
- Decreased diabetes risk (i.e., improved insulin sensitivity to blood sugar levels)
- Decreased fatigue (i.e., increased oxygenation)
- Decreased glaucoma risk (i.e., decreased ocular pressure behind eyes)
- Decreased headaches (i.e., increased endorphin release)
- Decreased heart disease risk (i.e., decreased blood pressure)
- Decreased hypertension risk (i.e., increased blood vessel dilation)
- Decreased insomnia (i.e., decreased stress)
- Decreased lactate production per intensity
- Improved posture
- Improved balance
- Improved functional abilities
- Improved sleep quality
- Improved immunity
- Improved ability to concentrate
- Improved cognitive function
- Improved quality of life
- Improved fatty acid uptake and transport
- Improved lactate tolerance
I can go on and on and on but you get the idea: exercise is the best medicine!!
- Eat tasty food
- Drink plenty of water throughout the day
- Consume nonfat/lowfat dairy foods
- Never skip meals (eat every 3 hours for 5 to 6 meals daily in order to maintain blood sugar level)
- Regulate your caloric intake and do NOT drastically reduce your daily caloric intake (NEVER eat less than 1200 kcals daily)
- Eat more high-fiber foods and complex carbs to stave off hunger
- Eat less starchy carbs (e.g., white rice and pasta)
- Eat high-protein snacks such as nuts, egg whites, beens, and cheese to control hunger
- Eat plenty of veggies
- Avoid sodas and high-calorie drinks
- Reduce red meat consumption to less than 3 times per week
- Trim visible fat from meat, poultry and fish
- Eat white meat from chicken and turkey and remove the skin
- Avoid bologna, salami and other high-fat, high-sodium luncheon meats
- Eat s-l-o-w-l-y
- Consume up to 2 cups of coffee per day
- Use supplements only as needed (as an adjunct to your mealplan)
- Exercise daily
- MOST IMPORTANTLY: Make good nutrition and regular exercise your lifestyle habit!
- Perform weight training 2-4 days per week
- Perform cardio exercise 3-5 days per week
- Vigorous resistance training will maintain or even increase your muscle mass
- Reduce fat intake to under 25% of your total caloric intake
- Reduce consumption of sweets such as cakes, cookies and candy
- Reduce consumption of high-fat snacks such as chips and ice cream
- Replace desserts with fresh fruit
- Practice portion control
- Eat fresh foods
- Broil, boil, poach, or bake foods instead of frying
- Use oils, butter, cream cheese, and sour cream sparingly
- Avoid heavy sauces on foods
- Use lowfat versions of mayonnaise and salad dressings
- Eat foods that have less than 2 grams of fat per 100 calories
- Eat lowfat protein foods at every meal
- Do not eat out daily and avoid eating fast foods
- Start a meal with some soup, salad or fruit
- Choose less calorically-dense foods (ie. less calories per gram)
- Perform high-intensity exercise (e.g., cardio intervals, bodybuilding)
Foods eaten more than one hour before your workout should consist of primarily slow-burning, low-glycemic complex carbs (e.g., oatmeal, whole-wheat bread) while foods eaten less than one hour prior to your workout should consist of fast-burning, high-glycemic refined carbs (e.g., fruit juice, energy bar, sports drink).The following are examples of recommended foods that provide sufficient energy to fuel a workout (pre-workout foods):- Apple
- Banana
- Beets
- Black beans
- Blueberries
- Brown rice
- Grapefruit
- Lentils
- Oatmeal
- Orange
- Quinoa
- Raisins
- Sweet potato
- Wheat germ
- Whole-rye bread
- Whole-wheat bread
- Whole-wheat bagel
- Whole-wheat pasta
- Whole-wheat tortilla
Foods eaten after your workout should consist of primarily fast-burning, high-glycemic carbohydrates:
- Angel food cake
- Baked potato
- Cantaloupe
- Chocolate milk
- Couscous
- Cream of wheat
- Gatorade
- Granola
- Lemonade
- Muffin
- Orange juice
- Popcorn
- Rice cakes
- Rice krispies
- Watermelon
- White bagel
- White bread
- White rice
Other foods ideal for gaining muscle mass while losing bodyfat include 90% lean ground beef, broccoli, cottage cheese, eggs, garlic, salmon, spinach, walnuts, and sunflower seeds.
Finally, be sure to consume adequate water before, during and after your workout. A general rule is to drink at least one-half your bodyweight in fluid ounces daily (e.g., BW = 160 lbs amounts to at least 80 oz or 10 cups of liquid).
FACT: No supplements are tested by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to verify product claims since the supplement industry is not regulated by the FDA.Despite this, there are particular supplements which have a worthy track record in exhibiting consistent positive results. The following are some recommended supplements (in no particular order), potential benefits, research findings, side effects, legal status, and recommended periods to ingest:- Multivitamin-- provides 100% of recommended dietary intake; benefits shown; no side effects when taken as recommended on the label; legal to use; take with food
- Branch-chain amino acids (BCAAs)-- delays fatigue, increases energy, boosts growth hormone levels, enhances protein synthesis, preserves muscle mass; benefits shown; no known side effects; legal to use; take before and immediately after workouts
- Glutamine-- enhances immunity, reduces cortisol levels, enhances protein synthesis, reduces muscle soreness, boosts growth hormone levels; benefits shown; no known side effects; legal to use; take before and immediately after workouts
- Creatine-- improves strength and power, increases energy, increases muscle mass, increases protein synthesis, may reduce muscle soreness and fiber damage; benefits shown; no known side effects; legal to use; take before and immediately after workouts
- Casein protein-- preserves muscle mass, provides satiety; benefits shown; no known side effects; legal to use; take as a snack, within one hour after workouts and before bedtime
- Whey protein-- preserves muscle mass, increases endurance, strength and energy; benefits shown; no known side effects; legal to use; take upon waking up as well as within one hour before and after workouts
- Fish oil-- maintains flexible joints, prevents inflammation; benefits shown; no known side effects; legal to use; take with food (should contain at least 1g of DHA and EPA)
- Caffeine-- increases muscle contractility, improves endurance and fat metabolism during aerobic exercise, delays fatigue, increases alertness and focus, decreases reaction time; consistent benefits shown; mild stimulatory effects; legal to use; take after breakfast and within one hour before workouts.
- Note: Caffeine is technically not a supplement but rather a drug and is therefore FDA-regulated when in products such as coffees and teas. It is NOT regulated when in pill form (e.g., green tea extract) and sold as a supplement.
The answer: There is no secret! The reality is you can train your abs every single day for up to 150 reps per set for three sets or more and take as many thermogenic supplements in existence along with some fad diet and still not acquire the elusive "six-pack" abs. Why is this the case? As long as your bodyfat level stays above 10% you will not be able to see abdominal definition.
Yes folks, the solution is simply dependent on your body composition--namely how much bodyfat you have. Spot reduction is a myth and performing seemingly endless ab exercises in the pitiful hope of reducing the size of your belly will ultimately end in miserable failure. You cannot target fat loss from specific areas of your body by simply doing any exercise you can imagine. You cannot control which areas of your body you want to burn fat. Fat burning is a holistic process meaning that overall bodyfat must decrease in order for defined abs to appear. You can stimulate abdominal muscle strength but you cannot burn bodyfat. So at best, you can strengthen your abs by doing crunches but you will not see them. It is just not possible as your body does not work like that.
You do have "six-pack" abs but their appearance cannot be seen since there is a layer of fat just underneath your skin called subcutaneous fat that is obscuring your ab definition. So having said all this, how do you go about getting those "six-pack" abs that you desire? The answer is simple but apparently not easy to do for most people: eat a healthy low-fat diet and perform regular weight-resistant and cardiovascular exercise. Your focus should be on eating six to eight small meals per day (e.g., eat every two to three hours) while gradually decreasing your caloric intake per week. The foods that you eat should be relatively high in protein and fiber and low in refined carbs and saturated fat. In addition, you should drink plenty of water (e.g., about one-half of your bodyweight in ounces) throughout your day. Read my blog on tips on how to lose bodyfat for additional things you can do to facilitate the appearance of those almighty "six-pack" abs.
Warm-up should consist of dynamic stretching (e.g., bouncing stiff-leg deadlifts) relating to the muscle groups to be exercised (e.g., hamstrings). The primary purpose of the warm-up is to lubricate the joint articulations to facilitate increased range of motion, increased connective tissue extensibility to reduce muscle tendon tearing, and increased muscle temperature to increase the flow of nutrients and oxygen to the muscles. Cool-down should consist of static stretches (e.g., standing hamstring stretch).The primary purpose of the cool-down is to decrease the temperature of the body, increase lactic acid removal from the muscles, and decrease muscle soreness and stiffness later. You have four choices when it comes to static stretching (i.e., lengthening and holding the stretch of a muscle):- Stretch between each set of a particular exercise; and/or
- Stretch after performing all sets of a particular exercise; and/or
- Stretch after performing all exercises of a particular muscle group; and/or
- Stretch after performing the entire workout.
For example, one could perform one set of the incline dumbbell press, stretch, perform another set, stretch again, and so on (option 1); and/or one could perform three sets of the incline dumbbell press, stretch and then move on to another exercise (option 2); and/or one could perform the incline dumbbell press, the incline dumbbell flye, and cable crossovers before stretching (option 3); and/or one could perform exercises for the chest, shoulders and triceps before stretching each of these muscles (option 4). Whichever option you choose is dependent on your preference--either/all method(s) is/are good. It may be more beneficial to stretch sooner for each muscle group exercised (i.e., immediately after a chest exercise) rather than later after the workout for all muscle groups exercised (i.e., after chest, back and bicep exercises). Regardless, the important concept here is to perform static stretching after exercising when the muscles are warm rather than before exercising when the muscles are cold. One word of caution: too much stretching can cause injury. Stretch each muscle for no more than 30 seconds duration and perform each stretch no more than four times per muscle.
The answer to this question is simple: the best time to workout is whenever is most convenient to you. In other words, what matters most is not when you exercise, but that you exercise, period! Sure, some will argue that one should take advantage of periods of the day when testosterone and growth hormone levels are higher such as in the early morning (e.g., 7am). But how many of you who are not "morning" people would be motivated enough to go out and exercise when still half asleep? My guess is probably not many. Just getting to the gym or track or the great outdoors and performing some type of physical activity is the important thing. But you're not likely to get going unless the time is convenient for you to go do it. So, go ahead and workout at 6am, at noon, or even at midnight. It really doesn't matter what time you exercise--just do it! Enough said.
In order to put on lean body mass (e.g., muscle mass) you need to ensure your testosterone and growth hormone levels are optimal. You can push heavy weights ad nauseam but it will, for the most part, be wasted effort unless your hormone levels are at optimal levels. Here are some tips to follow and abide by in order to allow your body to be in the most anabolic state to put on muscle mass:- Perform compound exercises (i.e., multi-joint movements)
Examples include barbell squats, deadlifts, barbell rows, shoulder military presses and bench presses. These exercises promote a surge of testosterone and growth hormone release and therefore are highly anabolic in nature. That is, exercises like squats really promote muscular growth to occur.- Perform each set to near failure
"Listen" to your body and do as many reps as you possibly can with a weight that causes fatigue between 8 to 12 repetitions. That burning sensation you feel is the trigger mechanism to release more testosterone and growth hormone throughout your body. You can count reps to track your progress relative to your rep range goal but don't stop the exercise just because you've reached the high number in the range (e.g., 12 reps). Keep going! You need to strive to perform as many reps as you can so as to shock your muscles into getting stronger and larger. If you're not doing leg exercises, particularly compound leg exercises (e.g., squats and stiff-leg deadlifts), you're wrong. Leg training encourages more testosterone and growth hormone release which facilitates more muscle mass gain. Enough said. Be sure to note what time you begin your workouts so that you can track your workout durations. You should not spend more than 1.5 hours in the gym doing weight training plus cardio. Try to get your weight training done within one hour and then do some cardio (e.g., stairstepper, treadmill, bike, rower, etc.). The weight training portion of your workout should consist of no more than 3 sets per exercise. The cardio portion of your workout does not have to be a marathon session and can be abbreviated down to 30 minutes or less by doing interval training. You can burn just as much or even more calories by alternating high- and low-intensities (e.g., 10 METS for 1 minute alternating with 7 METS for 2 minutes). Weight training and cardio frequency should be limited to no more than 4 days per week. You should track the parameters (e.g., sets, reps, loads, rest periods) of each and every workout in order to periodically increase the intensity of each training session (e.g., boost the loading or increase the reps). This is how progression is accomplished. The discipline needed to do this will pay off in the end as your body will respond favorably to the increased stresses you place upon it by getting stronger and more muscular. EFAs are essential fatty acids found in animal products (e.g., fish, chicken, eggs, dairy products), vegetables (e.g., avocados, sweet potatoes), nuts (e.g., walnuts, almonds, peanuts), and unsaturated oils (e.g., fish, canola, soybean, vegetable oils). EFAs are needed in your diet to regulate your steroid hormone levels (e.g., testosterone) and transport fat-soluble vitamins (e.g., A, D, E, K).- Restrict alcohol consumption
More than moderate daily intake of alcohol (i.e., greater than two 6 oz glasses of wine for men and one 6 oz glass of wine for women) can actually decrease testosterone levels and may even promote the release of estrogen--not an ideal scenario for putting on muscle mass. You should strive to get at least 7 hours or more of sleep per night. Steroid hormone levels (e.g., testosterone and growth hormone) are most elevated in the mornings in conjunction with a good, restful night's sleep. These hormones are essential for muscle recovery to take place. In addition, you need to get enough sleep to keep you mentally sharp in the gym so you can be totally focused on your workout. Remember, you tear down your muscles inside the gym with heavy, intense training but your muscles grow outside the gym with good nutrition: In order to gain muscle mass (e.g., one pound per week) it is absolutely necessary to increase your daily food intake each and every week to get in enough calories to grow. The easiest way to begin doing this is to simply increase portion sizes for the foods you currently eat. It is better to gradually increase caloric intake to allow the body to adjust accordingly. Eventually you will need to introduce new foods into your diet in order to further increase your caloric intake. How much: The recommendation varies from 15 to 18 calories per pound bodyweight. To ensure you're eating enough calories be sure to eat about every 3 hours. Doing this will maintain your blood sugar levels as well as stoke your metabolic rate so that your body does not go into "starvation" mode--hoarding whatever calories it gets and storing them as fat! Instead, by eating regularly throughout the day, you will be "feeding" your hungry muscles. The building blocks of muscle tissue consist of amino acids found in protein. These molecules are essential to enhance muscle growth while reducing catabolism (i.e., this process shortens recovery time). Examples of high-quality protein foods include eggs, lean chicken and turkey, fish, and cottage cheese.How much: The recommendation varies from 1.5 to 2 g per pound bodyweight. Muscles store carbs in the form of glycogen, the primary fuel source during workouts. Getting enough glycogen stored into the muscle tissue is essential to allow water to be pulled into your muscle tissue, enhancing membrane stretching and muscle growth. Examples of high-quality carb foods include oatmeal, blueberries, bananas, broccoli, spinach, sweet potatoes, and brown rice.How much: The recommendation varies from 2.5 to 3 g per pound bodyweight. You should eat mostly unsaturated fats (e.g., seafood, nuts, peanut butter, olive oil) and some saturated fats (e.g., chicken, eggs, dairy products). The unsaturated fats enhance muscle and joint recovery while the saturated fats keep your testosterone levels elevated to enhance muscle growth. Examples of high-quality fats include olive oil, fish oil, nuts, and avocados.How much: The recommendation is 0.5 g per pound of bodyweight. The recommended macronutrient ratio of carbs: protein: fats to gain muscle mass is 65: 25: 10. Thus, 65% of your caloric intake should be carbs, 25% caloric intake should be protein, and 10% caloric intake should be fats. You should begin adding supplements to your diet only after you have managed your macronutrient intake. Start with a good comprehensive multivitamin/multimineral and a high-quality whey protein powder. Additional supplements to be added include creatine powder, branamino acids (BCAAs), glutamine powder, and ch-chain fish oil.
Breathing is one of the body's most fundamental functions and yet most people fail to breathe properly. Why is this the case? Because when we feel stress it's natural to breathe more shallowly from our chest. This is the body's physiological reaction to stress associated with the "fight-or-flight" response. Short, shallow breathing reduces oxygenation and increases carbon dioxide levels, which in turn increases the acidity within the bloodstream. The body reacts to this scenario by releasing the stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenalin. To break this cycle of shallow breathing, it is necessary to consciously take deep breaths to help relax your body. In other words, relearning how to breathe properly to reduce stress and anxiety is needed to feel more healthy and at ease. Breathing in this manner improves mental concentration, focus and athletic performance because more oxygen gets to the brain. When it comes to exercise, many people hold their breath during the most strenuous portion of a movement. This is actually a recommended technique for powerlifters who strive to lift or press extremely heavy weight. The technique is often referred as the Valsalva Maneuver in which one inhales, holds the breath, and then forcibly exhales with a closed mouth (straining) during the most challenging part of an exercise in order to exert more force. The benefit of performing the Valsalva Maneuver is the increased ability to push/pull heavier loads compared to a continuous breathing pattern due to the bracing or splinting effect on the spine. In this way, injury is less likely to occur. Nevertheless, there are some risks in utilizing this technique:- Impedes venous blood return to the heart
- Sudden increase in blood pressure and heart rate
- Sudden rapid increase in pulse rate
- Dizziness or faintness if breath is held more than ten seconds
- Increased risk of stroke
- Burst blood vessel damage
The Valsalva Maneuver may be a good technique to use for those few people who pull/press very heavy weight (e.g., 90-100% 1-RM) but this does not apply for most people who perform resistance training. Thus, the benefit of holding one's breath while lifting is minimal for the average weight trainer. Instead, most people who train in the gym should practice deep, controlled breathing while exercising. Here's the recommended breathing technique for most people while exercising:- When performing a pressing exercise (e.g., bench press, shoulder press, leg press, squat, etc.):
- Initially inhale, then
- Exhale during the pressing movement
- When performing a pulling exercise (e.g., barbell row, dumbbell arm curl, leg curl, deadlift, etc.):
- Initially exhale, then
- Inhale during the pulling movement
Nothing complicated. It's as simple as that. Remember to breathe this way and eventually you will instinctively breathe in a manner that will allow you to press and pull heavier weights than you can imagine!
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