There are a few things that need to happen in order to produce muscle growth. You need to use significant load when lifting weights Enough time under tension to create structural damage to the muscle tissue Enough stimuli to up-regulate anabolic hormones and increase protein synthesis Proper recovery and workout nutrition Many people often think that if they lift as heavy as possible, or use as much volume (sets and reps) as possible they will […]
There are a few things that need to happen in order to produce muscle growth. You need to use significant load when lifting weights Enough time under tension to create structural damage to the muscle tissue Enough stimuli to up-regulate anabolic hormones and increase protein synthesis Proper recovery and workout nutrition Many people often think that if they lift as heavy as possible, or use as much volume (sets and reps) as possible they will […]
There are a few things that need to happen in order to produce muscle growth. You need to use significant load when lifting weights Enough time under tension to create structural damage to the muscle tissue Enough stimuli to up-regulate anabolic hormones and increase protein synthesis Proper recovery and workout nutrition Workout #1 When I think of athletes with huge quads, I think of Olympic lifters. They perform a ton of fronts, heavy. So […]
During the last several years, the loaded carry (most notable the farmers carry) has exploded on the scene. Everyone from bodybuilders to Cross fitters has started to include various loaded carries into their routines and for a good reason. A loaded carry is where an athlete picks up and carries a heavy object and walks with it for an extended period of time or distance. This can be done with various objects, such as dumbbells, […]
The longer that I am in the lifting game, the more I look to be more efficient with my workouts. In a perfect world, I would write programs for my clients and myself that would include the following: Soft tissue works with various foam rollers and massage balls Corrective exercises to improve any dysfunctions Mobility work Stretching Groundwork (rolling, crawling, Get-ups, etc.) Nervous system development/power work (med ball throws and plyos) Strength training Conditioning/cardiovascular work […]
The best way to build muscle is to perform full-body strength training sessions frequently throughout the week. The combo of lower and upper-body movement that involves multiple muscle groups done in a circuit fashion stimulates anabolic hormones and protein synthesis which are two of the major players at stimulating muscle growth. Performing multiple full-body strength routines must be done correctly in order to produce results. Hitting each muscle group 3 to 4 days per week […]
Power training is a vital piece of the functional training puzzle for both competitive athletes & general population clients. Progressive exposure to high-velocity movements trains the nervous system to recruit high-threshold motor units, reflexively stabilize joints and develop the local tissue resiliency necessary to withstand the demands of high-velocity sports, making it a valuable tool for both performance enhancement and injury reduction. Throwing low/moderate weight medicine balls with intent and at high velocity promotes the […]
In 2017, I wrote a Complete Programming Guide For Small Group and Large Group Personal Training Since then, there has been over 100 of our intern at State of Fitness that have read the manual. Each semester, our interns are required to turn in a detailed summary of what they learned from the manual. One of our amazing interns, Maryam Abbasi, has written a fantastic summary I wanted to share. You can click io the […]
Real Workouts. Real Eating. Real life.
There is no question that it takes time, effort, and most importantly, consistency to get in shape. I’m not into shortcuts and applaud those who look at fitness as a lifelong journey, not a 6-week workout program to fulfill a fitness dream. But I do agree that there are times to ramp it up.
First of all, it’s not possible to make a lot of body composition changes in one week, but if you give yourself 4-8 weeks, you can make some great progress in the fat loss department. Also, with nutrition and sleep dialed into at least 80% solid, adding a little “extra” at the end of your workout can create a nice metabolic hit.
Case in point: the most recent HIIT study out of Australia reported that a group of women who followed a 12-minute HIIT program consisting of eight-second sprints followed by 12 seconds of rest, lost six times more body fat than a group that followed a 40-minute steady-state cardio program performed at 60 percent MHR.
My favorite way to do this is to combine a cardiovascular-based exercise with a full-body strength training exercise. Anywhere from 4-12 minutes, as straight up sprints can be too hard on the body. To make up for it, combining exercises is the best way to mimic this. Anything less seems to be not enough. Anything more, pending intensity, will not be as productive on the form and effort side. Not to mention safety, depending on the movement.
The following are two of my favorites. I recommend doing just one of these after your traditional workout up to 3-4 times a week, alternating each finisher for each workout.
Finisher 1
Metabolic countdown – Rower and Dumbbell Squat, curl, push press
First, perform 20 calorie sprint on the rower
Then, perform 20 Dumbbell squat, curl, push-press.
Note: use a weight where you can perform at least 20-30 reps depending on your fitness level. Start easy and build up as needed. This is not done for strength but more for metabolic.
Reduce the number of calories and reps by 4. This will make it 16 calories for the rower and 16 reps for the squat, curl, and push press.
Then do 12, then 8, then and 4, then done.
Record your time and look to improve that time each workout.
Finisher 2- cycle, swing, and squat against the clock
Set the clock for 8-minutes
First, a 1/5 mile bike sprint.
Then, get off the bike and perform 10 kettlebell swings.
Next, perform 5 goblet squats
Repeat this for as many rounds as possible for the 8-minutes.
Finally, record the number of rounds and reps you get and try to improve that number each workout.
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