Running form!

After you have managed to get of your couch and you started to hit the streets running, it’s time to talk about good running form.

1.       While you run your arms and shoulder should be relaxed. Don’t lift your shoulders!

2.       Your arms should be at a 90⁰ angle. If you keep them at a higher angle (further away from your chest) it will be harder to run. If you keep them at a lower angle (closer to your chest) there is an increased risk of cramps.

3.       If at any time you feel like your shoulders or arms start to hurt, just let go of all tension in them and let them hang loose for a few seconds to a minute. That will help you with any uncomfortable pain.

4.       Keep your elbows close to your body. You are not a chicken and flailing your arms will not enable you to fly.

5.       Lean forward a bit. Don’t do it too much tho, a simple 4^o lean will do wonders for your form.

6.       As your foot hits the ground try to land on the balls of your feet and not on your heels. Studies suggest that there are less injuries with people who land on the balls of their feet.

7.       Do NOT force a long stride! A forced stride doesn’t help with speed or efficiency. It does however increase the chance of an injury.

Until next time, stay strong and be kind!

EPOC?

For the last couple of days I have been receiving mails and messages from my former clients about what exactly is excess post-exercise oxygen consumption. Now believe me, I have been over this subject with every single one of them, it’s just that they have forgotten all about it. Maybe because I didn’t call it EPOC but AFERBURN!

Our bodies don’t burn calories only while training. They burn them every single second of our lives to provide sufficient energy for growth, recovery and increased activity. Let’s say that I go for a medium intensity workout like a medium challenge TRX workout at the local gym. In those 45 minutes I burn roughly 450-500 calories, and my heart rate is pretty much constant during the whole workout. Considering this wasn’t a rough exercise for me, my heart rate went down to its normal pace relatively soon after the workout has ended.

Now on the other hand let’s say that I go for a high intensity TRX workout with my trainer Peter Bele from the Sportclub welness center in the faculty of sports in Ljubljana. My heart rate will be high most of the time and during the workout I will burn around 550-600. And that isn’t all! After an intense workout like that the body increases its metabolism to repair itself and to refuel. Some studies suggest that a high intensity workout can increase the metabolism up to 15% for a few hours, resulting in even more calories burned.

So tell me, what type of exercise would you like to do? A medium or a high intensity workout?

Until next time, stay strong and be kind!

Running tips for beginners

The summer is finally over and runners, casual and recreational alike, have awoken from their heat slumber. The streets are jam packed with runners and everyone is trying to get their hour of recreation, peace and solitude. If you want to be one of them, you can. Just make sure that you follow these few tips:

1.       If this is your first time being active or if you are recovering from an injury you definitely should consult with your doctor if you are able to endure medium or any physical activity.

2.       Start slow. There is no need for you to push yourself to the maximum right of the bat. For a start walk for 45 to 60 about 4 or 5 times a week.

3.       Good gear is essential, no matter if you are walking or running. Invest in some good shoes that will fit your feet. And no, the shoes you have had for the last 3 years are not considered as good running shoes.

4.       Plan your track. You’ll find it that setting a goal like that can be a great source of inspiration.

5.       Start with a 5 to 10 minute dynamic stretch warm-up routine. NEVER run if you have not done your warm-up first. That is like begging for an injury! Youtube dynamic stretching if you don’t know how to do it yourself.

6.       Start with a 10 minute walk, followed by a couple of minutes (5 to 10) of easy running and end with another 10 minute walk

7.       Finish with a 5 to 10 minute static stretch routine. Continue steps 5 to 7 until you can perform a 30 minute, medium intensity run.

Until next time, stay strong and be kind!

The skinny on HIIT.

If you think, that cardio is extremely easy and that it is nothing more than a leisurely jog in the park, then I have some major news for you. Sure, you can burn a lot of calories just by jogging, but what if I told you, that you can burn even more calories (and burn more fat) during that time. We call it the HIIT or High Intensity Interval Training. It’s simple, but definitely not easy. On the positive side, HIIT can really help you improve your fitness and it definitely beats the monotony out of running.

Now again, HIIT stands on a simple concept, but it is anything but easy. It is a very physically demanding form of exercising and is not meant for everyone. If you have heart problems or any concerns about your health, you should first consult your doctor before doing this kind of training.

HIIT is a training method that involves short intervals of maximum intensity and long intervals of moderate (or we could call it recovery intensity). As you might have guessed it, HIIT trains both the aerobic and anaerobic energy systems. Because it rapidly increases your heart rate during the short intervals of high energy. It also increases the amount of total energy used during a training session and it creates the so called afterburn (a metabolic state after a workout in which the body burns more calories).

Let me give you a few tips if you are just starting to explore this method of training.

Like I’ve said before, HIIT is not for everyone. You should already be trained enough so that you can do at least 30 minutes (40 is preferred) of medium intensity exercise (about70 – 80% of your max heart rate).

Like always, start with a warm up and end with a cool down. After the warm up you should start with the medium intensity phase (around 70% of your max heart rate) for 4.5 minutes, followed by 30s of high intensity exercise. Repeat the cycle of medium/high intensity 3 times and. This should be enough for the first week (with the warm up and cool down it you will have done 25 minutes of cardio).

Over the course of next two weeks increase the number of cycles by one. On the fourth week you should be trained enough to increase the duration of the high intensity interval by 30 seconds. Of course you should also lower the duration of the high interval to 4 minutes. Don’t increase the number of cycles this week (you can even take one out if you think you can’t manage the whole routine).

So in short, you can increase the number of cycles, the duration of the max intensity interval or both if you wish.

Like with all things, HIIT should be balanced out with your usual cardio. So 2 cardio training session and 2 HIIT training sessions per week are the best balance (the ratio is the same if you are training 6 times per week).

Until next time, stay strong and be kind!

Aerobic training for specific needs

We already know that regular aerobic training brings us many great advantages, but to reap the best benefits, we must first know what we are training for.

Training for optimal physical health

The Surgeon General of America recommends regular moderate activity of 150 calories per day or 1000 calories per week. The American College of Sports Medicine suggests 50 more calories per day which adds up to 200 calories per day. Other authorities suggest a weekly activity of 1500-2000 calories.

Training for fat loss

The USDA recommends 60 to 90 minutes of daily moderate physical activity. Some studies suggest 30 to 45 minutes, but for optimal weight loss or weight management, you really can’t go wrong if you do your own calculations and just stick to those numbers.

Training for cardiovascular fitness

For best results a varied heart rate between 55 and 90% is recommended. I know this is a realy rough number, but if you want to get the maximum out of your workouts then I would suggest you would do a high intensity interval training of 4 minutes and 30 seconds at around 60-70% of the maximum heart rate, followed with a 30 second, high intensity interval. As you get better then you can shorten the time between high intensity intervals to one minute or even 30 seconds.

Training for sports performance

The best exercise for a specific sport is the sport itself. Any additional exercises, if not planed or executed correctly, pose a great risk of interfering with your sport performance. For instance, a runner would do better if he has a good training planed, but would actually do worse in races if he over trained his muscles. Periodization can be applied for long distance sports like marathon training or triathlon training. Look at the picture at the beginning of this post and tell me which one is the sprinter and wich one the marathon runner.

Until next time stay strong and be kind. 

Aerobic exercise - Tips

As you know regular cardio exercising brings a whole array of positive things from reducing your weight, preventing diabetes, reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, it boosts your immunity, reduces stress and it can really lift your spirits when you’re down. It’s kind of like a magic pill filled with health. Unlike strength training, that most of us can only picture doing in a gym, cardio exercise can be done by anyone anywhere. I’ve compiled a list of 10 tips to help you start and stick to whatever suits you best.

1)      There is more to cardio exercise than just running and cycling. There is virtually an unlimited number of options for you to chose from. Finding the right one for you might seem a bit tedious at times, but once you have found it, you have a partner for life. At the gym you can chose from elliptical trainers, stationary bikes, rowing machines, treadmills, stair steppers, circuit training or even some interval training or plyometrics during your strength training. Why not join a zumba course, bootcamp, aerobics or a martial arts class? Some people find it easier and more motivating to work out in a group instead of doing it themselves. And even if you are not an “indoors” type of person you can always go out for a walk, jog or run. You can cycle, rollerblade, swim or do about anything.

2)      Have some good equipment. Proper shoes are a must for almost anyone. Find the right pair that will keep your foot stable and in place.

3)      Start small. Don’t push yourself too hard in the beginning. If you can, do a 30 minute jog with 5 1 minute running intervals.

4)      If you plan to join the gym, don’t be afraid of the more experienced people there. 95% won’t be mean and almost everyone will lend a helping hand should you need one. Don’t forget, everyone started somewhere.

5)      Not big on the outdoors? Or being in the room filled with sweaty people? Try out some work out DVDs. They are really cheap and will last you a lifetime.

6)      Invest in some new music. Research has shown that the right kind of music for you can help your performance, making you go longer and faster.

7)      Make it social and not a chore. You would be surprised at what some good company can do for you. And I’m not talking just about the social aspect. A partner can motivate you on the days when your performance is lacking.

8)      Switch your routine up. Everyone gets bored of repeating the same thing over and over again. Try something new and exciting.

9)      Get plenty of sleep. 6 to 8 hours per night are best. A well rested body is a regenerated body. If you don’t sleep enough, your performance will suffer, you will be cranky and you will probably overeat due to the hunger hormone – grelin.

10)   Drink plenty of water. Enough said!

Until next time, stay strong and be kind.

Picture taken from: http://tiny.cc/j0c2hw

Aerobic exercise guidelines

Now that you've decided to change your life, wether to lose weight, get a leaner physique or to be healthier, aerobic exercise is a must when it comes to reaching those goals. Wether you are a novice or a competitive athlete you need to know how to train. This is why I have compiled a few short tips on how to get you started.

Stretching is something we usualy start with. DON'T DO IT RIGHT AWAY! Stretching a cold muscle is like stretching a rubber band. If the rubber is cold it will stretch only a little and then snap, but if you preheat it in your hands, then it can stretch a bit more. The same goes for muscles. Stretching a cold muscle is like begging for an injury!

Instead do a light warmup on the stationary bicycle (just a sugegstion) for 5 to 10 minutes before stretching, and don't forget to do a light cooldown and stretch your muscles after the workout to minimize muscle soreness and to prevent muscle injury.

Frequency and duration are an issue for most people. Every time we go to see our doctors they instruct us to be active for 3 – 5 times per week for 30 minutes and that will help us to lose weight. In my 26 years, this is the only advice that I got from doctors regarding disease pervention. Don't get me wrong, being a doctor is a fine profession, but they don't know a lot about pervention.

Being active 30 minutes for 3 – 5 times per week is a good start and will definitly get you some results, but it will take you a very long time to lose weight or get lean. You need to know what your goals are. In my experience it is best to exercise (and not just to be active) 5 – 6 times per week for AT LEAST 20 minutes if you want to lose body fat (45 minutes or more is best). Keep in mind that the seventh day is not ment for you to just relax on your couch. Be active, play with your kids, take the dog out for a walk or join a hiking group. You also need to be mindful, that you aren't creating too much of a calorie deficit. If you are preparing for a marathon then you need to eat as many calories as you burn, so that you you have enough energy to continue training.

Intensity is key! I always tell my clients that if they ca neven think of reading a magazine, while training on the eliptical or any other cardio machine, then they aren't working hard enough. You have two options to monitor this. You can monitor your hear rate with a heart rate monitor so that it is in the targeted zone of 60 – 85% of your maximum heart rate (low intensity > 60 – 70%, moderate intensity > 70 – 80%, high intensity > 80 – 85%).

Another way is to do the talk test. Your workout should be so intense that you can breathe deeply and that you can still finish one sentence. If you can't even talk, then you are training too hard and if you can talk normaly then you aren't working out at all.

Switching up your routine is extremly important. If you train for a longer period of time then your body will adapt to the exercise. This will result in a lower calorie expenditure andd a slower fat loss. The rule of thumb is to shake up your routine every 1 or 2 weeks. So let's say that you started jogging and after 2 weeks of that you take up cycling. 2 weeks into that you can do the eliptical, swimming, rowing machine, walking… Whatever you like.

Again, let me warn you, that if you are training for a marathon or another sport, you need to follow the program that your personal trainer told you to do.

Drink plenty of water so that you dont dehydrate. A well hydrated body can do a lot more than a dehydrated one. If your sweeat doesn't taste salty then you can always drink something with electrolytes in it like coconut water. Just be sure to avoid sports drinks that are loaded with artificial colors, sweetners and sugars (those things are usualy loadded with sugar).

If you are someone who is just starting to get into this whole regime of exercise, the safest wayy for you to do so is to just walk. A lot.

Until next time, stay strong and be kind.

Picture taken from: http://tiny.cc/s291hw

References

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/fitness/Pages/physical-activity-guidelines-for-adults.aspx

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/aerobic-exercise/EP00002/

Aerobic fitness

I can still remember the first time that I went running. Imagine a 120kg person, who has been a smoker for 7 years and in his 21 years the biggest part of his physical activity was moving from the bed to the couch and on rare occasions to go to the bathroom. Well, needless to say I managed to run for about 5 minutes and during the time I felt like I was going to cough up a lunge and that my heart was going to jump out of my chest. And the next few days, my legs were so sore I could hardly stand, yet alone walk. Thankfully my body has adapted to running and I’m now able to do a 15km run for 6 days per week.

Last week I told you all about how our bodies adapt to cardiorespiratory exercises. Let’s not forget, that any physical activity is considered as stress, as far as our bodies are concerned.

Let me recap what I already told you:

The benefits that enhancing your cardiovascular fitness level will bring:

-          It lowers your heart rate and it lowers your blood pressure,

-          In increases the size of your heart and improves your cardiac output,

-          It increases the number of capillaries in muscles and tissues like lunges,

-          It increases energy production in muscle cells,

-          It gives you more energy in your daily life.

Now, there are a few things that I want to add to this list.

Our bodies have two major energy systems. One is called aerobic (with oxygen) and the other anaerobic (without oxygen), the first one produces and uses adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and the other one uses it. ATP is an energy dense molecule and is an energy source for our body, just like gasoline is an energy source for cars. The dividing line between both systems is a really thorny issue with fitness experts. Some claim, that you only need to work up to 50% of your maximum effort, before you switch from aerobic to the anaerobic cycle, while others claim, that the bar can be raised as high as 85%. But it is generally believed, that an untrained individual has an anaerobic threshold of 55% and a trained one at 85-90%.

Maximum effort is nothing more than max heart rate, and can easily be calculated with the following formula; MAX HR = 220 – AGE. Of course, this is not the only way to determine your max heart rate. This site has a calculator, where you can do the math yourself, if interested. 

Advising people, where their heart rate should be is a tricky thing, because you need to keep in mind the clients goals, their physical fitness, age and sex. The max heart rate for an occasional male jogger and that of a female bodybuilder are completely different and need to be adjusted to their needs.

So, while you are training in the aerobic zone, most of the energy comes from blood and muscle glucose and after that from the fatty acids stored in the adipose tissue (fat cells) that are metabolized in the presence of oxygen. The body produces water and carbon dioxide, both very easy for the body to get rid of. This type of metabolism is active while you are walking, jogging, running, swimming, cycling or doing some other form of a low intensity exercise. Sure, after training you will be a bit sore and tired, but if you continue with your training on a regular basis, your body will adapt to it, and the pain will be gone. Aerobic training does not leave the muscle tired and sore and it will increase the capacity of the aerobic system.

Don’t forget, this metabolic pathway is only active, when there is enough oxygen!

And what are the other great advantages you get with doing aerobic exercises?

It reduces body fat, helps you to control weight, decreases total cholesterol and increases HDL (good) cholesterol, increases maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max), Increased threshold for muscle fatigue and it makes you feel good with all of the chemicals that are releasing in your brain.

So, this was just a brief explanation on how the aerobic system works. Next time I’ll give you tips on how to start if you’re just a beginner or how to improve your anaerobic fitness level, if you already are a trained individual.

Until next time, keep strong and be kind.

Picture taken from: http://tiny.cc/qrvmhw

How to determine your daily calorie needs #3

Let’s review everything I’ve told you up until now.

We have a female teacher, who is 30 year old, 156cm tall and weighs 70kg. Her BMI is 28.76 and her BMR and AMR are 1476.8 and 1772.16 kcal respectively.

To lose 9 kg of body fat she needs to create a calorie deficit of 69300 kcal during her weight loss journey, with as little loss to the lean body mass as possible. If she creates a 500 kcal deficit every day, she will lose the weight in 138.6 days or roughly 5 months. But if she creates a deficit of 750 calories she will achieve her goal in 92.4 days or roughly 3 months.

But how can she create a calorie deficit? Think of calories as a currency. You have 1400 calories you can spend each day. If you spend more than that, you’ll be in a calorie debt to your body (you’ll fain fat) and if you manage to save a few calories, the bank (your body) will reward you with interest in the form of a slimmer and a healthier body.

For that she has 3 options and all three of them are very specific.

1.       Reduce her calorie intake

2.       Increase her physical activity

3.       Reduce her calorie intake and increase her physical activity

Let’s look at how to reduce your calorie intake.

You can reduce it simply by knowing how much energy your body needs during the day with your basal metabolic rate (BMR) and active metabolic rate (AMR).

If you don’t move around the whole day and just stay in bed, you need to consume the exact amount of calories as your body burns to keep your weight the same. If you consume more than you need, you will gain weight, but if you consume any less, your metabolism will start to slow down and your body will be in a state of shock. This happens with most people on diets. In this case the body shuts down and stores every calorie that it can get, because the metabolism switches to “survival mode”.

If our teacher eats 1476.8 calories she won’t gain weight, if she has more, she’ll gain weight in the form of fat. And if she has, let’s say, 1000 or even less calories, her whole metabolism will slow down and go into “survival mode”

[IMPORTANT NOTE: The lowest calorie allowance I would even dare to put a client is 1600 for men and 1200 for women. Still, this is done only for a short period of time and for clients that have a lot of weight to lose.]

If she is active that day, her calorie allowance is 1772.16 calories. If she eats more than that, she will gain weight. If she eats that exact amount she’ll stay the same and if she eats less than that, she’ll lose weight.

Simple isn’t it.

Onto the other option. What should her calories be, if she decides to move more during her day and decides to burn 500 extra calories with jogging?

In this case if she eats the same amount of calories as her AMR every day she will definitely lose weight on the days when she is running, because she has created a 500 calorie deficit.

And if she decides to watch what she is eating and is physically active with jogging and a bit of weightlifting?

In that case we add those 500 extra calories burned to her AMR (2272.16) and we get her modified AMR during the days when she works out. The same rule applies here, if she wants to lose weight, she needs to create a calorie deficit. If she wants to maintain her weight she needs to eat exactly that amount and if she wants to gain weight, she needs to eat a lot more.

But this option is the best and you know why? A part of her calorie intake goes to muscle repair and it also helps to build her muscle, which increases her lean body mass while decreasing her fat body mass (but only if she is doing some anaerobic training).

This last part is a bit trickier for people with about 5kg or less to lose, but for people with a lot of kg, regular physical activity combined with good diet is a way to go.

Until next time, stay strong and be kind. 

Picture taken from: http://tiny.cc/pgcnhw