NV PERSONAL TRAINING BLOG

Spring is here!

It is starting to warm up here in New England. The birds are chirping, the grass is turning green and the flowers are blooming. There is no better feeling then the sunshine on your face and wind through your hair. We are starting to say “goodbye” to winter and “Hello” to outdoor workouts.

Break up your old gym routine by getting outside for a few of your workouts during the week. Many feel that running is the only outdoor fitness option but this is certainly not the case. There are so many alternatives! I’ll help out by listing a few:

• Walking – fast pace walking can more affective than an easy jog
• Biking – get outside with your bike! Tackle really hills and sprint down those flat stretches of road.
• Sprints – we here at NV LOVE sprints. These should be included at least once a week in everyone’s workout routine. You’re tushy will thank you!
• Functional Workouts – create your own boot camp style workout. Take 5 exercises that can be performed outdoors and create a giant superset. Go trough the whole thing 4-5 times with little rest in between.
• Rollerblading – not only is this fun bet it is also a great cardiovascular workout. This is something the whole family can do together.

These are just a FEW options to try out. Experiment and see what works for you. As always variety is the key. Keep changing it up and your body will keep changing!

FYI-Now that the weather is getting nicer, NV small group training classes are starting to take it outside. Stop in and try one out!

*Please remember to get medical clearance from your doctor before performing any new or strenuous workouts. Be safe!

Annie T.

HIIT Training

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is an enhanced form of interval training. It means doing a number of shorts bursts of intense exercise with a short recovery break in between. Studies have proven that HIIT is a time efficient but safe alternative to traditional types of moderate long term exercise. If in this case it is possible to get more by doing less. This form of intense workout improves glucose metabolism and fat burning. One study at McMaster University in Canada demonstrated that 2.5 hours of sprint interval training produces similar biochemical muscle changes to 10.5 hours of endurance training. HIIT increases the resting metabolic rate for the following 24 hours due to excess post-exercise oxygen consumption and has been shown to burn fat more effectively then long aerobic workouts.

HIIT workouts should last about 15-20 minutes and should always include a warm-up before and cool-down after the workout. The high intensity exercise should be done at near maximum intensity. If you can do HIIT for more than 20 minutes then you are not doing it properly. It is a 2:1 ration of work to recovery – for example – 20 seconds of all out sprints with 10 seconds of walking. Tabata is a popular style of HIIT training which includes 20 seconds of intense exercise followed by 10 seconds of rest, repeated continuously for 8 rounds.

Bottom line is 20 minutes of HIIT training 3 days a week is going to give you better results then conventional cardio methods. This will get your metabolism revving and blast that fat away. Don’t you get bored running on a treadmill for an hour? Well so does your body… so switch it up! As always make sure you are cleared by a doctor to perform high intensity workouts without medical supervision.

Want that perfect tummy? Of course you do, everyone does. Can you name any of the abdominal muscles and locate them on the human body? Most people can’t. The “abs” aren’t one big muscle. They are made up of four main muscles that all have their own function in the movement of the human body. Here’s a little anatomy lesson so you can focus on those muscle more effectively and get the most out of your ab workout.

The Rectus Abdominus is the most recognized ab muscle because it makes up the “6 pack”. This muscle runs straight down the stomach and attaches the ribs in the direction of the pelvis. It is engaged while performing crunches, sit ups and any other exercise that the vertebrae bends forward against resistance. It also stabilizes the pelvis and the lower back.

The External Oblique is located on both sides of your waist. This muscle goes diagonally from the back of your lower ribs down to your pelvis. The external obliques work on both sides to help your spine bend forward. Any type of twisting, rotation or side-bending will emphasize the obliques.

The Internal Oblique is located underneath the external oblique on both sides of the body. It goes diagonally from the pelvis up to the lower ribs. The internal obliques are mainly for stability since they are deeper and closer to the spine. Side planks are an excellent exercise to target the internal oblique.

The Transversus Abdominus (transverse abdominis) is probably one of the most significant muscles and most people don’t even know it exists. Sometimes it is referred to as your natural corset because it keeps your stomach pulled in. The transverse abdominis works across the abdomen and is the deepest of all the ab muscles. It is the major abdominal stabilizer because it is so close to the spine. The only function of the transverse abdominis is to stabilize the vertebrae and stop it from moving. The muscle is engaged during every movement but more so when you pull your belly button towards your spin. Planks are an excellent exercise to target this muscle.

In order to get a fully effective ab workout you will need to incorporate a few different exercises to engage all the different abdominal muscles. Get off that ab machine! Talk to one of the NV trainers to help you put a plan together to get that sexy stomach.

Annie Taverna

You workout like an animal. You push yourself to the limit. You always strive for one more rep, one more sprint, one more set, just one more… but do you take a rest day? Are you sure you aren’t overtraining?

Overtraining is defined as a physical, behavioral, and emotional condition that occurs when the volume and intensity of an individual’s exercise exceeds their recovery capacity. There is a fine line between working out hard and overdoing it. The body needs rest after exercise in order for improvements in fitness and strength to occur. Without a proper rest period, complete regeneration cannot occur. If this continues than the individual’s performance will plateau and decline. Several days of rest or mild activity will be needed in order to fully restore an athlete’s fitness level.

Exercise can be addicting. Physical exercise stimulates the pituitary gland to release endorphins (endogenous morphine) and they resemble the opiates in their ability to make us “feel good”. Not only do we feel good when we exercise but psychologically we feel like we have accomplished something and are one step closer to getting the physique we want. Rest days can be hard because we feel like we are being lazy and wasting time. We all set goals for ourselves and work as hard as we can to achieve them. This isn’t a bad thing BUT just like everything else we have to use moderation.

Here are some symptoms of overtraining syndrome:

• Washed-out feeling, tired, drained, lack of energy
• Mild leg soreness, general aches and pains
• Pain in muscles and joints
• Sudden drop in performance
• Insomnia
• Headaches
• Decreased immunity (increased number of colds, and sore throats)
• Decrease in training capacity / intensity
• Moodiness and irritability
• Depression
• Loss of enthusiasm for the sport
• Decreased appetite
• Increased incidence of injuries.
• A compulsive need to exercise

Schedule rest days into your workout schedule. Your body NEEDS that rest to recover. It is just as important as your workouts. If you think you are overtraining then take 4-7 rest days – little to no activity. You will be amazed at the changes you will see once you start up again. As we always say — LISTEN TO YOUR BODY

Annie Taverna

When we workout we tend to think only about how to improve our physical appearance. Resistance training not only makes us look good but it strengthens our skeletal system as well.

If that doesn’t sound very important to you then think again.

Like muscle, bone is living tissue that responds to exercise by becoming stronger. Young women and men who exercise regularly generally achieve greater bone density and strength than those who do not. In most cases, bone mass peaks during the mid ‘20s and after that time we begin to lose bone. Regular exercise, including weight lifting, can help prevent bone loss. Resistance training allows us to maintain muscle strength, coordination, and balance. This in turn helps to prevent falls and related fractures later on in life.

According to the international osteoporosis foundation 1 in 3 women over 50 will experience osteoporotic fractures, as will 1 in 5 men. Hip fractures are invariably associated with chronic pain, reduced mobility, disability, and an increasing degree of dependence. After sustaining a hip fracture 10-20% of patients require long term nursing care, with the rate of nursing home admission rising with age.

For all you cardio queens (and kings) out there, do yourself a favor and get your butt over to the weight section of the gym. Schedule a session with a trainer so you can learn some exercises and proper form. Trust me it will be worth it.

Trainer Annie Taverna