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Health & Fitness

What you need to know about reaching your goals

Can we have it all? Can we strive toward all the elements of fitness at the same time? The answer is: kind of.

Goals –we all have them, or we think that we do. But are we actually working to achieve the goals that we set for ourselves? Do we know how to define goals, measure progress, and evaluate the efficacy of our programs? Finally, can we have it all? Can we strive toward all the elements of fitness at the same time? The answer is: kind of.

A typical scenario: someone decides to finally begin training with a trainer. He or she says: “Well, I play soccer on the weekends, and I want to be better at that, but I also want to be stronger, and I want to burn some fat and look good.” Sound familiar? What this actually means from a trainer’s standpoint is: I WANT TO LOOK GOOD! Typically if the words “look”, “burn”, or “fat” sneak their way into a conversation about goal-setting, it means one thing: The client wants to look good first, and if there are any beneficial inadvertent side effects such as being faster for soccer, great.

What people do not realize the majority of the time is that having too many types of goals often taxes different systems of the body, the development of which may conflict with one-another. In the aforementioned example, we have a person with three separate and very conflicting goals. Accomplishing any one of those requires a different biological approach. Getting faster for soccer involves the Alactic system (quick bursts of energy). Burning fat requires Lactic or Threshold Training (intense work for as long as possible with minimal rest) and eating lots of healthy fats. Truly getting stronger without excess muscle gain involves heavy lifting (3 reps) using difficult to coordinate total body exercises and huge breaks in between sets (you may not even break a sweat in between sets), while consuming a bit more carbohydrates to promote Human Growth Hormone. But carbohydrates and fat loss are not friends, as we all know. Extra carbs and loads of Growth Hormone-inducing strength work is why some Olympic Weightlifters and Strongmen look like bowling balls with arms.

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Trying to make great strides in all elements of fitness at once does not typically produce good results. The reason is that large amounts of Aerobic and Lactic work (we will get into energy systems in a different article) interrupt protein synthesis of the muscles. Insert classic “Cardio vs. Weights” debate.   

Good news is: if you are a newbie, you will improve on everything no matter what you do! This will happen for the first 4-12 weeks. You can literally do any type of workout you want several times a week and for the first few months. You will notice yourself getting stronger, faster, and better looking. This is part of what I call the “Having any plan is better than not doing anything and sitting on the couch” plan.

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However, if you have already been working out for a while and consider yourself intermediate to advanced, you need measurable goals! Otherwise, you will have nothing to strive for. If you are in this to look better, be honest with yourself and admit it! Have a trainer measure your body composition, measure your body parts, and invest in a nutritionist. Your gains will largely be dependent on your diet and lifestyle. If you really want to be better at a sport, train for it! You will get into good shape, but your workouts will be performance-based. Say goodbye to bicep curls, unless you are a pro Arm Wrestler. Say hello to sprinting and pull-ups. If you want to be a strength athlete, be prepared to have workouts where you may not break a sweat in the gym, and are in and out of the gym in less than 30 minutes total.

Our notions of fitness and how we should feel after a workout are completely cultural. We are taught how we should feel and experience this aspect of our lives. “If you’re not sweating, you’re not working hard. Every workout should end with you nearly vomiting. No pain no gain. If it doesn’t hurt, you’re not stretching right.” These are examples of very common, very antiquated lines of thinking. They are also completely false and inappropriate in many cases. Do not buy in to second hand knowledge of fitness. Did you know that the most powerful athletes in the world almost never work to failure? They usually work at submaximal levels of exertion and progress in a slow and realistic way. Working to failure in a way trains the body to fail. Makes sense, doesn’t it?

At Fresh Personal Training, we strive to help people realize their goals. Every day we create a new generation of champions, starting with our kids program, all the way up to Division I, Olympic, and Professional athletes.

In order to be successful in fitness, you must: define what your goals are honestly, measure your progress, and evaluate how your program is working for you. In future articles, we will explore the elements of fitness, energy systems, and many more useful topics to help you along in your journey to fitness and health.

 

Warm Regards,

 

Team FRESH

http://www.freshpt.com/

http://www.facebook.com/freshtraining

 

Reference:

Murphy, Pam. “Can Too Much Cardio Inhibit Muscle Growth?”www.Livestrong.com, 2011. Web,. 17 October, 2012. <http://www.livestrong.com/article/379195-can-too-much-cardio-inhibit-muscle-growth/>

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