Category Archives: Endurance Training

Covid19 Provides a Lifestyle Change Opportunity Using Customized Fitness Programs at Home

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I’m often asked, what’s the best way to get in shape and lose weight in the era of Covid19? The first thing that comes to mind, you must find an exercise activity program that’s relevant for you. After many client consults throughout the years, it’s not surprising to learn – If you don’t connect with an indoor/outdoor aerobic exercise acivity passion, it will be more challenging to achieve a set fitness goal(s) that can be sustained to live the lifestyle and build the ageless body you need, want and deserve now… regardless of the current environment! 

To optimally increase energy and become more active to lose weight and strengthen the body, one should start by increasing aerobic exercise daily. To be successful at daily aerobic exercise, you’ll need to find an aerobic activity of interest that motivates you to move more and stick with it. Once you do this, the will power to stay the course WILL happen in a short period of time.

Most aerobic and anaerobic exercise routines/programs center on a 3 to 5 day per week frequency at 30-60 minutes in duration. Personal fitness goals on average look to achieve weight loss, muscular endurance and body tone and increased range of motion and mobility.

Increased muscle bulk and strength gains are typically secondary to weight loss programming requests for a majority of people interested in bodybuilding and sports.

Covid19 has changed the way we exercise and sustain our health. Home gym investments are replacing gym memberships. Aerobic home use equipment, like anaerobic equipment with multiple cable pulley positions allows you to easily change the angle of resistance to increase strength and body tone gains and is preferred over gym equipment located indoors. Learn more about home use aerobic equipment now! At: https://amzn.to/3hGMhu1

Anaerobic activity is defined, where strength, power and high muscular intensity effort and THR is within 80-90% cardio-muscular endurance effort. Whereas aerobic exercise intesity of cardio-muscular effort can be correlated to: low-medium [50-70% THR effort). THR is often used to monitor heart beat rate/min at the carotid (neck) or radial (wrist) artery at rest, or new technolgies can monitor THR on the fly.

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Target Heart Rate (THR) tells us when to increase or decrease exercise intensity to stay within the fat burning zone “to burn more body fat weight” and achieve the best weight loss or other fitness goal results, stay within the fat burning THR to achieve the objective.

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Science shows us that aerobic exercise intensity of effort at ~50-60% THR zone is the fat burning “sweet spot” to burn more fat and reduce body weight (see THR Zone chart above).

How does one determine and build an individual fitness program that will work long term? Many individuals have self-learned through time how to build a program that works for them and have developed a daily fitness habit. However, those who’ve not had success at this approach for lack of resources, or whatever may require the services of a professional fitness trainer to help customize a personalized fitness program that becomes a daily habit.

Who do I consider a professional fitness trainer? An undergraduate [exercise and health sciences] that is certified and experienced in fitness profiling, which should also include: habits and behavioral change strategies, diet and current lifestyle analysis and fitness goal orientation, general health and medical history analysis and postural and body type analysis, etc. Thereafter, capable of analyzing the data to build a fit healthy habits and lifestyle change program that includes a customized fitness program. This will provide the healthy lifestyle change program direction to set and achieve the desired fitness results relevant for the individual. 

For many Americans the number one fitness goal is weight loss. 

Monitor your weight and body fat loss success by using a “Body Weight Digital Body Fat Scale and/or Auto Monitor Body Weight, Fat, BMI, Water, BMR (Basil Metobolic Rate), Muscle Mass with Smartphone APP… Check out these scales and other technologies now! At: https://amzn.to/3iLbjco

All too often, confirmed by past clients… those who jump on other fitness and diet program band wagons hope to receive the same weight loss and body building results. It is often thought if one follows anothers program, they’ll receive the same fitness results. Sometimes this strategy works – but all too often it fails because it’s not right for every body type, fitness level, medical condition, lifestyle, environmental situation, will power, motivation, etc. 

What ever training method or process programs others use to achieve a fitness goal – It won’t work for everyone in the same way all the time. Why? Plain and simple, we’re all wired differently. For example, what exercise activities would best compliment your ability to stay the fitness goal course? Is it the same as your next door neighbor? Likely not.

I’ve seen people buy a gym membership, purchase home exercise equipment they rarely use and/or work out with a buddy that pushes them too hard… , then get too sore, or hurt themselves. Since it was a bad experience they drop out of the program because they began their fitness training program without analysis of current lifestyle habits and environment and fitness levels and goals, etc. 

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Increasing exercise intensity is important if the fitness goal is to increased fitness levels and performance above and beyond the norm. But one must ease into muscular endurance and stength intensity effort if it’s been awhile since one has exercised. If you’ve been sendentary for a while, start your exercise with a daily walk to get the muscle memory and circulatory systems and balance conditioned for a faster walk pace. Once you become conditioned to increase exercise activity… there is an intensity of effort, or sustainable “sweet spot” relevant to your fitness goal.

You need and want home strength training equipment to achieve your muscle bulk and strength fitness goals. Look no further. There are hundreds of strength building exercise equipment items to choose from at very reasonable costs. Get your home exercise equipment to achieve your stength and muscle development fitness goal now! At: https://amzn.to/3km9pja

Those involved in intermural or professional sports activities who condition themselves at higher intensity levels can sustain those levels at a competitive levels outside of a gym by using a weighted workout vest. Professional athletes often train above 85% THR intensities conditioning themselves for a muscular endurance and/or strength event. Outside of gyms athletes often train by adding more weight to their bodies to increase intensity of exercise effort to increase performance results.

If you are not conditioned to exercise above 70-85% THR, you”ll likely have a bad experience and/or you’re New Year’s resolution may go right out the window. If you are beginning an exercise program, or it’s been awhile since you trained, stick to a basic aerobic and anerobic exercise program. Then work your way up from there.

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Physically fit walkers, joggers and runners and trained athletes workout with Adjustable Weighted Vest Workout Equipment, 4-10lbs/11-20lbs/20-32lbs Body Weight Vest for Men, Women, Kids. Find additional individual sports training equipment for home and field use now!

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For the novice, it is recommended a 1:1 session and orientation to exercise programming by a certified fitness trainer. I highly recommend purchasing a seasoned and certified fitness trainer that includes fitness and dietary profiling and physical assessments to build the BEST customized fitness and healthy lifestyle program that’s right for you. Especially if you’ve failed previously at a fitness goal, or have been out of the exercise circuit for a long period of time, or have not been able to stick with any other form of exercise or weight loss program. The cost of these professional services is usually reasonable for the time spent and information gained in programming and follow up consultations. 

A good trainer will balance a variety of aerobic and anaerobic exercise activities inside/outside of the gym environment to help you maintain motivation and will power to stay on target.

Ageless MirrorAthlete “Shows you How to Customize Your Very Own Fitness and Healthy Lifestyle Choice Program.” One that is right for you and will produce positive results. Save your money, get more fit and achieve your healthy lifestyle goals by learning how to develop a customized fitness and healthy habits program in the comfort and privacy of your home. The information found in the book is hard to find and there’s a reason fitness trainers don’t want you to have access to this information. Learn NOW! Read the free book preview: https://amzn.to/3c0Ivdy

On the same, or alternate days you may also make a commitment to participate in a low-to-high impact aerobics activity independent of anaerobic exercises… . Such as participating in instructor lead classes, i.e., Spinning (stationary bike), Zumba [dance moves of salsa, reggaeton, mambo, flamenco, rumba and hip-hop], Yoga, or boot camp exercise classes. Or sign up for a swimming, ballroom dance, or competitive intermural sports (indoor racquetball, basketball, squash, etc.). 

Or instead of organized fitness instructor led classes – typical with gym membership, you may be more comfortable, or interested in engaging within a self-paced DVD instructed exercise activity at home; and mix up outdoors on alternate days with other types of aerobic exercise: walking, jogging, biking, etc.

There is also stationary aerobic exercise equipment found in most gyms with membership. Its becoming more convenient during the era of Covid19 – to invest in home equipment at a reasonable cost… Learn more about the variety of exercise equipment for home use and how it can help you achieve your fitness goal. E.g., stair-stepper, treadmill, recombinant bike-steppers, cross trainer elliptical, etc. 

There is a lot of home aerobic exercise equipment choices one could invest in. Simply choose one aerobic activity you would love to do daily. Brisk walking, jogging or running will accompish the same weight loss, tone and other fitness goals through increased aerobic intensity effort. Find an aerobic exercise activity you’ll stick with and don’t look back. If interested in home use exercise aerobics equipment, learn more now! At: https://amzn.to/2Fw4MnK

What is elliptical? These are aerobic stationary exercise machines that simulate stair climbing, rowing, walking and running and increase range of motion without causing extreme stress on weight bearing joints. Thereby reducing the likelihood of injuries and optimizing the fat burning benefits within the THR – while toning core muscle groups. 

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People recovering from injury often rehabilitate themselves at a low intensity pace on these types of machines. But don’t underestimate their usefulness. Resistance can be set to provide an intense workout to lose more body fat while toning muscles and optimizing cardiovascular and muscular endurance performance and results. 

For intermediate and advanced exercise enthusiasts, if you’ve been working out for years and feel like you’re physical performance, or competitive advantage, or fitness goal is stagnant – you may need the services of a fitness trainer that specializes in competitive task specific/or sports profiling and assessment. A professional sports trainer can help design and develop a program that’s relevant to achieving the desired competitive advantage and overall sports goal. Sports trainer specialists can design a task specific exercise program to get you to the next competitive level. 

These 12 intense workouts are by a personal trainer… on 12 DVDs, will get you great results by burning more body fat and building lean muscle in just 35 minutes a day for 90 days. Check out this program and others like it now! At: https://amzn.to/2Fo00c1

Regardless of experience, fitness level or lifestyle change goals, once you become exercise and activities conditioned, don’t be afraid to take your intensity of exercise effort to the next level. Weekly – Try increasing intensity of effort through increased duration and frequency of weekly exercise. You will then burn more body fat weight as you sustain 60-70% THR – get stronger and leaner and look and feel better. Continuous body toning and shaping improvements WILL occur through a sustainable customized fit healthy lifestyle plan and program that’s right for you.

If you want to sustain a fit healthy and active lifestyle for the long haul, professional customized fitness programming provides the road map that’s right for you and will keep you on target. Learn how to live an active lifestyle and build the body you need, want and deserve! Click Ageless MirrorAthlete “Overweight and Unfit No More” and learn how to build a program in the privacy of your home Now.

Author: Marc T. Woodard, MBA, BS Exercise Science, ARNG, CPT, RET. 2014-20 Copyright. All rights reserved, Mirror Athlete Inc., www.mirrorathlete.org, Sign up for your Free eNewsletter.

Cross Train and Receive Unbelievable Fitness Results

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Updated 17 June 2020 by Marc Woodard

I recall cross training during the 80’s. The training facilities didn’t have all the fancy exercise equipment and indoor obstacle and Parkour setups, but the principled fitness programming strategies were the same. Today those same cross train exercise activities are used by a new generation of athletes and fitness enthusiasts to sustain a superior fitness and competitive sport condition year round. Cross training is not a new concept…

The cross train fitness concepts were branded and made popular two decades ago by CrossFit training. CrossFit, Inc. is a fitness company founded by Greg Glassman and Lauren Jenai in 2000. Its training philosophy and programs make use of a wide variety of age old sports conditioning, physical activities and exercise to sustain high fitness and performance levels. They popularized and evolved cross training exercise and activities throughout the globe. In 2014 a mix of cross train facilities were offered in over 9,000 affiliated gyms with the CrossFit brand.

Cross fit facilities may consist of various indoor and outdoor obstacle courses, or exercise stations specifically designed to cross train and condition the body to free-run with free-form type acrobats around-over structures, climb, jump, roll, leap, as seen on a Parkour setup. The first Parkour field courses originated within the military and are still used today to condition and cross train soldiers for the rigors of war.

To better relate to cross train principles and competitive events, think of the popular game show survivor, ultimate tag and American Ninja Warrior for example… which uses a variety and variation of Parkour type obstacles that are mentally and physically challenging. To be competitive in Parkour, one should consider cross-training in multiple task specific exercise to be competitive in these types of events. To win Parkour and other obstacle events requires a customized cross train program; that includes, but not limited to: running, gymnastics, and various exercise that targets and develops muscular endurance and strength and explosive speed, with jump, leap and bound capabilities. Free running makes use of environmental structures outside of the gym.

When free running and cross train programs are combined… you have an unbeatable Parkour training and fitness conditioning program.

“Freerunning, is best described as a form of “urban acrobatics” in which participants (free runners) use the city and rural landscape to perform acrobatic movements in order to get from point A to point B” [Urban Dictionary].

Cross train training programs often incorporate a mix of other high-intensity interval training: i.e., rope/peg/ring/bar climb, girevoy sport (Russia KettleBell lifting), plyometrics (jump training), strongman tasks: powerlifting… swimming, boxing, calisthenics, gymnastics and other cross train exercise activities that include rock face climbing.

If a gym offers CrossFit programs then there will be exercise area(s) that offer more than free weights, stationary weight lifting equipment and aerobics room and equipment, swimming pool, racquet ball courts and aerobic dance floor areas, etc.

There are now numerous facilities throughout the globe offering cross-training classes with Cross Fit certification. As a matter of fact the CrossFit brand and principled ideology now falls under many cross train fitness facility brands.

In the 80’s fitness enthusiasts including myself used cross train techniques and routines to sustain superior physical conditioning. Other cross fit conditioning programs and activities I used to sustain competitive fitness levels included: martial arts, gymnastics, rope/peg climbing, field and track events, running, jumping and leaping through field obstacle courses, natural rock face climbing, free weights, power lifting, racquetball, handball, squash, kettlebells, hiking, swimming, kayaking, racquetball, hiking and cycling. My primary competitive sport of choice: football, baseball, track and field, martial arts and bodybuilding.

Nothing was off the table when developing a customized cross train program to achieve a superior fitness condition and competitive edge within any sport, or fitness challenge.

Free bar weights are often used to dead lift, including clean and jerk exercise, etc. KettleBells are another form of free weight exercise and can be performed anywhere.

Before CrossFit was a house hold word, our generation created custom built cross train facilities in our local gyms, back yards, field, or natural wooded area, or garage. We customized our cross training space based on the best fitness training information of the day.

Want a tough fitness challenge? Try toppling a 200lb tire 50-75′ or swinging a huge mallet on tire 8-10 times. Or rolling a 300lb concrete ball for the distance. Sounds like hard labor… also great for bodybuilding.
Rings develop upper body and arm and grip strength and hang time. Variations of old school gymnastics equipment in modern form can be found in Parkour facilities.

Cross fit facilities back then didn’t exist in the marketplace like they do today. For instance, you couldn’t go into any gym and find a rock climbing wall, Parkour obstacle course. The floor design and equipment layout catered to bodybuilders. This was an era of Joe Weider and other bodybuilding celebrities’ who ruled the fitness industry, which included promoting the next Olympia bodybuilding champion and anabolic supplement. “He popularized bodybuilding and spread the message of health and fitness worldwide with such publications as Muscle & Fitness, Flex, and Shape. Schwarzenegger himself is the executive editor of Muscle & Fitness and Flex” [The Guardian, 2013] .

“The 80’s was a bodybuilders era where Joe Weider ruled the fitness arena, next Olympia champions and anabolic supplement marketplace.” Men and women bodybuilding is still popular and still in high spectator demand today.

Today you can find a plethora of cross train programs, equipment and bodybuilding resources and services built into one fitness facility. If you want to take your fitness and competitive skill sets to the next level… I’m convinced a competitive athlete regardless of chosen sport must incorporate cross train programming into a customized fitness program. This is especially true if one hopes to compete against the best in any professional sport.

Take rock climbing for example… ? I’d say it qualifies as a unique and professional sport. What type(s) of cross fit or specialized fitness programing should they focus on seasonally and/or annually?

Should a rock climber climb only vertical walls to be the best at what they do? Or should they focus more on gym workouts? What I’ve learned… to be the best at something, you have to train specifically for that skill set. However, incorporating a cross train program will make a better and more competitive climber. How should he/she cross train in preparation for the real event?

Professional Rock Climbing Skills Put to the Test.
Fundamental Rock Climbing Skills and Conditioning Indoors

In consideration of selecting a gym for rock climb conditioning… I would look for an indoor and/or outdoor rock climbing facility, or rockface outcrop nearby to train daily, even during inclement weather. Other secondary fitness conditioning should include: yoga and high intensity interval dance and karate classes, with programmed resistive weight and hang time training that develops grip and lower and upper body strength and improved muscular endurance for extended periods of hang time. If you can’t hang for a minimum of 2-minutes at one-two points of contact [e.g., leg-foot], until finding a vertical rest hold position… your fall risk increases.

Cross-training “mostly” indoors is in no way a substitute for the real thing. You have to train in a similar environment if you expect to be the best at what you do. Rock climbers that don’t cross train and within natural environmental are at greater risk of injury or worse. If your chosen sport is rock climbing you must also plan a safety/survivor backup strategy in the event you become injured and/or stationary affixed in place. For example, how will you shelter, hydrate, perform first aid, consume calories, make contact with emergency task force and survive until rescued. …

If your training to become the next American Ninja Warrior then your cross train program must focus on upper body and grip strength, powerful and explosive legs for jumping, vaulting, swinging and leaping; also free-form running up, around, through obstacles… achieving the cardio and muscular endurance of a gazelle.

I’ve studied professional sport players who compete in physical challenges outside of their trained profession. Body type, passion, genetics and training techniques, medical history, fitness goals, etc., all count. And genetics is a thing. Whereas others like you and I have to work and train very hard to achieve the competitive fitness condition. Every one of us is wired to be competitive at different levels of sport play within certain exercise activities within similar environments. Understanding your competitive strengths and weaknesses must be considered when programming cross train exercise to excel in any chosen competitive arena.

Ageless MirrorAthlete also covers building a competitive fitness program to beat a competitor using cross fit concepts, ideology and principles… Ch18, page 287.

The point is, if you’re looking to be physically good or competitive at something, you’ll have to cross train similar to your competitor in a similar environment. But if you simply want to body build, stay in shape, and/or sustain superior physical fitness: strength, cardio and muscular endurance and flexibility, you don’t need to cross-train, or workout at elite levels.

Cross training, or certified CrossFit centers may not offer a training program specific to your competitive or specific fitness or sports activity needs. However, if you’re serious about taking your physical condition to the next level… you can find a skilled cross fit trainer-consultant who specializes in a customized program to help you achieve superior fitness and competitive and winning results.

Author: Marc T. Woodard, MBA, BS Exercise Science, ARNG, CPT, RET. 2014-20 Copyright. All rights reserved, Mirror Athlete Inc., www.mirrorathlete.org, Sign up for your Free eNewsletter.

How to Grow Muscle and Burn More Fat

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Beth knows how to grow the guns and you can too.

Updated, 3 May 2019 by Staff

If you want to grow muscle and/or burn more body fat – it is important to know muscle groups have three muscle fiber types that are stimulated to grow or endure physical activity. And during exercise or work activity, muscle also prefer certain fuel sources to achieve the fitness goal.

Research shows us, muscle is stimulated to grow when slow, intermittent and fast twitch muscle fibers within the chest, back, arms, abs and legs and buttocks contract at various rates of speed during low-to-high intensity exercise. Learn how to combine muscle fiber and fuel preference knowledge to select the proper training methods to naturally achieve your  weight loss, strength and muscular endurance and competitive and recreational sports goals.

If you need help in customizing a fit healthy habits and training program – Ageless MirrorAthlete “Overweight and Unfit No More” breaks down all these concepts and so much more. Learn how to live life to the fullest today. Click on the image below and become an Ageless MirrorAthlete today!

Muscle Fiber and Fuel Knowledge is Invaluable to Achieve Set Fitness Goals

All muscles have various composition of primarily 3 types of muscle fiber. And when exercise is programmed to lose weight, or increase strength, or endure a physical task of duration and intensity a specific fuel source is preferred by the body.

A couple of quotes from the book help to put this knowledge into perspective.

Fast twitch muscle fibers are less vascular than slow and intermediate fiber types and appear white in color and are highly stimulated during anaerobic (speed, power and strength) training. These muscle fibers use carbohydrate fuel to produce the ATP (adenosine triphosphate) energy at 2 times the contraction rate of the red and vascular (oxygenated slow twitch endurance muscle fibers). Slow twitch muscle fibers contract at lower intensities and rate of speed and prefer fat fuel to produce the required ATP energy for long endurance activities. The 3rd muscle type intermediate makes use of both metabolic worlds to support the ramping up and down of exercise intensity and rate of physical movement (Katch and McArdle 1993).”

Human muscles contain a genetically determined mixture of both slow and fast fiber types. On average, we have about 50 percent slow twitch and 50 percent fast twitch fibers in most of the muscles used for movement. However, Olympic sprinters have been shown to possess about 80 percent fast twitch fibers, while those who excel in marathons tend to have 80 percent slow twitch fibers. These well-conditioned slow and fast twitch muscle fibers may be genetically provided within naturally lean-muscular body types (Quinn 2013).”

From a genetic perspective this is likely the reason most of us will never be Olympic contenders no matter how hard we train. One thing appears certain, if the average human muscle is comprised of 50% slow twitch muscle fiber; it stands to reason, the majority of us have a genetic and competitive advantage to burn body fat when participating in low intensity aerobic exercise.

There is also an order of muscular contraction where slow twitch fibers yield to fast twitch muscle fiber as physical effort increases. Also a muscle fiber fuel preference shifts from a low intensity fuel source [stored body fat] to [glucose and stored muscle glycogen] to produce the energy and muscle contraction rate necessary to achieve the speed, power and strength needed to accomplish the high intensity training task or goal.

Marc Woodard with good friends hiking Forest Park, Portland OR

For example, when you walk you’re mostly stimulating the leg muscles slow and intermediate muscle fibers to perform long endurance activity. When you sprint or squeeze out those last reps on a heavy bench or leg press station, the slow and intermediate twitch muscle fibers yield to the faster muscle twitch fibers to work at a higher rate of intense speed to achieve the high endurance and strength conditioning goal.

Sprinting with all-out effort is similar to squeezing out that last rep on the bench press. The fast twitch muscle fibers fire (contract)Â at a high rate of speed and intensity while the slow twitch muscle fibers yield or stand-by after high intensity effort produces lactic acid buildup – which allows a less intense effort to continue thereafter. Especially when short periods of rest between exercise is the case.

The rope climb is an intense exercise activity that exhausts the fast twitch muscle fibers prominently found in the shoulders and arms. The by-product of intense exercise is lactic acid. After 2-4min on this exercise… talk about an arm pumping activity to grow those guns!

We all know a high level of muscular intensity has continued physical effort limitations.

That is fast twitch muscle fibers utilize a preferred- quick fuel source [glucose] first, which lasts only seconds.

The glucose fuels intense contractions for up to a maximum period of 10 seconds.

After this time and up to a period of 3 minutes – the next available fuel source is made available [stored muscle glycogen].

In contrast, slow twitch fibers use a combination of glucose and stored body fat fuel for low intensity and long duration exercise activities.

This is a much slower and less intense training process and can be maintained with constant intensity for a continued time period (Fitnessbeans 2012).

Now that we’ve reviewed some basics of muscle fiber characteristics and fuel preferences during specific types of exercise activity, lets answer the question…

What training method will grow muscle and burn more fat?”

Marc Woodard, 2018

The answer is fairly straight forward, train task specific. If you want more bulk, strength and power, train anaerobically – lift heavier weights at increasing intensities of short duration [engage the lactic acid buildup]. If you want more endurance, train aerobically at high intensities that moderate and condition the muscles to limit-pacing or avoid chronic lactic acid buildup. E.g., sprinting, wrestling, karate, boxing, basketball, football, etc.

If you want to burn more body fat train aerobically by performing low intensity – long duration exercise activity, e.g., walking, jogging, biking, dance, etc.

If you want the best of both worlds, you must cross-train

For example take your exercise time and split into two training sessions daily (train aerobically and anaerobically). For instance, if you only have one hour to exercise, spend 5 minutes stretching, and then 25 minutes on aerobic exercise of choice [low-intensity walking, stationary bike, jogging, tread mill equipment, etc].

During the last 25 minutes increase resistance on free weights or stationary equipment and/or circuit weight training equipment – then 5 minutes stretching cool down. On alternating days if a secondary fitness goal is a competitive sport activity… spend a full exercise day participating in that activity: e.g., racquetball, basketball, baseball, soccer, dance, running, power lifting, boxing, karate, etc.

Somewhere mid-week be sure to take a day off to rest muscles so they can repair and metabolism recharges its battery. This is especially important if training at a high rate of intensity daily. If you over train muscles and don’t rest adequately they will be in a state of constant repair more so than making the muscle and endurance gains you desire.

If you have a public use outdoor fitness center make use of it during walking, biking and hiking activities.

If you can’t participate in your favorite intramural-team sport, or train in a gym for whatever reason, train the next best way possible. Head to the nearest public school, or community sports field, City park or trail system and perform repetitive sprint-jogging-walking exercise.

You can also make use of running up/down bleachers, perform sit ups, push-ups etc. Or exercise at home using a stationary bike, repetitive speed bag, jump rope – follow a daily aerobics DVD video dance or yoga program, etc.

If your goal is to lose body fat weight, chose activities of long-endurance and low-intensity physical effort (walking, jogging, biking).

If you want more muscle bulk, strength and speed, choose short-endurance and high intensity exercise exercises with increasing resistive weight loads.

If you want the best of both worlds: Cross-train to achieve your set fitness goals.

Citations and References

Fitnessbeans. “Muscle Fibers: Fast Twitch Versus Slow Twitch. FitnessBeans. BeansPublishing, 2012. Web. 19 Oct. 2013.

Katch, Frank I., William D. McArdle, and Frank I. Katch. “Chapter 11/Energy for Exercise.” Introduction to Nutrition, Exercise, and Health. Philadelphia: Lea & Febiger, 1993. 169-90. Print.

Loya, Dennis M. “Training Fast and Slow Twitch Muscles.” TotalFitnessExperience.com. TotalFitnessExperience.com, n.d. Web. 19 Oct. 2013.

Quinn, Elizabeth. “Fast and Slow Twitch Muscle Fibers.” About.com Sports Medicine. About.com, 18 Oct. 2013. Web. 19 Oct. 2013.

Author: Marc T. Woodard, MBA, BS Exercise Science, ARNG, CPT, RET. 2019 Copyright. All rights reserved, Mirror Athlete Inc., www.mirrorathlete.org, Sign up for your Free eNewsletter.