“Which cardio machine will make me burn the most calories?” is a fervently asked question. And of course it’s accompanied with a very purposeful look in the eye that says, ‘JUST SHOW ME THE WAY’.
Well, I have the following for you to consider –
- Let’s begin with getting the extras out of the way. And by that I’m referring to the magazine you pick up before getting on to the machine. Or tearing your eyes off the TV screen. Or the constant desperate gazing at your watch willing the time to go by faster. I know; being able to do all that’s going to be quite a challenge!
Then, try this - as hard as it may seem - focus instead on what you’re really doing (running, rowing, the elliptical); paying more attention to the effort and movements your body is engaged in. And quit looking at the machine like that, it’s really not the enemy you’ve convinced yourself it is!
- So, how often do you get on to the treadmill or elliptical, just press quick-start and begin your workout? All the machines have various programs and different settings that you can change to suit your goals. Use different programs on the machines, vary the speeds, incline, ramp positions, resistance so that you are constantly varying the intensity of your workout and not letting your body just fall into a rhythm where its only going through the motions.
- Work with intervals - where you alternate high intensity intervals with lower intensity rest intervals. Interval training is a great way to increase intensity and burn more calories and that too within the same time that you would typically do your cardio workout for.
- Now about the cardio v/s strength training calorie-burn question. Adamant client declaring, “I will not do any strength training. I want to lose weight so I’ll focus only on cardio for burning the calories.” Yes of course you burn more calories when you are doing cardio exercise. However, it’s the strength training that helps build muscle and raise your metabolic rate, which in turn will lead to increased calorie burn when you exercise and also when your body is at rest. So really an ideal exercise program to burn calories and lose weight has to be a combination of cardio and strength exercises.
- Then there’s the client (self-declared expert) who will state, “The elliptical (aka the EFX) burns so many calories; that’s the only cardio machine I am going to do.”
The fact is - exercising on any cardio machine can get you a good calorie burn if you work at the right intensity and continuously vary your programs.
Any one machine or one program that you decide to work with will lose effectiveness over a period of time. That’s because the body gets used to the same movements and starts working more on an automatic mode with reduced effort, thereby also reducing the effectiveness of the workout. Your goal should be to work more intensely and improve the amount you do in the same time-frame. That’s what will give you an increased calorie burn.
- “What will help me burn more calories: low- to moderate-intensity workouts for a longer time or high-intensity shorter duration workouts?” is another common concern. Well weight loss is related to the total calories you burn. So when I’m asked this question I always ask the individual to consider two things before deciding which one to go with.
One, since weight loss is about the total calories burned, if you work at low- to moderate- intensity you will need to workout longer to reach your calorie-burn goal as opposed to high-intensity workouts where you will achieve the same calorie burn in a shorter time frame.
Two, to work at higher intensities you need to have a certain fitness level to be able to sustain that intensity of exercise. If your fitness levels are not up to it or you have a physical weakness it would make better sense to go with moderate-intensity for a longer time. Trying to push yourself, all for a higher calorie-burn, at the risk of injuring or over-stressing your body will only prove to be detrimental in the long run.
- I always have this to say to (the many) people who are only focused on the intensity, calorie-burn, inches lost equation of exercise, if you exercise regularly with a focused and well-planned program your goal, of weight-loss or muscle gain, will be a natural result of your workouts.
However, if you also approach your entire exercise and fitness program with an attitude that you are going to enjoy it and feel good about it, then you will not only look forward to doing it but will do it with more energy, intensity and focus. This will actually show you even better results than when you were doing it with an overly single-minded purpose where it is an activity that is hard / boring / punishing but something that you nevertheless have to endure.
So do YOU want to try and have fun with your workouts?
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Monday, February 11, 2008
Some more of ‘You say, I say…..’
“I want a personal trainer by my side to make me workout.”
- This one truly foxes me. What does one really mean when they say that? Do you want a ‘personal trainer’ standing by your side counting the reps, changing the weight, telling you (more often than not) from the top of his head what you should do when you walk in today and keep praising you about what a good job you are doing?
To me personal training is about being scientific, specific and specialized (yes, those terms do apply to exercising too).
Can this ‘personal trainer’ tell you how much you were able to run or bench press six months ago? Can he show you your graph of progress in your weight loss or strength goals? Does he have a specific plan with break-ups of cardio workouts, muscle groups, exercises, reps and weights that you have been working with; along with what you will be doing in the next few weeks? Is he able to correct and ensure good form along with precise, systematic lift and drop time in each rep you do?
I ask all this because at The Zone we do have such a precise, “intelligent” system that takes care of all the above and more. It’s called Fitlinxx. Oh, and by the way to achieve all this we do not need to ensure that you have a “personal trainer” constantly standing by your side, being more of an assistant rather than a professional and scientific fitness instructor.
And, if the above sounds somewhat strongly worded…well that’s the way I feel about it. Because I do feel the term ‘personal training’ is far too over-used, and most times definitely not in the right context!
“I love my Pilates workouts, they are so good and effective and I really don’t think I need to do any other exercise. Just doing Pilates is enough.”
- Hey, I love Pilates too; but that doesn’t mean I can get away with doing only that the entire week and still expect to achieve all my fitness goals!
Pilates is an excellent exercise system for a whole range of reasons but building cardiovascular strength and efficiency, and weight-loss are not amongst its main benefits. Pilates can take care of your toning, strength and flexibility needs but to cover the cardiovascular component of your workout plan you need to get in some cardio exercise.
“This is such a wonderful place to come to and workout, but why do you have all these rules for gym etiquette and membership plans?”
- Well the reason you find The Zone a wonderful studio that gives you your private and personal space to workout and enjoy is because of that very reason!
It’s those guidelines that do ensure you will not turn around to find someone breathing down your back, trying to edge you off that strength machine or someone jostling to get past you to get on the treadmill.
Talking about treadmills…..you’re requested to carry in your workout shoes separately because if you are going to get on to the treadmill wearing shoes you walked in with; you’re going to get a lot of dirt getting under the belt and also into the motor of the machine leading to unnecessary breakdowns. And lets face it we want to workout in a clean environment not one that’s got dirt and whatever else off the road all over the gym floor. Oh and by the way coming in a car doesn’t mean your shoes are clean!?
And if we ask for mobile phones to be kept off the gym floor it’s so that you and others are not subjected to constant intrusive rings and incessant chatter when you are working out. In any case, when you come to the studio isn’t that meant to be your time-out, just for you, to de-stress and energize yourself?
- This one truly foxes me. What does one really mean when they say that? Do you want a ‘personal trainer’ standing by your side counting the reps, changing the weight, telling you (more often than not) from the top of his head what you should do when you walk in today and keep praising you about what a good job you are doing?
To me personal training is about being scientific, specific and specialized (yes, those terms do apply to exercising too).
Can this ‘personal trainer’ tell you how much you were able to run or bench press six months ago? Can he show you your graph of progress in your weight loss or strength goals? Does he have a specific plan with break-ups of cardio workouts, muscle groups, exercises, reps and weights that you have been working with; along with what you will be doing in the next few weeks? Is he able to correct and ensure good form along with precise, systematic lift and drop time in each rep you do?
I ask all this because at The Zone we do have such a precise, “intelligent” system that takes care of all the above and more. It’s called Fitlinxx. Oh, and by the way to achieve all this we do not need to ensure that you have a “personal trainer” constantly standing by your side, being more of an assistant rather than a professional and scientific fitness instructor.
And, if the above sounds somewhat strongly worded…well that’s the way I feel about it. Because I do feel the term ‘personal training’ is far too over-used, and most times definitely not in the right context!
“I love my Pilates workouts, they are so good and effective and I really don’t think I need to do any other exercise. Just doing Pilates is enough.”
- Hey, I love Pilates too; but that doesn’t mean I can get away with doing only that the entire week and still expect to achieve all my fitness goals!
Pilates is an excellent exercise system for a whole range of reasons but building cardiovascular strength and efficiency, and weight-loss are not amongst its main benefits. Pilates can take care of your toning, strength and flexibility needs but to cover the cardiovascular component of your workout plan you need to get in some cardio exercise.
“This is such a wonderful place to come to and workout, but why do you have all these rules for gym etiquette and membership plans?”
- Well the reason you find The Zone a wonderful studio that gives you your private and personal space to workout and enjoy is because of that very reason!
It’s those guidelines that do ensure you will not turn around to find someone breathing down your back, trying to edge you off that strength machine or someone jostling to get past you to get on the treadmill.
Talking about treadmills…..you’re requested to carry in your workout shoes separately because if you are going to get on to the treadmill wearing shoes you walked in with; you’re going to get a lot of dirt getting under the belt and also into the motor of the machine leading to unnecessary breakdowns. And lets face it we want to workout in a clean environment not one that’s got dirt and whatever else off the road all over the gym floor. Oh and by the way coming in a car doesn’t mean your shoes are clean!?
And if we ask for mobile phones to be kept off the gym floor it’s so that you and others are not subjected to constant intrusive rings and incessant chatter when you are working out. In any case, when you come to the studio isn’t that meant to be your time-out, just for you, to de-stress and energize yourself?
Sunday, February 3, 2008
The Core of the Matter
“I want to strengthen my core” is a phrase heard often nowadays. While ‘Core Strength’ has recently become quite the buzzword with fitness enthusiasts, dancers and athletes have long known the advantages of having a strong torso. The importance of core strength stems from the fact that it leads to good health and also forms a crucial component of most sporting activities. Core stability implies good posture, a flat abdominal region and a strong healthy back. For any sportsperson and athlete it means having the strength and control that allows them to perform their sport to the best of their abilities.
What constitutes the core?
Very often the ‘core’ is assumed to mean only the abdominal region in one’s body. The core or the centre of the body is actually made up of the muscles of the back, abdominals and thighs, which stabilize the spine, pelvis and shoulder girdle. All our movements originate from our torso or the core region, whether we are sitting, standing, bending, picking up things or exercising. So it stands to reason that the core is the center of power in our bodies and the stronger we are in this area the easier our daily activities and lives will be.
Why core stability?
The goal of core stability is to maintain a solid foundation and transfer energy from the center of the body out to the limbs. A strong core distributes the stresses of weight-bearing and protects the back. Strengthening the core allows for optimal body alignment for any movement and action that you are engaged in (walking, exercising, sitting), which in turn ensures lesser fatigue as a result of better posture and form.
However, our current lifestyles, be it our stressful work schedules or sedentary lives filled with modern conveniences, have resulted in weakened muscle and joint systems due to lack of use and exercise. This reduced core stability has lead to problems relating to poor posture and a weak spine. How often do you feel your neck and shoulder muscles tightening up after a few hours of working on your computer? Or if your work involves a lot of travel, do you feel your back tight and stiff or constantly aching?
Strengthening the core
Unlike weight-training exercises that tend to work muscles in isolation, core strengthening involves focusing on stability exercises that work the torso as a unit. This means working the deep muscles of the entire torso at the same time, using multi-joint coordinated movements.
On the gym floor, resistance or strength machines, stability balls, wobble boards and mat exercises can be used to strengthen your core. Besides gym workouts, Pilates, Yoga and Tai Chi are very effective workouts for building core strength. Pilates has gained tremendous popularity because of its focus on the core, also referred to as the body’s “powerhouse”. Pilates aims at bringing the body back into balance and improving your posture, using highly controlled, coordinated movements that work on muscle toning and flexibility at the same time.
As core training involves multi-joint movements that require stability; to ensure proper form and effectiveness, while minimizing risk of injury, they should be done under the guidance of trained professionals.
Core Training Benefits
- Improved performance in sports. Good balance and overall muscular strength are required in most sports, such as swimming, golf, tennis, mountain-biking, football, running, and gymnastics. All powerful movements originate from the center of the body out to the extremities. This makes core stability a key component of sports training as it leads to better and stronger balance, and greater control over movements, along with correct posture and alignment.
- Reduction in the risk of injuries from engaging in daily living activities, exercising or in sporting activities.
- Increased functional fitness and better postural balance that translates into daily life activities.
- Interesting workouts that cross-train and challenge you in new and different ways.
Our core is what makes it possible for us to stand upright and helps control movement, transfer energy, and shift body weight, while allowing us to move in any direction. A strong core keeps our body stable and balanced. All very good reasons for getting to the core of the matter.
What constitutes the core?
Very often the ‘core’ is assumed to mean only the abdominal region in one’s body. The core or the centre of the body is actually made up of the muscles of the back, abdominals and thighs, which stabilize the spine, pelvis and shoulder girdle. All our movements originate from our torso or the core region, whether we are sitting, standing, bending, picking up things or exercising. So it stands to reason that the core is the center of power in our bodies and the stronger we are in this area the easier our daily activities and lives will be.
Why core stability?
The goal of core stability is to maintain a solid foundation and transfer energy from the center of the body out to the limbs. A strong core distributes the stresses of weight-bearing and protects the back. Strengthening the core allows for optimal body alignment for any movement and action that you are engaged in (walking, exercising, sitting), which in turn ensures lesser fatigue as a result of better posture and form.
However, our current lifestyles, be it our stressful work schedules or sedentary lives filled with modern conveniences, have resulted in weakened muscle and joint systems due to lack of use and exercise. This reduced core stability has lead to problems relating to poor posture and a weak spine. How often do you feel your neck and shoulder muscles tightening up after a few hours of working on your computer? Or if your work involves a lot of travel, do you feel your back tight and stiff or constantly aching?
Strengthening the core
Unlike weight-training exercises that tend to work muscles in isolation, core strengthening involves focusing on stability exercises that work the torso as a unit. This means working the deep muscles of the entire torso at the same time, using multi-joint coordinated movements.
On the gym floor, resistance or strength machines, stability balls, wobble boards and mat exercises can be used to strengthen your core. Besides gym workouts, Pilates, Yoga and Tai Chi are very effective workouts for building core strength. Pilates has gained tremendous popularity because of its focus on the core, also referred to as the body’s “powerhouse”. Pilates aims at bringing the body back into balance and improving your posture, using highly controlled, coordinated movements that work on muscle toning and flexibility at the same time.
As core training involves multi-joint movements that require stability; to ensure proper form and effectiveness, while minimizing risk of injury, they should be done under the guidance of trained professionals.
Core Training Benefits
- Improved performance in sports. Good balance and overall muscular strength are required in most sports, such as swimming, golf, tennis, mountain-biking, football, running, and gymnastics. All powerful movements originate from the center of the body out to the extremities. This makes core stability a key component of sports training as it leads to better and stronger balance, and greater control over movements, along with correct posture and alignment.
- Reduction in the risk of injuries from engaging in daily living activities, exercising or in sporting activities.
- Increased functional fitness and better postural balance that translates into daily life activities.
- Interesting workouts that cross-train and challenge you in new and different ways.
Our core is what makes it possible for us to stand upright and helps control movement, transfer energy, and shift body weight, while allowing us to move in any direction. A strong core keeps our body stable and balanced. All very good reasons for getting to the core of the matter.
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