Quick n Cheap Cardio

Time is everyone’s excuse and typically leads to the demise of people’s goals. As you are pressed for time, you start questioning what you should do; weights or cardio?, what exercises to include/skip?, or just skip weights and do cardio? etc……, before you know it you end up skipping your workout completely.
I always remind my clients that a workout is a workout - no matter how short it is. Quick workouts can be extremely effective if performed at a high intensity.

Jump ropes are one my favorite pieces of equipment as they’re both cheap, convenient and can be an extremely effective fat loss tool if utilized the right way.

Here’s a jump rope routine that will accelerate your both your heart rate and metabolism;

Warm - up: Rope jump at a low intensity for one minute then increase to a moderate intensity for another minute:

Workout

• Number of Intervals: 6

• Work time per interval: 120 seconds

• Active Rest time per interval: 30 seconds

• Work Intensity: Moderate - high

• Rest Intensity: Low (pace back and forth)

To give yourself a further challenge, add two more intervals of 60 seconds each on each leg.
Time’s not the issue. You have the time, you just need to manipulate your workouts the right way.

How much weight?

I get asked this question and several variations of this question from clients, friends and my students alike and there are no straight forward answers.

I’m going to break down this question into three sub-questions starting with; how do I select a weight to use for an exercise I’ve never done before?

Men have the tendency to try and lift weight they have no business using. Lifting weights in this manner will eventually lead to injury - whether in the near future or 30 years later. Guys you will build muscle by consistently following the right routine and progressively increasing the weight you use (in small intervals) but it will take time.

Women on the other hand tend to pick the lightest or prettiest (which happen to be the lightest) weights they can find. This as I had mentioned in previous posts will do nothing to “shape” and “tone” you. Lifting weights should always feel like lifting weights.

So, where do you start?

I always have my clients start light and take it from there. Pick a weight you know you can easily lift then make the appropriate increases from there. With exercises like the squat and stability ball crunches where nothing but your body weight is an option, start there.

If you pick a weight that is too easy, increase the weight by the next smallest increment for your next set and continue to keep increasing it from there.

Start with the easiest and work your way towards the hardest.

Check out tomorrow’s blog for whether or not you should use the same weight for every set of an exercise or use slightly more each set.

How much weight? Part III

The question now becomes whether or not to choose a weight that allows you to go to failure?

Failure being a point where your muscles shut down and you can’t move the weight.
The only clients I allow to train to failure are my body builders, figure competitors and competitive athletes, outside of those rare scenarios; you should never lift to failure. With that said I watch these freaks very carefully and make sure I am in position to provide the right amount of support.

For the rest of us out there who are just trying to get in great shape, you should never go the total muscular failure on any set of any exercise. The scenarios mentioned above require that extra stress to recruit even more muscle fibers and proprioreceptors. The average person should simply go to the last rep they can do with good form and stop there.

If you do not think you can finish the next repetition, don’t start it.

A Good Recipe

The following is recipe for a Peanut Butter Snack (protein) Bar I found. The ingredients below make five bars.

ATTENTION!!!!! This recipe DOES contain nuts. Therefore if you have a nut allergy or are unsure if you have a nut allergy, stay away from this recipe

Ingredients
1. four scoops of any chocolate whey protein powder
2. 2/3 cup ground flax seed
3. 1/3 cup water
4. four tbsp of organic all natural peanut butter
5. one package of stevia (optional)

Directions
• Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl. Continue to stir through the thickness until the mixture loosens up into a dough-like texture. If it doesn’t loosen up, add a tablespoon of water
• Divide the mixture into five balls and shape each into a bar. Seal them in a plastic wrap and store in a refrigerator or freezer.

258 calories, 21 grams of protein, 12 grams carbs (2 grams fiber), 14 grams of fat (1 gram saturated)

Eat one at a time for a high protein snack with omega -3 fat!

A Good Recipe

The following is recipe for a Peanut Butter Snack (protein) Bar I found. The ingredients below make five bars.

ATTENTION!!!!! This recipe DOES contain nuts. Therefore if you have a nut allergy or are unsure if you have a nut allergy, stay away from this recipe

Ingredients
1. four scoops of any chocolate whey protein powder
2. 2/3 cup ground flax seed
3. 1/3 cup water
4. four tbsp of organic all natural peanut butter
5. one package of stevia (optional)

Directions
• Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl. Continue to stir through the thickness until the mixture loosens up into a dough-like texture. If it doesn’t loosen up, add a tablespoon of water
• Divide the mixture into five balls and shape each into a bar. Seal them in a plastic wrap and store in a refrigerator or freezer.

258 calories, 21 grams of protein, 12 grams carbs (2 grams fiber), 14 grams of fat (1 gram saturated)

Eat one at a time for a high protein snack with omega -3 fat!

Salad = Appetite Suppressant

Eating a small salad before a main meal will suppress your appetite. A research study had shown that from study with 44 women who did nothing different other then adding a salad before their main meal, consumed 12% less calories during the course of the meal. In addition to consuming fewer calories, a small salad can provide the following;
• Valuable anti-oxidants
• Increase intake of fiber
• Burn calories through digesting and chewing

The salad can be as simple or as elaborate as you make it but consider the following;
• Go as green as possible; broccoli, spinach, peppers etc.
• Add as many different colors and textures as possible
• Be careful with dressings, they will kill you! I recommend my clients use a low sodium balsamic dressing, a dab of olive oil or lemon juice

Start with tonight’s dinner.

Cardio or weights first?

Let’s imagine you were looking for jobs and you had a really big interview, would you put yourself in a situation to only be able to perform at 80% of your maximum ability?

Outside of the movie Office Space, probably not, so why put your body in that position when working out?
When you run cardio before your resistance training, you tire out your muscles thus minimizing the potential for muscle hypertrophy (muscle gain). Not to mention that you can potentially lose large amounts of muscle with extensive cardio as your body will take what it needs for proper energy.

Full body warm-up (at a low to moderate intensity) - resistance training - cardio - cool down.

Put yourself in the best position to look great.

Muscle Grouping

Single body part split? Upper - lower body? Pushing - pulling muscle? Full body? ……You could ask 10 different people and you’ll probably receive 10 different explanations on how muscles should be grouped.
I am not one of those trainers who swear by one method of doing things. The only thing I am concerned about is what works. I’ve had success getting my clients results with each theory mentioned above so I do not feel the need to discriminate against any.

Each muscle grouping serves a specific purpose. For instance, a single body part split e.g chest Monday, back Tuesday etc., is an advanced routine geared mostly towards a body-builder/figure type competitor who is looking to create absolute symmetry.

There’s no right or wrong way to organize your workout routine as long as you are giving your muscles and body sufficient rest periods between training sessions. To determine what type of grouping is best for you, ask yourself the following questions;
• What are my goals? e.g getting healthy, getting on a three day per week routine
• How many days can I realistically NOT ideally, workout? three days v.s un-realistic seven
• What days can I workout? e.g monday, tuesday, friday - if your workout availability falls on certain days, you must make sure you have the right plan so that you can afford your muscles proper rest
• How long do you have each workout session to train? - if you only have 30 minutes per session, it may be tough squeezing in a full body workout

Take out a pen, a piece of paper and answer these questions. Keep in mind that just because a workout is published in Men’s Fitness or Shape, does not mean its the right program for you. Programs that work best are programs that are designed for the individual.

If you are looking to get great results and unsure what direction to go in, email me at joe@carabasetraining.com

Unilateral Training

For those of you who have a solid base and are looking to take their training to the next level, step out of the box and start incorporating unilateral training or “one sided training,” into your routine. The following are some benefits;

1. Increase functional mobility
2. Improve balance, posture and coordination
3. Strengthen muscle and joints
4. Burn more calories
5. Improve weak side: In training unilateral, it will become obvious that one side of your body is weaker than the other. Train that side with more volume

Here are my favorite unilateral lifts - perform each with weight in only one hand;

1. Shoulder Press
2. Chest Pull Threw
3. Deadlift
4. Squat
5. Lunge

I would recommend mastering your form and building a solid muscular base before attempting unilateral training. Remember to start light, this type of training is much more difficult than it sounds

Response to an email inquiry

“I need help, like many girls. Can you maybe post something or give me advice on how to work out my legs WITHOUT gaining more muscle and make them somehow smaller but toned.”

To “tone” legs or any other body part, there is a process that must occur:

1. Build lean muscle through lifting challenging weight - you can’t build a house without its base structure
2. Lose body fat in the given area. This is accomplished through high intensity interval training with both weights and cardio
3. This step is only relevant after one & two, use a higher rep count with your exercises - while making sure the weight is challenging for the entire set

Now that there’s a basic understanding into the process of toning, it’s important to understand that genetics play a role here too. Everyone is born with a unique genetic code e.g some people have a bigger skeletal structure, some do not. When setting your goals, your goal should be to achieve your best body, not someone else’s.
Here are a few tips to “tone your legs”

1. Train with challenging weight
2. Incorporate stretching movements into your routine; bent knee deadlift, plie squat, deep squat, lunge variations etc
3. Incline cardio: Turn the incline up as you perform your HIIT cardio training, this uses a larger part of your leg muscles (especially in the back part of your body)

Keep working towards your goals and make the appropriate changes to your routine, you’ll be amazed the great things that will happen.

I appreciate this reader’s email. If there is a topic that interests you and would like to see it on my blog, email it to me at joe@carabasetraining.com

Unilateral Training

For those of you who have a solid base and are looking to take their training to the next level, step out of the box and start incorporating unilateral training or “one sided training,” into your routine. The following are some benefits;

1. Increase functional mobility
2. Improve balance, posture and coordination
3. Strengthen muscle and joints
4. Burn more calories
5. Improve weak side: In training unilateral, it will become obvious that one side of your body is weaker than the other. Train that side with more volume

Here are my favorite unilateral lifts - perform each with weight in only one hand;

1. Shoulder Press
2. Chest Pull Threw
3. Deadlift
4. Squat
5. Lunge

I would recommend mastering your form and building a solid muscular base before attempting unilateral training. Remember to start light, this type of training is much more difficult than it sounds

Unilateral Training

For those of you who have a solid base and are looking to take their training to the next level, step out of the box and start incorporating unilateral training or “one sided training,” into your routine. The following are some benefits;

1. Increase functional mobility
2. Improve balance, posture and coordination
3. Strengthen muscle and joints
4. Burn more calories
5. Improve weak side: In training unilateral, it will become obvious that one side of your body is weaker than the other. Train that side with more volume

Here are my favorite unilateral lifts - perform each with weight in only one hand;

1. Shoulder Press
2. Chest Pull Threw
3. Deadlift
4. Squat
5. Lunge

I would recommend mastering your form and building a solid muscular base before attempting unilateral training. Remember to start light, this type of training is much more difficult than it sounds

Quick n Cheap Cardio

Time is everyone’s excuse and typically leads to the demise of people’s goals. As you are pressed for time, you start questioning what you should do; weights or cardio?, what exercises to include/skip?, or just skip weights and do cardio? etc……, before you know it you end up skipping your workout completely.
I always remind my clients that a workout is a workout - no matter how short it is. Quick workouts can be extremely effective if performed at a high intensity.

Jump ropes are one my favorite pieces of equipment as they’re both cheap, convenient and can be an extremely effective fat loss tool if utilized the right way.

Here’s a jump rope routine that will accelerate your both your heart rate and metabolism;

Warm - up: Rope jump at a low intensity for one minute then increase to a moderate intensity for another minute

Workout
• Number of Intervals: 6
• Work time per interval: 120 seconds
• Active Rest time per interval: 30 seconds
• Work Intensity: Moderate - high
• Rest Intensity: Low (pace back and forth)

To give yourself a further challenge, add two more intervals of 60 seconds each on each leg.

Time’s not the issue. You have the time, you just need to manipulate your workouts the right way.

Active Rest

Take advantage of time in between sets by staying active. Rather than talk, pace or stair, consider the following ways to keep your body (muscles) working while you rest;
• Stretch: Stretching after a movement allows your muscle to expand it’s ability to grow
• Body weight motions: Mimic the exact movements you are doing with the weights or any other movement patterns
• Train another body part: This is known as a “antagonistic super set”
• Flex: As corny as it sounds, when you flex a muscle, you are contracting it and therefore making it work (building and burning!)

Whichever option (s) you should to integrate into your routine, don’t spend your time sitting around talking. Allowing your heart rate to return to normal will decrease the amount of calories burned. Staying active while you rest will not only get you a better workout, you will be in and out of the gym quicker!

Chobani Plain Yogurt

Here’s a great snack for any time of day;
• All natural and organic
• Only 100 total calories
• 18 grams of protein
• Only 7 grams of sugar
• 0 calories from fat!
• Gluten Free
• Includes three active probiotics

I will admit at first the taste could take some getting used to but it’s worth a few bland bites. The following are two ways I eat Chobani Yogurt;
• Add frozen fruit to the cup: The sugars from the fruit will enhance the flavor as well as add anti-oxidants
• Add 2 tsp to your protein shake or just shake in general, this allows you another protein source and you won’t notice the texture of the yogurt when blended

Another reason to not-not eat before bed

Reptition Tempo

Often time’s people confuse momentum with resistance training. Momentum is the strength or force gained by a motion where as resistance training refers to consciously controlling a weight using a muscle contraction.

Moving weights up and down with no purpose is close to point less because momentum is doing the work - not the intended muscles. Whether you are training for stabilization, strength or power, you muscle actively contract the intended muscle (s) and resist the weight. The following is an recommended tempo spectrum;

• Stabilization - slow: 4 seconds eccentric (with gravity)/2 seconds isometric (pause)/1 second concentric (against gravity)
• Strength - moderate: 2 seconds eccentric (with gravity)/0 seconds isometric (pause)/ 2 seconds concentric (against gravity)
• Power Training - explosive: Reps are as quick as possible. This type of advanced training still must resist the weight!

Pay close attention to whether you are working your muscle or just going through motions. Then, make sure to match the tempo with your training goals.

Excess Post Oxygen Consumption

EPOC is essentially how long it takes for your RMR (resting metabolism rate) to return to it’s pre-exercise rate.

Light exercise and low intensity training can take several minutes to recover. HIIT (high intensity interval training) can take several HOURS! This means that your RMR will be fired up for up to 24 hours with hard interval training, thus allowing you to burn a ton of calories.

The following are some variables you can change to increase the intensity of your workouts;
• Lower rest periods
• Use unstable objects
• Incorporate balance
• Train in Intervals
• Train in Circuits
• Vary reps/sets and weight

If I offered you a job where you could get paid more money for doing less work, would you take it? I think the answer is an obvious yes. Therefore, why would you workout for longer periods of time when you can get more done from a controlled HIIT program?

The only logical answer as to why you can’t make this happen is lack of knowledge which is perfectly normal yet not an excuse.

If you are looking to make the most of your workouts and achieve the results you desire, email me at joe@carabasetraining.com

Fast Food

I was forced into eating fast food today. The food wasn’t “fast,” by any means, it ended up taking much longer then something of that quality should. Either way, it was the only option.

I do not recommend eating fast food to any of my clients but here are some tips to help you cut your losses next time you find yourself at a fast food place;
• Order grilled or broiled lean meats
• Cut the condiments and sauces
• Choose water over soft drinks
• Pick a salad if possible
• Whole wheat if possible
• Stay away from fried foods
• Opt for alternative sides such as a side salad or fruit

Fast food menus can be tempting but make sure to do your best

Muscle Grouping

Single body part split? Upper - lower body? Pushing - pulling muscle? Full body? ……You could ask 10 different people and you’ll probably receive 10 different explanations on how muscles should be grouped.
I am not one of those trainers who swear by one method of doing things. The only thing I am concerned about is what works. I’ve had success getting my clients results with each theory mentioned above so I do not feel the need to discriminate against any.

Each muscle grouping serves a specific purpose. For instance, a single body part split e.g chest Monday, back Tuesday etc., is an advanced routine geared mostly towards a body-builder/figure type competitor who is looking to create absolute symmetry.

There’s no right or wrong way to organize your workout routine as long as you are giving your muscles and body sufficient rest periods between training sessions. To determine what type of grouping is best for you, ask yourself the following questions;
• What are my goals? e.g getting healthy, getting on a three day per week routine
• How many days can I realistically NOT ideally, workout? three days v.s un-realistic seven
• What days can I workout? e.g monday, tuesday, friday - if your workout availability falls on certain days, you must make sure you have the right plan so that you can afford your muscles proper rest
• How long do you have each workout session to train? - if you only have 30 minutes per session, it may be tough squeezing in a full body workout

Take out a pen, a piece of paper and answer these questions. Keep in mind that just because a workout is published in Men’s Fitness or Shape, does not mean its the right program for you. Programs that work best are programs that are designed for the individual.

If you are looking to get great results and unsure what direction to go in, email me at joe@carabasetraining.com