training tips

Erik's Weekly Fitness Tip | Don't Make These 5 Mistakes

 

Focus

With all the noise out there, it can be hard to focus on the things that really matter when it comes to becoming and staying fit. Below are 5 of the most popular training mistakes that I have seen clients fall victim to. Don't be one of them!

1. TOO MUCH AB WORK

Lose the obsession with your mid-section. Total body exercises (like squats or deadlifts) will burn more calories than crunches. Always. Period. End of story.

2. TOO MUCH CARDIO

Now don't get me wrong, cardio is great, but balance is important. Cardio does not make you stronger nor does it increase bone and tendon density, that's what the weight room is for. 

3. WORKOUT MONOGAMY

Do you do the same 4-mile loop at the same pace or lift the same amount of weight in the same succession every gym sesh? In order to progress you need to add variety to your workout routine. That means lifting harder and training in intervals.

4. WORKOUT PROMISCUITY 

Doing every exercise you know every time you enter the gym isn't efficient. Instead, adopt a simple training plan. Do your research and narrow down your routine to 4 or 5 exercises for each muscle group. Train a different muscle group every day. 

5. FEAR OF FOOD

Food is life. You aren't going to make gains if you aren't feeding your body the nutrients it needs. Food helps build muscle and aids your body in recovery.

Image Credit: Blondinrikard Fröberg via Flickr

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Erik's Weekly Fitness Tip | 4 Key Training Tips

 

It Doesn't Come Easy

Quick fixes, instant gratification, and being easy do not go with being healthy, strong, and fit.  Building a strong, healthy body takes time, planning and discipline. 

4 Key Training Tips

Here are 4 key sticking points that will always increase your chances for success!  

1.     Lift heavy!  Your mom was wrong, it’s okay to lift heavy when proper technique is executed.  Heavy weights build a stronger foundation by making your bones, tendons, and ligaments stronger. They also increase lean body mass.  Our body starts to lose lean body mass after the age of 30, you will want to do everything you can to preserve that muscle.

2.     Consistency.  Results will show when you put in the work.  Not every workout will be epic and they don’t need to be.  Punch your time card at the gym 2-4 days a week for months upon months and see what happens. You will be amazed! 

3.     Don’t forget about your legs.  Abs, abs, abs, arms, and chest are often the go-to when it comes to muscles worked.  I totally understand the vanity part, but if you want to be strong, train your legs.  Learn how to squat. And when I mean squat make sure your hip crease goes below your knee!

4.     Fun! Working out should be fun and should include things that challenge you and things that you want to do.  When things are fun, you are more likely to do them! 

Image Credit: U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. Fifth Fleet via Flickr

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Erik's Weekly Fitness Tip: Never Fall For Another Fad

shake weight
 

Along with every new year inevitably comes an influx of training fads. Midnight infomercials are full of ripped models that are paid to tell us how their amazing bodies are the result of using some stretchy resistance band once a month. If only it were that simple!

I’ve seen a lot of fads come and go in the past few decades; Bowflex machines, Zumba, Richard Simmons, Shake Weights, Tae Bo, P90X, and let’s not forget the Butt and Thigh blaster by the ever so lovely Susan Summers. 

The fitness industry is a multi-billion dollar business that preys on those without basic fitness knowledge or self-confidence. They'll tell you that what they’re selling is going to change your life, that all of your problems will melt away, that you'll experience a spike in energy, and that you'll never have body fat or cellulite again. Whatever you do, do not fall for this trap. There are no short cuts!  

If you're looking for something that actually works, do these things: 


1. Consistency

Eat well mostly, work out often, sleep soundly always. 


2. Go hard in the gym

Squats, deadlifts, presses, and hard intervals are the most optimal way to train. Period.


3. Set goals

Even though I don't compete anymore, I still set goals for myself. 


4. Never compare yourself to others.

Compare yourself to where you were when you started. That's it. 

*image by Flickr

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