If you can’t get to the gym as often as you’d like, you need to prioritize within your workout to maximize your results.

For example, if your priority is building muscular strength, focus on weight training rather than cardiovascular training when you manage to squeeze in a workout.

By doing this, even if you only exercise two or three times during the week, at least you worked on your primary goal of building muscle.  If you are able to fit in another workout or two, that is icing on the (sugar-free/fat-free/gluten-free) cake!

I personally live by this code, as I never seem to have as many opportunities to work out as I would like. Given that I live a hectic life and have to do the best I can, when I finally do get to the gym, I follow these guidelines: (more…)

Here is Part 2 of my leg/butt workout.  If you missed Part 1, please read it first.  Adapt each exercise to your skill level and use an appropriate weight load.   I have modified this workout for personal training clients of all different levels.

As I said when I introduced Part 1, the workout consists of twelve exercises that I do on two nonconsecutive days.  Since some of the exercises are harder compound moves (using two or more joints at the same time), I put a few easy moves and a few compound moves into each workout so I can evenly divide the workload.

I do 5 to 8 sets of each exercise, and I do more sets for my weaker areas in an attempt to balance out my legs, both in terms of strength and aesthetic appeal.  Look in a mirror (from all angles) and determine what parts of your lower body need extra work.  Normally, we enjoy doing what comes easily to us and we avoid what is difficult. Assess your weak areas and focus on them.  You are only as strong as your weakest link.  Here are the final six exercises:

7.  HIP ADDUCTION: This exercise works the adductors of the hips, which are all the inner thigh muscles. Using the hip adductor machine, start in a position with your legs as wide as you can and extend your legs so they are straight with your feet in the air (even if the machine is designed to be used with bent knees.)  When you extend your legs, much of the work begins before you do the actual hip adduction, as you must hold your legs up against the pads.  Squeeze your legs together and hold them tightly contracted for a few seconds. Then, slowly let your legs separate to work the eccentric (negative) phase of the contraction.  As you work, use your abdominal muscles to your advantage by tightly contracting them as you press your legs together.  Exhale as you contract. TIP: When I am trying to graduate to a higher weight, I assist myself by pressing on my upper thighs with my own hands as my hips adduct (my legs move toward the center).  In this sense, I am acting as my own spotter.  It is no different than using a spotter for assistance with a chest press or a chin up. (more…)

Do you want to develop great legs and a delightful derriere sure to please you and your significant other? Over the years, I have developed the perfect combination of moves to develop my legs and butt, and the best part is that ANYONE can do it. All you have to do is adapt each exercise to your skill level and use an appropriate weight load. This workout is one that I have modified to work with personal training clients of all different levels.

My lower body workout consists of twelve exercises that I do on two nonconsecutive days. Since some of the exercises are harder compound moves (using two or more joints at the same time), I like to put a few easy moves and a few compound moves into each workout so I can evenly divide the workload!

Generally, I do 5 to 8 sets of each exercise, and I do more sets for my weaker areas in an attempt to balance out my legs, both in terms of strength and aesthetic appeal. Take a good look in the mirror from all angles and determine what parts of your lower body need extra work. This was a humbling experience for me, but acknowledging our weaknesses as wells as our strengths is part of the game. Always play to win. Always train your weakest link.

This week I will give you half of my leg routine, and stay tuned next time for Part 2!

1. BARBELL SQUATS: Depending on your fitness level, choose a barbell with which you can successfully complete 6 to 10 repetitions max. I generally like to select a weight with which I can do no more than eight reps. When I can do more than eight I increase the load. I never squat lower than a 90-degree angle at the knee because I can blow out my knees when I do so. At my age, I tend to be careful and not get too crazy. TIP: Squat slowly, and when you are in your full squat, pause for about 5 seconds, and push through the heels of your feet as you press up to a standing position. Always keep your weight in your hind foot for a squat. (more…)

If you don’t know what you really want, how in the world are you going to get it?  You need to set goals in such a way that you know exactly what you are working to achieve, you can measure your progress along the way, and the goals must be realistic, considering who you are and the life you lead. Here are some tips to get you started setting effective goals that will get you where you want to go.

Set specific goals: Rather than say, “I want to get in shape,” specify or detail exactly what you want.  A more specific way of setting goals is to say, “I want to reduce my waist measurement by 3 inches and increase my strength and flexibility.”

Set measurable goals: How will you measure your progress?  Rather than say, “I want to walk more and get in better cardiovascular condition,” say, “I want to walk two miles every day at a rate of 15 minutes per mile.”  The progress of this goal can be easily measured, as the goal itself is worded in such a way that you can track your progress.

Set attainable goals: The kiss of death for most people is biting off more than they can chew. You have to set a goal that will challenge you, but not defeat you.  Be realistic about who you are, the constraints on your life, and what you are willing to do (or not.)  (more…)

I recently discussed the importance of body composition and how it matters not so much what you weigh, but rather how much of that weight is fat vs. muscle mass. For more information, check out this blog post: The Significance of Body Composition.

Now that we have reviewed the importance of knowing how much fat you carry relative to muscle, let’s discuss the importance of determining where that fat is.

An easy and effective way to measure what is really going on in your body is by calculating your Waist to Hip Ratio. All you need is a tape measure, which is portable, inexpensive, and will help you overcome Scalitis, that nasty disease that keeps you tied to your bathroom scale as a determinant of your self-worth!! (more…)

I have a client that is very obsessed with what he weighs, so much so that his mood du jour is determined by whether the number on the scale goes up or down.  This is no way to live, nor is it an accurate portrayal of what is really going on in your body, i.e., how much of your body is fat vs. how much of your body is lean mass, or muscle.

Excess body fat is undesirable for more reasons than simple aesthetics.  Fat is a storage site for carcinogens, and the more fat you carry above a healthy range, the more you risk hormonal imbalances which set you up for many diseases including diabetes, metabolic syndrome, heart disease, or cancer of the breast, cervix, colon, esophagus, ovaries, and prostate, to name a few.

A recent study by the American Cancer Society found that approximately 90,000 cancer deaths every year are due to excess body fat.  I advise my clients to worry less about what they weigh and concern themselves more with what that weight is. In other words, figure out your body composition, or the percentage of fat relative to the percentage of muscle on your frame. (more…)

Have you ever heard an old man brag that his weight has not changed since he was twenty-something?  That’s great, and as a trainer I am always thrilled to hear that people are keeping their weight in check as they age.  However, as a trainer I am far less concerned about the number on the scale and far more concerned about how much of the weight is lean muscle mass and how much of it is fat mass.

Let’s consider the old man again: at 23 years old, his 175 lb. frame probably had a good bit of muscle, and his torso was the shape of an upside down triangle, with broad shoulders and a tapered waistline.  Now at 83, if he has not been doing anything to maintain his muscle mass, his 175 lb. frame likely looks like a triangle, only right side up!  His broad shoulders and small waist have now become narrow shoulders and a wide waist—but he still weighs 175 lbs, so he does not see the problem.

From a health perspective, however, there is a problem. As we age, both men and women will lose muscle mass and increase fat mass.  Since muscle is metabolically active tissue, meaning it requires calories just to exist, the more muscle you have on your frame, the easier it will be to stay lean.

That added body fat also increases the odds that you will suffer from any one of a number of diseases that can be prevented, including diabetes, metabolic syndrome, different cancers, and heart disease. (more…)

Have you ever wondered how to train aerobically to most efficiently lose body fat? I get a lot of questions about aerobic exercise training, and it seems that there are many misconceptions about how to train effectively, so I want to clarify some points.

Years ago, we instructors were taught to encourage our clients to stay in their “target heart rate range.” This range is also called your “target zone” or your “aerobic heart rate range.” This range simply gives you the number of times that your heart should beat per minute while exercising aerobically. The number represents about 60% to 80% of your heart’s maximum capacity. We were taught that this is the range in which we most efficiently use fat as a fuel source for exercise. Hence, the mantra, “lower intensity, longer sessions,” was drilled into aerobics instructors everywhere as the way to help clients burn body fat.

For my clients that have heart disease or any other cardiovascular complication, I encourage the use of a heart rate monitor that is worn strapped around the chest. This will provide an up to the minute, accurate reading of your heart rate. This population needs to be careful not to exceed 70% of their maximum heart rate without permission from their cardiologist. (more…)

Win $10,000 while losing weight!  Sounds too good to be true, huh?  The good news is that this is a real chance to lose weight and win a $10,000 prize!  There is no down side!

My good friend and fitness expert, David Greenwalt, is the creator of an amazing weight-loss Boot Camp with more than 1000 previous graduates since 1999.

You don’t have to travel to participate!

More than 90% of David’s Boot Camp students graduate, lose weight and achieve their goals.  This is the real deal!

David is a frequent guest on my radio show, TARA MARIE LIVE, and he is one of the top wellness coaches in the country.

Check out his Boot Camp page and decide for yourself. I highly recommend David’s Boot Camp and there’s no better time than now to kick off 2011 the right way—by putting yourself first on your list!

Click the link below to see David’s page:

http://www.LeannessLifestyle.com/bootcamp/?ref=tara

Live with Simplicity,

TMS

After training clients one on one all of these years, I find myself having the same conversation with people.  This conversation is about not only what they are willing to do to get what they want, but what they are willing NOT to do to get what they want.

Think about it: I am sure that you, like everyone else, would like to set some new goals for your fitness and nutrition plan and make some changes to your body.  You must ask yourself two critical things:

1. What am I willing to do to achieve these goals?

2. What am I willing NOT to do to achieve these goals?

Consider this: in order to achieve a goal, be it losing body fat, increasing muscle mass, increasing flexibility or increasing your cardiovascular capacity, you have to identify the things that you will need to do in order to achieve your goals.  This is how you build your plan, or road map, to success. (more…)