There is more to your fitness than just working out. I want to provide some helpful tips to help you make the most of your time in the gym
- “Only work as hard as you can RECOVER.”
Many people think the workout is where the magic happens. If we don’t allow adequate time to recover (rest, nutrition, hydration) between exercise bouts, we run the risk of injury and burnout. To maximize your results in the gym, make sure to prioritize your time outside the gym!
- “WORK + REST = SUCCESS”
It gets no simpler than this! It takes both work and rest to see success for your goals. Being selfish gets a bad rap most of the time. However, if the pandemic has brought to light something for me, it’s building in time to REST / RECOVER. Most people have no problem putting in effort on the work side. To help reach your health goals quicker, take some time for yourself to rest, recover, and regenerate!
- “Eat Protein at EVERY meal”
Nutrition can be a daunting task for anyone. There is so much information out there and it is hard to know where to begin. My rule of thumb for all our clients is to eat protein at every meal. My rule of thumb is to strive and get the amount of protein, in grams, per day of your lean mass. To figure that out, test your body composition and simply use that to guide you.
Example: 170lb person with a 20% body composition means the person has 136lbs of lean mass. 80% of the 136 is 108 so that individual should aim for 108 to 136 grams of protein per day.
- “BE CONSISTENT”
If there is ever a golden rule for the gym (besides RACKING YOUR WEIGHTS), its be consistent. I like the analogy of growing a garden. You prep the ground, put the seeds down, and water. Now you won’t notice the tomatoes growing the next day, but if you continue to make sure the garden is taken care of, watered, plenty of sun, and the critters stay away, you will eventually get to see the fruits of your labor!
- “Keep It Simple Silly”
Should be a golden rule! When starting a workout program, keep it simple. Come in with a plan (which you can find at carterpeakperformane.com) and be precise with those exercises. I see so many times people have a plan from a friend, co worker, online, etc. that would take half a day to finish or is simply not practical. It is so complex for a beginner and would have them doing heavy back squats superseded with heavy lunges (yes, there is a time and place for that…maybe) but not for someone wanting to start building a healthy lifestyle! So follow the KISS method when beginning your program!
- “Motion is Lotion”
I first heard this from my good friend and amazing physical therapist Jimmy Robinson. Exercise does not have to always be super heavy, daunting weight, or done with extreme speeds. It could be an easy stretching / movement flow routine, a nice walk outside, or just a trip to the gym just going through the exercises with lighter weight. Movement is how our body moves fluids our system and how our joints stay lubricated for exercise.
- “Don’t be scared to go HEAVY!”
The weight room is the fountain of youth…if you use it correctly! Most people are intimidated by weights and want to stay in their comfort zone. Get comfortable being uncomfortable! In order to get a long lasting training effect, whether its gaining strength, lose some body fat, or just getting those muscles to look a bit more delightful, INCREASE THE WEIGHT! My rule of thumb for beginners is to keep the rep range between 8 and 10 reps. If you are able to move that last set of 10 for 15 or more reps, it’s too easy and you need to increase the weight. Keep the 8-10 rep scheme for your first 4 to six weeks in the gym, then can start have one of the trainers at The Health Club assist you on the next step in your fitness journey!
High School Basketball Player not scared to go heavy!
- “Accountability increases Consistency”
Research has shown that having a friend / workout partner increases your changes of going to the gym. Main, reason, you don’t want to disappoint your friend! Find one of your friends you would like to join you on this fitness journey and break down that barrier of excuses NOT to go to the gym! I always tell my clients and potential new Health Club members, The best workout plan is the one you do consistently!
- “No dumb questions!”
One of the biggest pitfalls is feeling like you are on this journey alone. I know working out in a big fitness center can be intimidating. We are always more than welcome to answer your inquiries. If you need clarification on an exercise or if you are doing it correctly, we can be your external hard drive for that! And another thing, people assume they are bothering us when we are working with other clients. I will tell you they ENJOY the small bit of rest they receive when you ask your question I guarantee!!
- “Core is more than crunches“
My definition of the core is the torso to the hips. This region can can be worked in isolation (ie crunches, sit ups, etc) but is so much more diverse! Educating my clients is vital in the training process as they can start internalizing some of the exercise / movements we do. This allows them more freedom moving forward as it opens up more fun, dynamic exercise selections. My Core training hierarchy is; Stabilization to Dynamic Stabilization to Power to Power Endurance. We have to learn to stabilize our core before we can add challenges to it. Once we own the dynamic stability component, we add power, and once we can own power, We can go for time or reps. A simple, but effective solution to this would be:
Stabilization: Stability ball Bridges from 10 to 30 seconds
Dynamic Stabilization: Stability Ball Rollouts
Core Power: Palloff Walk outs / presses
Power Endurance: Suit Case Carries 100 yds paired with MB Slams
- 11.”Cardio vs Conditioning”
The difference in these is quite drastic, from an INTENSITY standpoint. By my definition, Cardio is done at a pace that can SLIGHTLY uncomfortable and that allows you the ability to watch TV or read while doing it. Cardio is great for beginners as it helps build their capacity and tolerance to exercise. Conditioning is cardio’s psycho older sibling and can be brought to light when all three of earths sanctums fall (Doctor Strange reference). Uncomfortable does not do it justice! When we condition, we want to push to red line. Now, this seems terrible and disturbing…and it totally is, but can be a way to maximize burning calories and saving some time on the flip side. A simple metric I use, depending on the exercise apparatus, is how many calories per minute did the client burn, or how much work did the person do in a given time?
Here are some examples of Conditioning;
Assault Treadmill: 100meters in 15 seconds
Stairstepper: 120 steps in 60 seconds
Rower: 500 meters in 90 seconds
Upright Bike: .75 miles in a minute
These are all super intense and is meant to push the person to THAT limit. They may not hit the mark, but the fact is the person will push the limits they can to do it. So hitting 5 sets of 100 meter sprints on the Assault will make you on the extreme levels of uncomfortable. Both of these strategies can bring positive results. Its up to you to determine which one you deserve!
- 12.“Have FUN!”
Not much more is needed to say on this! If the pandemic has taught me anything, its to be a bit more selfish with your time. We spend so many hours a week worrying about work and others that we forget about the most important person in our life is ourself. The happier we are, the better spouse, parent, friend, employee, boss, we are. And in order to keep up this new found you, having fun is VITAL to the longevity of this health & fitness journey. Have fun with your exercise, participate with your friends, take your newly acquired fitness to the pickelball court or golf course, play more with your kids outside, the possibilities are endless!