Category Archives: Exercise

August 8, 2014

RESISTANCE TRAINING BEFORE CARDIO INCREASES CALORIE BURN.

Doing a quick sculpting routine pre-cardio could increase the amount of fat you melt.

Exercisers in a study at the University of Tokyo who biked within 20 minutes of lifting weights tapped more of their fat stores than those who rested longer or didn’t tone at all.

The firm-then-burn order is also good for your heart: Arteries stiffen during resistance training, increasing blood pressure, but a cardio workout such as a 20-minute run counteracts these effects and expedites your arteries’ return to normal.

Plus, strength training takes coordination and good technique, so you get more out of it if you come to it fresh.

Meanwhile, cardio is a rhythmic, low-skill activity that’s the easier of the two to do in a fatigued state.

Try the firm-then-burn routine and see how much more you get out of your workout!

August 1, 2014

TAKE A POWER WALK TO BEAT A MIDDAY SLUMP.

Call it the 20-20 rule: As little as 20 minutes of low-intensity aerobic activity such as walking can give you a 20 percent surge in energy.

Many people assume that they’ll get tired from exercise, but the opposite actually happens.

It’s unknown as to what the biological mechanism is, but indirect evidence suggests that brain chemicals such as dopamine and serotonin are altered and cause the improved energy.

Besides, that quick recharge just burned about 75 calories.

July 18, 2014

A STRONG CORE = A FASTER 5K

Getting that desired six-pack is not the only reason to include the plank into your exercise routine.

A strong core stabilises your hips and pelvis when you run, enabling you to go faster and further.

In a study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, runners who did six weeks of core training had significantly faster 5K times than those who didn’t.

When your core is weak, the leg muscles fatigue at a much faster rate. Your body compensates by engaging other muscles to pick up the slack. Eventually this can lead to muscle-tissue breakdown and an increased risk for injury.

To reap the benefits, incorporate core exercises, like planks, into your strength-training routine two to three times a week.

May 30, 2014

UPPER-BODY VS. LOWER-BODY EXERCISES.

When you work your lower body rep per rep, you burn a lot more calories churning out squats than biceps curls.

And while it’s good to work on a sculpted upper body, your largest muscles are in your legs. Plus, by working bigger muscles, and thus, more muscle fibers, you create more of those micro-tears your body has to spend calories to repair.

Furthermore, when you do work your arms, stand up whenever possible. As soon as you sit down, those big calorie-burning muscles will become dormant.

May 9, 2014

IF I WORKOUT REGULARLY I CAN EAT WHAT I LIKE, RIGHT?

WRONG!

In order to lose weight and maintain general health and fitness, you must integrate healthy foods into your lifestyle in addition to your training regime.

It is not possible to out-train a bad diet – eating unhealthy, processed foods after a workout will counter the good work you put into your training, and can even cause you to overeat and gain weight.

By all means allow yourself the odd treat, but do not reward your hard efforts with unhealthy foods.

April 18, 2014

RUNNING: SUCCESS SECRETS.

Reap more running rewards with these top training tips:

Be consistent – it might take weeks, months or years, but regular training will eventually produce the results you are after.

Find a suitable routine – get a good running plan from an expert and stick to it.

Have fun – if running feels like a chore, you won’t want to do it. Make it social and fun.

Vary your runs – to stay motivated, mix up your training. Do long and short runs, on and off road, and throw in some hill sprints!

Go for a goal – set yourself a goal that excites you, challenges you and that you truly want to achieve.

April 11, 2014

GO SLOW.

Thought doing weights was a simple as lifting and lowering with the correct form? Think again!

The speed at which you contract into a move and release out of it – the tempo – seriously affects what you get out of it, even when it comes to body weight exercises.

Slower movements with weight allow all portions of the muscle to be activated, loading the muscle with more resistance and making it stronger.

For best results, use a slow and controlled tempo for the eccentric movement – that’s the lowering of the weight – and an explosive tempo for the concentric part of the movement – the phase where you’re contracting.

April 4, 2014

MIND OVER MATTER.

Your body is a slave to your mind. Whatever your body does, it does because the mind commands it.

However, we still don’t use our muscles to their fullest potential because we’re generally unable to activate them to this extent.

When you’re doing exercises, try to focus on contracting and controlling the muscles you’re working to create a greater connection between your body and mind.

March 28, 2014

GET DYNAMIC.

A dynamic warm-up is much more efficient at preparing your body for a workout, as well as preventing injury.

Dynamic stretching sends blood to your muscles without inhibiting their strength. It allows the muscle to stretch through its full range of motion without holding the stretch point too long.

Static stretches, which hold the stretch point for longer, promote relaxation. Try some dynamic stretches that replicate the movements you’ll be making in your workout. For example, think high-knee marches before a run.

March 21, 2014

WHY US PERSONAL TRAINERS ARE ALWAYS REMINDING YOU TO ‘KEEP THE CORE ENGAGED’.

Ask any of my clients and they will tell you that I’m constantly reminding them to ‘engage the core muscles’. But what does this really mean and why is it so important?

In order to contract your core muscles, you need to imagine that your belly button is being pulled back towards your spine. This can be a bit difficult to start with, but as you learn the correct technique and as your muscles become stronger, it will soon feel natural.

It is essential that you give your breathing some extra attention too. Efficient breathing helps activate your core and diaphragm, leading to energy flow through the body which affects both muscular endurance and pain tolerance.

By engaging or ‘activating’ your core muscles you allow yourself to be stronger at your weakest point. Engaging the core is fundamental in exercise as it allows your body force to be distributed more efficiently and can even allow you to do more reps and lift more weight.

So next time you exercise make sure you don’t forget to get those deep core muscles involved to get yourself out of the average and into the extraordinary.

Lanima Fitness

Personal Training for Women