Why slow long distance (walking and running) doesn’t work! 

• Takes a long bout of exercise to burn a significant amount of calories
• Walking is a good start, but what next? 
• One mile of running will burn between 100 to 300 calories based on your weight, age, and other factors. But in order to jog that mile you will subject your joints to 1500 plyometric reps at (consecutively) 2-4 x bodyweight. 
• That is a lot of pounding on your joints while increasing your injury potential. The return on investment (100-300 calories burned) is not worth it. 
• Doesn’t raise the heart rate and oxygen debt, thus not increasing the metabolic rate after exercise is done (EPOC- Excessive Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption) 
• The body adapts to the low intensity exercise to quickly (plateaus) 
• The so called “fat burning” zone myth
• Sprinters (4-9% bodyfat) Vs Runners/walkers (12-25% bodyfat)

When is aerobic (long slow distance) good for you? 

• If you are just starting a workout program, injured (walk, don’t run), severely overweight or have other severe health conditions
•  If you are training for a half marathon, full marathon, triathlon

What is interval training?

• It is a method of conditioning that uses alternating periods of work and rest. 
• Can be done by using various modalities such as a bike, treadmill, sprinting, Elliptical, swimming, and stepmill. 
• A simple method is sprinting for 30 seconds, and then taking a 30-90 second rest break (rest depends on condition of person)
• Number of intervals depends on the goal, and fitness level of the person

Why should someone interval train?

• Interval training has been utilized by athletes and fitness enthusiast alike to get in shape for years. Interval training has even taken on a new name in recent years, High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). 
• Increases the bodies metabolic rate 12-48 hours after exercise is done (EPOC)
• This type of training is not only being used by athletes to improve conditioning, but also by trainers and their clients as one of the best methods for fat loss and conditioning.
• With our busy lifestyles, who has time to do 40-60 minutes of aerobic training?  The scientific data now shows less is better when it comes to fat loss! 

Let’s take a look at why interval training works. 

The Power of Interval Training:
The way for individuals to raise the intensity of their training is to do “Interval Training.” Interval Training alternates bouts of high-intensity exercise with that of low to moderate-intensity exercise. Recent studies have shown that Interval Training is more effective for fat loss while improving both Aerobic and Anaerobic fitness.  

If it works why doesn’t everyone utilize HIIT? 

• Media has over hyped long bouts of cardiovascular exercise for health 
• HIIT is much more physically demanding
• Most people are confused about how to do it and make it work! 

The downsides of Interval Training

• Still is a lot of repetitive motion at the ankle, hip, and knee, thus causing muscular imbalances and asymmetries
•  Many people don’t like to use machines and get bored to fast. This discourages them from performing interval training
• Interval training is much harder than walking, jogging, or running, in turn discouraging them even more from staying on the same machine for 15-30 minutes

If interval training is better than general aerobics, what is the best solution for fat loss? 

The Solution: Metabolic Conditioning!

• Combines strength, power, conditioning, and core exercises
• Can implement unilateral, multi-planar, and corrective exercises to further enhance metabolic demands and correct asymmetries and functional movement patterns
• The workouts themselves are MORE effective in terms of client’s results (improved fitness, weight loss, core strength, stability, etc) than traditional interval training
• Is much more engaging and fun, and has a lot of room for variety

Below is an example of what a Metabolic Conditioning workout would look like:

• Dynamic Warm-up (5-10 minutes) 
• Perform each exercise for 30 seconds, and take 30 seconds in between exercises. After each round take a 2 minute break. Repeat for up to 4 rounds.
• Stability Ball Push-ups
• Slide Board Lunges
• Band Alternate Rows
• Kettlebell Deadlifts
• Stability Ball Knee Tucks
• Squat Jumps 

Add a FINISHER for even more of a Metabolic Stimulus

•  Sled Push and Ropes are always a great choice!

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A couple is defined as a husband and wife, mom and daughter, father and son, co-workers—basically a partner to help you through the challenge. We encourage creative thinking here, as well as traditional couples.

Download the official entry form here.

This program will be a six month commitment to gain a lifetime of knowledge for healthy living.  Each couple will need to be available for interviews and photo shoots for Healthy & Fit Magazine.  The first half of the challenge is designed to give you step by step instruction and illustration on the What, How, and Why of weight loss.  The second half is designed to show you that you can do it on your own.

Here is what you can expect:

• For the first three months
  • Two (2) set sessions per week at State of Fitness (24 total)
  • One session is with a coach in the semi-private training and one is on weight management and nutrition education
  • Each participant will be given a notebook and food journal along with weekly menus
  • State of Fitness staff will weigh and measure each contestant to accurately chart progress
  • Unlimited group coaching classes
  • Plus unlimited use of the State of Fitness facility including all mind and body classes

• For the next three months
  • 1 session per week is offered as support and continuing weight management and nutrition education
  • State of Fitness staff will continue to weigh in and chart progress weekly
  • Unlimited group coaching classes at State of Fitness
  • Plus unlimited use of the State of Fitness facility including all mind and body classes

Monthly prizes will be awarded based on participation and top weight loss percentage. Couples will be featured monthly in Healthy & Fit Magazine and on the Healthy & Fit Magazine and State of Fitness websites.

There is a cost to this year’s challenge and no one will be turned away who enters. The cost is $129 per person per month for the six month challenge.

To enter the competition, please download the following form and complete it by November 1.

1. Don’t follow a diet! Diets never work and diets never last. Around 80% of people that go on diets either quit in the first two weeks or go back to old habits, or they get frustrated and make themselves miserable. Skip the diet and change your lifestyle!
2. Eat More Frequently Don’t skip breakfast, eat snacks between meals with high quality protein and fat, and eat something every 2.5-4 hours. This will control hunger, overeating, cravings, and boost your metabolism. If you are not creating a habit of eating 4-6 times a day, fat loss will not be long term, period!
3. Eat Fat to Lose Fat High quality fats such as fish oil, salmon, olive oil, avocados, and almonds are some of the most nutritious foods on earth. If someone ever tells you to eat a low fat diet run the other way! Healthy fats such as Omega-3 fatty acids help reduce inflammation, increase the metabolic rate, reduce cholesterol, maintain blood glucose levels, and help your cells become more efficient.
4. Practice Table Push aways:We live in a country of such mass quantities when it comes to food. We always opt to super size our meals or go for second helpings. That is one of the major reasons that we have an obesity epidemic in our society. We eat way too much! Next time you are full or satisfied when eating, save that extra food on your plate, or just throw it away! I know it’s not always good to waste food, but we live in a country with such a high abundance of food. Our country can afford to waste some food. We have a bigger issue with overweight and obese people, and all the harmful health issues that come along with it.
5. Don’t count calories, focus on quality Too many times I hear people talking about how many calories they are eating instead of focusing on the quality of the food that they are consuming. Don’t get me wrong, portion control is a big part of losing weight and maintaining good health as I mentioned above, but it is not everything. Let me give you an example. Take 100 calories worth of broccoli and 100 calories worth of sugar in the form of candy. What food do you think your body will like better and will utilize more efficiently? The broccoli of course? I have client’s easting 2,500-3,000 calories of high quality food spread throughout the day and they are losing weight! Where I also have clients consuming 1,200 calories and they are just maintaining or even gaining weight because they don’t eat frequently enough and are eating poor quality foods. Pick quality over quantity, and see you body and health reap the benefits.
6. Water, Water, and more Water is your foundation! Most everyone I talk to claims they drink enough water, and most of the time I make them realize that they are not. A lot of people will claim that coffee and tea count as water intake. No way! You must consume at least 64oz of water at a minimum. If you are active and or have more muscle mass you need to drink even more. Your body is roughly 70% water, so you must feed all those cells in order to have everything functioning correctly. Everything from your metabolism and digestive system, to your brain and heart! I also recommend that my clients consume 10-16oz. of mineral water as well. Mineral water is very alkaline and contains many minerals that most people are deficient in. Try to strive for 1 oz. of water for every two pounds of bodyweight you WANT to weigh. So if you want to weigh 150 pounds try to consume 75oz. of water a day.
7. Be smart when eating out at a restaurantTelling someone not to eat out is like telling someone they can’t breathe. Our lifestyles are so busy these days, that without the convience of restaurants, some people would just go without eating. Eating out of the home is a way of life, so we need to learn how to deal with it. Reduce your portion sizes, choose lean protein sources, eat veggies with no butte or sauce, drink water not juice, soda, or alcohol, and reduce your processed carbohydrate intake. It’s that simple
8. Invest Your Money in Some Whole Food Bars In a perfect world I would have everyone eat all whole foods and not use supplemental bars and shakes, but I am a realist and I understand it is way to hard to do that. So I recommend always having some meal replacement bars on hand. Meal replacement bars, or better known as protein bars, have come a long way over the years. In the past they were full of garbage and tasted horrible! There are now many high quality whole food bars out there to choose from. When looking for protein bars be very critical about what is in them. Make sure there are no high-fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, and sugar alcohols. Look for the lowest amount of ingredients and possible, and if it doesn’t look like it comes from nature, don’t eat it. My favorite bars are Organic Food Bar, Pure Bars, Lara Bars, Darryl Bars, and Pro Bars.
9. Learn How To Read Labels With so much mis-information about so called “diet” or “low-fat, low –carb” foods comes a lot of junk food. Just because it says that the food is low in something, or is in the “diet” category doesn’t mean that it is good for you. Most of the time those so called health foods are the worst for you. They added in a bunch of unwanted crap such as high-fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, and sugar alcohols to save calories, carbohydrates, and fat. Make sure you can pronounce just about everything on the ingredient list, and more importantly look for foods with the smallest ingredient list.
10. Stay Consistent. Whatever you try to do, the best thing you can bet on is staying consistent. That is why diets don’t work. They are too hard to stay consistent on. Get educated, start a plan, change your lifestyle, and go!

What is interval training?

It is a method of conditioning that is uses alternating periods of work and rest. The tough thing to figure out is how to utilize them correctly.

Why should someone interval train?

Interval training has been utilized by athletes and fitness enthusisist alike to get in shape for years. Interval training has even taken on a new name in recent years, High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). This type of training is not only being used by athletes to improve conditioning, but also by trainers and their clients as one of the best methods for fat loss. Also, in our busy lifestyles that have time to do 40-60 minutes of aerobic training? Not me! The scientific data now shows less is better when it comes to fat loss!

Why don’t more people interval train?

The first reason is that the media has drastically oversold the idea that we need long bouts of aerobic training to get in shape and keep our tickers healthy. Totally not true. Do you remember how the media oversold high carb/low fat diets? We now know that doesn’t work!

The second reason is that they a hard! Yes, exercise is supposed to make you sweat! Unless you have some health condition or injury I don’t think you are truly exercising to burn lots of fat and build muscle unless you are breathing hard and sweating. Period!

The last big reason why we don’t perform intervals is that we are confused on how they work, and where to begin.

When is aerobic training (long slow distance) good for?

I feel that conventional aerobic training is only good to get a person fit enough to tolerate interval training or to serve as an active break from intervals. It should only be used as a precursor for interval training, or to train for marathons, ½ marathons, or triathlons. Walking and low intensity cardiovascualr exercise is only for the begginers and injured in most cases.

The proof

Interval training stresses not only the energy system but, the muscular system. Another study, done in Canada at McMaster University, and often referenced as the Gibala Study, after lead researcher Martin Gibala, had a similar result. The Gibala study compared twenty minutes of high intensity interval training, consisting of a 30 second sprint followed by a four minute rest, with 90-120 minutes in the target heart rate zone. The result was amazing. Subjects got the same improvement in oxygen utilization from both programs. The twenty minute program only requires about two minutes and thirty seconds of actual work! I think that most people can handle that?

A second study that has become known as the Tabata study again showing how beneficial   interval training can be. Tabata compared moderate intensity endurance training at about 70 percent of VO2 max to high intensity intervals done at 170 percent of VO2 max. Tabata used a unique protocol of 20 seconds work to 10 seconds rest done in 7-8 bouts. This was basically a series of 20 second intervals performed during a 4 minute span. Again the results were nothing short of amazing. The 20/10 protocol, now applied in a variety of ways as Tabata’s, improved the VO2 max and the anaerobic capabilities more than the steady state program.

It is a good feeling to have someone you can count on to pick you up and encourage you to get that last set of kettlebell swings in, or run that extra mile. But what do you do if your training partner is out sick, or your trainer is on vacation? Maybe the 12-week running group has ended, and you are worried that you won’t be able to keep it up on your own.

I always tell my client your success or failure is not up to me. I lay the foundation down, teach you the proper exercise techniques and give quality nutritional advice. The rest of the challenge is up to you, and you must hold yourself accountable in order to succeed. I only get to see most of my clients for 1 hour a week, so the other 167 hours are up to them.

Here are five tips to stay motivated and hold you accountable.

Make it a daily habit

If you have to pick up your child each day at school you usually do so, right? You don’t brush it off and say, “I don’t feel like picking her up from school today. I’ll skip it and take the day off.” Most people usually brush their teeth each day, and tend not to take the day off because they don’t think it is important. Working out is no different. It is a daily priority to move each day. If we start to look at our health as a regular part of our day we will start to make some progress.

Keep it on your calendar

If you have a weekly appointment with a trainer, or attend a class each week, keep that day and time reserved on your calendar regardless of whether it is still scheduled or not. If your trainer is out of town, or the class or group is canceled for some reason, keep the appointment for a workout session for yourself. If you belong to a fitness club, try another class. If your trainer is out of town have them give you homework and make the trainer hold you accountable to do the workout. Keep up the habit.

Have a back-up plan

I am a big believer you should plan a day ahead. When it comes to your daily meal plan, workout, work and family, you should always be thinking ahead. This way you always have time to make a back-up plan. If your friend calls you the day before and tells you they can’t go on the usual lunch time walk, try and find another person to walk with, or just enjoy a peaceful walk alone. If your trainer is sick and can’t workout, email them and ask for an alternate workout. If your gym is closed for the day, find another that is open and try it out for a change of environment.

Life can often throw us some curve balls, so be ready to improvise your workout schedule even if you are a creature of habit (like most of us). It is always good to mix up your workouts.

Blame game

We all have our excuses to why we are not able to workout. Family, job, and traveling are common excuses for why my clients can’t fit a workout in. I sympathize just a little with them for those reasons, but not much. I will NEVER sympathize with someone if they blame it on someone else. Be honest with yourself and make the extra effort to get the job done, on your own.

Put Yourself First

If you do get into a situation where someone else is preventing you from working out, take action and change that pattern. If your workout partner or trainer is not staying consistent with your time, or keeps canceling, dump them and find a new one. You may think you are hurting their feelings by doing this, but you really are putting your own health first.

Most of us forget this concept as we get busier trying to take care of our work, families, and friends. If anything, that trainer or workout partner will have a spark to motivate themselves to stay committed to working out and stop letting you down.

Always put yourself first, and your body will thank you in the long run.

Since I work with many clients that need fast results in a small amount of time, I have them perform what is called “metabolic conditioning training.” This type of training consists of various strength, power, and core exercises in a circuit or interval type training method.

This allows me to increase my client’s metabolism, burn a ton of calories, and increase their VO2 max (in easy terms, increase their conditioning) in a very short amount of time. If you want some science to prove my method, read the kettlebell study by Truman University that supports my methods by using the kettlebell swing exercise. A staple here at State of Fitness to get our athletes and clients in shape.

A recent study came out of Truman State University and looked at the metabolic effect of kettlebell training. The subjects were asked to swing a kettlebell as many times as they could in a 12 minute period (sets, reps and rest period it seems were frees tyled — the subjects rested whenever they wanted).

The researchers found that the subjects completed between 198 and 333 swings in the time frame (265 swings average) and worked at an average heart rate of 86% of max and at 65% of their previously measured oxygen consumption [VO2max]. They concluded that,,”Continuous kettlebell swings can impart a metabolic challenge of sufficient intensity to increase Vo2max. Heart rate was substantially higher than Vo2 during kettlebell swings. Kettlebells provide a useful tool with which coaches may improve the cardiorespiratory fitness of their athletes.”

Next time I will be talking about why metabolic conditioning training is safer, more effective, and an example of how to do it!

Justin Grinnell is the co-owner of State of Fitness. Check out the State of Fitness web site here.

Injury reduction

Injury rates for young athletes are at a higher rate than ever. Over 70 percent of ACL tears in the United States come from athletes between the ages of 13 to18 years old. This is due in part to less physical activity outside of their sport; thinking the sport itself will get you into shape; specializing in one sport too soon; and the lack of implementation of proper strength, conditioning and cross-training methods. We need to make athletes aware that physical fitness is the foremost effective way to reduce the risk of injury. They should also understand that specializing in one sport increases their risk of injury due to continuous use of the same movement patterns. If an athlete chooses to specialize, then he or she must understand that cross training, by implementing a strength program, is even more important.

Improving athletic performance

Athletics at the junior and high school level are becoming more competitive every year. With competition there is much more demand on the athlete tosucceed. I do believe every child should be given the opportunity to participate in a sport and should never be discouraged from playing a sport. Having fun and learning life long values such as discipline and hard work are always a priority. At the same time there is a point of reality where the best players move on and play at a certain level, whether it is trying to make the JV basketball team, or earning a scholarship to a college. Talent is usually a large determining factor, but hard work does pay off. Working hard at a solid strength and conditioning program will help the student become stronger, faster, more powerful, and a better conditioned athlete to participate in their chosen sport.

Sometimes these factors can be the difference between more playing time and continuing on to the next level. If an athlete is seeking ways to improve his or her ability to earn playing time, or move on to the next level, the difference is usually hard work and a solid strength and conditioning program.

Learning physical fitness: Life after sports

After I graduated from high school and decided not to continue to play at the college level, I quickly realized I needed to find a way to stay in shape and stay active. I was fortunate to have participated in a decent strength and conditioning program in high school, and that sparked my interest in continuing to work out and stay healthy and fit.

Unfortunately not all former student athletes continue to stay active after their playing days are done. It is a very well known fact that overweight and obese children are on the rise, and our current generation of kids may be the first to be outlived by their parents. I think the best way to change that is to implement other forms of exercise to keep kids from becoming sedentary.

When I train young athletes, I not only try to help them become better at their sport, I want to give them knowledge, skills, and motivation to continue to stay active for the rest of their lives. Educating our youth about the importance of exercise should be the main goal when introducing them into sports.

Correct exercise technique and program design

With so much information available about exercise, it can become quite confusing to decide which exercise program is best for an athlete. That is where a qualified and educated strength and conditioning coach comes in. An athletic trainer is there to take care of injuries, a basketball or soccer coach is there to help improve the team and athlete’s basketball and soccer skills, and the strength and conditioning coach is there to help the athlete become stronger, faster, powerful, and more resilient to injury. A strength coach’s first goal should always be to teach a young athlete proper exercise technique and to keep them in a safe training environment.

A well rounded program should consist of foam rolling, stretching, dynamic warm-up and power drills such as plyometrics, Olympic lifts, strength training, core training, and conditioning should round out a proper training program.

The bottom line is that a good strength and conditioning program is the best form of injury prevention and means improving athletic performance. Teaching our youth that there are other forms of exercise than sports is crucial in order to help then continue to stay active and lead a healthier lifestyle.

Written by: Justin Grinnell. Grinnell, B.S., CSCS is a certified personal trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine, and a Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. He is the co-owner of State of Fitness in East Lansing. You can reach him at 517.708.8828.

You must always remember,a short workout is better than no workout. I have designed many quick, yet effective workouts because of these situations for my clients. One of my favorites is the FAB FIVE stability ball workout. A stability ball is very inexpensive and a very multi-functional exercise tool that can be used almost anywhere.

The “FAB FIVE” is a stability ball circuit designed to train your powerhouse, the “CORE”. Stability, balance, and overall full body strength will also be a result of using the FAB FIVE.

PUSH-UPS HANDS ON BALL

• Assume a push-up position with hands on ball
• Keep your body fully extended with core tight
• Lower your body using your arms and go down right before chest touches the ball
• Push away from the ball until arms are fully extended

LEG CURLS

KNEE-INS

LOG ROLLS

UPPER-BODY ROTATIONS

Routine

• Perform as a circuit
• 10-15 reps for each exercise
• 2-4 sets in a workout
• Use pain free range of motion with controlled movements
• Keep core tight at all times

For more workout ideas, visit mystateoffitness.com.

Here are five new things to think about to help you lose those unwanted pounds for the nice weather ahead:

Try Tabata Interval Workouts

If you don’t already know what a Tabata interval is, it’s a high intensity interval training protocol originally created by Japanese researcher Dr. Izumi Tabata. Each Tabata interval consists of 20 seconds of high intensity (as hard as you can go) exercise followed by a 10 second rest. This is repeated for eight rounds for four mintes at a time. It’s simple, effective and a great way to increase your metabolism and burn body fat. You can use a variety of modalities such as a bike, treadmill, and even your bodyweight!

Keep workouts short and intense

One of the least talked about training methods is workout density, which is the amount of work you do in a given time frame. The greater your density, the greater your caloric expenditure. The best way to increase workout density is to decrease rest periods. The longer you drag out your workout, the less likely you can keep up the intensity. An easy way to do this is set a time limit. Try to get as much of your workout done in that time frame. Each time you do that workout, try to beat your previous time. So if you are trying to lose body fat, get out of the mindset that you have to work out for hours and hours. The harder you work in less time, will equate to a higher metabolism, and a much more effective weight loss program.

Finish your workout with a bang!

If you ever came to one of my classes, or trained with me, you are well aware that I like to end a workout with what I call finishers. These are exercises that are short, intense, and very demanding. My favorites are sled pushes and rope training circuits. These exercises are sure to get the heart rate up, and keep your metabolism rocking for the next 12-24 hours after exercise due to the increased oxygen demand that is called EPOC (Exercise Post Oxygen Consumption). EPOC is defined scientifically as the “recovery of metabolic rate back to pre-exercise levels” and “can require several minutes for light exercise and several hours for hard intervals. “ Essentially, we are looking for activities that keep us burning more calories after the exercise session.” Be sure to end your session with a bang to keep your engine burning all day long!

Spice up your food

There are many spices that you can use to help foods taste great, but who thought that many had so many health benefits, and could lead to fat loss? Two of my favorites are turmeric (curcumin), and cinnamon. Turmeric the spice can help reduce inflammation, helps detoxify the body, and may aid in fat metabolism and help in weight management. There have been endless studies on turmeric in both a spice and supplement form that help support these claims. Cinnamon is another great tasting spice that can help promote a healthy blood sugar level. In short, if your blood sugar level is off due to not eating often enough, or consuming too many processed carbs, this can lead to excess storage of body fat. Try adding a little cinnamon to help keep your blood sugar level on the right track, keeping your metabolism in the right gear.

Practice table pushaways

Table pushaways simply mean step away from the table. The old saying that you can’t out train a bad diet is so true. I tell my clients seeking to lose body fat to forget the word meal and use the word feeding. Five to six small feedings a day is the key. If you do this you will reduce your chances of overeating and storing food as body fat. Combine this method with the hard training protocols above, and you will lose fat in no time! Table pushaways are the hardest exercise of all, and they are psychological, not physical.

written by Justin Grinnell. Grinnell is the co-owner of State of Fitness.