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Newsletters>
Swimsuit Season? It’s Work Time!
May 15, 2009
Swimsuit Season? It’s Work Time!
It’s time to workout. You’re ready to pump some iron; you wanna pump up those muscles for swimsuit season, right? So you pack your gym bag, mix your supps up and down ‘em, fill a water bottle, print your exercise plan, and head to the gym. Whew, what a process just gettin’ here. At the gym, you meet and greet, swipe your member card, duck into the mythical phone booth, and emerge in your superman suit. Clad in spandex, tube socks, lifting gloves, and a weight belt, you stand in line for your favorite plate loaded pec dec machine. By now, the pre-workout supplements you took earlier are pulsating in your veins. “Dude, can I work in?” you ask impatiently. “Cool” is the reply from your rival super hero. Finally! You load more weight than the person you’re sharing the machine with, sit in the inclined position, stand, re-adjust the chair, and sit again. Adjust your gloves, arch, puff, plant your feet and press. One, two, three, four, (faster, people are watching) five,six-seven-eightnineten. Clank. Done. Are you kidding me?!! You went through 30 minutes of preparing to get ready, only to stress your muscles for five seconds? Oh, ok you’re gonna do 3 sets of 10 reps. That’ll be 15 seconds. You’re still kiddin’ yourself. All of the preamble to a workout is undertaken to get your muscle(s) into a contraction. So once there, use that contraction; take your time with it. Take advantage of it. Don’t take it for granted. Work it!
The two factors that stimulate muscular growth are the intensity and duration of each contraction. When you ensure the duration of each contraction is commensurate with the amout of time and preparation it took you to perform it, you get more bang for your workout buck. Here are a couple-three good techniques to extend the intensity and duration of your contractions (without extending the duration of your workout):
1. Four-count Reps. On the count of one, push, pull, or drag the weight into full muscular contraction. Hold for two potatoes, then release slowly on four. Do seven to ten reps.
2. One Minute Tens. Un-rack the weight and note the second hand position on the gym clock. Perform 10 full and/or partial reps at a pace that consumes an entire minute. Never rest on the bone, and don’t rack the weight until the full minute has expired. Better have a spotter for this one.
3. Three Degrees of Failure. Select a weight with which you could normally perform eight reps. At the end of eight reps you are likely near full range concentric failure. Don’t stop yet, there is still strength in the mid range of the muscle. Perform partial reps until gravity begins to force the weight back to resting position. Mid range has failed. Uh, uh, uh, don’t stop yet! There is still strength in the eccentric phase of the muscular contraction. Aggressively resist gravity and lower the weight slowly to resting position. (Of course, this type of high intensity work should be done with a qualified spotter or personal trainer!)
These and other techniques that clock your contractions crank up the intensity of your weight training and make the most of your time in the gym. Soccer moms (after proper pre-conditioning) as well as hardcore bodybuilders should explore these methods because nobody wants to waist time working out. We all want to set a goal and get there as soon as possible. Especially with swimsuit season right around the corner! The clock is ticking. Remember its work time! Cuz when you buy that swimsuit, you wanna get your bang (boom, boom, POW) for you buck there too!
The Sweetest Scam of All Time
The correct answer to the following question will shock you.
Would you survive longer on a diet of just water OR on a diet of water and refined sugar?
The answer: You would survive longer on just water.
Sound impossible? Just ask the five sailors who were ship wrecked in 1793.
The ship was filled with sugar, thus giving the marooned five a diet of sugar and water. When they were finally picked up, nine days later, they were in a wasted condition due to starvation.
The story of the five sailors intrigued French physiologist Francois Magendie to conduct a series of experiments in which he fed dogs a diet of sugar. All of the dogs died.
Magendie proved that as a steady diet, refined sugar is worse than nothing.
How can sugar be worse than nothing? Plainly put, refined sugar is an anti-nutrient.
It starts out as sugar cane, and then goes through an extensive refining process that destroys all of the enzymes, fiber, vitamins and minerals. What you're left with are empty, naked calories.
The problem is that your body needs the enzymes, fiber, vitamins and minerals that were taken out in the refining process in order to metabolize sugar and use it as energy. So it takes those nutrients from your own body.
So while you are enjoying that chocolate bar, sugar is draining vital nutrients from your body. Like a sweet parasite.
And it doesn't end there…
Sugar creates false hunger (as a result of the insulin rush and then ensuing plummet in your blood sugar levels), which makes you overeat. This means a constant struggle with your weight in which you never seem to achieve your ideal size.
Sugar promotes aging (due to the advanced glycation end products, or AGEs, that occur when insulin levels are consistently elevated as a result of eating too much sugar). Sugar has even been dubbed the negative fountain of youth.
Sugar weakens your bones - making you vulnerable for osteoporosis, and weakens your teeth - making you vulnerable for cavities (both due to the calcium being pulled from your bones and teeth in order for your body to process sugar).
Sugar in excess is stored as fat (after your liver has no more room to store it, sugar is converted to fat and deposited on your belly, thighs, hips and the backs of your arms).
Sugar can impair brain functioning (as a result of depleted B-vitamin production).
If you're still not convinced of the danger of sugar here are more ailments linked to its overconsumption: varicose veins, constipation, hormonal imbalances, ADD and ADHD, increased emotional instability, depressed immune system, increased risk of cancer and degenerative diseases.
The average modern person consumes 46 teaspoons of sugar every day. That comes out to roughly 175 pounds of sugar each year.
And it's no wonder, since sugar industry is big business. They sneak sugar into any product that they can.
Go through the foods in your home and you'll see that sugar has been added to everything from ketchup and spaghetti sauce to crackers, oatmeal, peanut butter and even ‘healthy' items like weight loss bars.
Where does this leave you?
You are in a unique position. Your personal judgment determines the foods that you eat and the foods that you avoid. It is my hope that you approach sugar with new eyes.
While all other foods offer you caloric energy PLUS some nutritional benefit, sugar doesn't. Sugar is simply caloric energy with a sweet habit forming taste, and a hoard of health risks.
Use your judgment wisely and limit your sugar consumption - you'll love the benefits of low sugar living.
And while you're at it contact me to start a training program that will turbo-charge your results.
(Oh and if you're ever in a ship wreck with only sugar and water at your disposal - just drink the water!)
The Many Names of Sugar
While you're checking out nutrition labels for sugar content be on the lookout for the following names that all describe refined sugar: Sucrose
High fructose corn syrup
Fructose
Lactose
Organic sugar
Maltose
Dextrose
Glucose
Lentil Fruit Salad
This recipe is as refreshing as it is nutritious. Plump black lentils mixed with chunks of mango, strawberries, tomatoes and onions will tease your taste buds into submission. A splash of balsamic vinegar is the only flavoring that this colorful salads needs. Serve as a side dish or as a light meal.
Yield: 3 serving
Here's what you need...
1 cup black lentils, cooked
1 medium mango, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 medium tomato, chopped
6 medium strawberries, chopped
1 tablespoon red onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Place the lentils in a medium bowl. Chop the fruit and onions, add to lentils.
Add balsamic vinegar to the lentils and fruit, mix until well combined.
Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 148 calories, 1g fat, 27g carbohydrate, 10 g fiber, and 9g protein.
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Everhart and Soul
."The best six doctors anywhere, and no one can deny it, are sunshine, water, rest, and air, exercise and diet. These six will gladly, you attend, if only you are willing. Your mind they'll ease, your will they'll mend, and charge you not a shilling." - Nursery rhyme quoted by Wayne Fields, What the River Knows
It's not what you do once in a while, it's what you do day in and day out that makes the difference. - Jenny Craig
For More Soul Inspiration from Carl visit Everhart and Soul at www.soulpersonaltraining.com
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