Be Strong. Feel Great.
A word from Anthony
Happy Valentine’s Day, and welcome to 2011. You may have noticed; the gyms suddenly full of resolution-driven people. While a New Year’s resolution might get them into the gym, having goals and guidance will help them stay there, and meet those goals. By the end of January, most of these “resolutionists” have disappeared again. This issue’s article is on some of the myths they hold, and why with a little debunking added to a little know-how, they could work towards realistic and achievable goals this year.
See you in the gym!
Enjoy! Contact me anytime at [email protected] or call 416.317.8284.
Anthony Corrado, personal trainer
What are you training for?
I’ve often been baffled when watching people who work out on their own. Generally there is no rhyme or reason for the type or order of exercises being performed. Tempo and technique are also often ignored. Incorrect selection of a fitness regimen will lead to poor progress and usually a lot of frustration. I think sometimes people forget that they are altering the balance and chemistry of the body when working out.
To me this behaviour poses a simple question, an analogy.
Would you open the hood of your car and start playing around with things without knowing what the heck it is you are doing? Of course not! Then why do that with your own body?
I’d like to address three common exercise myths and decipher “what you are training for”.
Myth #1: Abdominal exercises flatten your belly.
Truth: Cardio and a quality diet designed to burn fat will burn the fat around your midsection. And since almost every exercise causes contraction of the abdominal muscles, your abs will be defined if you’re working out regularly. Even worse, excessive exercises for the abdominals will not burn the fat around the midsection since resistance exercises burn sugar as a primary fuel, not fat!
So to define your abdominals, trim down with a good cardiovascular workout and eat a healthy diet.
Myth #2: Weight training will make a woman bulky.
Truth: For women, building muscle is difficult. Women do not have the hormones necessary to grow muscles at the same rate as a male. Instead, resistance training will greatly increase metabolism while also improving posture and structure. Finally weight training greatly reduces the risk of osteoporosis and spinal problems, so it should be a must.
For women, a regular program of weight training has a lot of benefits while helping to trim down by revving up your metabolism.
Myth #3: Aerobics classes burn fat.
Truth: Aerobics classes are rarely aerobic at all. They tend to emphasis anaerobic movements; these burn sugar as a primary fuel. Fat burns with long, steady, consistent motions that last longer than 2 minutes. Most aerobics classes change motions too frequently to ever tap into your oxidative system. They burn almost exclusively sugar.
A forty minute walk would be far more efficient at burning fat than an aerobic class. Even so, aerobic activity needs to be coupled with a sound nutritional plan to achieve noticeable results. Aerobic activity alone is very inefficient. It takes a very long time to burn very few calories.
So what are you training for?
Watch out for these myths. Get to know what each exercise and combination of exercises will do for and to your body, and design your workout plan with foresight.
Hopefully, these tips have helped dispel a few of the many exercise myths out there. You’d be surprised how different most people’s perception of exercise is to the facts. Speaking with an exercise professional is a good start to figure out what you are actually training for, and what fitness regime will help with that.
For more information about getting back into training, please visit me online: https://www.anthonycorrado.ca.
Snow shovelling dangers
Most back injuries are caused by hard, twisting motions. Add a little resistance to a hard, twisting motion and the chance for a spinal injury increases dramatically. I have had clients shatter discs in their backs from something as simple as reaching for a magazine while sitting on the toilet! So when it snows, my advice is that you shovel forward. Don’t use the old twist and throw around the back or over the shoulder. A good core and back strengthening program will also help by adding support to your lumbar region.
So be strong and feel great this winter by shovelling safely!
That’s it for this issue. I hope I’ve left you with a better understanding of making the most of your health.
Anthony Corrado, Personal Trainer. Toronto
416.317.8284