Category Archives: Conditioning
Breaking Muscle
Breaking Muscle is a great website that updates their readers daily with articles on health and fitness. Here is one of my favorite writers.
A Lot Can Be Done In Under 15 Minutes
Long time client, Darryl, went through a very intense and deliberate workout involving 8 exercises. We timed Darryl’s workout and it lasted just under 15 minutes. At the end of his workout, Darryl was significantly trained. His respiration was elevated from the beginning and never returned to normal until a couple minutes after the session expired. Darryl’s full-body workout (Jeff Holt inspired) covered all the muscle groups as we will see. Here was his workout.
Hammer Strength Leg Press 1×15
Nautilus Leverage Leg Press with cable attachment 1×10
Hammer Strength Deadlift 1×10
2 minute rest
Hammer Strength Seated Iso Row 1×8
Pendulum Incline Press 1×12
Hammer Strength Shrug 1×12
Pendulum Shoulder Press 1×10
Nautilus Bicep Curl 1×8
The first 3 exercises were performed with very little rest. Darryl worked as hard as he could on each movement with the numbers listed as goal figures (which he achieved). Since I don’t have a leg extension (and there are very few worthy one’s out there) I had Darryl use the Nautilus LP with cable attachment to really emphasize the quads (click on hyper link to watch vide0). With the hips, thighs, low back thoroughly worked we emphasized his upper back and trap area, throwing in a couple pressing movements and a curl to round out his program. On another training day we will emphasize other areas of his body yet still stimulate the entire body and respiratory system.
When you’re short on time, try this workout and see how it goes….
When One Door Closes….
You probably at one time or another have heard the saying, “when one door closes, another door opens” and it obviously is interpreted differently based on one’s perspective. As I’ve gotten older and hopefully, wiser, I try to maintain that thought process and view it as an opportunity, not an obstacle. Experience has taught me that sitting and wallowing serves no purpose for me so I try to adjust to the best of my ability and find an alternative plan of action.
In the case of the recent storm on the northeast, fallen trees and debris on the roads has been the landscape for the last several weeks, prohibiting me from riding my road bike. I had planned on doing (yep, I went out and got some cold gear to “suit up” until I can’t bear the cold any longer) riding at least 1-2 times a week for as long as I could. So, with this latest situation I was kind of bummed that I wasn’t getting my rides in because since I din’t want to risk taking my bike out and puncturing a tire or being thrown from my bike hitting a lingering tree branch so I decided to hop on my cheap-o hybrid bike and go for a ride. I did this a few weeks ago after Sandy rolled through to get an idea of what was left in her wake and I have to say, I really enjoyed the ride (aside from observing the obvious devastation that was caused). What a different experience being on the hybrid bike was for me. I found out how much different the ride was and it was exactly what I was hoping my road bike would provide and now, I have another option (in this case, a better one for me) so I guess maybe I can paraphrase the “one door closing…” quote to read “if an obstacle gets in your way, get off your ass and find another option”.
A Challenge for You for The Holiday’s
“I never teach my pupils. I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn.” - Albert Einstein
Here’s a little challenge I’d like to throw out there for everyone. I don’t care if you are sedentary, a gym-goer already or an elite athlete, I’d like to see what happens over the next month starting on Thanksgiving day.
This plan is so simple but will yield great results if done religiously and progressively. The workout is a daily, yes daily inclusion of bodyweight squats, crunches and push-up or modified push-up. You will add repetitions or time to each movement every day. These exercises can be done as a stand-alone workout or you can include them in your regular workout, it’s your call, just make sure to do them daily and add repetitions as instructed.
First, the bodyweight squat. A long time favorite of mine. This video shows great form and execution. Beginners (sedentary) should start with 5, intermediates with 10 and advanced with 15. Each day the beginners will add 1, the intermediates 3 and the advanced will add 5.
Crunches are next. Again, beginners start at 5, intermediates 7 and advanced 10. Beginners add 1 every other day, inter’s add 2 every other day and advanced add 3 every other day. Example day 1 and 2 for beginners would be 5 reps, days 3 and 4 are 6 reps, etc.
Push-Ups will take care of the upper body muscles and can be done regular or modified. Beginners will do 2, inters will do 3 and advanced will do 5. Again, there will be an every-other-day increase in reps per the crunch example.
The goal here is firstly, to have a goal of doing this daily. The second is to work on progression by increasing your numbers slowly. Also remembering form takes center stage so don’t force progress if form will suffer. This will also help you deal with the additional stress the holiday season brings and this will also help you deal with those added holiday calories consumed at parties and events. This is a short-term plan so don’t over think it, just try it and report back your results if you don’t mind.
Good luck!
Fred Fornicola – Personal Trainer in Asbury Park, NJ
Fred Fornicola
Private One-on-One Personal Training * Nutritional Counseling * Strength & Conditioning for Athletes * Health & Fitness Seminars
Flexibility & Mobility Training * Cardiovascular Conditioning * Rehabilitative Programming * Lifestyle Fitness Coaching
Fred Fornicola is the owner and operator of Premiere Personal Fitness, a private training facility in Asbury Park, NJ. Fred is a fitness professional, personal trainer, strength and conditioning coach, fitness consultant, lifestyle fitness coach, as well as a published author and speaker with over 35 years in the field of health and fitness.
Get Hiking with Hillfit
Fall is a really great time of year to recreate. You can still go outside to run, bike, take long walks and do some hiking. With cooler weather and the changing of the foliage, it makes these activities even more rewarding and pleasant to perform.
I have to admit, I’ve never really went hiking. Well, I’m sure I’ve hiked before but not with the intention of going out to specifically hike for the day. I’m still trying to get as many riding days in as I can on my road bike but want to add another element to my recreation and fitness program so I’m strongly considering doing some hiking. Now, although I’m not terribly experienced in hiking as I just mentioned, I would recommend that you don’t poo-poo the idea of needing to be in some kind of physical condition to hike safely. Hiking properly is more than just walking over some rocks, watching out for low-hanging branches and experiencing nature, it’s also about being strong and conditioned enough to help protect yourself from injury and so you can get the most out of the activity in a positive way.
Chris Highcock of Conditioning Research Blog does a wonderful job in his book HILLFIT. Check it out….
Strength: the most important thing that the average person needs for fitness in the mountains.
You will discover:
- Why fitness is the ultimate piece of hillwalking kit
- How getting stronger can give you more enjoyment from your time in the outdoors
- How to train if you can’t get to a gym
- Why simple training is the best option
- How strength makes everything easier, even walking
- Why stronger muscles are more efficient
- Why being stronger makes you less likely to get injured, making each walk safer
- How strength training can make you healthier: fight the effects of ageing & burn body fat
- Why strength training will give you stronger bones
- How flexibility is built on strong muscles rather than stretching
- Why balance is vital to walking and how it relies on strength
- How strength training can give you improved cardiovascular fitness without boring hours on the treadmill
- The simple principles that make muscles stronger
- The reasons why not every activity should qualify as exercise
- Why you still need develop skills as a walker
- How exercise in the outdoors can banish depression
- Key techniques to make every exercise more effective, even the humble pushup
- How to choose safe and effective moves that the minimise the injury risk of training, leaving you fit for the hills
- A simple routine of exercise, with harder options to try as you get stronger, that you can start to apply right now
- Why you should not stretch before exercise and what you should do to warm up instead.
