What Supplements Should I Be Taking?

The supplement industry has grown into a multi billion dollar industry. With everyone looking for the next best thing, people will spend a large sum of money testing different supplements. For the most part you are pretty much throwing your money away. Usually you are spending your money on good marketing techniques. If you are just starting a workout routine there is really no need to take any supplements. Maybe a multivitamin but that is probably it unless your doctor has prescribed something for you already. Workout and eat a healthy diet and you will get the results you are looking for. Every now and then we all need a little push or extra motivation to keep going. This is where some supplements will help. Supplements should only be used to either stick to a program or to help get a little extra out of your workout. No supplement out there will melt away fat and build muscle without the workout and diet. Anything legal at least. This brings me to my next point. If all of these supplements really worked then they would be illegal for athletes. If you gained that much of an edge by taking a specific supplement they would be banned in the sporting world. The reason most supplements are not banned is because they don't really do that much. Some will help give you a better workout but do not expect amazing results by taking a supplement. If you want to try a supplement out stick to the basics. Here are a few that have had some good studies showing some positive results:

1. Whey and Casein Protein Blend
2. Creatine
3. Beta Alanine
4. Caffeine

There are more supplements out there that have some benefit but these are just a few basic ones that may be considered in you are trying to improve your workouts. Never count on a supplement to get you to your goal. Anyone that says it will is lying. Your workouts and diet are getting the results you want, not the supplements. If taking a supplement will help you workout harder or eat better than it is worth considering.

Mike

www.sandiegopremiertraining.com

Boot Camp Classes

If you leave near the beach you will notice more and more beach boot camp classes coming up. They are even filling up local parks and gyms as well. If you have never experienced how of these classes I highly recommend trying it out. They are not for everyone but are worth a shot. Boot camp classes will combine high intense cardio exercises mixed with strength exercises. Most exercises will include body weight or partners but often times addition equipment such as medicine balls, resistance bands, and kettlebells will be used. Boot Camp style classes are great for a few of the following:
1. Burn a ton of calories in a short period of time.
2. Workout outside and away from the gym.
3. Avoid boredom with nontraditional exercises and activities.
4. Meet individuals with similar fitness interests.

Whether you are looking to lose 50lbs, just tone up alittle, or build more muscle you will find boot camps to be very beneficial. Change up your routine by adding a boot camp class in once or twice a week.

Here is a clip from one of my beach classes:


Mike
www.sandiegopremiertraining.com

Effective Planning Gets Better Results

We often associate plateaus with strength training. This means you are stagnant in your routine and aren't noticing improvements in muscle strength, size, or weight. We can also hit plateaus with cardio as well. We get stuck in a routine and do not see the same benefits that we use to. One thing that most people will not do with an exercise program, whether it is their cardio or strength routine, is plan ahead. We are usually only concerned with the now. This is one reason so many people drop out of a program. Just like most things in life you need a strategy. Going to the gym and hopping on the treadmill until you get tired is not going to work. You may be able to do it for awhile, but without structure you are not going to see any progress. Look at your workout routine you are doing right now. Can you even look at it? Is it written down somewhere or do you just walk in to the gym and do whatever you feel like? Write down your program and how long you plan on doing it for. It is easier to work in shorter bursts. If I know I am going to do a specific routine for 1 month I am more likely to stick with it. Here are two things you need to do for your cardio routine to get better results and to be more likely to stick with it:

1. Be specific with your workouts.
Don't go into a workout without know exactly what you will be doing. The easiest way to do this is the F.I.T.T. principle. This means you the Frequency (how many days per week), Intensity (usually a percentage of your max heart rate), Time (how long you will be working), and Type (what form of cardio you are doing). Set your goals up before your workout so you know what you are shooting for.

2. Periodize your program.
Once you set up your FITT workouts you need to adjust them progressively. This means every 4-6 weeks you adjust one or more of the variables. For example maybe you started with 3 days of week so now you will bump it up to 4. You might increase the intensity on one of the days and decrease the time. You can literally make hundreds of easy adjustments to make a different cardio workout.

Stick to these two principles for your cardio workouts and you will be seeing faster and better results. You can try this with your strength training as well.

Mike
www.sandiegopremiertraining.com