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

Weight Loss For Women

3 Reasons Women Must Strength Training For Weight Loss:

I recently attending the NSCA's Personal Trainer Conference. I had the privilege of hearing Rachel Cosgrove present on strength training for women. It is great to hear a fellow professional preaching the same ideas that I have for so long. Women are often hesitant to start a strength training program because they feel they are going to get huge muscles. They get so caught up in this myth they lose sight of all of the other benefits of strength training. If you are trying to lose weight you need to incorporate a strength program first, then focus on cardio.

1. Prevents Bone Loss:
Although both men and women can suffer from osteoporosis it is predominantly seen in women. This is such a preventable disease. It is clearly shown that weight bearing exercise, such as strength training, will improve bone density. There is no reason why anyone should not do everything they can to prevent this disease.

2. Effective For Fat Loss:
Most women will associate strength training with gaining muscle, but most forget how great it is at burning fat. If you do not strength train you will lose muscle mass. If your weight doesn't drop as you age it means you are gaining fat and losing muscle. We want the opposite to happen. We can build more muscle and at the same time burn more fat than we probably would performing just cardio.

3. It Prevents Injury and Strengthens Joints:
When you decide you want to lose weight the first thing you probably think of is to start walking, running, or doing some other form of cardio. This type of exercise will put tremendous force on the joints that you are probably not use to. You need to start strengthen first before you put this stress on the body. This is why so many individuals hurt themselves trying to exercise.


Mike
www.sandiegopremiertraining.com

Healthy Food in Your Area

I recently was shown this new website www.goodfoodnearyou.com. As soon as I saw it I had to share it. On this site you can enter your address and it will list all the restaurants in your area and show the healthiest items on the menu. Not only can you visit this site on your computer but it is now an app. for iPhones and Blackberries. I would highly recommend downloading it if you can and checking it out. You can't have an excuse now for not picking the healthiest choice when you eat out. It is mapped out for you already. Even if you, for some reason, decide to go to Burger King, it will give you the best option to get. Isn't technology amazing.


Mike
www.sandiegopremiertraining.com

Know Your Protein

If you have ever been to a GNC or other nutrition/supplement store you are probably noticing more and more protein supplements out there. With so many choices it is hard to know what is good and what is going to work the best. Here is a quick summary to help you understand some of the differences if protein sources out there.

Whey Protein:
Whey protein is probably the most popular choice for protein supplements. Whey will come in three forms. These are concentrate, isolate, and hydrolyzed. The main difference of these three forms is the quickness it can be broken down. Concentrate is the least processed form but will require the longest to breakdown and has the least available protein. Isolate is more processed, quicker to absorb, and has impurities removed. Hydrolyzed whey is predigested by enzymes which allows them to be absorbed by the bloodstream the fastest.

Casein Protein:
This is the main protein found in milk. It has been shown to be a superior source of protein. This type of protein releases amino acids much slower into the blood stream for a constant supply for a longer time.

Soy Protein:
Soy is another high quality protein even though it is a plant source of protein. Soy has a great antioxidant effect on the body which is a great addition to a protein source. Some believe that too much soy can increase estrogen levels which will have adverse effects on body building. This, however, has not been proven conclusively with research. Milk is a better protein source for muscle repair while soy has benefits with it antioxidant effects.

Other notes:
While it is important to have a protein that is easily absorbed and digested the muscles can only handle so much at one time. Anything left over will be stored as fat, converted to glucose, or excreted. Try and take your protein in smaller portion sizes when possible. Many supplement companies are now combining whey protein with casein protein for a constant supply of amino acids. Research is showing this is the best way to approach post workout protein supplementation. Remember protein will help repair muscle that has been damaged during a workout. It is not a magic powder that will lead to huge muscles. If you are trying to get bigger you need to make sure you are in a positive protein balance throughout the day. Supplementation will help but make sure you are also getting protein from whole food sources.

For a great example of a whey and casein blend protein go here: http://www.mynutritionals.com/michaeldeibler/ just click on critical protein


Mike
www.sandiegopremiertraining.com

Source: Wells, D., The Post-Workout Protein Puzzle. Strength and Conditioning Journal 31(1), 2009.

Here is a video clip to go with my last posting on a tabata workout. Enjoy.




Mike