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Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Workout: Mueller Lake Park Circuit 9

Workout: Mueller Lake Park Circuit 9

Equipment Used:
  • Timer
  • Soft ground area to lie down (carpet/grass/etc)
  • A raised, solid surface which will support your weight (park bench, steps, sturdy chair)
  • Pull-up bar or similar raised grip point
  • Optional: Heavy gauge resistance band for static holds

Circuit #9

SUMMARY
***Stretch/Warmup
  1. High Knees
  2. Static Hold Pull-Up
  3. Burpees
  4. Wall Sit
  5. Mountain Climbers
  6. Plank
  7. Iso Hold Half Push-Up
  8. Box Jumps

Circuit #9 - Plyo-Iso Intervals

This circuit alternates between high intensity and static exercises. It is suppose to be executed continuously in "rounds" that include every exercise for a period of time. We initially start out with 30 second intervals but you can increase or decrease this to fit your fitness level. Between rounds take an extended break for at least a minute or two to get your composure back. If you become tired or cannot perform the exercises as listed, there are several ways to make the exercise easier. Tips are listed in the "Examples" section below.

Plyometric exercises (plyo) help develop explosive muscle power. This can benefit your run times, punching speed or almost any activity that requires acceleration. It also helps increase endurance due to the fact that your heart rate is raised. The cardio and burst aspect of the plyo routine burns a lot of calories.

Isometric exercises (iso) strengthen muscle groups at a specific point in your range of motion. It creates maximum tension over a long period of time. Since iso exercises do not have any movement, it is not cardio intensive and thus does not require long rest periods. Iso routines are generally easy on the joints and somewhat safer than complicated plyo movements.

By alternating between Plyo and Iso exercises in the routine, you eliminate the need to take long rests between exercises. You essentially are "resting" during your iso exercise. This type of break is more challenging since you are still performing an exercise while waiting for the next plyo round. Test yourself and see how many rounds you can complete before calling it quits.

Examples

PLYO
Mountain Climbers: Click For Video Example
   Modified version: Place your hands on a raised surface instead of the ground.
Burpees: Click For Video Example
   Modified version:Eliminate the push-up step in the sequence.
Box Jumps: Click For Video Example
   Modified version: Step-up onto the surface instead of jumping.
High Knees: Click For Video Example

ISO
Plank: Click For Video Example
Wall Sit: Click For Video Example
Push-Up (Iso Hold): Click For Video Example
   Modified version: Place your hands on a raised surface instead of the ground.
Pull-Ups (Static Hold): Click For Video Example
   Modified version 1: Place your feet on the ground or similar solid surface. Pull yourself toward the bar. Hold.
   Modified version 2: Wrap a resistance band around a high bar or tall pole. Cross the band in an "X" and wrap the slack with your hands. Pull yourself toward the mount point. Hold.

Hydrate, Rest and Recover. Good luck!!!

Monday, February 18, 2013

Nutrition: Meal Prep 2

Nutrition: Meal Prep 2


This is a continuation of the previous meal preparation blog and mixes in a little bit of calorie and macro management. Here we will talk about meal timing and quantity.


Calculating Number of Meals


Conventional wisdom suggests to eat 5-6 small meals a day. I generally agree with this but do also recognize that there are various types of dieting and caloric intake methods. Whether it is intermittent fasting, carb cycling, Atkins or Shakeology; as long as you are accountable to some sort of system, I believe you will have results. Beware of gimmicks or "fad dieting". Try to find something that is maintainable for you and make a lifestyle change.

I dropped about 10lbs since that post last year and am going to stay lean since summer is approaching (between 180-185lbs). It's purely a personal decision on how to split your calorie count up. Everyone has different daily schedules so certain methods may or may not apply well to your lifestyle. I work a desk job with access to a refrigerator and microwave. I can also choose to workout at lunch or after work if I get busy. Due to my work situation, I can be pretty flexible with my meal count and timing.

My method of calculating meal count is based on my protein macro (instead of fats or carbs). Since I'm focused on bodybuilding/aesthetics, it's one of my most important macros to hit. It also is a macro that is hard to exceed. I often find myself trying to limit fats and carbs, looking for foods that are low in these categories. For protein, if I'm being strict and counting every gram, I often have to try to make up protein at the end of the night. So I like to figure out how much protein I need daily and try to split that between 5-6 meals. For those of you trying to drop weight, your total caloric intake is likely the most important macro. Track that and split it in between your chosen number of meals.



Meal Timing


Below is the timeline of a typical day of eating and a brief look into the activities between those meals.

 
Meal #1
8:00am

*** Woke up, walked dogs.
1 pinch of Almonds (1/4 cup)
5oz Salmon fillet
2 cups steamed veggies
 
Meal #2
11:17am

*** At work, just out of meeting.
5-6oz Ground Turkey
1-2 cups black beans
 
Snack #1
2:00pm

*** Finished workout during lunch.
Protein Shake (Whey mixed with water)
 
 
Meal #3
3:16pm

*** Still at work.
5oz Salmon fillet
1-2 cups black beans
Additional: Nuun tab in water
 
Meal #4
4:45pm

*** Wrapping up at work.
5-6oz Ground Turkey
2 cups steamed veggies
Additional: Green Tea in water
 
Meal #5
8:15pm

*** At home or out and about.
Bowl of Ramen w/ an egg and a can of tuna added.

Example Alternate Dinners/Lunches
 
Snack #2
10:30pm

*** Optional meal, before bed.
Boiled Egg
Pinch of almonds
If short on Protein that day: Protein shake w/ Almond Milk
 

Considerations


This style of eating is not for everybody. Depending on your fitness goals, it may not be ideal for you to use this meal timing. This is just an example of what works for me and my specific goals. I encourage people to research various styles of eating habits and explore what works best for them. Whether it is counting all macros or just carbs or "points". Once you become familiar with your chosen diet system, I believe that you can transition to "free eating" and become less strict with your bean counting. That may not be ideal for those trying to lose lots of weight however.

The more you eat your meal prep, the better your results will be. Not everyone can eat steamed veggies and fish all the time so I do like having "cheat" meals. Just don't turn a cheat meal into a cheat day. On weekends if I have some drinks or dinner out, I still will have eaten at least two meals from my meal prep. It's all bout finding a sustainable balance between living life and being healthy. As long as you are eating healthy and exercising more often than you are not, you should still be moving toward a fit physique. Of course the higher percentage of meals you prepare and control yourself, the better your results will be.

If you are just starting out with eating healthy, do not try to drastically change your eating habits immediately. Maybe just switch out your lunch for a healthy option initially and slowly expand from there. Read more about that in our Getting Started Blog.


Check back for additional advice and browse our posts regularly for ideas on workouts and nutrition. Good luck!