Thursday, December 4, 2008

Fat Loss Extreme

Interval Training for Performance and Fat Loss

Which cardio method works best for fat loss? There’s clearly a winning pick: interval training. That's because hard and fast beats slow and steady every single time. Better yet, interval training is also a secret weapon for endurance athletes and bodybuilders. In fact, you could say it's the ultimate training tool for any goal.
An interval is a brief bout of intense physical activity--such as a sprint--alternated with a longer period of rest or lighter exercise. For example, you might run all-out for 15 seconds, then rest for 30 seconds--that's one interval. By varying the duration of either your sprint or your rest period, you can change the way the interval affects your body. In other words, some types of intervals are better for losing fat, while others would be superior for endurance conditioning or weight training. Whether you want more muscle, less fat, or better conditioning, interval training is the way to go.
Remember, most people prefer cardio, such as jogging or walking to interval training-simply because intervals are harder. But interval training is certainly not as boring. ask yourself this: Would you rather be walking on the treadmill for an hour or do 22 minutes of a hard interval?

Interval
Beginner Workout - 22 Minutes
Warm up
5 Minutes: RPE 3-4: Warm Up at an easy pace
Rest Set
5 Minutes: RPE 5: Increase speed from warm up and set the incline to 1%. Keep a moderate pace.
Work Set
1 Minute: RPE 7 - Increase incline to raise the intensity level. You should be working hard!
Rest Set
5 Minutes: RPE 5 - Decrease speed and incline to lower your heart rate back to a comfortable level
Work Set
1 Minute: RPE 8 - Increase speed to raise the intensity level. You should be working hard!
Cool down
5 Minutes: RPE 3-5 - Decrease speed/incline to lower your heart rate back to a comfortable level and cool down









A study in December in the Journal of Applied Physiology and conducted by a team at Canada's University of Guelph found that just two weeks of alternate-day interval training increased moderately active 22-year old women's fat burning ability by 36%.Here are some Advantages of choosing Interval Training over Steady State Cardio:1) Saves time. Most intervals last about 20 minutes in comparison to 1 to 2 hours on the treadmill with old school cardio.
2) Stimulates a greater release of growth hormone. Studies have shown that intense interval training produces growth hormone which build lean muscle mass.3) The intervals should be done on alternate days not back to back and I usually recommend for about 3-4 days out of the week. There is also less exposure on the joints because it takes less time to complete.4) Metabolic disturbance. Interval training increases metabolism and post-exercise oxygen consumption which has been shown to burn fat for 24 hours after the interval bout.5) Creates variety. Interval training can be done with body weight exercises, on exercise machines, with medicine balls, with weights, and outdoors. Interval training is an effective method that has many tools.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Welcome Kerry McDaniels

Springfield Health and Fitness Center and Pat's Personal Training would like to welcome our newest personal trainer, Kerry McDaniels.



Kerry comes to us from Columbus where he trained clients for Westerville Athletic Club and Lifestyle Fitness. Some of his Qualifications include


  • NSCA Certified Personal Trainer

  • APEX Diet Certified

  • CPR and Basic Life Certifications

Come up and say hello to Kerry!!