You’re so close to living a long, healthy, and purposeful life.

 

Find the answers here, and start working on the new you.

Q. What is the best way to lose fat?

 

A. Each client will, of course, respond in a unique way to any training program. However, there are some basic principles that we can safely apply across the board.

Exercises that incorporate several major muscle groups and are weight bearing will utilize more calories per minute, and thus are going to be better suited for fat loss. The amount of adipose tissue burned after a workout depends, in part, on the exercise intensity during the workout. While both strength training and endurance exercise have been shown to decrease body fat percentage, a combination of endurance and strength training results in more fat loss than either exercise regimen alone.

Q. Why are my muscles sore after a workout?

 

I once had a client who returned from her first session and promptly informed me that I had done something terribly wrong because she was sore the next day! I immediately realized that it would be incumbent upon me going forward to inform all new clients of what the reasons were behind the soreness that they could most assuredly expect a day or two after our initial training session!

Soreness results from the high force production incurred when an exercise is new or a load is greater than normal. Although the general consensus among laypersons is that lactic acid is the cause of muscle soreness, the truth is that lactic acid (lactate) is removed from the muscles within 30 to 60 minutes post-exercise, so it cannot possibly be the culprit responsible for delayed onset muscle soreness.

Such discomfort results instead from the myosin heads pulling away from the actin filament, causing very tiny tears in the muscle fibers. The biochemical injury is characterized by an increase in plasma enzyme activity and a leaking of creatine kinase out of the muscle. As clients adapt to the training load, the soreness in their muscles will become diminished following a workout.

Q. How do I get rid of these flabby arms?

 

This is a common concern among female clients. One of the biggest exercise myths is that we can lose fat in an area of the body by strength training or exercise that specific body part. The truth is that “spot reducing” does not work simply because we cannot dictate from whence our bodies will decide to oxidize fat.

As we age, our skin loses some elasticity; what we term “flabby arms” may simply be a product of the aging process. Any exercise that decreases body fat percentage will help clients lose fat in their triceps areas, just as it will help them lose fat all over the body.

Q. Why can’t I just do cardio?

 

While cardiovascular training is great for building strong hearts and lungs, it doesn’t provide the stimulus the body requires for building bigger, stronger muscles. Bodies are able to adapt fairly quickly to whatever load we ask them to move. Adding strength training to an exercise program allows the client to increase the load on his muscles, alter the range of motion through which the joints move, and target different muscles than those utilized during typical cardiovascular training.

 

Q. Why don’t my workouts ever get easier?

 

Individuals often assume that as the body becomes stronger and more familiar with the exercises performed each week, the workouts will eventually start to feel easier. However, a big advantage to working with a seasoned trainer is that he possesses the knowledge to dictate the training so as to keep your body guessing and moving forward at a reasonable rate. When exercises are progressed frequently and consistently, the body never truly adapts to the workout, making each training session feel just as challenging as the one before.

 

Q. Should I train before or after work?

 

Training sessions should be scheduled when the client is least likely to skip out or cancel. As with any new habit, 10-21 days are typically required to adapt to a new training regimen, including time of day. Stress to clients the importance of commitment to both the exercise sessions and the agreed-upon time of day