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The Best Interval Training Protocols
By: Adam Rankin
20/10 Tabata Protocol: Commonly known as the “Tabata” protocol, the 20 seconds of work, 10 seconds of rest is one of the best and widely used work to rest ratio’s used in interval training. For good reason, this protocol has proved to be more effective than 60 minutes of steady state cardio. In fact, the interval protocol got it’s name from the study that proved maximal gains can be made in minimal time, if the intensity of the training is maximal. In this groundbreaking cycling study, researchers discovered that only four minutes of a 20-10 interval protocol (20 seconds of maximum effort followed by 10 seconds of rest) provided greater fat loss and conditioning than 60 minutes of steady-state cardio.
Now, one of the problems with this study is that in the real world most people aren’t able to perform multiple bouts of max effort for the same exercise with short rest periods (in fact, most of the elite cyclists in the study couldn’t complete all four minutes of the 20-10 protocol because it was too intense). This is exactly why it is important to employ non-competitive exercises (upper body exercise superset with a lower body exercise) so that high intensity work can still be accomplished with very short rest.
8-12 Sprint Protocol: Since we’ve already determined that short bouts of high intensity are better than long, slow steady state cardio, what do you say we ramp up the intensity even more than the Tabata Protocol. With… [ read more ]
5 Ways to Increase the Intensity of Your Workout
Starting an exercise program can be one of the most exciting changes in a person’s life, if they are committed and hold themselves accountable for the long haul. One of the very first questions we ask clients when we’re training them is, “Should exercise be easy or difficult?” They almost always respond with, “Difficult”. And it should not be just difficult, but progressively more difficult. The body will always return itself to a state of homeostasis (internal stability), and so it is that we must challenge our level of homeostasis to always function at a higher level. What was just described is the principle of Progressive Overload and it is essential if continual gains are to be made in your program.
The 5 factors that make up Progressive Overload are as follows:
1.) Increase Resistance – One of the most basic ways to break through plateau’s in fitness and to ensure that new, lean muscle tissue is packed on, increasing resistance is essential for continual growth but be patient with it and ensure that is done systematically over time.
2.) Increase Repetitions– The second most popular way to make your routine harder, increasing the amount of reps is a safe an effective way to ensure progress is being made. Exercise logs are a must because from week to week, remembering how many repetitions can easily be forgotten unless written down.
3.) Increase Range of Motion – Every muscle in the body has a specific distance in which it can work,… [ read more ]
3 Tips for Positive Attitude
1. Give Thanks – A simple yet powerful strategy for instantly changing mindset, being thankful for all the great things you have in life will get you on the path to healthier mindset. A simple method to use on a daily basis is to put pictures of everything in life you are thankful for, and post them on a corkboard, or any other spot that will be seen multiple times during a day. The pictures will immediately change your state of mind for the better.
2. Be an optimist – In a recent report by The Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Michael Scheier, a psychologist at Carnegie-Melon University wrote that “optimists tend to respond to disappointments like being turned for a job by formulating a plan of action and asking others for help and advice”. He went on to state that, “pessimists more often react by trying to forget the whole thing or assuming nothing can be done”. Being positive even in the light of failure is no doubt a tough mental status to take on, but is a sure way to see things turn in your favor.
Source: http://www.nytimes.com/1987/02/03/science/research-affirms-power-of-positive-thinking.html
3. See the good in others and yourself – More often than not, negative interactions with others, miscommunication and misunderstanding produces a negative hormonal environment in the body we call stress. This can also happen internally when we place high amounts of pressure on ourselves whether it is with family or work related issues. Take a timeout when you… [ read more ]
5 Ways to Recover from Intense Exercise
1.) Cool Down – After performing an intense exercise routine, much like the ones we perform at Cincinnati Bell Bootcamps, it may be enticing to leave as soon as possible, but if the cool down isn’t done, recovery is undermined significantly. The main purpose of post workout stretching is to remove lactic acid from the muscles and provide joint and muscle mobility. This will decrease the amount soreness the following days allowing for better performance.
2.) Hydrate – When performing an intense exercise routine, extreme fluid loss is a certainty. If those fluids are not replaced adequately, chemical processes in the body are interrupted, ultimately preventing muscle growth and recovery. In the end, gains in lean muscle tissue cannot occur due to the dehydrated state and results will suffer.
3.) Use tissue quality exercises – Also referred to myofascial release and self-massage, tissue quality exercises serve a two-fold purpose: 1.) Elongate muscle tissue and remove lactic acid from sore muscles and 2.) Increases the body’s resilience to injury by making the muscles and tendons more pliable thus avoiding strains, sprains, and tears.
4.) Sleep Patterns – The ultimate way that the body recovers, sleep is the most underestimated method on the list. At no other time during the day is the body and mind recovering more during sleep. If regular sleep patterns of 7-8 hours per night are interrupted, the mind will not recover and consequently the physical structures of the body won’t either. Not only does it affect your… [ read more ]
Exploit Yourself
The Exploit commercial, inspired by Nike, directed by Carl Rinsch and produced in the Big Lazy Robot, Barcelona studio, was developed as a way to show off the spark and freshness of the city with the strength and power of modern sport competition, all in a whole 3d environment. For those who haven’t heard of BLR, its all about the robot, raised from illusions and bred from dreams. For more info visit: www.biglazyrobot.com