When it comes to learning about fitness, one thing that always amazes me is that incredible amount of great information available for both trainers and fitness seekers alike. From strength gurus like Michael Boyle to Jillian Michaels, there are literally thousands of great ideas diet and workout program for virtually any goal-- and there in lies the problem.
With so many options to choose from, how does one possibly filter this knowledge in to practical application? From my perspective in the trenches of fitness, the fundamental concept that I always refer back to when designing programs is the concept of progressive resistance.
Whether we are talking about strength training, cardiovascular fitness or even diet, the program must become progressively more difficult-- in terms of heavier weight, longer intervals and/or caloric variation-- to yield physical adaption. With this concept in mind, designing the metabolic workouts for the Modelfit program begins long before plugging in the exercises:
Step #1: Choose a format:
Each month,we choose between intervals, timed circuits, ladder workouts, rounds for time, complexes or whatever other craziness we decide to throw at our clients. But regardless of which weapon we choose to attack fat, we ensure there is a variable of some sort that progresses from week to week. In the case of timed circuits, a progression may look like this:
Day 1
Week 1 12 minutes
Week 2 14 minutes
Week 3 16 minutes
Week 4 18 minutes
While this is but one example of how to progress a metabolic program, my point is that you have to work harder each workout to continue to progress. In terms of recording workout totals, this responsibility is also with the client to achieve a better workout time and/or performance numbers during each week.
Explained from this prespective, this is usually all the incentive we need to push through our limits. So the next time you decide to exercise, grab a timer and perform three sets of as many reps of an exercise as possible in sixty seconds. Push yourself to your limit and regardless of how soon you "fail" you will always succeed.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Monday, January 25, 2010
Beyond Modelfit- Hit the ground running or just running my mouth?
As an athlete, one thing that has always motivated my training is setting specific goals. While childhood dreams of competeing against the top competitors in sport remain a distant memory, I have watched the the sheer thrill of completing a task-- and believe it or not, competeing against yourself--once thought of as unachieveable motivate even the most reluctant weekend warrior to push past their barriers.
In Modelfit, this is a major reason why we regularily time workouts and test performance. If you see and experience the satisfacation of self improvement, improved body composition goals-- which are a natural result of getting in better shape-- become secondary to performace. And behind all of the grueling workouts, weight lifted and sprints run, this is the overall goal of the program from Day 1.
After meeting my initial goal of signing with my chosen modeling agency after the first three month cycle, the question I have asked myself is "where do I go from here?" For me, the answer came on New Years' Eve after too many shots of vodka (one is more than enough as I rarley drink) led me to a rather hastey promise to a friend" "Sure, I will run a 15k with you if you take your shirt off" and the rest is history.
Being a man of my word (even though I dont remember these words), the question now becomes how I will train for a nine mile run (The Gasparilla in Tampa FL) having not run over a mile in several years. Conventional wisdom would suggest it would be time to hit the road with a training schedule of increasingly longer runs to build an aerobic base.
But because I value the physique I have built through the Modelfit program (and I fear overuse injuries associated with running), I have no intention of doing that. In fact, I have decided to limit myself to one true run over one mile per week.
One mistake I see many runners make in their training is to stop strength training all together in the lead up to the event. By contrast, if the idea is to build an aerobic base, what better way of doing so than metabolic workouts which cause the heart to race for 45-60 minutes?
In looking over 15k times of experienced runners, it seems the event lasts anywhere from 45-60 minutes with a decent pace. By matching the length of my metabolic workout to the demands of the event, my hypothesis is that I will be able to maintain strength and build event specific aerobic endurance.
Besides keeping things interesting, I feel this type of training will vastly improve localized muscular endurance thru full body workouts focused on the movements and muscles in involved in running. Some specifics of the progam will include:
- focus on pulling motions to retract the shoulders during the run
- Including short and moderate distance sprints in workouts to improve the ability to build that burst of speed at the end of a race
- Greater strength training volume for the upper body to allow for unloading and recovery for the lower body
- Focus on single leg movements for lower body training to build running specific strength
What I like about this type of training is that it will require massive amounts of calories to simply maintain performance. While most Modelfit cycles involve dieting of some sort, this means I will only include one fasting/rest day to achieve improved body composition while keeping my overall calories high.
To prove whether this experiment is a success, I will test the following at the beginning of Feb and again right before my race:
- Bodyfat levels
- 15k performance time
- Foundation workout times
- Strength lifts- Chin up, Bench press, Rear foot elevated split squat (5RM)
In the meantime, I will periodically post my progress with the program, what I am eating and how I am feeling throughout this month. Maybe I will even schedule a photoshoot to document my progress after the run. In the meantime, keep checking back in for more updates and progress on the program, as well as more info on Modeling specific strength training.
In Modelfit, this is a major reason why we regularily time workouts and test performance. If you see and experience the satisfacation of self improvement, improved body composition goals-- which are a natural result of getting in better shape-- become secondary to performace. And behind all of the grueling workouts, weight lifted and sprints run, this is the overall goal of the program from Day 1.
After meeting my initial goal of signing with my chosen modeling agency after the first three month cycle, the question I have asked myself is "where do I go from here?" For me, the answer came on New Years' Eve after too many shots of vodka (one is more than enough as I rarley drink) led me to a rather hastey promise to a friend" "Sure, I will run a 15k with you if you take your shirt off" and the rest is history.
Being a man of my word (even though I dont remember these words), the question now becomes how I will train for a nine mile run (The Gasparilla in Tampa FL) having not run over a mile in several years. Conventional wisdom would suggest it would be time to hit the road with a training schedule of increasingly longer runs to build an aerobic base.
But because I value the physique I have built through the Modelfit program (and I fear overuse injuries associated with running), I have no intention of doing that. In fact, I have decided to limit myself to one true run over one mile per week.
One mistake I see many runners make in their training is to stop strength training all together in the lead up to the event. By contrast, if the idea is to build an aerobic base, what better way of doing so than metabolic workouts which cause the heart to race for 45-60 minutes?
In looking over 15k times of experienced runners, it seems the event lasts anywhere from 45-60 minutes with a decent pace. By matching the length of my metabolic workout to the demands of the event, my hypothesis is that I will be able to maintain strength and build event specific aerobic endurance.
Besides keeping things interesting, I feel this type of training will vastly improve localized muscular endurance thru full body workouts focused on the movements and muscles in involved in running. Some specifics of the progam will include:
- focus on pulling motions to retract the shoulders during the run
- Including short and moderate distance sprints in workouts to improve the ability to build that burst of speed at the end of a race
- Greater strength training volume for the upper body to allow for unloading and recovery for the lower body
- Focus on single leg movements for lower body training to build running specific strength
What I like about this type of training is that it will require massive amounts of calories to simply maintain performance. While most Modelfit cycles involve dieting of some sort, this means I will only include one fasting/rest day to achieve improved body composition while keeping my overall calories high.
To prove whether this experiment is a success, I will test the following at the beginning of Feb and again right before my race:
- Bodyfat levels
- 15k performance time
- Foundation workout times
- Strength lifts- Chin up, Bench press, Rear foot elevated split squat (5RM)
In the meantime, I will periodically post my progress with the program, what I am eating and how I am feeling throughout this month. Maybe I will even schedule a photoshoot to document my progress after the run. In the meantime, keep checking back in for more updates and progress on the program, as well as more info on Modeling specific strength training.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Resolution Solutions: A three step process
When it comes achieving to New Year’s resolutions, two buzz words we often tell our clients are consistency and balance.
While it is important to eat well for example, this must diet must be balanced with foods which you can stand on a daily basis in order to achieve results—as opposed to Atkins, Zone or any many of the other diets which are unnecessarily complicated.
By the same token, building your tribe of those that support your goals helps to balance the mood and perspective when feeling down.
One of the first questions I ask when taking on a new client is what parts of your life and in and out of balance? And what can you do to make lasting changes?
While it may seem like common sense, a little step by step pre-planning can go a long way to safe guarding your January resolutions become reality
Step #1: Identify the problem:
Lets face it: whether we are talking about fitness or keeping this blog consistently, any sort of balance can be exceedingly difficult in the midst of parties, relatives and time off with the family.
And for me, this amounts to the same conversation I must have fifty times over the holiday:
Guy in bar: Hey man, you own that gym downtown right?
Me: Who is asking? Do I owe you money?
Guy in bar: Dude, as you can see, I really need to come see you (at this point they will find some reason to slap the belly)
Me: Well, what do you want to accomplish?
Guy in bar: Man, I want to get in great shape like the guys on P90X, so in January I will stop smoking, hit the gym every day and eat peppers for lunch! (Ok, I just threw that last part in to make myself feel better)
While it is important to note that 90% of the conversations end when I mention eating peppers for lunch, the first step to setting goals is pinpointing what you want to achieve and what you are willing to sacrifice to do so.
For example, if you want to stop smoking, is it realistic to do so in one day? Why not gradually phase out a cigarette a day and/or a pack a week at a pace that is manageable? For diet, work on getting consistent with the times of day you eat and meal choices.
Once you have this down, making small changes is far more effective than going from random eating (where the foods and times you eat change per day) in a diet which calls for depriving yourself of food.
In the business, we call this “setting the table” because you are preparing yourself for your goal. In part two, I will look at several more specific goals (including my own) and solutions we have developed for dealing with these for the New Year!
While it is important to eat well for example, this must diet must be balanced with foods which you can stand on a daily basis in order to achieve results—as opposed to Atkins, Zone or any many of the other diets which are unnecessarily complicated.
By the same token, building your tribe of those that support your goals helps to balance the mood and perspective when feeling down.
One of the first questions I ask when taking on a new client is what parts of your life and in and out of balance? And what can you do to make lasting changes?
While it may seem like common sense, a little step by step pre-planning can go a long way to safe guarding your January resolutions become reality
Step #1: Identify the problem:
Lets face it: whether we are talking about fitness or keeping this blog consistently, any sort of balance can be exceedingly difficult in the midst of parties, relatives and time off with the family.
And for me, this amounts to the same conversation I must have fifty times over the holiday:
Guy in bar: Hey man, you own that gym downtown right?
Me: Who is asking? Do I owe you money?
Guy in bar: Dude, as you can see, I really need to come see you (at this point they will find some reason to slap the belly)
Me: Well, what do you want to accomplish?
Guy in bar: Man, I want to get in great shape like the guys on P90X, so in January I will stop smoking, hit the gym every day and eat peppers for lunch! (Ok, I just threw that last part in to make myself feel better)
While it is important to note that 90% of the conversations end when I mention eating peppers for lunch, the first step to setting goals is pinpointing what you want to achieve and what you are willing to sacrifice to do so.
For example, if you want to stop smoking, is it realistic to do so in one day? Why not gradually phase out a cigarette a day and/or a pack a week at a pace that is manageable? For diet, work on getting consistent with the times of day you eat and meal choices.
Once you have this down, making small changes is far more effective than going from random eating (where the foods and times you eat change per day) in a diet which calls for depriving yourself of food.
In the business, we call this “setting the table” because you are preparing yourself for your goal. In part two, I will look at several more specific goals (including my own) and solutions we have developed for dealing with these for the New Year!
Friday, December 25, 2009
Telling your muscles good morning
When it comes to fitness, one thing by which I am commonly I humbled is the never ending opportunity (and necessity) to learn.
While much of this knowledge comes from books, DVDs and references, my greatest “AH-HA” moments have come from real world experience.
My most recent case in point has been the opportunity to train my Mom. A 61 year old triathlete and runner,
She can run a sub seven minute mile and perform over 15 nose to ground push ups.
Her performance abilities, strength and commitment during our workouts rival people half her age and she is truly a joy to train (plus this is the only time I can boss her around)
But aside from performance (the fun stuff), even she has been stricken in recent years with chronic upper back and neck pain which often impairs her sleep and radiates up and down her arm.
Particularly frustrating is that she has worked with our physical therapist and been given specific programs to address various imbalances, but the pain always seems to go away for a while and return in earnest.
While we always perform muscle activation work prior to her workout, one sentence that struck me in a recent Mike Robertson blog on the role of corrective exercise was:
“the movement patterns of older individuals are much more engrained than those of younger athletes, and therefore need constant reinforcement of newer, more optimal patterns.”
What to do:
From a practical standpoint, this means that while a set or two of glute bridges per day may be sufficient to improve activation for a thirty year old. A sixty one year old with the same problem will require much greater reinforcement.
Interestingly, Robertson also coined a concept known as the “decade rule” in regard to flexibility/mobility work.
This principal states that for every decade of life, you should do that many days of stretching and mobility work. So for example, a thirty year old would do three days and a sixty year old would do six (what happens when you turn 90?! Eek)
Because dedicated flexibility/mobility work takes time to perform, this activity is generally limited to once per day.
But when it comes to muscle activation, targeting a specific area of your body can be done in less than three minutes.
For the purposes of activation, this means that the same decade rule could and should apply on a daily basis.
As discussed above, if you are thirty years old with bad posture, this means you could perform a set of activation work three times per day and expect to see a reasonable return.
For someone in their sixties however, this means performing this sort of work every 2-4 hours to wake up the muscles after sitting or leaning forward.
While this may seem like something of a daunting task, the good news is this process literally takes 45-60 seconds.
With this in mind, included below are simple activation drills for the upper and lower body. Those with back or hip pain would perform the lower body drills while those with issues in the shoulders will concentrate on the upper body.
While these drills will provide temporary relief in many cases, it is also important to perform regular stretching, mobility and massage work for these areas (more on these in future posts)
Upper back/neck pain:
- Wall slides
- Band pullbacks
Hip/lower back pain:
- Glute bridge
- X-band walks
• Perform one set of fifteen reps after long periods of inactivity and/or based on the chart below.
Age: Frequency per day:
20-30 2
30-40 3
40-50 4
50-60 5
60-70 6
70+ 6+
While much of this knowledge comes from books, DVDs and references, my greatest “AH-HA” moments have come from real world experience.
My most recent case in point has been the opportunity to train my Mom. A 61 year old triathlete and runner,
She can run a sub seven minute mile and perform over 15 nose to ground push ups.
Her performance abilities, strength and commitment during our workouts rival people half her age and she is truly a joy to train (plus this is the only time I can boss her around)
But aside from performance (the fun stuff), even she has been stricken in recent years with chronic upper back and neck pain which often impairs her sleep and radiates up and down her arm.
Particularly frustrating is that she has worked with our physical therapist and been given specific programs to address various imbalances, but the pain always seems to go away for a while and return in earnest.
While we always perform muscle activation work prior to her workout, one sentence that struck me in a recent Mike Robertson blog on the role of corrective exercise was:
“the movement patterns of older individuals are much more engrained than those of younger athletes, and therefore need constant reinforcement of newer, more optimal patterns.”
What to do:
From a practical standpoint, this means that while a set or two of glute bridges per day may be sufficient to improve activation for a thirty year old. A sixty one year old with the same problem will require much greater reinforcement.
Interestingly, Robertson also coined a concept known as the “decade rule” in regard to flexibility/mobility work.
This principal states that for every decade of life, you should do that many days of stretching and mobility work. So for example, a thirty year old would do three days and a sixty year old would do six (what happens when you turn 90?! Eek)
Because dedicated flexibility/mobility work takes time to perform, this activity is generally limited to once per day.
But when it comes to muscle activation, targeting a specific area of your body can be done in less than three minutes.
For the purposes of activation, this means that the same decade rule could and should apply on a daily basis.
As discussed above, if you are thirty years old with bad posture, this means you could perform a set of activation work three times per day and expect to see a reasonable return.
For someone in their sixties however, this means performing this sort of work every 2-4 hours to wake up the muscles after sitting or leaning forward.
While this may seem like something of a daunting task, the good news is this process literally takes 45-60 seconds.
With this in mind, included below are simple activation drills for the upper and lower body. Those with back or hip pain would perform the lower body drills while those with issues in the shoulders will concentrate on the upper body.
While these drills will provide temporary relief in many cases, it is also important to perform regular stretching, mobility and massage work for these areas (more on these in future posts)
Upper back/neck pain:
- Wall slides
- Band pullbacks
Hip/lower back pain:
- Glute bridge
- X-band walks
• Perform one set of fifteen reps after long periods of inactivity and/or based on the chart below.
Age: Frequency per day:
20-30 2
30-40 3
40-50 4
50-60 5
60-70 6
70+ 6+
Monday, November 30, 2009
New Years Resolutions- Getting with the Program
So with the new year just around the corner, it is natural to think beyond the next few weeks of friends, family food and drink to a time when that ripped six pack, toned arms or just feeling better about yourself become the sole priority.
In my case, considering how fitness programs will effect my clients three to six months down the line consumes a very large portion of my day. But by the same token, my own situation has remained in the back of my mind.
Ever since my Modelfit photoshoot, I have been "recovering" from the preceding intense three months of training. In normal speak, this means I have been slacking off on my fitness program and that is about to change.
With this in mind, my resolution to myself is to stop worrying about my fitness by planning far enough ahead to achieve my objectives in logical order. A form of time management, this means knowing when I will be losing fat versus gaining muscle and the type of training program I will be utilizing to do so.
Luckily all of this will be documented here for your interest-- and to keep me accountable. My goal is to pack on a bit of muscle while shooting in January and June. With this in mind, here is what my cycle is looking like so far:
January 1st-31st: Conditioning/Fatloss
Feb 1st-10th: Unloading
Feb- March 10th: Strength (Muscle growth focus)
March 10-20th: Unloading
March 20th- April 20th: Strength (Power/Strength focus)
April 20th- 30th: Unloading
May 1st-31st: Conditioning/Fatloss
First Thing's First:
Before any of this can begin, one important part of any program is an unloading period-- in which we back off volume and intensity to allow the body to recover-- every 4-6 weeks.
In my case, the 1st week of December will serve as my unloading period while the remainder of the month will be devoted to gaining a bit more muscle before hitting my conditioning phase.
With this in mind, I will be posting my workouts on a semi-weekly basis along with thoughts and impressions to give an idea of how things are progressing.
Because today is an off-day from weight training, today's workout incorporates
Foam roll:
- IT Band
- Quads
- Adductors
- Hip rotators
* 15 rolls each
Mobility Drills:
- Wall slides
- Prone spiderman
- Leg swings
- Forward lunge to elbow instep
* 1 set of 15 reps for each exercise
Energy system work: Two mile run
Core:
- TRX fallouts- 3 x 8
- TRX side planks- 3 x 8
- Stability ball pikes- 3 x 8
In my case, considering how fitness programs will effect my clients three to six months down the line consumes a very large portion of my day. But by the same token, my own situation has remained in the back of my mind.
Ever since my Modelfit photoshoot, I have been "recovering" from the preceding intense three months of training. In normal speak, this means I have been slacking off on my fitness program and that is about to change.
With this in mind, my resolution to myself is to stop worrying about my fitness by planning far enough ahead to achieve my objectives in logical order. A form of time management, this means knowing when I will be losing fat versus gaining muscle and the type of training program I will be utilizing to do so.
Luckily all of this will be documented here for your interest-- and to keep me accountable. My goal is to pack on a bit of muscle while shooting in January and June. With this in mind, here is what my cycle is looking like so far:
January 1st-31st: Conditioning/Fatloss
Feb 1st-10th: Unloading
Feb- March 10th: Strength (Muscle growth focus)
March 10-20th: Unloading
March 20th- April 20th: Strength (Power/Strength focus)
April 20th- 30th: Unloading
May 1st-31st: Conditioning/Fatloss
First Thing's First:
Before any of this can begin, one important part of any program is an unloading period-- in which we back off volume and intensity to allow the body to recover-- every 4-6 weeks.
In my case, the 1st week of December will serve as my unloading period while the remainder of the month will be devoted to gaining a bit more muscle before hitting my conditioning phase.
With this in mind, I will be posting my workouts on a semi-weekly basis along with thoughts and impressions to give an idea of how things are progressing.
Because today is an off-day from weight training, today's workout incorporates
Foam roll:
- IT Band
- Quads
- Adductors
- Hip rotators
* 15 rolls each
Mobility Drills:
- Wall slides
- Prone spiderman
- Leg swings
- Forward lunge to elbow instep
* 1 set of 15 reps for each exercise
Energy system work: Two mile run
Core:
- TRX fallouts- 3 x 8
- TRX side planks- 3 x 8
- Stability ball pikes- 3 x 8
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Modelfit fatloss program!
Modelfit fatloss program:
For more information or to schedule a complimentary fitness evaluation, contact Chris@peakfitnesslakeland.com
Program details:
- Fatloss: Three heart 60 minute workouts per week conducted with kettle bells, bodyweight, free weights!
- Nutrition: Full easy to follow nutrition and off-day fitness plan
- Accountability: All clients are assigned a fitness coach to monitor and guide their progress.
- Convenience: Small classes of between 5-8 people
- Value: Lowest price in Lakeland!
For more information or to schedule a complimentary fitness evaluation, contact Chris@peakfitnesslakeland.com
Day 1 Chris Kelly (Modelfit founder) Day 60
Testimonials- See what people are saying about our programs
Day 1 (Chris Kelly/Modelfit founder) Day 60
"As the creator and a former college athlete, my goal with Modelfit is to help others achieve ultimate fatloss through brief and intense exercise which fits with your schedule and lifestyle. These workouts will not only help you to look your very best, but to also feel and perform better in daily life"
- Chris Kelly
Day 1 (Angela) Day 60 Day 1 Day 60
"I have always been a person that gets bored with exercise when I dont see results. Modelfit workouts are always changing and really push me to my limit every time I work out. I lost over 15lbs in the program in my first month and I am doing things I never believed I was physically capable of. If you can make it through the first session, you will be hooked!"
- Angela Ramirez
Day 1 (Katie) Day 60
"I lost 22lbs in three months on the program and I like the fact that working out with a group kept me motivated throughout the program. My partners pushed me to do what I would not have done otherwise and that was one of the big pluses for me. Getting your butt kicked for an hour and then curse our trainer over a glass of wine (dont tell Chris) makes the whole experience more enjoyable. Modelfit has been great for me and the girls I have met through the group keep me motivated."
- Katie Stanton
Day 1 (Jen) Day 60
"One thing I really appreciate about my workouts is that I am never bored and never know
what to expect. I like the fact I have a fitness plan and nutrition plan and I feel the accountability at Peak has helped me to maintain my results (24lbs in 3 months) since starting six months ago. I am really enjoying this experience and feel supported by our group and my trainer"
- Jen Schwartz
"As the creator and a former college athlete, my goal with Modelfit is to help others achieve ultimate fatloss through brief and intense exercise which fits with your schedule and lifestyle. These workouts will not only help you to look your very best, but to also feel and perform better in daily life"
- Chris Kelly
Day 1 (Angela) Day 60 Day 1 Day 60
"I have always been a person that gets bored with exercise when I dont see results. Modelfit workouts are always changing and really push me to my limit every time I work out. I lost over 15lbs in the program in my first month and I am doing things I never believed I was physically capable of. If you can make it through the first session, you will be hooked!"
- Angela Ramirez
Day 1 (Katie) Day 60
"I lost 22lbs in three months on the program and I like the fact that working out with a group kept me motivated throughout the program. My partners pushed me to do what I would not have done otherwise and that was one of the big pluses for me. Getting your butt kicked for an hour and then curse our trainer over a glass of wine (dont tell Chris) makes the whole experience more enjoyable. Modelfit has been great for me and the girls I have met through the group keep me motivated."
- Katie Stanton
Day 1 (Jen) Day 60
"One thing I really appreciate about my workouts is that I am never bored and never know
what to expect. I like the fact I have a fitness plan and nutrition plan and I feel the accountability at Peak has helped me to maintain my results (24lbs in 3 months) since starting six months ago. I am really enjoying this experience and feel supported by our group and my trainer"
- Jen Schwartz
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