Here’s an excellent article by Adam Spizman from Elitefts.com
Throughout my years in the fitness industry, I’ve seen many things both good and bad. Working at a commercial gym for two years, I tend to see more bad than good.
Below is a checklist I came up with to help you determine whether you’re truly training or just wasting your time.
#1 Are you squatting or deadlifting regularly? Hitting 3–4 sets of 135 lbs for 10 reps doesn’t count. You should be performing heavy deadlifts or squats at least one time per week. I’ve found that a heavy deadlift day and a squat day in the same week generally doesn’t work because it’s way too taxing on the body. Unless you’re doing these two exercises regularly, don’t come to me asking how to put on more muscle.
#2 Do you perform body weight movements?
My number one upper body movement is pull-ups, either body weight or weighted. If you don’t perform pull-ups regularly, get out of my gym. You’re wasting space. On top of pull-ups, there are hundreds of body weight movements that should be utilized in any training program. If you can’t move your body weight fluently, what good are you? And no, I don’t care if you bench press 500 lbs or more.
#3 Does your warm up last more than ten minutes?
If you don’t warm up prior to working out and have yet to get injured, chances are you aren’t training hard enough. I love the looks I get at the gym while performing my warm up. Just because you don’t sweat during your workout doesn’t mean you get to look at me like I have two heads because I’m dripping after a nice warm up. This is generally when I will perform my body weight movements as well as a nice dynamic warm up, some joint mobility, and of course, foam roller work.
#4 Do you perform hill sprints or regular sprints? I always get a kick out of seeing people walk backward on the treadmill at 2.0 mph. “I’m tricking my body to raise my heart rate though.” Oh really…to me you’re just making a fool out of yourself. Try running sprints or hill sprints a couple days a week for an extended period of time and then tell me that you need to trick your body into burning fat.
#5 Are you incorporating complexes into your weekly routine?
These are a great tool that very few people use. Not only will they shed fat and increase your metabolism, but they also build mental toughness. Barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, and sandbags are my four favorite tools for complexes.
#6 After the workout, do you look like you worked out?
Day in and day out, I see people walk into the gym and leave 1–2 hours later looking no different than they did when they entered the facility. Personally, when I leave the gym I look like hell. Between the sweat and chalk all over me, it looks like I’ve been through battle, which is exactly what just happened.
#7 Is jumping rope part of your cardio routine?
It’s amazing how few people still jump rope. Not only will jumping rope burn a lot of calories in a short period of time, but it will also improve your foot speed, which can’t hurt anyone.
#8 Do you take your nutrition seriously?
Anyone serious about weight training knows that a great deal of your results come from your nutrition. Not only does your food fuel you through your workouts, but it will also help with the recovery process. Anyone eating fast food and junk regularly isn’t serious about training. “You can’t outwork a bad diet.”
#9 Is going out to drink your major source of entertainment?
Great idea—lets bust our butt all week long at the gym so we can suck down thousands of dead calories and poison our bodies over the weekend (or worse yet during the week). If you’re serious about your training, lay off the drinking. This will benefit you in all aspects of your life (other than your sex life).
#10 Are you getting results?
If you’ve been spending a great deal of time at the gym without any results, chances are you aren’t training with the proper intensity. Give your program a couple months to work and if you see nothing, reevaluate what you’re doing. Do not jump from program to program. Give each particular program the adequate amount of time to work before reevaluating.
Chances are it isn’t the program—it’s your lack of intensity!
Ok, so people have been making wild claims about how many calories per hour you can burn with kettlebell training.
I know kettlebell training works, and even I was skeptical.
But recently ACE (The American Council on Exercise) was so concerned about these claims, they decided to do a study on the calorie burn of kettlebell training.
ACE is one of the oldest and most respected fitness research and certifying bodies in the United Sates. And they’re ultra conservative, they don’t do fads, they don’t do gimmicks… they – they don’t even do new or cutting edge! They’re oldschool. They want proof.
They’re kind of like a fitness Consumer Reports.
And their studies are so well documented, that the FTC uses their studies to know who to prosecute for fraud.
In other words, if they say it, it’s real deal.
They’re study on the calorie burn of kettlebell training blew me away.
Dr. John Porcari, leader of the study, said this. “So they were burning at least 20.2 calories per minute, which is off the charts. That’s equivalent to running a 6-minute mile pace. The only other thing I could find that burns that many calories is crosscountry skiing up hill at a fast pace.”
That’s 1200 calories per hour y’all.
And that doesn’t even include the afterburn.
I knew kettlebell training was awesome, I didn’t know it was that awesome.
Sorry for the inconvinience – but Dryland will be cancelled tonight. It will resume on Monday April 19 – we will be inside the gym at Arnold H. MacLeod dtherefore bring indoor shoes.
There’s a new session of Dryland Training Starting April 12th at 630pm – sessions will run Monday and Wednesday nights (weather and field conditions permitting) at 630pm at Arnold H. MacLeod School (280 Storey Road East – off of Shediac Rd).
Cost – 85$ for 6 weeks (from April 12th to May 19th)
5 time punch card 60$
Drop in fee 15$ (all waiver forms must be completed by parent or guardian prior to first session)
Everyone is welcomed – all drills are scaled down to individual’s skill and fitness level.
Please contact us to reserve your spot or if you required more information.
A kettlebell is a cast iron ball with a handle on it. Kettlebells have been used in Russia for centuries by their Olympic athletes and military. They are a great fitness tool for athletes, power lifters, martial artists, law enforcement, military, dancers, firefighters and regular men and women who just want to be in the best shape of their lives. Kettlebell training is for anyone willing to try something different (not new, just different); the implications for developing phenomenal fitness are undeniable.
Inertia Fitnessis pleased to announce its new location, 1201 Mountain Road, Unit 211 (Wedgewood Centre). We‘re inviting you to drop by and see our new totally re-modeled and fully equipped studio.
Come in and try any or all of our new programs FREE for one week!
We’ve added exciting new programs to our existing one on one personal training. We now have Zumba, Bellyfit and yoga; as well as one on one in home training and dryland training for sports teams and groups.
Starting February 2010 Kettlebell classes, this is the ultimate in total body strengthening and conditioning drop in and see what it’s all about.
At Inertia Fitness we also offer fitness coaching in small group sessions based on CrossFit methods and principles – quite simply the most effective way to get fit. The CrossFit program is based on a universal design making it the perfect application for any committed individual regardless of experience or fitness level. We’ve used our same exercises for elderly individuals with heart disease and with competitive athletes. It’s all about designing a program with the proper load and intensity for you.
All classes are given at our studio facility in the Wedgewood centre.
So drop in today! Or call us at 506 875 1248 for more information.
"Dryland Training with Inertia Fitness is an excellent resource for Developing Hockey Players. At the PeeWee competitive level I found that the improved fitness levels resulted in a noticable improvement in late game performance. Also the gains that were made in Co-Ordination, Agility and Strength can be the beginning of great fitness habits for young athletes. I feel we played better hockey as a result of this program."
