Brandon Charls

The FITT Principle

Nov 22

BrandonBuilding muscle, Cardio health, Losing Fat, Speed and Agility No Comments

To really get the most out of your fitness/strength & conditioning program, you are going to have to learn and live by the FITT principle.  Applying the FITT principle to your program will allow you to progress through those frustrating plateaus that everyone faces from time to time.  The reason why you are not achieving success in your program is because your body is getting used to the same routine day in and day out.  ROUTINE IS THE ENEMY! However, implementing the FITT principle into your program will take you to the next level.

Frequency:  Is the number of days you are working out in the week.  You may have to increase your frequency or decrease your frequency depending on how your body is adapting to the program.  Most hardcore athletes need to decrease their frequency due to overtraining because they are not getting enough rest for the body to repair itself.  However, people who are trying to lose weight need to increase their frequency so they are achieving an overall calorie expenditure.   This does not mean that you have to “workout” more but, you do have to increase your levels of physical activity which means…

• Walk or bike instead of drive
• Wash your own dam car
• Join a sports league
• Learn a new sport
• Just stop sitting on your ass

Intensity:  Training intensity is defined as an individual’s level of effort compared with their maximum effort.  This means different things for different goals.  If you are trying to lose weight you must cut down your rest time to keep your heart rate up to burn the most calories.  For example, circuit training, interval training, and Crossfit do a good job at keep you moving with little to no rest in between workout.  However, if you are trying to pack on some muscle you must make sure that every set is to failure.  Thus, increase weight = increase in intensity!  And for athletes who are trying to make it to the next level, intensity means not to take plays off and practice hard day in and day out.  Only the strong will survive in the world of sports and if you don’t work hard at your craft 24/7 you will be left in the dust.

Type:  This corresponds to the types of exercises that you are performing in your training program.  However, you must understand that the human body is a highly adaptable machine that can readily adjusts to the imposed demands of training.  Therefore, exercise selection should be functional and specific to the individual’s intended goal.  Make sure to implement variations to each exercise but keep the movements functional, move in all planes of motion, and stay away from isolated movements like bicep curls.

Time:  is the time frame of a workout or the length of time (number of weeks) spent with a certain program.  A general workout including warm-up and cool-down should take 60-90 minutes.  A professor once told me, “If you’re in the gym for more than one hour…you are making more friends than muscles.”  Furthermore, Workouts that exceed 90 minutes will lead to rapid declines in energy levels which can lead to discrepancies in hormonal and immune responses that can later have negative effects on your training program.

It takes the body approximately 3 weeks to adapt to a fitness program.  However, if you apply the FITT principle to your program, you will be able to break through plateaus and reach your goals quicker.  Good luck!

The BASIC Blue Print of a Typical Workout

Jun 18

BrandonBuilding muscle, Cardio health, Losing Fat, Speed and Agility No Comments

Follow these eight steps in order to achieve total workout that involves injury prevention, core, strength, power, speed, agility, and flexibility.

1.  General Warm Up:  This consist of any low impact/low intensity cardiovascular work to increase heart rate, body temperture, and increase blood flow of the body.  Exercises consist of jogging, rowing, versa-climber, jump rope, jumping jacks, bike, etc.  A general warm-up take about 3-5 minutes.

2.  Dynamic Warm Up/Movement Prep:  Multiple joint movements of your own body weight to increase body temperture, stretch muscles, and prepare the body for the movements you will do in your workout or on the field.  Exercises include push ups, squats, multiplanar lunges, single leg squat react, etc…This should take 8-10 minutes.  For more information about dynamic warm up.  (refer to blog “Time to Stretch” June 16, 2009)

3.  Prehab:  The focus to stregthen the most vulnerable areas on your body that get stressed in everyday movement (Verstegen 2004).  These exercises will strengthen your shoulders, hips, and core muscles to allow you to correct any muscle imbalances while also preventing injury. 5-8 minutes

4.  Core:  This puts a little more emphasis on your core muscles.  I believe that you should perform exercise that focus on the transverse abdominis, internal/external obliques, and back extensors.  8-10 min 

5.  Skills and Drills:  Even if you are not an athlete, you should still incorporate plyometrics, speed, and agility training into your workouts.    10-15 min

7.  Energy System Development (ESD/”cardio”):  Run, swim, bike, jump rope, row, and even elliptical your way to achieve optimal cardiovascular shape.  However, in ESD training you must keep your heart rate up through a series of sprint intervals… intensity is the key!  When is the last time you have seen a fat sprinter? (Verstegen, 2004)
15-30 minutes

8.  Regeneration:  Foam roll and stretch to correct any muscle imbalances and help speed up recovery.  Takes about 10-15 minutes.  (Refer to blog “Time to Stretch” June 16, 2009) 

This is just the very basic layout of a typical workout routine that covers all forms of physical fitness.  In addition, there is so much more detail that goes into every step of this eight step process.  If you have question, please feel free to leave a comment or e-mail me at anytime.   

Quick Tips about Nutrition

Jun 15

BrandonBuilding muscle, Losing Fat, Nutrition No Comments

1. Eat five to six small meals a day.

2. Stay away from high sugar foods like candy, sodas, or ice cream

3. Eat more fruits, vegetables, and nuts throughout the day

4. Stay away from fast food

5. Eat lean proteins throughout the day

6. If you really want to cut weight, only eat starch-containing foods (bread, rice, cereal, etc) in the morning for breakfast or immediately after your workout.

7. Drink water and limit your consumption of liquid calories (soda, juice, beer, etc.).

8. Have a cheat day in which you can eat whatever you want. However, the best time to pig out is right after you workout (metabolic window)

9. Record everything you eat and the times you eat. This will allow you to keep on track with your diet and stick with it.

10. If you eat out, eat half of what you ordered and take the other half home and consume it at another time.

“Yin Yang” Workout of the Day (WOD)

Jun 14

BrandonBuilding muscle, Cardio health, Challenges, Fun, Losing Fat No Comments

Complete this workout as fast as possible (AFAP) for time. After you have finished your workout, record and post your times.

Run 400 meters

21 Thrusters (squat to overhead press) 30 lbs dumbbells
21 Pull ups
21 Burpees
21 Sit ups

Run 400 meters

15 Thrusters (30 lbs DB)
15 Pull ups
15 burpees
15 Sit ups

Run 400 meters

9 Thrusters (30 lbs DB)
9 Pull ups
9 burpees
9 Sit ups

This workout should not take more than 25 minutes to complete.  If you cannot do pull ups, you can regress the exercise to jumping pull ups.

Treadmill Training

Jun 11

BrandonCardio health, Challenges, Losing Fat, Speed and Agility No Comments

Put down the weights and tighten up those shoe laces for a workout that will have you burning more calories than you can ever imagine. In this workout you will have to be comfortable with running at high speeds on the treadmill and most importantly hoping off the treadmill while it is still going. For instance, on pretty much every treadmill there are ledges on the side of the rotating belt that are big enough for you to step on to and rest if you have to. You might have done this before when you were running on the treadmill one day and stepped off to the side to rest, get a drink of your water bottle, and then you proceeded to complete your run. However, in this workout you will be allowed to rest/hop off the treadmill after every assigned run, but the rest you take should not exceed past 45 seconds. In addition, there will be some runs in which you will hold on to the rail in front of you (usually where the heart rate monitors are) and perform the run. This workout is not easy! If you need to take more rest or adjust the intensity (speed/incline) do so to meet your needs. On the other hand…PUSH YOURSELF

Here’s how it goes…

This prescribed workout is for elite athletes who are comfortable at running high speed on the treadmill, as well as hoping off while the treadmill belt while it  is still moving. If you feel that you are going to fly off the treadmill because it is too intense, decrease the intensity (speed/incline) so you don’t kill yourself. This workout will allow you to burn a lot of calories and also increase your speed, agility, and joint proprioception (joint awareness).  Have Fun!

Motivation

Jun 08

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60% of Americans live a non-active sedentary lifestyle. The lack of motivation of not being physically active has lead to the increase rates of obesity in America. In 2006, 33% of men and 35% of women were considered obese. In addition, 16% of children aged 2 – 19 years old fell into this same category.
Here are some tips to build, increase, and maintain motivation so you can stay physically active and life a healthy life style.

 
1. Write down your goals and post it somewhere in which you will see it every day. A good place to place your goals is in your bathroom mirror.

2. Tell family and friends about you fitness goals. This will allow the people around you to support you and keep you motivated on what you are trying to achieve. If you start to slack (trust me you will slack) they will be around to let you know that you are not doing all you can to achieve success.

3. Keep a journal of your thoughts and feelings about your workout and daily activities. This will allow you to adjust what you are doing in your everyday life.

4. Workout with other people and compete in challenges. This will allow you to work harder and have you strive to be the best. If you do not have that “Play to Win” attitude, you will not succeed on achieving your fitness goals.

5. Visualize! Take five minutes out of your day and close your eye to visualize yourself doing what you want to do, where you want to be, and how you are going to succeed. Make sure that the thoughts in your head are as vivid as possible. This is not easy…However, with practice you will get better at controlling your thoughts and feelings. The body and mind work as one, if you’re not mentally prepared you will fail in what you set out to accomplish.

Following these tips will allow you to stay focus and not give up on your fitness dreams.

The Less We Move…The More Fat We Get

Jun 03

BrandonBuilding muscle, Cardio health, Challenges, Losing Fat No Comments

Less Movement = More FAT

I have nothing to say…this picture tells all.

Northridge CA, 91325

The Metabolic Window

Jun 02

BrandonBuilding muscle, Losing Fat, Nutrition 1 Comment

While you’re working out or doing any type of physical activity, your body has to use substrates such as carbohydrates, fats, and protein to produce energy for your body to move and stay moving. After you are done with your workout, there is a 45 minute metabolic window in which you need to fuel your body with good carbohydrates, fats, and protein. The sooner you get a meal or meal replacement shake into your body after your activity, the better your body will progress in building lean muscle mass and replenish the substrates you have burned to produce energy for your body.

So what should you eat?

You want to eat something that involves simple carbohydrates, good fats, and lean proteins. This might include:

1. Meal replacement shakes or protein shakes that involve protein, fat, and most importantly carbs.
2. Chocolate milk is a really good post workout drink. It has simple carbohydrates (the chocolate) and the right amount of fats and protein in the milk
3. Turkey or chicken sandwich on white bread
4. A bowl of cereal
5. If you want to have a cheat day in which you want to pig out on whatever your stomach desires, the best time to eat it is after you workout within the 45 minute metabolic window.

 
Fueling your body with in the 45 minute metabolic window after your workout is crucial in enhancing your metabolism and spending up your desire goals in health and fitness. However if you are trying to lose weight, make sure that you are watching your calories so you can achieve a calorie deficit which will allow you to burn fat while keep building that lean muscle mass.

Northridge, CA 91325

Move More and Eat Less

May 29

BrandonLosing Fat, Nutrition No Comments

There are 3500 calories in 1 pound of fat.  For someone to lose 1 pound a week, they would have to have a calorie deficit of 500 calories a day.  Maintaining this 500 calorie deficit a day for seven days will allow you to lose 1 lb in a week. 

500 cal/day x 7 days = 3500 (1 pound of fat)

The Pros:

1.      You resting metabolic rate (RMR):  The calories that your body will burn just to keep it functioning.

a.       Typical Male:  Burns 1200 – 1800 cal/day

b.      Typical Female:  Burns 1100 – 1300 cal/day

2.      Eat what you want:  Calories are calories but some foods have more calories than others.  If you eat a lot one day, you must workout just as hard the next day.

3.      You will be more active throughout the day because you will be conscious of maintaining a calorie deficit.  This means to “move more and eat less”

The Cons:

1.      Achieving a calorie deficit of 500 cal/day is very hard to achieve.  You must be more active throughout the day and also counting your calories.  1500 – 1800 calories a day is standard for losing weight.

2.      It is psychological demanding!  You must be mentally tough because you must count calories, weigh, and measure your food every single day.  Staying motivated will be very hard because you might not lose that 1 lb in the week.

3.      You will have low levels of energy because calories = energy.  Maintaining a constant calorie deficit will be physically demanding.

To tell you the truth, the reason why so many people are overweight and not losing the weight that they want is because people do not move enough.  You don’t have to spend two hours a day at the gym.  You must live an “Active Lifestyle” …this means you must walk to the store, wash your own car, clean your house, stand don’t sit, join a basketball or softball league…pretty much don’t be lazy.

Checkout the obesity rates in America from 1985 – 2007

http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/trend/maps/index.htm

Workout Intensity

May 28

BrandonBuilding muscle, Challenges, Losing Fat, Speed and Agility 1 Comment

The single most important aspect in your workout should be intensity. The reason why people do not see results with their workout is because it is easy and comfortable to them. I love the people who do an exercise and after their set, they rest for 3 minutes looking up into space or talk to their gym friend. A professor at my school told me that, “if you are in the gym for more than an hour, you are making more friends than you are making muscles.”

The best tip to intensify your workout is to stop resting in between sets. There are a couple ways to do this.
1. Superset: Take two exercises and perform them back to back until you achieve the amount of sets you strive for. My favorite is the deadlift – pull up combo. After I do a set up deadlifts, I jump right into doing pull ups. After I’m done with pull up, I go right back into doing deadlift and so on.
2. Active rest: Let’s say you just finished a set of heavy squats, the worst thing you can do is just stand there. Proceed to do some crunches or something less demanding on the body but you are keeping your heart rate up.
3. Time your rest: After you are done with your set, hit your stop watch and rest for 30 seconds. When those 30 seconds are up, go back into doing the exercise. As the weights get heavier, you can take longer rest periods to allow your muscles to recover.
4. Tabatas: Take a multiple joint exercise like a squat and do 8 sets of 20 second squats as fast as you can and then rest for 10 seconds.  A Tabata only takes 4 minutes to complete but, it will be the hardest 4 minutes you will ever experience if you do it correctly.
5. Heart Rate: Is the single best indicator to measure intensity. You can purchase a heart rate monitor or you can simply check it by placing two fingers on your carotid artery (neck) and see how many beats per minute your heart is generating.

High intense workouts will allow you to burn more fat, increase lean muscle mass, and increase cardiovascular endurance in half the time it used to take.  The harder you push yourself…the faster you will achieve your goals.