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"Resistance Train To Loose Fat and Look Great"

By Jason Goggans

FITT is an acronym that makes it easy to understand and remember the variables of an exercise program that can be manipulated in order to keep you interested and keep the results coming. FIIT stands for:

Frequency - How often you workout

Intensity - How hard you work out

Time - How long you work out

Type - What exercises you do

Workouts which apply these four principles properly will result in magnificent results. Let's address each one separately.

Frequency is a very misunderstood aspect of exercise. Many people believe that they must weight train everyday for hours to achieve maximum results. This could not be further from the truth. Actually the opposite is true. The fact of the matter is true results occur when there is proper rest time between workouts. When you properly weight train your muscles break down (microfiber tears) and have to rebuild themselves. When muscles rebuild themselves they rebuild slightly bigger and stronger (see the section on the Overload Principle). If you workout the same muscle too soon, while the microfibers are still torn, you will break them down even more. If you train too quickly again they will break down further and further and so on. This is a phenomenon referred to as overtraining. Overtraining results in less muscle mass, more fatigue, increased recovery time, and a compromised immune system, etc. This is obviously a negative.

There is not set rule to how many times a week you should train a muscle group, however, a good rule of thumb is to give yourself at least 48 hours rest between workouts. This does not mean that you cannot workout on back-to-back days; it just means you should not train the same muscle on back-to-back days.

Intensity refers to how hard you exercise. Time refers to how long you workout. As I said above, many people believe that the only way to success is down the road of 1-2 hour weight training sessions. Once again, untrue! Studies have proven that the best way to train is by INTENSE 30-35 minute workouts. The studies show that blood sugar levels (energy) start to deplete after 30-35 minutes. As a result, it is important that workouts are kept to a 35-minute max. The goal is to stimulate your muscle fibers in the shortest amount of time. Blood sugar is your body?s energy and it is needed to recuperate after a workout. You do not want your sugar stores depleted. Besides, with the demands we all have on our time, it is much easier to commit to a 35 minute workout (remember: you should always warm-up, stretch, and cool-down during a workout. This will make your time in the gym a little longer, but that is okay).

You must also be selective with the Type of exercises you perform. Always try to do exercises that maximize your intensity. Multi-joint exercises are usually best. A multi-joint exercise is one that requires the use of multiple muscles groups at the same time. This is in contrast to isolation exercises which only work one muscle at a time. By utilizing multi-joint exercises, you can train multiple muscles at the same time so your time in the gym is decreased. If you try to isolate every muscle in the body, you will be there for hours. This is not to say you should completely eliminate isolation exercises, they do have their place. It just means they should not be the core of your workout all the time. Below are some examples of multi-joint and isolation exercises:

Multi-joint

Bench press (Chest, Shoulders, Triceps)

Incline bench press (same as above)

Squats (Quads, Glutes, Hamstrings, Calves)

Military or Overhead press (Shoulders, triceps)

Barbell curls (Biceps, Forearms)

Close grip bench press (Triceps, Chest)

Bench Dips (Triceps, Back)

Lat Pull-downs (Back, Biceps)

Isolation

Leg extensions (Quads)

Side-lateral raises (Shoulders)

Dumbbell flyes (Chest)

Concentration curls (Biceps)

Tricep Push-downs (Triceps)

These are only a few examples but hopefully you get the point.

Cycling to Avoid Plateaus

The next concept to discuss is cycling. The more technical name is Periodization. Those of us who have exercised for any extended period of time know the frustration of seeing results for the first couple of months and then hitting that proverbial wall. It can be infuriating to work so hard and continue to get no where. This is when the theory of periodization or cycling must be incorporated.

Lean muscle is built and fat is burned when you call upon your body to perform a task it is unable to perform. This is the Overload Principle. When you ask a muscle to perform a task (i.e. lift a heavy weight, run 3 miles, swim 50 laps, etc.) and the muscle is unable to perform that task, the microfibers in the muscle breakdown (muscle soreness). The microfibers then rebuild themselves bigger and stronger. The muscle is attempting to get to a level that will enable it to perform the task you desire. More lean muscle means more fat burning. That is a good thing. The bad news, however, is that once the muscle is able to perform the task it STOPS RESPONDING. This means that if you continue to exercise the way you always have been, your body will plateau and results will disappear. You now have to introduce a new stimulus to the muscle and ask it to do something that it has never done. A good example is your calf muscle. The calf is one of the main muscles used when you walk. Walking is an exercise. I am willing to bet that you walk every single day but your calf has not changed in years. This is because it has adapted to the task of walking. You now have to introduce a new stimulus to get a new response. A weighted calf raise is an example.

This plateau effect occurs anywhere between four and six weeks. This means that your exercise routine must stay ahead of the curve and be changed up every four weeks. This principle applies to weight training AND cardiovascular exercise. If you are doing the same cardio machine at the same intensity everyday, your results will begin to suffer.

The next logical question is what and how do you change a workout. This is where the FITT principle is applied. The four variables of FITT (Frequency, Intensity, Time, and Type) should be manipulated every four weeks. You can change how intense you workout, you can change the frequency, the number of reps or sets performed, the type of exercises you perform, etc. If you have any questions about an effective cycling program contact a fitness professional in your area. If you are a Fitness Together client you are already on a cycling program.

Overload Principle

The overload principle is the most important principle when it comes to weight training. It refers to overloading your muscles beyond their normal demands. Stated another way, you must push your muscles beyond what they are currently capable of so they will break down, and rebuild a little bigger and stronger. A muscle grows by splitting (microfiber tears) under the strain placed on it, then ?healing? or rebuilding in the days to follow. Remember this rebuilding requires energy which is derived from FAT!!!!

In order for this splitting to occur you must push your muscles to a point where they actually fail. Training to failure means performing an exercise until you cannot do even one more repetition. The muscle actually fails. Any thing less than that and you?re not asking your muscles to do anything beyond their normal demands. As a result, you will not get the splitting and rebuilding, or the added lean muscle, or the exceptional fat burning, nor the nice cut arms, legs, chest, etc (remember the cycling principle discussed above). A workout that overloads your muscles now will not do so in 4-6 weeks. As a result, the weights, sets, reps, speed, etc. must be changed for results continue.

During my years in this industry I have noticed that people working out, especially those who are new to it tend to stop their workout once they feel the burn. I understand that the burn is not very comfortable but stopping at the burn means you are not overloading the muscle. The burn you feel is the lactic acid release in the muscle. You MUST train the muscle to failure. Remember this the next time your trainer tells you FIVE MORE!!!? even though it burns so bad.

Principle of Specificity

The last principle I will discuss is the Specificity Principle. We all have different goals and different reasons why we workout. Some want to loose weight, some want to tone, some want to be fit, while others want to train for a particular sport or race. No matter what your goal you must always train with that goal in mind. Your workouts should be tailored to your goals. If it's weight loss that you want you should perform a workout that maximizes weight and fat loss. If great muscle tone is your wish, you must train in a manner that adds and shapes lean muscle and maximizes fat loss. If you are training for a sporting event you should focus on sport-specific training (performing exercises that mimic the movements of the sport). A person who needs to loose weight has no purpose performing a sport-specific routine and vice-versa.

How to Begin

A common question I receive is How do I start training after weeks, months, or even years of inactivity. I believe that anyone beginning a weight-training program should start very slow and very safe. You should always consult a doctor before beginning. Once you are cleared by your doctor you should start with a few days of light cardio to get the body moving again. The cardio should last about 12 to 15 minutes and not be overly challenging. After one week of cardio you should progress to a light circuit program consisting of 8 to 10 exercises. A circuit program is one in which you perform the prescribed exercises back-to-back without rest. This will begin to build muscles as well as give you a cardio work out. It is a great way to jump-start the metabolism. Circuits should be done with light to moderate weight. The repetitions should be kept at 15 to 20 reps pre set.

If it has been a while since you have lifted weights, it would be incredibly irresponsible for you to jump right into lifting heavy weights. This puts heavy strain on the tiny stabilizing muscles, the ligaments, and tendons. The result can range from extreme soreness to major injury. Many people make this mistake, however. The light circuits allow the stabilizing muscles, ligaments, and tendons to slowly build up and strengthen. When you finally move to heavier weights, your body will be ready.

Once you have completed one month of circuits, where you go from there depends upon your goals. This is where a fitness professional comes in quite handy.

Miscellaneous Tips

1. Never train with the flu. It will only compromise your immune system further and make you sicker. Muscles are weakened when you have the flu and the heart is a muscle. Since your heart is in a weakened state when you have the flu exercise will put more strain on it and this could be fatal. Wait to train at least 48 hours after you recover.

2. Be absolutely sure that you are getting enough water. You need a minimum of ? an ounce of water per pound of body weight. So if you weigh 200 lbs. you need at least 100 ounces of water per day. If you are exercising regularly you need even more. A lack of water will result in muscle fatigue and decreased performance. It also increases your risk of injury.

3. Be sure you are eating supportively. Keep up your intake of lean protein, fibrous carbs, and starchy carbs. Eat low fat and at least 5 times a day (see article one).

4. Always cool down and reduce your body heat after a workout. When you perform an intense workout, the blood vessels in you muscles dilate to deliver more blood to the muscles. The skin vessels also dilate to increase the heat loss from your body. This is why your body becomes flush during a hard workout. You must give your blood and skin vessels time to recover before you jump into a hot shower. If not your skin vessels will dilate even further causing your heart to go into overdrive to pump blood throughout the body. This can cause symptoms like faintness, dizziness or at worst, you could even collapse.

5. Stretch everyday. This is especially true when you are exercising. Stretching gives renewed life and energy to your muscles. Stretching helps prevent injury and maintains flexibility. Stretching also transport oxygen to muscles (esp. sore muscles) to quickly remove toxins so they recover faster.

Review

There are many things to consider when embarking on a weight-training program. Remember to begin very slowly. There is no need to push things too quickly. Once you are used to training again, you must train with intensity. You must push or Overload your muscles. Do not be afraid of the burn.

Your program must be changed regularly; at least every six weeks. There are four main variables to change. The four variables are Frequency, Intensity, Time, and Type. This is the FITT principle.

You must train consistent with your goals. If you are unsure how to do this contact a fitness professional.

Below is a sample cycle program:

Phase/Cycle Weight Reps Cardio Beginner

(Weeks 1-4) Light to moderate (Circuit) 15-20 to failure Moderate 20-25 minutes in Target Heart Zone Muscle building

(Weeks 5-8) Heavy 4-8 to failure High Intensity Interval Training Muscle shaping (Toning)

(Weeks 9-12) Moderate 8-12 to failure High Intensity and Moderate cardio Fat Burning

(Weeks 13-17) Light to Moderate 12-15 reps to failure High Intensity and Moderate cardio

*Be sure to change the exercises as well.* *This is only one example of a Cycling program. There are dozens of other ways to do it.*

Many people wrongly believe that getting in shape and building lean muscle is as easy as joining a gym and throwing around weights for an hour or two. Those same people are the ones who wonder why they work so hard but their bodies never seem to change. Nobody ever said that getting fit is simple. It has always baffled me why people will call the plumber when the pipes break, or the mechanic when the car breaks, or the accountant when the taxes are due, but when their bodies are broken or out of shape they rely on their own knowledge to fix it. This is despite the fact that they have tried many times in the past and failed. It can?t be that people believe their car, pipes, or taxes are more important than their health. Hopefully, you now have some insight into designing and implementing a weight training program. Remember, we are always here to answer any you may have along the way.

About the Author:

Jason Goggans is a certified personal trainer located in Alpharetta, GA. He ownes a Fitness Together personal training studio in Alpharetta, GA. His website is http://www.FTalpharetta.com