Training for Your Goals

Today I (Juliane) got a great question from one of my online clients that I thought would be applicable to many people...

"As far as cardio goes, will biking/elliptical still help my 5K running times?"

The answer to this question is yes and no....

You see, cycling and the elliptical will help your endurance, heart health and get you into great shape and burn fat! They are great for doing HIIT training if your main objective is to be fit and healthy. However, I do believe in "sport specific training." This is precisely why I ask all of my clients what their goal is. Do you actually want to run a 5k or even a half marathon? If so, do you have a specific time in mind? If your goal is to do well in a 5k race then you would actually need to run a few times a week... but if you just want to do them for fun, you will be fine and be in great cardiovascular condition to complete the distance. However, it's kind of like shooting hoops to train for baseball...  it will help with athleticism and hand/eye coordination, but it's not specific to the sport.

So sit back and think... what are your goals? Not any of my clients have the same plans because they all have different goals. So don't just randomly find a plan and blindly follow it! Keep your personal goals in mind!

Whether you are training for a specific sport, or just to be happy and healthy, I can help you out!

Here is a picture of me after I qualified for the Boston Marathon! I was a lot less muscular then because I was specifically training for marathons; which eats away at your muscles...

Visit our website for personalized plans at Http://twinspirationfitness.webs.com/

Finishers... Pushing Your Muscles to the Max

Finishers are a technique that we use regularly in our weight training to really push our muscles to fatigue and break through a plateau. If you are an experienced weight lifter looking to take your training to the next level you should definitely incorporate finishers into your training. A "finisher" is exactly what it sounds like... your final exercise in a workout.

Our favorite example is a drop set. Today I (Juliane) did a leg workout focusing on quads. So my final exercise was a drop set on the leg extension machine. You can do this with any muscle group.  Here's how it works...

Start with a little lighter weight than you would normally use for a regular set. Do ten reps. Then drop the weight 10lbs and do 12 reps. Drop the weight 10lbs and do 15 reps. Drop the weight 10 more pounds and do 20 reps. The only rest in between is enough to switch the weight. Your muscles should be burning by this point but sometimes I'll try to get in that 6th drop set of 30 reps to really fatigue the muscle.

               

Another example of a finisher is FST-7. It stands for Fascial Stretch Training and the seven refers to seven sets performed as the final exercise of a target body part. Basically you train that body part on any given day heavy as you normally would keeping the rep range between 8-12, but the last exercise you perform the seven sets 10 reps to finish off that particular muscle, with minimal rest in between to get the best pump possible. Keep rest intervals between 30-45 seconds and make sure to stay hydrated to push that fluid into the muscle and stretch the fascia even further.You should refrain from using  compound lifts as your "seven set," because they require balance and the use of ancillary muscles which takes focus off the target muscle. The goal is to bring as much vitamins, minerals, amino acids, oxygen etc. into the muscle, and also stretch the fascia surrounding it to help encourage maximal muscle growth. 

 

Have fun incorporating these techniques into your training and always remember to use proper form!For personalized online plans visit our website at http://twinspirationfitness.webs.com/

Shredded Shoulders and Cut Up Core Workout

Try the workout below for some shredded shoulders and a cut up core... email Juliane with any questions @Julbrown22@hotmail.com or visit our website @ http://twinspirationfitness.webs.com/

Check out Jes' shoulders before and after Juliane got a hold of her training...fierce!



Increasing intervals at 1% incline on treadmill (increase speed with each working interval)
warm up 2-3 minutes
run for 1 minute
recover for 1 minute
repeat until you get to 20 minutes
cool down 2-3 minutes

3 sets of each of the following circuits 8-12 reps (use a weight that is challenging for you!)

Smith machine shoulder press sitting on a bench, push up fast and come down slowly
Barbell front raise, swing up and slow down
Leg raises on bench under smith machine, toes to bar

Upright row with barbell, fast up and slow down
Side lateral raises on pulley machine leaning outward to add resistance to working arm, fast up and Slow down
Stability ball crunch with medicine ball extended above your head

Front raises with rope attachment on pulley machine, raise rope up then pull open to sides and lower
Rotator cuff butterflies with dumbbells
Pikes on stability ball and add in a push up when your hips are at the top if your feeling adventurous!