| Advanced Fitness Solutions Articles |
Success is not measured
by what a man
accomplishes, but by the
opposition he has
encountered, and the
courage with which he has
maintained the struggle
against overwhelming odds.
-Charles Lindbergh
by what a man
accomplishes, but by the
opposition he has
encountered, and the
courage with which he has
maintained the struggle
against overwhelming odds.
-Charles Lindbergh
A year from now you
may wish you had started
today.
-Karen Lamb
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Success is a continuing
thing. It is growth and
development. It is
achieving one thing and
using that as a stepping
stone to achieve
something else.
-John C. Maxwell
thing. It is growth and
development. It is
achieving one thing and
using that as a stepping
stone to achieve
something else.
-John C. Maxwell
Are you in the "Fat Burning Zone"?
The bottom line for most of us when we exercise is getting rid of fat. We want a
smaller waist, the six-pack abs, the more defined muscles. So the question is,
when we exercise, how do we know if we are in the "fat burning zone" and are
we in it long enough to actually get rid of some excess body fat.
Well to answer these questions we need to understand a little about how the
body works. Bear with me through this science, I promise I'll get to the really
useful stuff in a minute. Our bodies two main sources of energy are
carbohydrates and fat. As we begin to exercise the primary source of energy
intensity our bodies make a shift from using carbs as its primary source of
energy to fat. So the questions we have now are; "How long is it before our
bodies use fat as its main source of energy?" and "What is considered
moderate intensity?" Studies have shown that at 15 to 20 minutes of exercise
we see a marked decrease in carb usage and an increase in fat usage as the
bodies main source of energy. Keep in mind however that we still burn carbs as
energy beyond 30 minutes of exercise, its just not the main substrate being
used by the body at that point.
Now let's figure out exactly what is "moderate intensity". Moderate intensity is
certainly relative to a persons fitness level, but did you know that it can also be
dependant on a persons size, how hot it may be outside or the humidity levels?
The best way to monitor how intense your workouts are is by monitoring your
heart rate. It is a fact that as exercise intensity increases, so does heart rate.
Scientific studies have shown that to be in your "fat burning zone" you should
be exercising between 50% and 70% of your heart rate max. The way to figure
this out is by using the following formula, 220 - Age - Resting HR x (50% - 70%)
+ Resting HR.
So for me the formula would look like this, 220 - 39 - 62 x (50% - 70%) + 62,
moderate intensity for me would be keeping my heart rate between 121 beats
per minute and 145 beats per minute. The easiest way to track this during your
workouts is by using a heart rate monitor. You can get a good basic heart rate
monitor for around $40.00. You can also spend over $200.00 depending on
how fancy you want it to be or if you just like gadets the do a lot of stuff. Any
sporting goods store typically carry a variety of heart rate monitors like
Academy Sports, or Sports Authority.
So here's the facts, to make sure your in the "fat burning zone".
- Fat only becomes the primary source of energy after you've been
exercising for around 30 minutes. So when possible, make sure your
workouts are at least 30 minutes long.
-You must be exercising at a moderate intensity which can be determined
by your heart rate. Using the formula, 220 - Age - Resting HR x (50%
- 70%) + Resting HR will let you know if your workouts are at the right
intensity.
Keep checking back as I will be posting new articles monthly.
Thank you for visiting my website.
Single Leg Straight Dead Lift
The single leg straight dead lift is a great exercise for strengthening the hips and hamstrings as well as creating
stability and balance within each leg. The key to performing this exercise properly is to engage your abdominals and
maintain a "flat back" in other words maintain good posture through the torso during the exercise range of motion. A
common mistake while doing the single leg straight dead lift is that people tend to over extend their range of motion
by flexing (bending) at the low back in an attempt to get closer to the ground. The point of this exercise is to work the
hip extensors which include the glutes and hamstrings, that being said, different people will have different ranges of
motion based partly on their balance and flexibility at the hamstring.
The Starting Position:
The Ending Position:
The single leg straight dead lift is a great exercise for strengthening the hips and hamstrings as well as creating
stability and balance within each leg. The key to performing this exercise properly is to engage your abdominals and
maintain a "flat back" in other words maintain good posture through the torso during the exercise range of motion. A
common mistake while doing the single leg straight dead lift is that people tend to over extend their range of motion
by flexing (bending) at the low back in an attempt to get closer to the ground. The point of this exercise is to work the
hip extensors which include the glutes and hamstrings, that being said, different people will have different ranges of
motion based partly on their balance and flexibility at the hamstring.
The Starting Position:
The Ending Position:
