Reader question - "Your opinion on Les Mills classes?"

Let's get back to the reader questions. I've had a couple good ones as of late...

Good morning Kim,

I'd like to know what do you think about the Les Mills Body Training Systems.

Thanks,
Henrique

Thanks for the question, Henrique!
I wasn't 'in the know' about the Les Mills fitness programs - but I did some research, and I'd be happy to give you my opinion from what I've read and seen. Obviously, I've never taken a class, so I cannot give you a complete testimonial or position statement - but I appreciate that you'd like to hear my thoughts :)

First off, for those of you who are unawares...
All over the world, gyms have implemented pre-programmed group fitness classes, created by the LES MILLS Group Fitness System. These classes include:


BodyAttack- a sports-inspired cardio workout, complete with interval training

BodyBalance- a holistic, calming class, involving elements of yoga, pilates, and tai chi

BodyCombat- a cardio kickboxing type of class, combining skills from karate, boxing, Tae Kwon Do, Muay Thai, and Tai Chi

BodyJam- a funky, hip-hop-style dance class

BodyPump- a barbell class with basic strength exercises

BodyStep- a modern step class with some cross training

BodyVive- a low-impact workout with stability balls, tubing, and small hand weights

RPM- a high-energy spin class


Basically, the Les Mills Body Training System involves a variety of challenging classes filled with movement, high energy, and up-beat music.

Anything that involves movement... motion... activity... major muscle stimulation...
can NOT be a bad thing.

I am not going to reprimand anyone for taking part in these classes. I'm not going to say that they are a waste of time. I will only commend those who participate because the classes do involve more challenging forms of physical activity.


That being said...
I do find negative aspects to these classes.

#1 - The classes are pre-programmed. New choreography and music are created for each class every 3 months. Now, some gyms may alternate between new and old choreography. But for those individuals who spend oodles of time doing these classes alone, even that small amount of variation will not help to progressively overload the body toward one's desired results! The way to cause change and transformation is to progressively stimulate the body with more difficult challenges as a training program advances. Since these classes remain the same over time, there is no effective progression to help someone lose fat (which is one main reason why people take the classes in the first place!)

#2 - The longer an activity is, the less intense it automatically has to be. You can only keep up extremely high intensity for shorter time periods. Since these classes are 60 minutes long, most exercisers will end up working at a relatively lower intensity - much like longer, slower cardio sessions. Since intensity is a huge proponent of a workout that creates a huge metabolic disturbance... these classes would not be an optimal solution by themselves. They cannot elicit the high intensity that shorter training sessions can accomplish. However, as an adjunct to a complete strength training program, I am all for the inclusion of these classes.


Now, the positive aspects...

#1 - These classes involve explosive movements, compound exercises, and full ranges of motion. Because of this, they are a much better choice for activity than long, slow, boring cardio. Even though the exerciser might adapt to the choreography over time, it is very probable that they will still be exuding more energy through these energetic activities (and moving through a larger range of motion) than they will on the cardio machines.

#2 - The BodyPump class involves an instructor teaching the correct technique of basic lifting exercises. I think that it is important for exercisers to gain that positive reinforcement about proper technique from a knowledgable instructor. This class would likely be very beneficial for many less advanced gym-goers.


So, to conclude all my ramblings - I believe that a strong resistance training program is necessary for an individual to get measurable results from exercise. But, activities that tax the entire body - more metabolic activities like circuit training, interval training, and challenging classes - are also an important part of a complete training program. Because of that, I think the Les Mills Body Training classes (or any other similar classes that you might enjoy) are a great inclusion to your week of exercise.

Hope that helps!
Kim


**Remember!! Any other fitness/nutrition questions can be directed to kim@deliberatemovement.com

Quotation of the Week

"Anyone can give up, it's the easiest thing in the world to do. But to hold it together when anyone else would understand if you fell apart, that's true strength." -Author unknown



Have you ever known an individual who just seems to avoid crumbling to pieces when challenges are constantly being placed in front of them? That's the sign of strength.

Have you ever seen an Ironman triathlete push past the point of exhaustion to finish the most extreme physical competition known to man? That's a sure sign of mental strength.

Have you ever heard the stories about those people who have been caught in severe conditions out in the wilderness - and who have survived through the night? Those individuals have really exuded immense amounts of strength.

It doesn't matter how strong you are physically (well, it does to some degree... a progressive increase in physical strength is desirable to most exercisers!) -

What does matter is the strength of your mind - your mentality.

When you want to give up, it shows true mental power to resist that urge. And even though you may think that you fall into a different category than the people described above, I really want to make you believe that you can be just as strong.

In my area of expertise - fitness and nutrition - it's extremely easy to give up when something is new and uncomfortable. But if you want it bad enough, you'll persevere past the discomfort by calling upon your own mental strength.

In my training for the CrossFit Games, my training sessions are focused on pushing past the point of wanting to quit. That's right! Not only are the workouts physically challenging, but they are mentally challenging as well.

In my clients' training sessions, I attempt to teach them how to work through difficult, uncomfortable feelings, and how to push the limits of their physical abilities.

For those that request my nutritional advice, I try to explain that each choice they make can lead them to better health - that is, if they don't give up on their efforts to adopt better eating habits.

Mental fortitude is key in health, in fitness, and in all aspects of life.

I hope you strive to be strong :)

Abdominal Wednesday... spot reduction?

In keeping with this new, short series on the popular abdominal area, here is another reason why crunches, situps, and typical abdominal exercises are ineffective...

Reason #2: You cannot reduce the fat off of one spot on your body by working that body part specifically. Therefore, working the superficial ab muscles will do NOTHING for getting rid of that flabby tummy!

Simply isolating the abdomen and doing movements that only target that small group of muscles in the front of your midsection... in order to slim that midsection... is a waste of time!!

We cannot determine where fat is lost from our body during the fat shedding process. Even if we do hundreds and hundreds of crunches. It's just not gonna happen! The body will determine specific location of fat loss all on its own.

So, if crunches don't do diddly squat for getting the excess fat off your stomach (and we also already know that too many crunches can be harmful for the lower back and shoulders), then why don't we do exercises that target the stomach in a way to strengthen it (and keep other joints healthy)?


My abs didn't get this ripped from crunches - no sir!!

The saga continues next Wednesday... :)

Are we having FUN yet??

Well, I've been pushing a big-ass truck as part of my workouts these days...

Just tryin' to add a little excitement to the training regimen, ya know? ;)

Clients, friends, and readers have been requesting some visual proof of this truck pushing activity. So, here's a little clip of me and the truck - cruisin' along. And fyi - there are a bunch of weights in the bed of the truck as well. Just fyi.

Maybe in the near future, I'll document some more strenuous workouts that include truck pushing as just one station of a larger obstacle course. Maybe I'll film it... if you really want to see it...

Enjoy!
I sure do.

Reach for the sky!

In the pursuit of a goal, who do you surround yourself with?

Do you solely remain in the comforts of a group of folks that have similar abilities?

Do you underestimate your skills and talents, hiding behind people who are weaker than you?

OR - do you seek out the people who are WAY better than you are?


I, personally, like to surround myself with greatness.
I like to find the individuals who are super talented at something I want to accomplish.

Even though it ends up being a lot of hard work, I get the most self-fulfillment from putting myself amongst the best of the best.

Therefore - in my life as a fitness enthusiast, I like to spend my time with people who are faster, stronger, more powerful, and more experienced.

The practice of allowing greatness to encircle your life will ultimately help you to move closer and closer to your own potential. Especially in the world of fitness/exercise.


And as time inches closer and closer to the 2009 CrossFit Games for which I'm training, I have found a truly fabulous group of GREAT women with which to challenge my abilities.

Katie, Becca, Kris, Michelle, and Val (and soon to join us... Linda!) are some of the most physically potent ladies that I've ever met. Each of us has our strengths and weaknesses - but we seem to feed off each others' strengths. We somehow squeeze the best out of each other each time we meet up. It's been an absolute joy to train with these powerful females - and I will continue to look forward to our remaining weekend workouts, for sure! I can't wait to represent Southern California with them in a little over one month! Whoot! (that's for you, Michelle)



Show 'em how it's done, SoCal 7!!

Will you reach for the sky as well?
Give it a try - you won't be disappointed :)

Quotation of the Week

"Just because you're not sick doesn't mean you're healthy." -Author unknown


The absence of a cold or an ailment is not good enough to proclaim health.

Being disease-free or free from any sickness is certainly a good thing.
But it is not enough.

Complete health comes about when mental well-being is intact, when the body is well-rested, when clean, nutritious foods make up the bulk of your diet, when moderation is practiced, and when the body is given the physical activity that it craves.

And when any one of these things is missing, it is possible that the body could be suffering from a certain level of unhealthiness...

Stress, anxiety, depression, sadness, and negativity - each mental upset can bring a person away from true health and cause unfavorable effects.

Sleep deprivation and constant exhaustion - these challenges suck the vitality out of a person.

Processed, fake foods and preservative-filled, convenience foods - these substances don't nourish the body. Instead, they add unnecessary things into the body and they mess with one's hormonal balance.

Excessive amounts of anything are not healthy for the body.

And lack of physical activity, along with prolonged sitting and laziness - this common practice can age and deteriorate the body at a rapid pace.


Friends -
If we give the body what it needs, we will be healthy.
If we deprive the body of these essential necessities, we cannot claim health, now can we?

Can you claim to be truly healthy??

Let's be food snobs!

Let me preface this post by saying... I do love me some junk food, some processed food, or some fast food every now and again.

But, you know what?

Usually, I get cravings to eat those fav "naughty" foods because they are comforting, familiar, and oh-so-yummy. And I give in to those cravings because...
I get temporary amnesia about how I felt the last time I ate nutritionally deficient, sugar coated, grease-laden mystery food!

Why do I always forget about that unsettled feeling?!

My friends -

Once you feed yourself REAL food - and once you feel that strong, stable feeling of your body benefiting from the flavorful, delicious REAL food that you are oh-so-thankfully providing it... you come to realize that the over-processed stuff can truly be supremely GROSS!!

And the stuff that doesn't gross you out ends up making you feel gross. Especially if you're used to giving your body clean, whole foods... the flood of preservatives or excess, unnecessary ingredients can feel like a punch in the stomach. Yikes.

I just saw someone eating a flimsy In-and-Out burger in their car today, and it looked the most unappetizing piece of mystery "food" I could imagine! How can we be okay with shoving that kind of shriveled, preserved, processed, soggy grossness into our mouths?? How can that be a yummy treat for us??


I'm a bit disturbed by the "white trash foodie" mentality in today's society!

Yes, I am a fan of the occasional pizza, brownie, or burrito. I LOVE baked goods with a passion and I have chocolate binges once in a blue moon. I can be a white trash foodie on occasion, for sure. I won't deny it!

But on the whole, I try to be more of a food snob.

That doesn't mean that I eat plain chicken breasts and steamed vegetables for every meal. And that doesn't mean that I preach nutritional perfection or turn my nose up at certain "taboo" foods. But it does mean that I look for high-quality ingredients, I choose foods that have some sort of nutritional value, and I prepare meals that are both healthy AND flavorful!

I look forward to these foods - because they are not bland and boring like most people want to believe. Think "Top Chef" on a budget. Good, high quality, REAL foods... rich, flavorful foods... foods that have a purpose for the functioning of your body.


I invite you to join me in becoming a food snob for about 90% of the time.


And then, if you have some trashy roots that you need to revisit every now and again on your vacation from snobbery... go for it! Splurging on some despicable treats is okay now and again. But just be ready for that feeling of unsteady, sluggish, heavy, blah-ness. And use that feeling as a reminder that your "food slummin'" ways should be few and far between.


Til next time, fellow snobs!

Abdominal Wednesday...

Just like I promised...

The beginning of a short series on why crunches, situps, and other typical abdominal exercises are unnecessary!


Reason #1: Any exercise involving abdominal flexion and/or hip flexion, when done repeatedly and consistently, can cause problems in other areas of the body.

Mainly...
The lower back
&
The shoulders!

Lower back -
The hip flexors (those muscles running from the front of your thigh up to your torso - the ones that get super tight from you sitting on your a** all day!) are much stronger than the abdominal muscles. When doing any sort of full situp, the hip flexors will usually have to work harder than the abs. One of the major hip flexors runs through your body and attaches to your lower back. So, if you are overworking the hip flexors through situp movements AND suffering tight hip flexors from sitting a lot... those strong, tight muscles will pull the lower back into hyperextension. That means - pain and increased possibility for injury!

Shoulders -
Too much forward flexion of the torso ("crunching") will eventually shorten the abdominal muscles, pulling the rib cage down toward the pelvis. This unflattering adaptation rounds the shoulders forward, out of their proper alignment. So, if you attempt to do any activity involving the shoulders, that misalignment will lead to muscle compensations and... you guessed it... pain, decreased function, and increased possibility for injury.

Is that all too scientific for you?

Well, here it is, plain and simple...

Crunches, Situps, and any other exercise that involves high volumes of torso flexion will cause negative body adaptations and pain.

There's a better way to strengthen the stomach!!

Stay tuned for next Wednesday...
:)

THANKS A BUNDLE!

Thanks to everyone for their generous donations toward the benefit for Josh Birch!

Check out the original post to hear the entire scoop...

Last Tuesday, I requested some help from all of you - help in raising money for a family member suffering with Hodgkin's Disease. The request was last-minute, however (since his benefit was scheduled for this past Saturday!), so I wasn't too confident in my ability to raise anything substantial.

But, with your help, I was able to give my stepsister's fiance' a check for $300!

Wow! That's a pretty great amount to accumulate in only 4 days.

Thank you so very much for any support you were able to give. I am so lucky to have an amazing, generous, loyal pot o' readers.

Cheers, friends! And many thanks from my whole family...

Reader question - "How much exercise is too much?"

This week's reader question comes from down under :)
I know that I have pondered this same question - since I do love to exercise.
So, I'm sure many of you fitness enthusiasts out there have asked the same question...

Kim -
How much exercise is too much exercise? At some point, is a person being counterproductive by doing too much? I've read a bit about excess cortisol production due to excess exercise but it didn't say at what point this was a worry.

I also have read how exercising a couple times a week is typically sufficient and know that the way we eat is going to help us further along our weight loss goals (Fred Hahn, McGuff, Taubes). Besides having the time and enjoying the exercise - what are the benefit to doing more and if so, how much more? And how much is too much?

Thanks for your input-
Sybil


Alright, Sybil -

First of all, I think it IS important to ensure that you're not overdoing it on the volume of exercise. Too much volume can lead to overuse injuries, burnout, possible loss of lean muscle mass, and yes, excess cortisol. Since exercise is a type of physical stress, then too much exercise can act as additional negative stress. And the high cortisol that develops from too much stress will end up raising blood sugar levels. And as you probably know well by now, controlling blood sugar is the best way to ensure health and body composition.

That being said... our bodies can handle more physical stress than we know. It's not like we have to stick to a regimen of 30 minutes of exercise daily (or any other random suggestion like that). Each person is different. And within that person, the ability to handle certain quantities of exercise will change, depending on what is going on in that individual's life - or depending on what adaptations have accumulated through exercise (we get better at what we practice!). The things that will help to keep exercise from causing excess cortisol production is: sufficient rest in between exercise sessions, sufficient nutrition for proper recovery, and the ability to "listen to your body". Some days, against every good intention, it's just best to take an entire day off from exercise (some of us have trouble stepping away!) ;)

To answer your questions about "what are the benefits to doing more exercise?" and "how much is too much?"... Well, doing more exercise in an attempt to lose fat is, in my opinion, not a great way to go about fat loss and body transformation - and not a great purpose for adding extra exercise. Also, adding extra exercise in order to make up for a poor diet is absolutely worthless!

However, if one is performing lots of exercise because it is mentally stimulating, it is physically rewarding, it is incredibly fun, and because they simply LOVE the activities they are performing - then that is usually the benefit to doing more. There are definitely psychological effects of exercise.

Otherwise, I would much rather that an active person with specific fitness goals first work on tweaking the intensity of their exercise... NOT adding more. More does not always mean better.

Like I said before - the body can handle A LOT of physical demands. And this is especially true when we allow the body to effectively rest and recover. But... we know we're doing too much when:
1) we have tons of trouble recovering or we are always tired and sore, and/or
2) we are not seeing any results

Dr. John Berardi (http://www.johnberardi.com/) has suggested, from his research, that 5 hours a week of physical activity is the amount in which most people have reported they are the most satisfied with their bodies and their abilities. I think this is a good measure for most people.

Now, what all my rambling boils down to is:
If you are getting results and you are happy with your physique and your abilities... there is no need to worry about overtraining. But, if you are not getting the results you want, your eating habits are spot on, but you feel like your body does not match up to the amount of exercise you do... then you might need to cut back on volume and simply increase your intensity.

Quality over quantity!!
Besides - you can only sustain high-quality, intense workouts for shorter periods of time. If you are spending a whole LOT of time exercising... aren't you sacrificing quality and wasting your time?

Quality over quantity...

Also, yes, having healthy eating habits is extremely important in the quest for a fit body. No amount of extra exercise can mask a bad diet. One would be better off with an incredible diet and two solid days of exercise. BUT - more exercise is okay.

I hope that covers it all!
Thanks so much for your question, Sybil. And good luck!
Kim

**Remember!! Any other fitness/nutrition questions can be directed to kim@deliberatemovement.com