Train Hard or Train Smart?

Copyright (c) 2009 Athleticbodysystem

Are you training really hard and not getting the results you feel you deserve? Are you one of the 1000's of people who cram up commercial gyms and train their guts out in an attempt to shed a few pounds, get healthy, get fit or even gain muscle? Do you 'seek fatique' and try to make sure you can hardly function when you leave the gym/ do you resemble 'bambi on ice' walking down the stairs of the gym? Who wrote your programme? Was he/she a reputable trainer or were they just in good shape themselves? There is a BIG difference!

I read an article in The Irish Times that piqued my interest. In not so many words it said that in order to make a real change to our bodies, lose them extra few pounds, shed unwanted bellyfat and lose that arm fat once and for all 'you are going to have to sweat'. The article continued to say that you are going to have to change your exercise routine and constantly challenge yourself. Great! This was the first newspaper article on health and fitness that actually didn't rub me up the wrong way! Then I started to think, what if people take this literally and just do what they are doing, only harder, or they get a 'new programme' that doesn't address their goals?

In order to shed unwanted bellyfat or gain muscle you have to have a programme that addressed your goals! There is no point working REALLY hard on a programme that doesn't do what its intended! Think about it like this. You need to travel to the U.S.A. but you try to get there using your bicycle, you need a plane, unless you are E.T of course (Stupid joke ignore me). That's essentially what you are doing if you are on the wrong programme for you! The programme has to be tailor made, just for you. If it is fat loss you desire, then you get on a fat loss programme. If it is muscle gain, then your programme must address that. I have seen trainers doing tricep kickbacks with their clients in an affort to 'tone' a woman's 'bingo wings' (that's what we call upper arm fat in Ireland, it is also known as batwings). My point is; a tricep kick back is not an exercise a middle aged woman seeking fat loss should EVER do. It is a useless exercise at the best of times, and it certainly isn't doing to burn any fat!

'Tone' or 'Toning' a muscle is merely the addition of small amounts of muscle and reduction in bodyfat in that area! Therefore metabolic work and full body movements, and increased caloric expenditure are the key! Not silly isolation movements. I cringe when I see this happening. Have you done kickbacks in an effort to burn nasty bodyfat? Well it's not your fault it's your trainers!


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Bryan is a health and fitness expert based in Dublin, Ireland. For years he has helped people achieve their physical and athletic potential. To learn more about lean body development and social support log on to Bryan's network
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Your lean body coach,
Bryan kavanagh BSc CSCS
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