Jes Reynolds…Your Fitness Coach

In my experience, some of the most simple exercises can be the most challenging.  Since the exercise I’m demonstrating here, a side plank with a medicine ball only requires body weight and a medicine ball it looks pretty straightforward and kind of easy (ok maybe not easy…easy-ish?). Noooo, this one is, I would say, pretty challenging (and fun!).

I’d like to start by saying that I didn’t invent this exercise or anything (at least I don’t think), but I haven’t seen it demonstrated very often, nor have I seen it documented. But one day I just decided to start doing it. I had already been incorporating the basic side plank (from yoga) into some of my strength training routines, and had clients doing it as well. Then at some point I decided that I needed an additional challenge into the core strength portion of my workout. And a new exercise was born (haha!)

In order to perform this exercise, you need to have totally mastered the basic side plank.  And by mastered, I mean, you need to be able to hold it easily for quite a while, without wobbling around AT ALL.  You need to be able to keep your leg up in the air and be able to totally balance and control your body, lining up both feet and hands along the same plane and maintaining the neutral posture throughout the designated time.

 
Even once you have the ability to do this, adding the ball is very challenging and should only be attempted with guidance from a trainer or fitness expert who has both the ability to perform the exercise and teach you how to progress yourself safely from the basic side plank into the side plank with a ball while using appropriate form.  Use of the ball puts a dramatic demand on the wrist joint and also requires the ability to grip the ball really well.  In addition, the movement of the ball during the exercise requires quite a bit of control in the forearm and can put some torque on the elbow (do not attempt this exercise if you have tennis elbow).

Building up the ability to perform this exercise correctly takes some time.  Start with the basic side plank using a straight arm and progress to lifting and holding the leg away from the body.  Once you have mastered that, I recommend seeking guidance before adding any type of unstable surface into the movement as the element of risk can cause minor injury to wrist or elbow.

This exercise is part of my core strength training routine.  I typically use it during a back & core workout or during a total body workout.  Since it’s a rather unique movement, there is no rule as to when/how you could incorporate an exercise like this into your routine.  The main thing about this and other similar exercises is to have fun and challenge yourself when creating workouts.  Remember to work within your limitations and then push slightly beyond without trying to catapult yourself to far ahead (as this often leads to pointless injuries).  If you would like help learning how to do this or other core strength training exercises, send an email to jes@jesreynolds.com and let me know.

When I first started out in fitness, I often heard (but never believed) the phrase “you can’t out train a bad diet”.  In my opinion the people who said that were kindof full of themselves with their perfect eating habits and nutrition know-how…  Wouldn’t you know it…all these years later…they were right (F!).

I’m writing this post to help some of you out.  Let me be your resource when it comes to experimenting with just how much you can really achieve with a less than reputable diet.  (and by that I mean, one that includes unaccounted for drinking, late desserts, and those work pot lucks that are filled with diet pitfalls).

The best approach, the one that will actually get you results, is one that includes components of both nutrition and exercise, and the two components should be implemented over time so they become a regular and consistent part of your life.  This is the only way (aside from stimulants and surgery) to get fitness results and improve your health.  I’ve included 5 recipes, one for every meal & snack that fit within the standard nutritional guidelines.  Take a whirl at including these in your nutritional strategy and see what happens!

Breakfast
Breakfast Bacon & Egg Scramble, with “Sweet” Fries

• 3 egg whites, 1 whole egg (4 total eggs whites)
• 2 slices turkey bacon
• 1 small sweet potatoes
• 1 whole roma tomato
• 1/4 tsp. dill

Microwave sweet potato about 1 minute (until soft).  Allow to cool.  Slice sweet potato into 1/8 inch “fries”, toss with 1/2 tbl. Olive oil & salt to taste.  Bake potatoes at 375 for 15 minutes or until cooked through. Microwave or broil turkey bacon and allow to cool on paper towel to drain fat.   Wisk egg together w/salt & pepper to taste, chop & add tomato.  Cook  in skillet sprayed with spray olive oil.  Chop bacon and add to scrambled eggs as cooking.

Snack
Super Smoothie

• ½ apple
• 2 Tbl. Flax meal or 1/2 Tbl. oil
• ½ c. blueberries (frozen)
• 1 c. soy milk (plain)
• ½ – 1 scoop super green or vanilla soy protein powder

Mix all ingredients together in blender. Add water for smoothness (if needed). Enjoy!!!

Lunch
Lunch Broccoli Salad w/Tuna

• 1 ½ c. Broccoli slaw
• ½ can Tuna
• 1/2 Tbl plain yogurt mixed w 1/2 Tbl. Canola Mayo
• Salt and Pepper

Mix tuna with mayo, then add to broccoli slaw. It’s good. Or, if you hate it, experiment by replacing yogurt with mustard.  Serves 1

Dinner
Caribbean Chicken

• 2 chopped chicken breasts
• 1 chopped green bell pepper
• 1 chopped red bell pepper
• ½ cup corn
• ½ c. sliced olives
• 1 sliced avocado
• 1 medium tomato diced

Sauce:

• 2 tbl. Honey 2 tbl.
• Olive Oil
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp chili powder
• Juice from two ripe limes

Cook and dice chicken.  Then cook and dice veggies.  Place in bowl.  Shake  all ingredients for sauce together in small container (you may have to heat up  the honey a little) Drizzle sauce over veggies and chicken and mix thoroughly.   Adjust sauce to your taste preference (limey to honey).  Serves 2-3

There are certain things that we all love to eat.  A few of my favorites are chocolate and red wine.  I’ve found a few things that satisfy cravings while keeping you within our meal plan.  If I know I’ll be having a glass of wine with dinner, I might decide to skip the potato or the bread.  If I know I’ll be enjoying chocolate covered fruit, I  might not eat as much during the previous meal.

Dessert
Dark chocolate covered strawberries

• 12 strawberries – washed
• 1/2 c. dark chocolate chips

Melt chocolate in microwave 30 sec. – 1 min. Stir around until smooth.  Dip strawberries in melted chocolate and set on plate or wax paper.  Allow to cool or refrigerate 4-6 strawberries = 1 serving

When I train clients, I often have them do a food log or an online nutritinal tracking system that helps me monitor what they eat.  As the days go by, I am able to give practical advice on how to deal with different situations such as family parties, work pot lucks, or working the midnight shift.  Clients get tips and ideas on how they can apply the nutritional guidelines to their own lifestyle.  If you are interested in nutritional counseling, send an email to jes@jesreynolds.com and we can get started today!

Note: This is an old post from the archives that I felt was worth reminding people about…learn & enjoy!

Not long ago, one of my friends told me about guerrilla cardio as his favorite fat burning cardio workout. Have you heard of it? It’s an ultra-intense cardiovascular workout based on a study done by Dr. Izumi Tabata, Ph.D..

Dr. Tabata, a researcher at the institute of Health & Nutrition in Tokyo, Japan, conducted a study compairing cardiovascular endurance training vs. high intensity cardiovascular training. In Tabata’s study, one group did a full 60 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise 5 days per week. Group two also trained 5 days a week, but performed up to eight 20-second sprints of high-intensity cycling with a 10-second rest (pedaling at a slower rate) in between [1]. They performed these sprints between warm-up and cool-down periods.

Tabata found that group 2 athletes (on the high-intensity program), got fitter faster than group 1 athletes who focused on endurance training despite the large difference in time spent working out (each day group 1 did 60 minutes & group 2 did 4 minutes). After this study was released, Muscle Media magazine published an article in October 2001 entitled: Guerrilla Cardio, which suggested a cardio program based on these findings.

Guerrilla Cardio

Minutes 1-4: Warm-up 50% perceived exertion

Minutes 5-8: Sprint- for 20 seconds; Rest- 10 seconds; Repeat

Minutes 9-12: Cool-down at 50% perceived exertion

Are you wondering how 4 minutes of exercise can burn more than 60 minutes? At first glance it doesn’t make any sense at all! But remember, the true benefit of high intensity interval training (HIIT) comes from the calories burned after the workout is complete. Intense exercise boosts oxygen consumption (called excess post-exercise consumption, or EPOC for short) and calorie expenditure after exercise to a greater extent than moderate-intensity activity.

Guerrilla cardio is an extremely challenging cardiovascular program that will burn fat & if you really go all out, you will be exhausted at the end of this workout.

This protocol does have some limitations when it comes to incorporating it into a fitness routine. The cardio session really only contains 4 minutes of actual challenging exercise and EPOC is tied to both exercise intensity (how hard you work) and exercise duration (how long you work for) [2]. If you are only exercising for 4 minutes, no matter how instense, there is a limit to the number of calories (and therefore fat) you can burn in that short period of time.

Remember that losing body fat comes down to burning more calories than you consume, period. You have the option of doing that in a variety of ways, some more effective and more efficient than others.

Your ultimate goal should be to adopt habits that enable you to maintain a fitness as a lifestyle, and that may or may not include HIIT or guerrilla cardio. Maintaining a long term program ultimately depends on what style of workout enjoy, what challenges you, and how much time you have.

If you are running short on time at the gym, the guerrilla cardio program will give you a kick butt workout in no time flat. A total of 35 minutes to spent at the gym could include 12 minutes of guerrilla cardio and 23 minutes of focused resistance training. You’ll have burned calories, maximized your time, and you will also be reassured that you’re getting the benefit of post workout calories burned (via EPOC, recovery, and subsequent muscle tissue growth).

My advice is to add guerrilla cardio to your repertoire of training methods. Use it as another fat burning tool, especially when you are short on time. If you would like to learn how to incorporate the guerrilla technique as well as others into your cardio training plan, let me know by emailing jes@jesreynolds.com and we can set up a training session or get you started with a training calendar. Good Luck!

References

1. Tabata I, Nishimura K, Kouzaki M, Hirai Y, Ogita F, Miyachi M, Yamamoto K (1996). Effects of moderate-intensity endurance and high-intensity intermittent training on anaerobic capacity and VO2max. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 28, 1327-1330

2. Bahr, R., Gronnerod, O., & Sejersted, O.M. (1992). Effect of supramaximal exercise on excess postexercise O2 consumption. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 24, 66-71