No, this is not a trick question. The answer is: to warm up the muscles, facia, and joints prior to exercising them. So why do so many people still consider stretching to be a “warm-up”? Maybe because it used to be (and [...]]]> Let’s start with a one-question quiz: What is the primary purpose of a warm-up?

No, this is not a trick question. The answer is: to warm up the muscles, facia, and joints prior to exercising them. So why do so many people still consider stretching to be a “warm-up”? Maybe because it used to be (and sadly, often still is) taught that way.

And that’s unfortunate. Because warming up before working out can be beneficial for a variety of reasons:

• Reduced risk of injury. Warm muscles and fascia are more pliable and therefore resistant to injury, particularly in exercises that require extra range of motion (ROM).
• Gradual increase in metabolic requirements. This is less stressful on the body and heart.
• Prevents premature fatigue. Warming up increases blood flow through the working muscles as blood vessels dilate helping prevent early lactic acid buildup.
• Improved motor skills. Nerve impulses travel faster at higher temperatures.
• Improved efficiency. Warm muscles move faster due to reduced viscosity and increased synovial fluid in the joints helps lubricate and protect them.
• Early detection of physical problems. Some strains or other conditions may not reveal themselves until you begin taxing yourself physically. Gradually increasing effort levels can help prevent aggravation of these problems.

Broadly speaking, there are two kinds of warm-ups: passive and active. In a passive warm-up, the muscles don’t work at it; instead, an outside agent is used to warm the muscles, such as a sauna or heating pads. An active warm-up involves moving vigorously to generate heat internally. Passive techniques are sometimes used to augment an active warm-up; most commonly, wearing warm clothing. (I’ve been known to turn up the car heater on the way to a workout … every little bit helps!)

Active warm-ups can be general or functional. A functional warm-up uses movements related to the upcoming workout; for example, high reps of a light weight prior to lifting heavier weights. A general warm-up uses a basic exercise such as jumping rope or jogging to raise the body temperature. It’s often a good idea to precede a functional warm-up with a general one … warming up for the warm-up.

The duration of a warm-up can vary, but be sure the muscles are warm at the end! A vigorous warm-up, such as jumping rope, can be as short as five minutes while an easier one, such as brisk walking, will likely take longer. The duration will also vary depending on the air temperature and the intensity of the workout. You don’t need as thorough a warm-up for jogging, for example, as for running wind sprints or lifting heavy weights. Another factor is the range of motion (ROM) of the workout. If the activity requires more than normal ROM (kickboxing versus running, for example) then you want to warm up into the full ROM you will be using. In some cases, this may mean stretching, but only after your body is sufficiently warmed up. And be sure to stay warm throughout; don’t allow yourself to cool off during stretching.

There are many activities you can do as part of a general warm-up. Some examples are brisk walking or jogging, jumping rope, jumping jacks, cycling, and rowing. Remember to perform these exercises at a comfortable pace; don’t over-exert yourself or you may injure yourself dung the warm-up! Also, be sure to warm up all the parts of the body you will be engaging in the workout. For example, stationary cycling is not a good choice as a warm-up for activities that will tax your upper body.

Functional warm-up exercises vary depending on the nature of the upcoming workout. Most common are movements that mimic your workout but at a lower intensity. For example, shadowboxing before boxing or light bench presses before heavy ones.

So warm up–literally–before you work out. Next time, we’ll discuss some activity-specific warm-ups.

Part 1 described using composite goals; i.e., short-term goals to reach medium-term goals to reach long-term goals. Part 2 introduced the SMART acronym and covered S&M: Specific and Measurable. Part 3 covered A: Accountable and Part 4 covered R: Realistic. Finally, it’s “T” [...]]]> This is Part 5 of a series of posts on setting fitness-related goals.

Part 1 described using composite goals; i.e., short-term goals to reach medium-term goals to reach long-term goals. Part 2 introduced the SMART acronym and covered S&M: Specific and Measurable. Part 3 covered A: Accountable and Part 4 covered R: Realistic. Finally, it’s “T” for “Time”, or time for “T”, whichever you prefer.

Every SMART goal needs a specific target date. That rules out targets like “sometime next year” or “in a few weeks.” This is easy if you’re training for an event such as a race. Otherwise, it’s up to you (or your trainer) to determine the target date, being sure to keep it Realistic. Without an end date, the goal can languish for eternity.

Once you have a target date, how do you tell if you’re on track to meet it? One way is by using a timeline. This is a simple graph plotting time against progress toward  your goal. A straight line shows linear progress from your starting point to your target. At regular intervals along the way, you plot your current progress to see if you’re on, above, or below the line to show how you’re doing. Below the line is good if your goal is reduce, for example, your weight or your 5k time. Above the line is good if your goal is to increase, for example, your bench press work (reps times weight) or your number of consecutive pushups.

There are a couple potential problems with the timeline approach. One is that progress is rarely linear. In fact, when starting a new training program or diet plan, progress is often front-loaded. That is, you see your best gains (or losses) early before leveling out and possibly seeing diminished progress, but progress nonetheless. Thus, early indications might be overly encouraging and later progress relatively discouraging.

Some people don’t respond well to the timeline approach. Instead of being motivated by being on the wrong side of the line, they become discouraged and may give up. If this sounds like you, skip the timeline tool.

An excellent way to reach your SMART goal on time is with timely intermediate goals. Use short-term goals to drive your progress toward medium and long-term goals. Blitzes can be a great help here.

No matter how you try to manage reaching your goal on time, things may not work out the way you planned. The original allotted time might have been unrealistic (not “R” enough), or life might get in the way in the form of an injury, illness, unexpected travel, and so on. It’s important to keep your goals fluid enough to handle these situations. Simply adjust the target times of your goals to accommodate your situation. This won’t work when training for a scheduled event such as a race, of course. In that case, where the target time is fixed, you would need to adjust your goal instead. For example, you might have to scale running a marathon down to a half-marathon. Or reschedule for the next marathon. Or both!

Assigning a time to your goal is a critical step that is often overlooked. Make your goals SMART by including a specific target date.

————

That wraps up this series on SMART goals. To recap, a SMART goal is Specific, Measurable, Accountable, Realistic, and time-bound. Use blitzometer.com to announce your goals (via your blog), maintain momentum (using Blitzes to drive short-term goals), and track your progress (with reports).

Part 1 described using composite goals; i.e., short-term goals to reach medium-term goals to reach long-term goals. Part 2 introduced the SMART acronym and covered S&M: Specific and Measurable. Part 3 covered A: Accountable. Now it’s time for R which stands for “Realistic” [...]]]> This is Part 4 of a series of posts on setting fitness-related goals.

Part 1 described using composite goals; i.e., short-term goals to reach medium-term goals to reach long-term goals. Part 2 introduced the SMART acronym and covered S&M: Specific and Measurable. Part 3 covered A: Accountable. Now it’s time for R which stands for “Realistic” or, more colloquially, “Really?” The surest way to guarantee you won’t reach a goal is to set one that is unrealistic.

A goal can be unrealistic in scope or time or both. For example, setting a goal to do a vertical leap of ten feet is unrealistic, regardless of how much time you give yourself. A goal to lose twenty pounds in one week is unrealistic due to the short time frame, no matter what you’ve seen on TV.

So to set a realistic goal, you need to be sure it’s something you can reasonably accomplish in the allotted time. It’s easiest to get this wrong with a short-term goal due to the short time-frame. But if you’re using unrealistic short-term goals to reach a medium- or long-term goal, it’s quite likely those are unrealistic as well.

While an aggressive short-term goal can spur you to dramatic and determined action, failing to meet the goal (and subsequent goals) can discourage you from continuing to pursue your long-term goal. Another potential pitfall is feeling the need to use any means necessary to reach the unrealistic goal, including unhealthy options such as starvation or drugs.

Weight loss goals are particularly troublesome due to unrealistic claims and portrayals from a huge variety of equipment manufacturers, diet books, nutritional supplements, supposed fitness experts, and more. Besides the questions of whether and how the weight loss was actually achieved, the percentage weight loss must also be considered. Losing 20 pounds is very different for a 400 pound person than for a 200 pound person.

Another realism pitfall is the notion of linear progress, or expecting to be able to progress the same amount consistently over a period of time. For example, to reach a goal of doing 100 pushups you could start with 10 and add one per day so that in 90 days you are doing 100. If only it was that simple! Instead, once you reach your maximum performance level, you will plateau and even temporarily regress. Your body will need more than one day to recover properly and will not respond to one set of pushups as a strength-gaining mechanism. The same linear trap applies to most any fitness goal, including strength, cardio, and flexibility. And, of course, weight loss!

There is no magic formula to creating realistic goals. Unless you are very experienced and know your physical capabilities and limitations well, your best option is to consult a fitness professional such as a personal trainer or nutritionist. Alternatively, learn what’s realistic for you through trial and error. You may set goals that you find are too easy or too hard, but that will help you set or modify your next goal. Remember that not reaching a goal is not failure as long as you keep making progress. If your goal is to lose 20 pounds and you only lose 15, is that so terrible? Just celebrate your progress, set your next goal (realistically!) and move on.

SMAR goals are Specific, Measurable, Accountable, and Realistic. Next time, we’ll add the T and make them truly SMART.

Part 1 described using composite goals; i.e., short-term goals to reach medium-term goals to reach long-term goals. Part 2 introduced the SMART acronym and covered S&M: Specific and Measurable. This post covers “A” which normally stands for “Attainable” (or “Achievable” or “Actionable”) but [...]]]> This is Part 3 of a series of posts on setting fitness-related goals.

Part 1 described using composite goals; i.e., short-term goals to reach medium-term goals to reach long-term goals. Part 2 introduced the SMART acronym and covered S&M: Specific and Measurable. This post covers “A” which normally stands for “Attainable” (or “Achievable” or “Actionable”) but here, A is for Accountable.

The biggest problem with goals is following through; i.e., completing them. It can be all to easy to simply quit when the going gets tough. And that’s where accountability comes into play.

In order to be accountable, a goal needs to be shared with one or more people who can assess some penalty if you fail and/or offer some reward if you succeed. Here are some suggestions:

• Make it public. Share your goals with others on your blitzometer blog, your own blog, via facebook (blitzometer can crosspost your blog entry to facebook) or twitter, post it on your office wall at work or your refrigerator at home–anywhere others can see it. Encourage the people who know about it to hold you accountable, and be sure to update them with your progress. The more people you share with, the better. Or share with people closest to you, whose opinions mean a lot to you, and who will encourage you in your efforts.

• Bet with a friend. The friend may or may not be pursuing the goal with you, but if may be better if he or she is not; otherwise, you may both agree to call the whole thing off with no penalty. The simplest wager results in you paying a penalty if you quit. The penalty is most often cash, but could also involve providing some service (e.g., washing car for a month) or having to perform some embarrassing task (e.g., singing a song for everyone on the bus). There are plenty of possibilities in both cases. If your friend’s a good sport, he or she might agree to providing a service to you, or performing the embarrassing task, if you succeed. Another possibility is to give your friend money that is returned only if you succeed. Make sure this is a good friend though; you don’t want someone discouraging you in the hopes of winning the bet!

• Join a club. Being with people who have similar goals can help you with yours. Most common are running, cycling, and weight loss clubs. But depending on where you live, you may find clubs dedicated to triathlons, mixed martial arts, weight training, hiking, and so on. Note that this is different than joining a gym or other fitness facility. You might feel some incentive to train to get your money’s worth, but there’s no one else to hold you accountable. They may, however, help you with the next suggestion.

• Get a trainer. If you can afford it, nothing beats having a qualified (and high-quality) professional trainer to help you meet your fitness goals. A good personal trainer can help you plan your goals by assessing your current state of fitness and learning more about what you want to do; e.g., better sports performance, weight loss, more endurance, etc. You’ll need a trainer who can work with your personality and capabilities to help you meet your goals. Maybe you want an in-your-face drill sergeant, or maybe you need more coaxing and cajoling. The best trainer isn’t just (or even necessarily) someone you like personally, but someone who helps you meet your goals. This is accountability with a price tag, but if you can find and afford the right trainer, it’s goal-reaching gold.

• Commit to an event. Can’t run a 5k? Sign up for one a few months in advance. Want to build a great physique? Enter a bodybuilding competition. Events like these will put you into a competitive situation in front of an audience. Your goal may be to win or maybe just to finish, but in any case it’s an external factor providing you accountability. Some other ideas: triathlon (anywhere from a novice to an Iron Man); bike race; strenuous hike (like the top of Half Dome in Yosemite); tennis tournament; walk, run, or ride for a cause; box at a gym; enter a kickboxing tournament. Depending on your goals and interests, you can surely find an event to hold you accountable. And while it’s not really an event, if you want to look great in a steamy bathing suit, buy a nice one and schedule a beach vacation where you’ll be seen (and photographed) wearing it. Use your imagination!

• Blitz! When you sign up for a Blitz, you agree to a “contract” to do your best to complete it. If you’re a coach and made the Blitz yourself, that may not mean much. But if you’re in a Blitz with others, especially people you know, the level of accountability increases. Completing one Blitz may be only one tiny step on the path to your goal, but tiny steps add up, and not just to an awesome blitzitude.

A SMART fitness goal is Specific and Measurable, and adding Accountability will help make sure you follow through.

Specific Measurable Accountable Realistic Time-bound

Part 1 described using composite goals; i.e., short-term goals to reach medium-term goals to reach long-term goals. The SMART points apply [...]]]> This is Part 2 of a series of posts on setting fitness-related goals. This one introduces the SMART acronym. There are a number of different definitions of the acronym, but here’s what we’ll be using:

Specific
Measurable
Accountable
Realistic
Time-bound

Part 1 described using composite goals; i.e., short-term goals to reach medium-term goals to reach long-term goals. The SMART points apply to all of these.

This post covers S&M: Specific and Measurable. These two points are so closely related they’re almost redundant. But they’re also absolutely crucial.

Goals that are not specific include:
I want to lose weight.
I want to be stronger.
I want bigger arms.
I want a slimmer waist.
I want to run faster.

So how do you make them specific? Easy. Make them measurable.
I want to lose 10 pounds.
I want to bench press 200 pounds.
I want 18-inch arms.
I want a 22-inch waist.
I want to run a 6-minute mile on a treadmill.

Simply put, a specific, measurable goal needs at least one number associated with it. (There could be more than one; e.g., bench press 200 pounds for 10 reps.)

Without S&M, how do you know when you reach the goal? If your goal is “to lose weight,” are you done if you lose a pound? Because technically, that does meet the goal’s criteria. Another important benefit is the ability to set interim goals; i.e., short- and medium-term goals on the way to your long-term goal. Losing 10 pounds can seem unreachable, but if you set a short-term goal of 2 pounds on the way to a medium-term goal of 5 pounds and so on, suddenly the end seems much more manageable. And you get to celebrate successes along the way to build confidence and momentum.

There are different kinds of measurable goals.

A performance goal involves a single performance at (or before) the end of the goal’s target date, such as a 6 minute mile or bench press 200 pounds for 10 reps.

A total goal is cumulative from the goal’s start date to its target date, such as a total of 1000 pullups in three months or lose 10 pounds in 10 weeks.

A physical goal involves a physical change such as a 22-inch waist or 18-inch arms.

All three types of goals need to be specific and measurable, of course. The type(s) you choose depend on what you want to achieve and what works best for you.

One of the key benefits to having a measurable goal is that you can track your progress towards achieving it. More about this in the section on “T”.

So be sure to set fitness goals that are specific and measurable. It’s (part of) the SMART thing to do.

These kinds of resolutions are [...]]]> Have you ever made a fitness-related New Year’s resolution? Maybe to lose weight, or go to the gym every week? (Why New Year’s? Why not the summer solstice or the vernal equinox or July 23rd? Oops … I digressed already.) If so, how’d that work out? (“work out” … get it?)

These kinds of resolutions are “goals” and goals are good. But some goals are better than others, and making goals is the easy part (although making quality goals takes a bit more effort): following through is the rub.

I’ve read a few pieces that distinguish between “exercise” and “training” (here’s one) where the former is aimless and the latter is goal-oriented. Which do you think is more likely to be productive? (Of course, “training” isn’t for everyone; some people need to replace “exercise” with “fun” but that’s another topic.) Goals push (or pull) you to work harder and persist. Goal-setting is a valuable skill that can make the difference between fitness and failure.

Goals are usually incremental and cumulative: long-term goals made up of medium-term goals made up of short-term goals. For example, a long-term goal might be to run a marathon. But if you can’t even run a mile yet, that might be a short-term goal on the way to reaching a medium-term goal of a 5k, then a 10k, then a half-marathon, etc. Here’s a sample set  of goals for running a half-marathon for someone who, at the start, can only run a mile. (NOTE: This is not a suggested training schedule, just an example.)

The nice thing about short-term goals is that they are so reachable. If you can’t run a mile, running 26 of them seems nearly impossible, while running just one seems so … possible. Short-term goals should generally take no more than a month to reach. You might prefer even shorter time frames to enjoy the success of completing a goal more often. (Blitzes are great for short-term goals.) Medium-term goals are usually several months. Long-term goals can take a year or more. (Bruce Lee once suggested that “A goal is not always meant to be reached; it often serves simply as something to aim at.”)

There’s a simple feature at blitzometer.com to help with your goal-setting. In your blog, you can mark a post as a goal. All this does is highlight it for easy recognition. You can state your goal in the post, then add comments to mark your progress. Other users can easily spot your goals and see how you’re doing, and hopefully offer encouragement in the comments.

Whether short-, medium-, or long-term, goals need to be set with care to be effective. There’s an old acronym that applies to goal setting: SMART. I’ll be discussing setting SMART fitness goals in the next few posts.

There are references in the article to “Hip Hop Yoga,” “Disco Yoga,” and “All [...]]]> Not sure what to make of this article about new variations of “yoga” popping up. I guess that’s capitalism: give people what sells. On the bright side, it’s getting people moving who otherwise might not. But some of this is just ridiculous.

There are references in the article to “Hip Hop Yoga,” “Disco Yoga,” and “All You Need is Love Yoga” (Beatles music). They all apparently revolve around cardio fitness. I guess that’s OK. But come on … it’s not yoga! And that’s what makes this quote from Rita Trieger of Fit Yoga Magazine so disturbing: “The whole point of yoga is to rid yourself of stress and anxiety…” Uh, no. It’s really not. That may be why many people do yoga, but it’s certainly not the “whole point” of it.

Calling these kinds of classes “yoga” is like calling Tae Bo or the many varieties of “cardio kickboxing” classes “martial arts.” They’re really not. (But then, neither are most Tae Kwon Do classes, but that’s another story.) But is it bad? I’d say it’s bad on the martial arts side, since too many people think they’re learning how to fight. But is it a problem for people to think they’re doing yoga when they’re only doing something superficially similar? Don’t know. Maybe they’ll start with the superficial and move onto “real” yoga. Or maybe they’ll never realize there is a “real” yoga and that they’re not doing it.

The prime motivation for offering these kinds of classes is surely money. And there’s nothing wrong with that, as long as you’re giving people something of value for their money.

But for classes mentioned in the article like “Face Yoga” or Aroma Yoga,” color me skeptical to say the least. And “Itsy Bitsy Yoga” for babies as young as one week old? Why does that bring P.T. Barnum to mind?

If you enjoy it and benefit from it, go for it. But do yourself a favor and learn about real yoga so you’ll at least know what you’re missing. And if you take your week-old baby to a yoga class, keep it to yourself.

But recently, it has been getting much more attention, in particular as “high-intensity interval training” or “HIIT”. The big draw? Getting [...]]]> I think most people know what “interval training” is, since it’s just as the name implies: periods (or “intervals”) of hard training separated by short periods of rest or low-intensity exercise. It’s certainly nothing new.

But recently, it has been getting much more attention, in particular as “high-intensity interval training” or “HIIT”. The big draw? Getting benefits of long workouts in a much shorter time. For example, the results of one study showed up in the high-profile New York Times as “Can You Get Fit in Six Minutes a Week?” As noted on the blitzometer facebook page (you’re a fan, right?), this was misleading since it only counts the actual short bursts of high-intensity effort and discounts the longer recovery periods (plus warm-up and cool-down). So it’s more like an hour a week, which is still short, of course.

As an aside, this presupposes a definition of “fit” that is very limited. There’s an excellent, in-depth article on what constitutes “fitness” from the early days of Crossfit. (There’s a PDF download on the linked page.) But I digress …

So is HIIT for you? Probably. Unless you have a medical reason to avoid it. Make no mistake: “high-intensity” means uncomfortable, even painful, intervals. Ideally, you’ll have a coach, personal trainer, or training partner to push you. Or you can use numbers and machines (like bikes, or rowing machines) using vVO₂max as a guide. (I don’t have a good link for vVO₂max — even the wikipedia article is weak.)

One of the most popular HIIT workouts around today is called Tabata and is based on a study by Dr. Izumi Tabata and friends. The recommendation is for 20 seconds of high-intensity effort followed by 10 seconds of rest, performing these “Tabata intervals” a total of eight times (four minutes). The study used an exercise bike (it’s easily controllable) but you can use other activities such as running, jumping rope, or burpees. You can also do rounds on a heavy bag or Thai pads, other exercises. One that I would not recommend for Tabata is rowing as it takes too long to get going (even a few seconds is a big percentage of 20) and has a built-in rest period (the “recovery”), although it’s fine for longer intervals.

There is some debate about using weights with HIIT in general and Tabata in particular. Remember that the Tabata study showed an increase in VO2max, not strength. If you want to augment your intervals with weights (for example, squats or squat thrusts), help yourself, but keep the weight light. This is cardio training, not strength training. If you do want to use weights, consider kettlebells as they lend themselves well to cardio training.

One other note: treadmills are not a good idea for HIIT. For Tabata intervals, I find them too slow. But the even bigger problem is getting to the rest interval: they slow down (and speed up) gradually, making short intervals impossible unless you jump off for rests and back on for intensity. I wouldn’t recommend it.

If you’re not already incorporating HIIT into your workouts, you should. Keep an eye out for relevant Blitzes (like this one) or become a coach and make your own.

We have three now: 15, 30, and 40 pounds. Most of the [...]]]> The last few years, kettlebells have become something of a rage in the fitness world. They’re kind of like a cannonball with a handle. So for Christmas this year, we asked Santa for some and I guess we were good because he came through.

We have three now: 15, 30, and 40 pounds. Most of the kettlebell exercises can be done with one or two kettlebells, so singles seemed like a great way to start.

The thing that sets kettlebells apart from dumbbells, for me, is their swing-ability. Many exercises involve swinging, either as the exercise itself or as a part of the exercise; e.g., getting it from one position to another. This is very different from the strict-form movements I’m used to doing with dumbbells such as curls or bench press. And even in the more controlled movements, kettlebells seem to engage more of the body; there’s more leaning, for example, than I would associate with dumbbells.

But back to the swinging. It adds two interesting facets, in my view. First, the swinging exercises lend themselves well to cardio workouts because you can engage more of your body and keep a continuous movement. Second, it’s just more fun! Curling and pressing are pretty dull compared to swinging.

One final thing I didn’t realize was how much the swinging exercises in particular affect the hamstrings. It’s an area of the body that is often neglected and feels kind of good. Also, the “hinge” movement used with kettlebells is interesting and something I didn’t know about. It’s a movement from the hips that’s much different than squatting or bending.

I still like to use dumbbells and prefer them for bench press, flies, curls, and more. But kettlebells are a nice addition to the fitness arsenal. I look forward to using and learning them more in the months and years ahead. And you can bet I’ll let you know what else I discover.