TRICK THE MUSCLE, TRUMP YOUR GROWTH, TRIM THE FAT
By Diane Kazer
As an athlete for nearly 3 decades, from the age of 4 to now, I always strive for balance and innovation in my work-outs. Let’s face it…fresh technology deeming it’s predecessor obsolete in 2 months, our society thrives on the ‘latest and greatest’. I’ve aspired to that trend all my life, from recreational soccer to pro, casual weight lifter to amateur figure competitor, Mac & Cheese and Oreo buff to clean eating Sports Nutritionist, new and fresh ways of doing things is what keeps me on my toes. Just as advice we’re suggested to follow evolves, so too should our bodies, our hearts, our muscles. Just as we tire of hearing the same songs played on the radio, our muscles cry out ‘BO-RINGGG’ if we template the same routine week after week, evident by the shape our body takes on. We work hard to increase or maintain mass, and/or decrease fat, but not changing it up can actually hinder these goals.
Our muscles made up of fibers are in theory, being ‘shredded’ like cabbage when placed under stress. There is a great amount of surface area to them, some of which gets ‘missed’, neglected like a middle child, if we trend on similarly structured work outs, in terms of order, split, set type, days of the week, weight, time of day, etc. Muscles are smart entities in the sense that they are able to anticipate actions when Monday has been ‘shoulders’ and Wednesday has been ‘legs’ every week for the last 2 years, as well as the details of the work out from start to finish. As such, in order to avoid plateau, not to mention boredom (which is the top reason aspiring gym buffs and dieters ‘fall off’ the work out wagon), change it up…say, once a month. Change the days you do certain muscle groups, alter the splits, decrease the reps, increase the weight or vice versa, switch the grips, heck even create a new one. I ‘invent’ at least 1 every time I work out! Have fun with it! The gym is like a buffet meal, you’re only limited by your own imagination.
The point is, the more you ‘Rubix Cube’ your work-outs, the more muscle growth or strength you’ll experience, the higher your metabolism and hence the more calories you’ll burn. You’ll evolve into a FAT BURNING MACHINE. ***For the ladies, most of whose biggest fear is getting too big and looking like a Bodybuilder…unless you added shots of testosterone to your morning lattes, it’s just not in the cards for us. That said, instead of picking up the 5 pound dumbbells, double it up to 10, and cut the reps down from 30 to 12-15. Try it! You’ll feel more energetic and look more toned over time, which is ultimately our goal right? It’s very important to note that MUSCLE GAIN IS THE KEY TO FAT LOSS…Rather than spending 30 minutes on the treadmill to burn 250 calories, why not skip it by simply gaining 5 pounds of muscle? Because 5 pounds of muscle REQUIRES 250 calories a day just to maintain itself. How’s that for a time saver? EAT THE SAME, BURN MORE CALORIES! I’m not suggesting cardio is bad, because I LOVE my cardio (see below), but rather to illustrate the impact that muscle has on fat loss. Cardio is just that…exercise for the heart, our ‘shape’ is sculpted with weight or body resistance training***.
The key is to constantly evolve, rather than maintain…there’s always something new you could integrate into your ‘sculpting schedule’. For instance, I took my own advice a few months ago, by trying a new type of yoga. Talk about Groundhog Day, I’ve done Bikram Yoga every week for the last 11 years, and a lingering, undiagnosed hamstring injury elicited my inquisition as to if doing the same motions in yoga was the culprit. A month after trying out the new studio, my body dropped from 14 to 10% body fat, my waistline narrowed, my face trimmer, my strength during weight training increased and visually more definition in muscles that had ‘plateaued’ as well as new ones blossoming around them. Fertilize your muscles with a new routine, and be ready to WATCH EM GROW. I check my progress every morning when I rise, which is the best time because your body has rested and fasted for 7-9 hours. Do this, and note how your clothes fit as a barometer, especially if you don’t have access to body fat testing. Ditch the scale…we tend to obsess over pounds. Once you learn your body’s repair and growth cycle, the kind of fertilizer it responds to, as well as the type and duration of rest it needs, you can achieve BALANCE while having fun, and it will reward you thousand-fold with constant energy throughout the day, not to mention endless stares from admirers everywhere you go. I can’t go anywhere without being asked what I do to look strong and maintain the energy I do. J See below my OLD routine, and my NEW one, as an example.
| OLD | CARDIO | NEW | CARDIO |
| | |||
| Mon – back | Treadmill Incline | Mon – shoulders | Core Power Yoga |
| Tues – shoulders | HIIT | Tues - back | Revolving Stairs |
| Wed – bis & tris | Soccer | Wed – legs | Soccer |
| Thurs – legs | Bikram Yoga | Thurs – bis & tris | Tread. Sprint Intrvls |
| Friday – misc | Tread, Stairs | Friday – misc | Eliptical |
| Saturday – misc | 6 mile run | Saturday – misc | 6 mile Run |
| Sunday - REST | | Sunday - REST | |
What I do between sets differs all the time. I do a lot of super-setting, after which I’ll do a set of abs, glutes or calves in between, then 30 sec – 1 min rest, then onto the next set. I also ride my horse 1-2 times per week, and although it’s calorie burning, I don’t count it as such.
And even this changes day per day, week per week. Sometimes I’ll run on Sundays instead and rest on Saturdays. Sometimes I’ll throw in 2 or 3 yoga classes per week and take different ones they offer (Vinyasa, Hot Fusion, Sculpt, etc). It’s crucial to LISTEN to your body. If it’s leg day, the most demanding of work outs, and you’re just not feelin’ it, rather than injure yourself, trade your REST day for that day, do legs the next day, and get back on schedule next week. The more balanced your work outs (variety, stretch with your flex, etc), the more you’ll be in tuned with your body and the more you’ll achieve goals you’ve set for yourself, and MOST IMPORTANTLY, the more likely this will become a lifestyle rather than a hobby or trend. Last but NEVER least, is be sure to get your post recovery meal in no later than an hour after taxing the muscles. THAT, my friend, is as important as the work out itself!
Very truly yours in fitness, health and balance,
Diane Kazer
