San Diego Personal Trainer Rivak Hoffman asks, Are you working out your body, or wearing it out?

Today is daylight savings time, and I decided to get in an early morning workout, to avoid the Sunday gym crowd. While doing an hour on the StairMaster Gauntlet, I observed numerous people performing random, ballistic, bio-mechanically incorrect movements with machines, barbells and hand-weights. I just shuddered in disbelief closed my eyes, and re-focused on my cardio workout.

When planning a time consuming gym workout, it would be wise to pre-plan your workout on paper or in your mind ,and follow through with it as intelligently and constructive as possible. With a plan, you will not make adequate gains and do more harm than good.

Try thinking carefully about why you are investing precious time doing cardio or resistance training. Are you really getting your heart rate elevated, or are you under the impression that the few beads of sweat on your forehead brow means your getting in a rip roaring workout. Think again! Unless your sufficiently getting your heart rate elevated, or feeling winded, you probably are not getting in a sufficient cardio program. My running coach Ron Pate once told me “if you can, speak a complete sentence when running, then you are NOT hitting the cardio zone” Looking around the gym at all the people gabbing away, I am habitually in a state of wonderment.

The same applies to your resistance training program. Think about what you are doing. Your goal is to challenge and stimulate a specific muscle group to promote a higher metabolic rate. This doesn’t mean 1 set of bicep curls or 10 Trapezius shrugs if your trying to shed pounds. Conversely, it doesn’t mean that you should go crazy with uncontrolled ballistic movements, resulting in joint hyper-extension and impairment. This is a sure fire way to put yourself out of commission for future workouts.

When I work with a client who has a thick midsection, fat backside and flaccid arms, I customize a program which incorporates a cardiovascular, lipolytic, multi joint and core stabilizing effect. This affects the total body in a three dimensional way. For more information about my training style, contact me at Somagenesis Health and Fitness. You can also find numerous detailed articles related to health and fitness.

I am a firm believer that well constructed fitness program can be done in 1 hour or less. Your weights and sequencing of sets must be coordinated. If done correctly your resistance program can promote a cardio response while strengthening your body. The net effect is time consolidation and a smarter way of training. This is exactly what CrossFit training emphasis’s. A 20 minute Crossfit WOD (workout of the day) can burn just as many calories as 1 hour of leisurely working out, but really conditions your heart and all of the skeletal muscles of the human body.

Point being, be proactive and research specific fitness programs that suit your individual needs. Example, If you have a nagging chondromalacia of the knees, which is exacerbated by running, stair stepping, lunges or plyometrics, then avoid these exercises! Don’t commit yourself to implementing these exercises in your routine, because Men’s Health wrote on the benefits of them. Remember in the real world of health and fitness ” All Pain equals No gain”