Perfect physique

            Let’s face it, most people are not going to put in the time or have the discipline to create that perfect V-shaped torso, six pack of abs, shapely posterior, and toned back. But that is not all bad. Heck, here in Seattle we keep that physique safely tucked away under Tyvek and Gor-Tex most of the year so it is easy to neglect. Out of sight, out of mind, right?

            The “perfect” physique is something that is created with intense workouts, and a discipline unmatched. For bodybuilders and body sculpting it requires the isolated work of specific muscles for a specific gain, usually hypertrophy or size gains. Sometimes this is done for beauty and not good health. Staying it top shape, and depending on your goals, does not require such a strict discipline but it does require an understanding about what “top shape” or overall conditioning means. It also requires that you be willing to change what your present notions about how to achieve that fitness level is obtained.

You must resist

            Most people, especially women, are scared of weights. They see them as only used by bodybuilders or those looking to increase bulk. This is a myth. Free weights, the only weights that I recommend and you will ever hear me endorse, provide resistance and allow for functional motions. More on those is a bit. With that said you don’t have to use weights to get a great workout, build tone, strength, and increase your metabolic rate. You naturally have the best weight room on the planet. Your body. Bodyweight exercises are a great way to get used to the motion, introduced to the world of resistance training, if you are new, and allow you access to the ideal workout no matter where you are.

Back to basics

            Bodyweight exercises are, by nature, not complicated. They are the basics you all know to some degree such as squats, lunges, squat thrusts (burpees), push-ups, pull-up, chin-ups, plank and all the amazing variations such as squat jumps, split leg squats, split jumps, spiderman pushups, plank walk ups, and so on. As stated these are wonderful, quick, easy motions that require nothing more than a pull up bar at the most. What makes these motions effective though is the rate at which you do them and your rest periods between sets. See many of my earlier articles for more on how to create a complex or intense set that creates metabolic disturbance and provides an aerobic workout.

Functional motions

            Functional motions with weights or just bodyweight are motions that allow your body to move in its natural range of motion. It also uses the muscles that are functional every day in our normal lives. A great example of this is six pack abs. Though many desire them they are not functional nor are the motions that are used to achieve them. How often do you need to hold your knees up and crunch toward them on an incline bench? Right. About as often as you need to flex just your Rectus Abdominis, or your ‘six pack.’ Functional development of this area would be a strengthening of the entire core including the Rectus Abdominis but also all the obliquus internus and externus, the transversus, and aponeurosis. And that is just the front and side, we haven’t even talked about the back! And you thought it was just the six pack that mattered.

            The natural range of motion is key in these type of exercises but it is also important that you are doing the motion correctly thus the reason I highly recommend you get a personal trainer to help you get in the correct position and utilize the maximum amount of muscle in the most efficient and useful way.

Resistance

            Resistance training, with or without weights, will develop strength, mass (not bulk), and tone. It will also cause more muscle to be produced thus requiring the body to use more calories throughout the day. With that increase in needed calories the metabolism increases, the body turns to fat stores for fuel and you begin to shed the inches and allow those beautiful, tone, hard muscles to show through.

            Doing only cardio, especially steady rate cardio, will cause an increase of caloric demand but it will not, in most cases, allow you the body you desire. Unless your goals are to be an endurance athlete of strictly running distances longer than a marathon then resistance training is a MUST.

Example and Summary

            I used to only run. Every morning I did anywhere from three to thirteen miles as I trained for my half marathons. My times improved and I slimed up. Note well, I said slimmed up, not toned up. My legs looked great but I did not have the toned, chiseled look, I desired. I, like most people, thought, “I need to increase my miles.” WRONG! No matter how far I went per week (the way runners measure their training) I could not drop that last little bit of fat nor see the shapes I wanted. Enter resistance training.

            I began to develop a resistance training program and tested it on myself in March of this year. I was in training for The Warrior Dash in North Bend and had set my goal of bringing home a helmet (top three finishers receive a helmet). It is 3.55 miles from hell as the website describes it and what did I do? I stopped running. I knew my resistance training I developed would give me the strength and cardio workout I needed to place me in the top three.

            From March through June I did not run. I did no steady rate cardio. On July 1 I began a short (3 – 5 miles per day) running program coupled with my resistance cardio work. My results astounded even me and I was expecting them. My mile splits were nearly a minute faster than they had ever been when I was doing 45 – 50 miles a week. My body? It was beginning to take on the shape I always desired. Resistance cardio is a must if you want to develop that “perfect” physique and develop overall health.

            Seek out your local personal trainer. If you don’t have one e-mail me and let’s chat. I do distance consultations and if you are close to the Seattle area I will come to you. Set realistic goals that include resistance training and above all else, have a great time!

            As always please contact me with feedback, ideas, or just to let me know how the training is coming. Remember we are training for life, when you are done training then, you are done. Shawndross@sdrinspire.com. Also visit my newly redesigned website at www.sdrinspire.com and stop by and see me if you are in the Bothell area as I am now a personal trainer at Gold’s Gym – Bothell.