The #1 exercise excuse on almost every list is, “I don’t have time.”
No time for a 30 minute, 60 minute, 90 minute or a 120 minute workout. Heck, who does have time for all that?!
Probably not you! But, really, how long should you exercise in a day?
Well, did you know that it depends on the type of workout and the intensity of the workout?!
Considering that time is on the top of EVERY list, if you don’t have time, you obviously are NOT alone!
Change The Type Of Workout And The Intensity Of That Workout
What does that mean? Well, experts are finding that we are over estimating the amount of exercise we need. They are also finding that short bouts of intense exercise are beneficial to our hearts as well as our hips and waistline. That’s good news!
A study published in Preventive Medicine in 2006 found that multiple workout sessions as short as 6 minutes apiece could help sedentary adults reach Richmond Fitness goals similar to those achieved by working out for 30 minutes at a time. Can you believe that?! ONLY 6 MINUTES!
There’s no question that short amounts of intense exercise can help you achieve your Richmond Fitness and weight loss goals. And since time is of the essence, this is REALLY GOOD NEWS!
Richmond Fitness
Now What?
Now we know that we need to find at least a 6 minute block of time during our day to get in some exercise. Since I like round numbers, let’s make that 10 minutes. And remember that we need this 10 minutes to count! Walking to the mailbox and back is NOT going to cut it. So let’s talk about some guidelines.
Some 10 Minute Guidelines
need to be consecutive minutes
need to be intense minutes
need to work large muscle groups (not 10 minutes of bicep curls guys!)
I played a lot of basketball growing up. In my teens, my life revolved around 3 things: School, video games, and basketball.
For my school work, I wasn’t the brightest nor studied the hardest. I did enough to get by. For video games, it was all about having fun. But when it came to basketball, it was about bragging rights and earning the respect of my peers. At that age, nothing seemed more important than Richmond Gym.
I so wanted make the varsity basketball team that I spent hours honing my skills, playing pickup games, and trained like crazy. But for the first 2 years of high school, I just wasn’t good enough to make the team. In hindsight, I didn’t spend enough time working on reading the game and moving without the ball, but that is for another discussion altogether. In my 15 year old mind, the only reason why I was cut was because I was not athletic enough.
Richmond Gym
Then one day, I saw this glorious ad in one of the “Slam” basketball magazines (it was back in 1996 when internet hasn’t taken over all aspects of our lives.) which I used to read cover to cover several times. And here it is: the ad looked something like Richmond Gym.
It was more than 20 years ago, but I can still remember the excitement I felt when I saw the ad and how the promise of adding the extra 5 to 10 inches to my vertical jump. That very night, I dreamt of taking flight and dunking a basketball with ease.
I don’t remember exactly how much it costs, it must have been between 90 to 120 US Dollars, which was a huge amount of money! Well, to make a long story short, I skipped lunch for a few weeks and saved up my lunch money.
I can still remember how carefully I filled out the mail order form (remember, this was before internet shopping), clipped it off the page of the magazine, stuffed my money order into the envelope, and mailed it off. A few weeks later, it came in the mail. I put it on, trained my ass off following the program. And it absolutely worked.
It added 5 inches to my vertical jump. I went from barely touching the rim even with a running start, to grabbing the rim with both hands from a standing start without having to take a step. I made the varsity team the very next year.
Here are a few things that I learned from this experience:
#1: If it is important, we will always find a way to pay for it
The 100 dollars or so required for the shoes were an astronomical amount for me at the time. I grew up in a household where we did not get allowances. My parents figured they are already providing everything that I can possibly need to be successful in school, so why give me spending money?
Was it hard for a 15 year old boy going through a growth spurt to give up lunch and save the money instead? Of course it was, but I wanted to make the Varsity team THAT much. And it absolutely helped. Because I had to make a substantial investment, I made sure I followed the instructions and get the most benefit out of it.
#2 Investing in self-improvement works
It is more than just about saving up that money. It is about understanding that I needed help and finding a way to reach out for help.
Could I have added inches to my vertical jump without the $100 jump sole? Sure, all I needed was some plyometric training and strength training that I could have easily done at my school weight room. But did I have the knowledge to actually make it happen?
No.
It doesn’t matter whether I needed the special shoe or not, what it did for me was giving me the structure and focus that is required to get results.
Now here is the thing. I have never told anyone about these jump soles.
I didn’t want my peers to think that i worked HARD to get these results.
#3 We have this unhealthy belief that working hard for something is uncool
Where does this belief even come from? We all need to stop with this insanity right now. Why is it so hard to accept that, YES, I worked hard for it.
Yes, my success is not a coincidence.
People who tell you that you can be healthy, fit, and lose a few pounds by just following this ONE WEIRD TRICK are flat out lying or delusional. I have helped hundreds of people to achieve long term weight loss success and maintain a high level of health and fitness and I can tell you, it takes discipline, hard work, and an investment of your time in Richmond Gym.
Success is never effortless.
How I wish I could have talked some sense into 15 year old Min-ju that he needed to tell ALL his friends, teammates about the jump soles and invited all of them to train together. Not only would 15 year old Min-ju have achieved even better results due to the friendly competition, he could have also made the entire Varsity team into a better squad.
And who knew how the course of history would have been different?
Now check out our Google Plus page and see why Gyms in Richmond BC clients never keeps us a secret. Also make sure to like us on Facebook for all the updates.
Richmond Gym are always more than happy to extend a helping hand.
If you are not familiar with weight lifting, you may have heard some things that have turned you away. But don’t disregard this form of training so soon, as you could be missing out on the many benefits! Read more to find out the truth about lifting weights.
Myth #1: Weight Lifting Will Make Women Look Bulky
It is physically impossible for women to get bulky and big because they do not have the hormonal capacity to put on significant muscle mass like men (unless they are taking steroids). Having a balanced weight training program paired with cardio and proper nutrition will help women obtain a lean and toned body.
Myth #2: Weight Lifting Is Bad For Your Joints
Weight training, when done properly, can be low impact and not stressing on your joints. Lifting weights can actually prevent injury by strengthening the muscle and ligaments surrounding your joints.
Myth #3: You Need To Be Lifting Super Heavy For It To Work
One of the main things to keep in mind for lifting is to have proper form. You are probably not doing your muscles a favor if you are lifting super heavy, but swinging the weights and not controlling your movements. You want to engage the muscle that you are working. Choose challenging weights, but make sure that you do not sacrifice your form for the weight.
Myth #4: You Need To Be Doing Loads Of Cardio To Lose Fat/Weight
Losing fat/weight is a combination of various factors including having a proper diet, appropriate training program and adequate recovery. Doing cardio may help you lose some fat/weight, but if you want to get a toned body and build curves, doing cardio alone will not reach that goal. In order to get strong and build muscle to shape your body, it will be necessary to include some resistance training/weight lifting into your routine. Doing too much cardio alone can break down muscle, so it is important to have a balance and include both strength training and cardio into your program.
Hope this gives you a better idea of the positives of weightlifting. Contact us for any personal training inquiries, our great team of trainers at Crux Fitness Richmond Gym would love to help you out!
