Whether you’re a serious gym rat or a sometimes fitness buff, you are trying to lose weight and strengthen the body. Funny yet how so many people are hesitant to join a gym, eat well or even hire a personal trainer at first to help get them going.

There’s something about overcoming inertia… once you get going, moving is easy. In other articles I‘ve written about the motivation “to do it.” In this article I want to share something different with you.

The other side of the coin is that once people get into the nuts and bolts of their own training and nutrition… they just love it! They feel good. They see results. They can’t imagine not doing it, or even skipping a day. And they want more and more. But there are only so many hours in a day to train… or are there?

Almost every day I have clients asking me for simple ways they can stoke their metabolism, keep their energy levels up, stretch their muscles, burn calories and get strong throughout their day. They’re addicted to the fitness lifestyle, and crave more of it. I love when I hear this and have compiled a list of daily activities you can do that keep you in fitness mode all day. Keep in mind that none of these are replacements for a sound, steady fitness program, rather supplemental things you can do everyday to improve your overall health. Here they are, by topic.

1. Avoid Driving Whenever Possible
In today’s day and age we’ve become extremely dependent on the automobile. Think of how many things you actually walk to from home or work? Walking is so great because it boosts the metabolism, strengthens the legs and keeps the hip flexors supple. And a mere 20-minute walk can burn 100 calories. To increase all of these good things, make it a brisk walk and be sure to swing your arms!

No time for a special walk, no problem. Here are some of my favorite ways to fit it in:
A) Park at the far end of your work lot and walk into the office(this avoids the stress of parking, door dings and forces you to walk)

B) Skip the elevator and always take the stairs(10 flights at a brisk pace will burn 50 calories, get your heart and lungs working hard and improve circulation which is severely diminished sitting in a chair all day. Ever notice how your feet get cold when you sit for too long)

C) Forget driving to your local market or store and walk instead. Carrying a few bags in each hand will add to the exertion and accelerate calories burned. You can also walk to lunch or go for a walk after lunch if you brought your lunch to work.

D)For a quick shot of energy and rejuvenation, instead of a cup of coffee to get you through your afternoon, drop to the floor and do as many pushups as you can. This will give your body a good quick shock and you’ll avoid the 350 calorie Caramel Macchiato.

E)How about riding your bicycle to work? This would extremely healthy not only to you but to the environment. You’d be reducing the stress of rush hour traffic and helping the environment by reducing your carbon footprint. Of course, if you have a 20 mile commute each way, that might not work for you, but you get the idea.

2. Housework
When you are home, forget sofa time and instead get busy with straightening up the house or cleaning. While it may seem mundane, doing your chores offers an instant metabolic boost. And the flexibility/strengthening effects of all the pushing, pulling, reaching and lifting add to your fit day.

Not sure what to do, well 20 minutes of these simple activities burns 100 calories each. Combine three things and your will burn 300 calories, elevate your heart rate, tone your arms and keep the blood moving. Try these three:
A) Vacuum the entire house, room by room.
B) Fold a few loads of clean clothes while standing
C) Clean the windows, mirrors, sinks and tubs.

3. Just for Fun
We all know the many health benefits of being outside. We draw fresh air into the lungs, get plenty of Vitamin D, tend to move about more, and walk, run, bike or play. But you can have fun inside, too, while living the fit life.

For the working adult with or without kids, fun is often limited to the weekends. Not to worry, there are things you can do during your normal week that will also keep the metabolism stoked, burn calories, tone the muscles and keep the blood moving. Here are some examples:
A) Jog or Run to get your mail from the box instead of walking

B) Walk/play with your dog or the neighbor’s dog, and let them lead you at a quick pace. Animals are a great way to get you to move about more
C) make a lunch or after work appointment with a friend and go for a power walk, a run or enjoy a quick game of tennis
D) Turn on the radio and dance yourself crazy for a song or two—talk about a stress buster! (If you’re a bad dancer, just don’t let anyone see you
E) Interactive video games like the Wii Fit is a fun indoor calorie burner and a great way to play and bond with the kids.

The best part about all of these tips is that they get you up off your seat, keep you active throughout the day, reduce muscle stiffness and slowing of the metabolism, increase weight loss capability, and help maintain a healthy, strong and supple body that feels alive and refreshed all day!

So give these little things a try and see the difference they make when they all add up at the end of your day and your week. I know you will be surprised!

Also, don’t forget that our rate increase for personal training will be effective as of November 1st. Don’t miss your opportunity to get grandfathered in at our current below market rates AND get 2 additional FREE sessions when you sign up by October 31st. Because of the overwhelming response we’ve had to this promotion so far, we may have to limit the total number of people who can take advantage of it. So call Mike now at 888-872-7961 ext.1 to get set up!

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If you’re looking for a personal trainer in Virginia and are ready to take control of your health and fitness, you’ve come to the right place.  Achieve Fitness has been serving the Northern Virginia since 2001.  We have helped hundreds of clients Achieve their Fitness and weight loss goals through custom workout program design, coaching, accountability and nutritional guidance.

If you have never worked with a personal trainer, boy are you in for a treat.  Many busy professionals like yourself come to us from all over Northern Virginia and tell us that they have been working out some on their own and are in decent shape but want to get to the next level.

99% of the time, when we hear this, we immediately know what the problem is… Intensity.  See, too many people work within their comfort zones.  Never challenging themselves and their bodies to perform outside of their comfort.  Yes, whipping your body into shape isn’t easy.  It requires hard work.  Sure, if you’re completely out of shape, some light and progressive workouts are needed to get your mind, muscles, joints, ligaments, heart and lungs, accustomed to the new exertion.

Once the foundation has been put in place, you need to train like an athlete.  You need to identify your maximum and strive to improve upon it with each workout.  This is where the trainer comes in.  Motivating you to push past this identified threshold.  This threshold can be measured in many ways but the 2 most commonly used are heart rate and muscular failure.

Serving the following cities in NOVA – Alexandria, Arlington, Springfield, Vienna, Tyson’s, Woodbridge, Annandale, Reston, Herndon, our trainers will bring the necessary equipment to train you in your home, condo gym, office gym, or outdoors.  Whichever is preferred by you.

Give us a call today at 1888-872-7961 or sign up for a free, no obligation trial session.

We look forward to working with you,

Dennys Passeto, CPT
Owner of Achieve Fitness Personal Training, LLC

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Yes, you read the subject line correctly. Exercise is NOT
linked to weight loss, according to Time magazine’s most
recent article written by John Cloud. The article emphatically
implies that exercise has no substantial role in weight loss
or weight management.  Among several other misleading
assertions made in this article, the most prevalent one is
that exercise automatically increases appetite and therefore
single handedly becomes the culprit for promoting over eating.
Wow!

This article is as reckless as it is completely false, and
frankly – irresponsible. I’ll share the link with you shortly,
but first, let’s explore some reasons why his claims are so
ludicrous.

First and foremost, there is an overwhelming amount of
scientific, evidence- based research that proves the positive
role that exercise plays in weight loss.  The author’s
assertion that exercise uncontrollably increases appetite is
simply erroneous. In fact, studies done by the most credible
authorities in the fitness industry including ACE and ACSM
show that appetite may actually be suppressed for up to 90
minutes following vigorous exercise by affecting the release
of particular appetite hormones. Unless you’re an elite
athlete following a high intensity workout program
consistently, your body’s demands for additional calories
will not drastically increase with a moderate exercise program.

Second, weight loss is a matter of simple mathematics. You
must expend more energy than you take in to lose weight. This
fact has proven time and time again and continues to be
accepted, with good reason, in the modern age. Most of the
individuals described in the article (including the author
himself), are not able to meet their weight loss goals because
they are simply eating too much. To attribute this to exercise
alone is completely unsubstantiated.  The author assumes that
the majority of individuals are powerless in their weight
loss efforts and simply lack the overall will power to keep
their caloric intake at a healthy level. The bottom line is
that exercise and proper nutrition go hand in hand, and you
simply cannot discount one or the other when it comes to
studying weight loss.

Disappointingly, the author also fails to effectively
emphasize the effects that exercise has on overall health.
As we have all seen, people who are “light weight” are not
always healthy. Health can be achieved through exercise in many
different ways including improved muscle composition, lowered
blood pressure and cholesterol, improved cardiovascular health,
and one more “minor” thing known as DISEASE PREVENTION. The
scale is simply not the only indicator of overall health and
well being.

We encourage you to read this article yourself and draw your
own conclusions. Click Here to read about it.

After you read it, also be sure to read a follow-up article
written by Dr. Claude Bouchard, who is the executive director
of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center, which is an
organization that Time magazine “claimed” to have obtained
some of its research from. As you’ll read, this claim is also false.
Check it out  HERE

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Top 4 Benefits of Partner Training

Fitness is such an amazing activity and lifestyle choice. Aside from it being undeniably good for you, it is also fun and often down right exciting. There are just so many kinds of fitness activities and places to do them, that it is hard to believe anyone could tire of personal training.

Most people tend to fly solo when it comes to getting in shape. They lift weights, go running, swimming or do aerobics. Sure, they may be in a gym full of people, but the swimming, treadmill, weights and cadio classes are essential individuals training at the same time. Even when you have a trainer, you are still alone in your efforts of doing the fitness routine.

But there is another way to train, one that may be more fun and challenging. It is partner training, and today I would like to tell you about the four top benefits of this type of training.

1-Motivation

One of the biggest problems with getting into and staying in shape is actually getting up and doing it. It is a fact that millions of gym memberships are bought and never or only rarely used. Personal trainers help with motivation, because you have someone to account to. But if you also had a fitness buddy, a training partner, chances are you would be more motivated.

Motivation is what makes us decide to do something, like getting into shape, changing our eating habits, going to the gym. And while many of us do follow-through, there is nothing like having an actual fitness partner to motivate you to get together and work out. You’ll want to, you’ll look forward to it!

2-Competition

Training together with a partner also provides a little competitive edge to each workout. Because there is someone by your side, doing what you are doing, you get that little extra “push” and encouragement needed to give it everything you’ve got.

And when you’re tired and either don’t feel like going to the gym or are there but feel like giving up, that partner next to you will give you the reason to push and do. You know, no matter what you might say in public, that you will never lose to Jane or Bill. You would sooner show up sick then feel like you let the partnership down. And there’s no way you’d allow Becky to do one more push-up than you!

3-Accountability

Training with a partner also makes you more accountable—to yourself, to the trainer, to your friend. Just by being committed with you, your partner will help you remain on track by being not only accountable to you but also to them. They are also sacrificing time, money and effort… and are counting on you to be there for them.

Between workouts is when having a partner who is a friend really pays off! It’s like Big Brother or Big Sister is watching you all the time. They will make sure you are eating right, sleeping right, getting ready for the gym on time. They, like you, want a partner to watch over them and help them achieve their fitness goals!

4-Costs

One of the biggest barriers to getting into shape and committing to a workout or gym is financial. It costs money to do all the things necessary to get and stay fit and healthy. Well, having a fitness partner will help alleviate some of those costs by contributing to your trainer fees. While it may cost more money per hour for two people to have a trainer, the cost per person is less than paying as an individual.

So what are you waiting for? Go and grab your best friend, life partner or co-worker and become fitness partners! And with our new promotion… there’s no reason not to!

With our new promotion, we’re offering 3 FREE partner training sessions with the purchase of a package of 18 sessions or more. That’s right, in addition to your free trial session to see if your trainer is a good match for you and your partner, we’ll also give you 2 additional training sessions!

Also, if you missed it, don’t forget that our “Cash for Chunkers” promotion expires on August 31st. Don’t miss your chance to get $200 OFF any personal training package of 12 sessions or more.

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Nutrition Made Simple

In today’s health conscious world, there’s a lot of information out there on nutrition and healthy eating. With all the fad diets and companies releasing an abundance of“weight loss” products, it’s difficult to know where to turn for sound, credible advice on eating for weight loss. It becomes overwhelming when the information you get seems to change constantly, and you can’t go a day without hearing about a new extreme weight loss diet.

So let’s keep it simple. I’ve worked for several years with people who have struggled to lose weight. Almost all of them have tried fad diets in the past with minimal success. Rather than bore you to death with the science behind why these diets don’t work, let’s talk about what will work and what has proven to be effective for my clients. Here are some tips that ANYBODY can follow to put yourself on a faster, healthier track to achieving your weight loss goals. No nonsense, no lengthy scientific explanations, just functional tips that you can use as your guideline to jump start your weight loss efforts.

You must expend more energy than you take in. I don’t care if you’re eating broccoli and carrots all day, if you’re consuming more calories than you expend, you will absolutely, positively NEVER lose weight.

Eat breakfast every day. This is the only way to jump start your metabolism each day. If you’re not giving your body a consistent enough energy source, it will hold on to everything you put in it. Unfortunately for us, this storage always comes in the form of body fat!

Don’t think low-carb, think right carbs! Carbohydrates themselves are not the enemy. In fact, they are our main source of energy, especially when supporting an exercise program. However, our carbohydrate intake should come from fruits, vegetables and healthy whole grains. The main carbohydrate source from these foods is fiber, which promotes healthy digestion and is critical to maintaining the efficiency of our metabolism.  The two carbohydrate sources that will absolutely destroy your weight loss efforts are sugar and enriched flour. These are the real culprits. Trust me, America didn’t become obese by eating too many apples!

Get your fats from 3 sources only! Fats are also not the enemy, as long as we chose them wisely. The primary dietary sources of essential fats are seafood, flax oil/seeds, and mixed nuts. These essential fats are touted for their heart health properties, aiding in recovery, and reducing the risk of several serious diseases as well. Not only should you not avoid these foods, you should seek them out as part of your weight loss plan. In fact, essential fats should make up about 30% of your overall intake.

3 words for success – Whole, Natural Foods. This is one to live by!  Our bodies are simply not designed to digest processed foods. You work your body hard enough as it is, don’t make it work harder just to digest the junk you may put in it. A good general rule here is that if you don’t recognize the food’s ingredients, it’s not natural. All of the essential nutrients your body needs to sustain health and support weight loss are contained within fruits, vegetables and lean protein sources.

Keep a food journal. I can’t emphasize this one enough. Tracking your nutritional intake is a critical piece to your success. Sometimes we don’t even realize how much we take in every day until we’ve written it down. Once you’ve seen it on paper, it becomes real and you will be way less likely to cheat if you have to write it down and admit it to yourself!

These are some pretty basic concepts, but if you stick to them as your guideline for healthy nutrition, you’ll be in a better position to achieve YOUR weight loss goals!!

By the way, if you missed it, check out our promotion for the month of August…

“Cash For Chunkers”

As most of you know, the U.S. Government recently passed legislation providing vouchers valued from $3,500 to $4,500 when you trade-in a vehicle and purchase a new one that meets higher MPG standards.  While we don’t have 4 grand to give to every new customer, we’d like to give you an opportunity and an incentive to trade in your old body for a newer, leaner, healthier one (and we don’t care how many miles per gallon it’s currently getting)!

For a limited time only, we’re offering $200 off any personal training package of 12 sessions or more until August 31st! There’s no catch, nor is your body required to meet certain standards.Because we’re not using taxpayer money to bail you out of your current body, we’re limiting this offer to 5 NEW CLIENTS ONLY! All you have to do is be ready to work hard and be willing to change your lifestyle.  The best part is, you don’t even have to come into our “dealership”, our trainers will come to you. What’s more,you can even take your trainer for a test drive before you commit to a program. If you feel your trainer won’t succeed in putting you into a new body, then there’s absolutely no obligation on your part.

If you’re ready to trade in your body and start making positive,healthy life changes, then now is the time to get in the best shape of your life! Just contact Mike at 888-872-7961 ext. 1 to set up your free test drive with the area’s best personal trainers, and we’ll put you on the road to fitness success. Be sure to mention the “Cash for Chunkers” promotion in order to receive your bail out check.

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By Chad Ciri, CPT (ACE)

Let’s face it, we’ve all seen those people at the gym who spend an hour every day walking or jogging on the treadmill. More times than not, those people look exactly the same when you see them a year later…still running on the same treadmill!  There are several reasons that traditional “cardio” doesn’t yield results.  Amongst others, here are what I believe to be the top 5.

1) People hate doing cardio. When’s the last time someone smiled in excitement as they headed to the gym to do cardio?  No one gets excited about it.  Why?  Traditional cardio training is monotonous!  No one wants to stick to an exercise program that’s boring.  30 minutes on a treadmill or an elliptical trainer for 5 days a week is a guaranteed formula for failure.

2) Cardio promotes unhealthy relationships with food.  People can become obsessed with the calorie counters on machines.  I’ve seen way too many people who become completely obsessed with counting how many calories they’ve burned doing cardio.  Too many times this happens only because people are trying to put calories
in the “bank” so they can get away with over eating.  Your diet is just as important to your cardiovascular health as your exercise regime, so aerobic activity should not exist simply to negate the effects of an unhealthy diet.

3) Cardio in itself doesn’t make you healthy. There is so much more to health than 30 minutes of  “cardio”.  I’m not suggesting that regular aerobic activity isn’t beneficial, however there are so many more activities that will far exceed the effectiveness of walking in place for an hour each day.  As long as you’re active each day (doing manual labor, playing sports, or lifting weights), you’re doing enough to meet the minimum required amount of exercise for cardiovascular health.

4) Cardio does not enhance human performance. Show me the guy who has done traditional cardio training to prepare for a season of basketball, football or any other competitive sport, and I’ll show you the guys who is extremely disappointed in his performance.  The fact is, cardio does not generate gains in sports-specific fitness levels.  Effective performance enhancement training will include a combination of strength training, plyometrics, and stretching, which, by the way, will also be a far more effective tool in weight loss!

5.) Most traditional “cardio” exercises neglect functional movement. Let’s face it, one of the best things we can get from a fitness program is the ability to move better.  Using an elliptical trainer or an arc trainer simply does not mimic normal human movement, therefore it limits our ability to perfect it.  Squats and deadlifts, for example, are movements that we use every day throughout our lives and will be far more effective training methods (when done correctly) in achieving  any desired fitness result.

So what’s the solution?
So what should you be doing instead if you want to sculpt your body, burn fat, lose your belly, and build lean muscle?
You should skip the “cardio” and focus on total-body, multi-muscle resistance training and interval training exercises to help you build functional strength and fitness.  Hiring a personal trainer is one of the best ways to ensure that you’re getting the most out of your exercise program and not wasting your time with exercises that won’t yield the results you deserve!  Click Below to see our absolutely irresistible “Story Of You” July special which is only available until 7/31/09…  July 2009 Personal Training Special

In Strength and Health,

Chad Ciri, CPT
ACE Certified Achieve Fitness Personal Trainer

“Difficulties strengthen the mind, as well as labor does the body.”

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This past weekend, I participated in my first ever off-road Triathlon.  It involved a 3/4 mile swim, 15 mile mountain
bike course, and 5 mile trail run.  I had a blast and completed the course in 2:50.21 placing 55th out of 240.  8th in my class out of 32. Not too shabby considering I only decided to do it 1 week prior to the event.

I’ve always felt that I keep myself in good enough shape to where I can finish any such endurance event at the drop of a hat or on short notice.  I have now proved it to myself and it made me feel pretty good.  I love to push the limits
of physical abilities.

Believe it or not, it was around the 2:20 mark when I was doing the running portion of the race while my legs screamed in agony and protested every step I took, that I had the idea to send you this email.  It might have been
what help motivate me to finish the run and get to the finish line. Or at least to distract myself from the pain.

The Triathlon is just a side note to the story I really wanted to share with you from this past weekend though…

On my 1.5 hour drive to Rocky Gap State Park (where the race took place), I popped in a book on tape that was
lent to me by a good friend.  The book is called “The Story Of You: And How To Create A New One” by Steve Chandler.

I got to listen to the first 8 chapters on my drive up and I’ll tell ya… it had me pumped up more than any pre-race
music I had queued up in my Ipod.  The book talks about how we all have a story about who we are and how we tell it.
And how this story we tell is the most false and limiting part of our lives. How we are motivated by the stories we want others to tell of us. Sometimes, it’s the story that others have wanted us to live.  But is it the story we think we’re stuck in, what we really want for ourselves?

It also discusses how certain challenging obstacles in life have stories attached to them of how difficult they are and
therefore, we listen to the story associated with it and never challenge ourselves to do it.

Within the first 5 chapters he put into words something about personal trainers that I don’t think I have ever heard said so well (and couldn’t agree with more)…

“People Hire Personal Trainers to physically inspire them to do things they did not believe they could do. They are story busters who work not with your story but with your body’s energy, your potential.  People hire coaches, consultants, trainers who see their potential and don’t care at all about the story that was previously running the show”

Wow!

This was extremely reaffirming to me about why we do what we do and it couldn’t be more true.  I love what we do and love to share this passion with you.  I love helping people change their story of themselves.  Helping you reach goals you may have thought were never possible.

Therefore, I’d like to make you a special offer to help us be able to share our passion for fitness with you.  If you
sign up for any personal training packages(of 12 or more sessions) before July 31st and mention “The Story Of You”,
we’ll give you an additional 4 sessions free!  That’s in addition to your initial f.r.e.e. trial consultation for a
total of 5 free sessions.  That’s a $400 value. Just call 1-888-872-7961 press 1 to talk to Mike and mention
“The Story of You” to receive this incredible deal.  Or, Buy Personal Training package online.

Our accountant is probably going to strangle me when he sees I did this but so what…  I really just want to help you
reach your true potential and change the story you keep telling yourself and others about why you can’t lose weight and finally get in shape.

To your new story,

Dennys Passeto

PS: If you’d like to check out “The Story Of You”, here’s a link to where you can check it out and grab your own copy…
The Story Of You

PPS: Here’s a link to the race results from the Triathlon…
Xterra Triathlon Results

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By Dennys Passeto, Certified Personal Trainer
Owner of Achieve Fitness

If you are fitness minded, you probably read the magazines or watch the latest infomercials and follow the trends. Well, some trends are good and others are just a waste of time and money. Yet maximum results with minimal time and expenditure is what most of us are looking for.

If you are new to weight training or fitness enhancement, getting a personal trainer is always a good place to start. They will show you the ropes, give you a program for success, and make sure you know how and why you are doing things.

But be cautious and do some research on the qualifications and philosophy of the trainer you may hire. While there are certainly great benefits to using personal trainers, having one is no guarantee for success. Some are not up on the latest studies and methods, relying on the same old stuff. But a good trainer will use circuit training and cross training for maximum results. Here’s how.

How to Maximize

Many trainers and fitness buffs will lift heavy weights then take long rests between sets. The theory is that the heavier the weight, the more muscle bulk will develop. And the longer the rest, the more repair has occurred to muscle tissue, which allows you to lift more in the next few sets. These extra reps and sets are thought to help burn more calories. Sounds good.

The problem is that this old-school method of weight training does not help cardiovascular health. There is very little benefit to lung and heart power. So now you will have to run the treadmill for those results. And this wastes time. And time is money, especially when paying a trainer!

Here at Achieve Fitness, we put into practice cutting edge methods of combining cardio, strength and flexibility training into single sessions while keeping the heart rate at optimal levels. We ask our clients to all wear heart rate monitors during the entire session, even when lifting weights. Why?

Because the best way to maximize time, energy and results is to work muscles, heart rate and lung capacity at the same time. In this way, you are not just resting for a few minutes to be able to do an additional rep of a weight set. On the contrary, it is your personal heart rate that dictates when to rest and when to begin again. And that time changes as your fitness level changes.

The goal of the workout is to give individual muscles a chance to rest while maintaining a consistently high heart rate. You will rest when your heart rate reaches 160 and then start up again when your heart rate drops to 130. (This varies per individual but is a good rule of thumb). This way your heart pumps more blood, you burn more calories through intensity, develop more endurance and leaner muscles.

A Streamlined Approach

When I am personally training a client, I will warm them up for 10 minutes on the elliptical cross trainer or stair master. To maximize time (to save them money and get the most out of each minute), I will review their personal nutritional journal with them during this period. We discuss diet, food combining, and ways to streamline their food habits for better results.

Next, I work them out for 45 minutes. To maximize results by controlling time, I pair up a machine and a manual exercise, like leg presses and dumbbell bicep curls. This method allows them to remain close to the machine and not “lose it” when the gym is crowded. I usually will have clients do three sets of each exercise and then move on to something else, like crunches and shoulder presses or leg curls and triceps extensions. In this way, one muscle rests while the other works. More importantly, the one thing that stays consistent during the exercise “switch” is the client’s heart rate!

The workout is 55 minutes long. With a heart rate elevated for that period of time through resistance training, you receive cardiovascular benefit, strength, muscular endurance, toning and sculpting. It’s also the biggest bang for your buck for anyone paying $65 or more per hour for a trainer.

The last 15 minutes of the session focuses on cooling down while stretching. Keeping muscles lean and limber is a huge part of health and wellness that is often neglected. It shouldn’t be.

Equipment Matters

Personal training often happens at the gym or in the home. And as a general rule, free weights offer better results than using weight machines. Really, the weight machines are for beginners or those too weak to use anything else. They are like training wheels and hold and guide proper position, without fear of the weights falling on you. But free weights not only increase the strength of the muscle being “worked,” they also train other muscles that are used to stabilize the weights while also increasing overall balance and whole-body coordination. Free weights maximize time, effort and results.

For home fitness, the now popular fitness balls and bands can be used. The balls are perfect for strengthening the core muscles, which include the abdominals, obliques, lower back and hips. The bands are good for chest, back and arms. While these strength bands are great for women, they don’t generally provide enough resistance for men. Free weights are the best options for men. For women, a small investment in Balls and Bands for home training can reap huge benefits.

Cross Training Is Key

Aside from circuit training, cross training is essential for overall fitness. I generally advise clients not to do the same type of exercise two days in a row, and to always mix things up.

I suggest things like weights and body-weight resistance training one day, biking or running the next day, and Bikram hot yoga or Pilates on another day. The idea is to keep the body guessing by putting the primary strain on different muscles in different ways each training day. These different strains place different emphasis and requirements on the heart, lungs and muscle fibers, as isometric yoga training is different than range of motion weight lifting or martial art training.

In the end, the objective of any fitness program is to maximize effort and results while keeping a lid on time and money. The way to do this is by using a heart rate monitor, not resting between sets, using circuit training and mixing things up with cross training. And, of course, by hiring a personal trainer with the right approach to help guide you through the maze of fitness approaches.

For more information, please visit our site at www.achieve-fitness.com. I’ll see you at the top!

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By Dr. Mark Wiley

Dr. Mark Wiley & Dennys Passeto

One of the most important themes of developing a quality of life is maintaining a wide perspective on health and fitness, one that is based on connecting mind, body and spirit with the physical actions.

But a glance at the gym tells a different story. Here we see people trying to become fit while not even engaging in what they are doing! The treadmill and stationary bike are perfect examples. Here we see people doing an activity that separates their lower body from their upper body (the legs are moving, but the waist and arms are not). We also find the mind to not be in the moment or even focused on the exercise (it is watching tv, listening to music, reading a magazine). Is it any wonder that people are not achieving their desired fitness levels, when not only is their mind and body split, but even their upper and lower bodies are not working in unison!

To remedy this I would like to introduce you to a mind/body training method drawn from an ancient martial art that includes a view to a wellness lifestyle that includes integration, synergism, holism, mind, body and spirit. The actual movements of this form are not important here, but its underlying principles steeped in connecting mind, body and spirit, and its method of practice, have the power to transform your fitness routine… and your life.

I find this martial method so impressive for health and strength building for the same the very same reason I find it impressive for martial art application. It integrates mind (intention), body (strength, tension, relaxation), spirit (psychology) and breath (qi energy). Even though it derives from an esoteric Chinese martial art, it is a valid and impressive health system in its own right. It is called “sam chien” or the “three battles form.”

Underlying the martial techniques and concepts of this form are a set of principles. These principles not only inform the root techniques and their application, they also strengthen mind, body and spirit. Here I describe a few of the principles and how they benefit health and wellness.

Maintain a steady vision. While performing any physical activity, look sharply and focus your eyesight so that you can see clearly either up close or far away. Look with eyes like an eagle, that take in everything yet focus only on what they need. For fitness training, and in all aspects of life where concentration and focus is essential, maintaining a steady vision, a strong gaze full of intention maximizes effort and insight… and results!

Maintain a calm spirit. Remaining relaxed and focused while training will prevent you from feeling nervous, loosing confidence, and giving up. Combining breath, posture and intention in movement allows you to remain calm and not panic or feel at a loss, when the training is difficult and you need that extra push to go the extra mile or lift another set.

Remaining calm or spiritually “centered” is the hallmark of even the most basic of spiritual practices. But rather than sitting in meditation, if you coordinate breath and thought and movement, your fitness routine becomes a moving meditation.

Alternate strength with relaxation. Use strength to move the weight. Use suppleness to release it. Strength training alternates between “hard” and “soft” motions, or tension followed by relaxation. This allows time to strengthen the tendons (which relate to the liver), the muscles (which relate to the spleen), the blood (which relates to the heart), and the breath (which relates to the lungs).

Prepare by being well-trained. Finding the right personal trainer, and doing the correct exercises in the correct manner, will make you well-trained. You must commit to the training as part of your new lifestyle. And with proper training comes proper body development and good health. This prepares you for life’s challenges and increases immunity when health is compromised.

The mind-body part of being well-trained is essential. In a basic sense, this is the idea of being “in the moment.” That is, neither being ahead of yourself nor beneath the wheel of life. Proper training of health maintenance practices will prepare you for even the worst of conditions. Where merely lifting weight makes you strong, a mind-body approach prepares you spiritually, mentally, physically and energetically through its holistic integration within each effort.

Don’t neglect your training. The idea here is to make a conscious decision to take charge of your health and wellness. And the best way to do that is to create a ritual, a daily routine that includes diet, exercise and mental and spiritual practices. The daily training of this form is such a ritual that is at once healthful for the spirit, the energy, the muscles, the tendons, the breath and the mind. You must carry out your healthy lifestyle rituals everyday, regardless. If not, you may “fall off the wagon” and find it harder to get back on track again.

From Concept to Life Application

The purpose of this article was to illustrate how something that appears unrelated to health can, in reality, be a strong tool to achieving healthy goals. If we look at the basic concept of this Three Battles form, we can then apply its essence to virtually any task in life. Here’s how.

The basic ideas of this martial art training form is integrating mind/body/spirit by synergistically coordinating breath with intention with movement during the course of a single physical activity. If we apply this to lifting weight, here’s what we get.

1.    As long as you keep your mind focused on your intention of isolating specific muscles when lifting a weight—rather than focusing on the struggle–your mind and movement will be integrated. Put the mind IN the body, not outside of it.

2.    If your breath is timed with your movements, inhaling while releasing the weight-lift and exhaling while lifting or pressing the weights, then intrinsic energy will develop body strength. Coordinating breath and action creates a connection that increases results.

3.    If you “sink” your weight while lifting/pressing the weights by lowering your center of gravity, you will be on balance, avoid injury and strengthen the tendons and muscles. This seems obvious, but many people do curls with only their upper body. If you lower your center, when the weights are raised their weight will push through your body into the ground, and the ground will send that energy back to your arms. You will need step 1 (mind in the body), to notice this, but when you do your progress will soar!

4.    If all of this (tension, relaxation, breathing, moving, intention) is done continuously for a period of time, then it becomes a spiritual practice, a type of “moving meditation” that centers, integrates and develops mind, body and spirit.

I wish you much luck in finding innumerable ways in your activities of daily living where you can apply these martial concepts and reach toward optimal health.

Dr. Mark Wiley is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, Ph.D. in Alternative Medicine Mind-Body Health Practitioner, Author, Celebrated Teacher. He is an internationally renowned mind-body health practitioner, author, editor, lecturer, and seminar instructor who has traveled extensively throughout the United States, Europe, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and Japan to conduct field research on the oldest indigenous and modern holistic healing practices.

If you are not currently working with a Fitness Professional, please contact us today and let us help you get you on the right track by trying out one of our trainers at no cost and seeing if its right for you.  Having sound body, mind and spirit is key to a life of health, wealth and happiness.

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Tracking your heart rate(HR) when engaging in any form of exercise or training is the best way to ensure you’re working out effectively, safely and within your limits.

A Heart Rate Monitor is the best way to measure your heart rate effectively.  It is also a great tool for motivation as well as giving you more understanding about your own body.

When I work with clients, I ask that their first investment in themselves be a Heart Rate monitor so that we can become in tune with their body and how the exercises I’ve chosen for them are stimulating them.

No matter what you are training for; marathon, weight loss, body building, weight maintenance, a heart rate mornitor is the best tool to let you know if you are training properly for the desired end result.  One of the main goals of your workouts is to improve your cardiovascular fitness.   When you heart rate is measured
during exercise, it tells you how hard your heart is working to perform that given activity.  You become in tune with just how much an activity taxes your body.

Using Simply the fact that your breathing a little harder than normal as your gauge of exertion is very primitive, misleading, and “old school”.  Learning to read your heart rate serves as a motivational tool that allows you to objectively detect beneficial changes which you can’t otherwise see.  The benefits of monitoring your heart rate are:

• Safety – The heart rate is a gauge by which to assess the intensity of your workout to make sure you’re not overexerting or overextending yourself.  For example, if your heart rate is above your working heart rate range, it lets you know to back off a little.  Many even have alarms that you can set to warn you when you reach this determined maximum.

• Effectiveness – If your Heart Rate indicates you’re not working hard enough, then you can pick up the intensity  to maximize the effectiveness of your workout.  To receive the aerobic benefits from your workout, you need to stay in your working heart rate range for at least 20 to 30 minutes continuously.

• Motivation/Incentive -  By monitoring your heart rate from week to week as you participate in an aerobic activity, you’ll discover that you will be able to exercise at a higher level of intensity, but at the same or lower heart rate.  This is the way the heart tells you it is becoming stronger and more efficient. As the demand for oxygen in the muscles for a given activity decreases, the heart no longer needs to pump the oxygen carrying red blood cells in such a hurried frenzy.  When you see positive results, it will motivate you to strive for even better results.

Heart rates to track & Training Zones

It is important to know when to track your heart rate and the purpose of it:

Resting Heart Rate(RHR) -   The rate your heart is pumping when you have been sitting quietly for a while or when you are sleeping is your resting heart rate. This rate indicates your cardiovascular fitness level.   A person who is in good aerobic condition usually has a lower resting heart rate.  Having a high resting heart rate is a good sign that you are in bad shape.

Determining your resting heart rate (RHR) is very easy. You can do it manually or by wearing your monitor.  Find somewhere nice and quiet, sit down and relax. For the manual version, position yourself so that you can see a clock or watch without movement. After 5 to 10 minutes of relaxation, check your pulse for 60 seconds while watching the clock to determine your resting pulse rate (beats/min). The number of beats you get over that 1 minute period is your RHR.  If you are wearing a monitor, you can actually see your HR climb down as your body becomes more and more relaxed. Use the lowest number you see during that relaxation period as your RHR.

The heart is a muscle so with regular exercise it will become larger and become more efficient as a pump. As a result you will find your resting heart rate gets lower so you will need to check your RHR on a regular basis to gauge your progress.

Maximum Heart Rate(MHR) – This is one of the most important and easiest HR measurement to determine and track.  As a general rule of thumb, your maximum Heart Rate is 220 – Your Age.  So if
you’re 50 yrs old, your MHR is 220 – 50 = 170 BPM.  This is a ball park range for you to work with.  There are more scientific test such as a stress test to determine this since everyone’s maximum is different but this will work as a ball park figure.

As you get into better and better aerobic condition, your maxiumum heart rate may increase and you will notice you are more comfortable or can sustain a higher heart rate longer as you become more fit.

Working Heart Rate Ranges -  Heart rate training zones are calculated by taking into consideration your Maximum Heart Rate (MHR) and giving you a % range of your maximum as a gauge to know where you need to be for that particular zone.  Within each training zone, subtle physiological effects take place to enhance your fitness, fat loss and performance.

It is important to vary your workouts and plan to workout frequently in all of these zones so that you keep your body “on its toes” and using different nutrients as primary fuel.   Within the category of “working” heart rate, there are 4 main ranges to work in…

• The Low Intensity or Recovery Zone (60% to 70% of MHR) - Training within this zone develops basic endurance and aerobic capacity. All easy recovery training should be completed at a maximum of 70%. Another huge advantage of training in this zone is that at this low intensity, your body burns fat as its fuel source helping you to lose weight.  You will also be allowing your muscles to replenish with glycogen, which has been expended during those faster paced workouts.

• The Aerobic Zone (70% to 80% of MHR) – Training in this zone will develop your cardiovascular system. The body’s ability to transport oxygen to, and carbon dioxide away from, the working muscles can be developed and improved. That is the goal of this zone.  As you become fitter and stronger from training in this zone, you will find yourself able to perform long duration exercise at up to 75% of your MHR, Therfore getting the benefits of some fat burning and improved aerobic capacity.

• The Anaerobic Zone (80% to 90% of MHR) – Training in this zone will develop your lactic acid system. In this zone, your individual anaerobic threshold (AT) is found. During these heart rates, the amount of fat being utilized as the main source of energy is greatly reduced and glycogen stored in the muscle is predominantly used. One of the by-products of burning this glycogen is lactic acid. There is a point at which the body can no longer remove the lactic acid from the working muscles quickly enough to continue performing. This is your anaerobic threshold (AT). Through the correct training, it is possible to delay the AT by being able to increase your ability to deal with the lactic acid for a longer period of time or by pushing the AT higher.

• The Red Line Zone (90% to 100% of MHR) – Training in this zone will only be possible for short periods. It effectively trains your fast twitch muscle fibers and helps to develop strength and speed. This zone is reserved for interval sprinting and explosive plyometric training and only the very fit are able to train effectively within this zone.

Your Recovery Heart Rate

This is an important measure of your fitness as well.  How quickly does your heart rate climb back down from the elevated, stressed range where it has been during the workout.  With a HR monitor, you can watch as you cool down and stretch how quickly your HR comes back down to normal working BPM.

It’s good to monitor how long your HR takes to get back to under 100 BPM.  Once you are very fit, you may find your HR will get there within 1 or 2 minutes post workout.  When you’re not in such great shape, it may take over 10 minutes.

So no matter what your fitness level, It’s not only beneficial but extremely important to monitor your Heart Rate.  It can keep the very athletic and fit reaching new heights in their training and those who are just starting, from overdoing/under doing it and giving them some HR targets to shoot for. You can pick one up at a sporting goods store or you can order a heart rate monitor online.  I recommend the brand ‘Polar’.  I have always experienced excellent customer service in the very few occasions where I had a problem with my HR monitors.  They’ve really done a tremendous job to retain my business

I personally use the Polar F11 model as it has all sorts of bells and whistles that I use in my own training such as Calories burned (measured by your Age, height, weight, sex, and actual HR) and it also stores all your workout data for quick reference to keep you on track.  It sends you a little email every Monday letting you know your stats from the previous week so you know if you’ve been slacking

Working out with one of our personal trainers is also a great way to learn to use your monitor and be guided through the different Heart Rate Zones and get training ideas from a professional. Therefore, as a bonus, if you have been thinking about starting to work with one of our personal trainers and sign up for personal training during the month of February, you will receive not only $100 off! But also a Polar FS1 Heart Rate Monitor FREE to help you get on the right track with your fitness and weight loss.  Give us a call (1-888-872-7961) and mention”Heart Rate Email Offer”.  But that’s not all, here’s what else you’ll receive…

• A FREE Trial session with one of our Personal trainers (a $90 value)
• A Polar FS1 Heart Rate monitor (a $60 Value)
• A Fitness & Nutrition Journal to speed up your progress, get you eating right, making the lifestyle changes and staying accountable (a $20 value)
• An Achieve Fitness Tshirt (a $20 value)
• And $100 OFF!

That’s $290 in combined value – yours FREE when you sign up for 12 sessions or more before February 28th.

C’mon, make 2009 the year you finally did it!

To Your Health & Well-being

Dennys Passeto, CPT
Achieve Fitness
Home of the Top Personal Trainers in Virginia, Maryland and Washington DC

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