It’s simplistic, universal, and definitive. When a claim promises broad benefits and is declared in a sound bite or headline, for a multitude of reasons this advice is usually flawed.

It’s supported by only a single study, or many small or less careful ones, or animal studies. Research findings that are based entirely upon animal studies have a high probability of being refuted once the research is conducted on humans.  Although a series of large, well constructed studies can occasionally be wrong, they typically are your best bet in finding a better conclusion.

It’s groundbreaking. A novel finding is usually based upon one study or a small subset of less rigorous studies.  Bigger, well constructed studies are almost never undertaken until smaller ones pave the way.

It’s pushed by people or organizations that stand to benefit from its acceptance.

It’s geared toward preventing a future occurrence of a prominent recent failure or crisis. Hindsight is 20/20.  Doing in the present what we should have done before a crisis erupts doesn’t necessarily lead to the best outcome.

You can order this book from Amazon.com by clicking the link below:

1. Go to the following website: http://www.exrx.net/Calculators/TargetHeartRate.html

2. Enter your upper range percentage in Heart Rate A.

3. Enter your lower range percentage in Heart Rate B.

4. Enter your age.

5. Enter your resting heart rate. To find this use a heart rate monitor and observe your heart rate in a rested state (i.e. seated in chair). Don’t have a heart rate monitor? Purchase a Heart Rate Monitor Here

Here’s an example. For a deconditioned 43 year old that has a target intensity range of 50 – 60% and a resting heart rate of 77 would yield the following target heart rate ranges:

Target Heart Rate (upper end of range) = 137 beats per minute

Target Heart Rate (lower end of range) = 127 beats per minute

Any activity that uses large muscle groups in a rhythmic fashion over a prolonged period of time can be considered cardiovascular exercise.  Examples include walking, running, hiking, stair climbing, elliptical activity, cycling, swimming, rowing, skating, etc…  Chose any cardio exercise for the guidelines below.  Begin each workout session with a 5 to 10 minute warm up which is basically engaging in the cardio activity at a lower intensity than what you will be targeting.  For example, you may walk briskly for 5 minutes before you jog.  Conduct a cool down at the end of your workout which again will be about 5 minutes of lower intensity exercise followed by static stretches.  Click the following link for examples of a post workout stretch routine:  Basic Stretching Program.  Don’t forget to include strength training on the off days.

Initial Stage

This phase lasts 1 to 4 weeks during which you’ll want to start out with just 15 minutes of targeted exercise and progress towards 30 minutes in the later weeks.  The appropriate intensity is between 40% – 60% using the heart rate reserve method (HHR).  Click the following link for info on how to calculate your target heart rate using this method: Find your target heart rate range.  You can start with an intensity range of 40% – 50% and progress to a range of 50% – 60%.  The duration of this phase can be extended if needed.

Improvement

The purpose of this stage is to gradually improve your conditioning to the point that you can handle and eventually maintain an advanced level of exercise intensity.  It lasts approximately 4 months with an exercise duration ranging from 30 to 40 minutes in length and intensity incrementally improving from 60% to 85%.  The duration of this phase can be extended to 8 months or more if needed.

Maintenance

At this point you are maintaining the fitness level you achieved from your hard work during the previous stage.  To progress you may want to study advanced techniques.  For example, to improve your running times you can employ interval, pace/tempo, or Fartlek methods to your training.

Please contact me if you’d like a customized exercise plan.

A good running shoe should be designed to assist with three major functions:  to provide a cushion for shock absorption, to support the foot by effectively distributing impact forces, and to supply a barrier to protect against outside elements.  Finding the right shoe that accomplishes these factors requires some insight into your own running mechanics which, fortunately, can be easily determined.  First, you’ll need to observe your degree of pronation (the inward rolling of the foot when it comes into complete contact with the ground).  The  article “Pronation, Explained” does a fantastic job of demonstrating the different pronation types.  Runners that have issues with excessive pronation which is common among those with low to flat arches should choose a stability or “motion control” shoe containing rigid devices around the heel and arch.  Runners that have high arches typically have issues with underpronation that require a shoe with more cushioning,  A combination shoe containing some stability and a moderate degree of cushioning will work best for those with normal pronation and no apparent mechanical abnormalities.  What is your degree of pronation?  You can determine this by simply visiting a running specialty store that has staff trained in determining your type.  If you want to go it alone, you can make an informed decision by using a Wet Footprint Test as described in the article “Take the Wet Test: Learn Your Foot Type”.  Another aspect to consider is your body weight.  Heavier runners will be best served with a bulkier, sturdier shoe.  Make sure to try out many different models in the store to find a shoe that immediately feels comfortable as they should not have to be broken in.  As a final point, make certain that you leave about a half inch between your toes and the front of the shoe as extra space allows for shifting that occurs when running downhill.  Happy running!

A common question I receive is whether one should eat prior to exercise. First of all, it goes without saying that eating a balanced diet consisting of multiple meals (about 4 – 6) throughout the day is essential to keeping your body fueled and ready for action. Although everyone is different, the digestion of a regular meal can take up to 4 hours, so you should allow plenty of time to digest a meal before engaging in physical activity. However, you may consider having a small snack about 30 to 90 minutes prior to exercise for the following reasons:

• provides additional fuel for prolonged stamina
• helps decrease exercise induced breakdown of muscle protein, thus, preserving lean muscle tissues
• may prevent the distracting symptoms of hunger
• helps avert symptoms from low blood sugar which can include dizziness, nausea, and headaches

Preferably, a pre-exercise snack should consist of 200-400 calories including mostly carbohydrates (about 60%) with some amount of fat and protein.
Choose carbohydrates that are easily digested such as pasta, fruits, breads, energy bars and drinks.

You can find examples of some pre-exercise meals at the following link:

The answer wholly depends on your time constraints and specific goals. In fitness there exists a principle of Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands (SAID). In other words, this principle asserts that the human body will adapt to the physical stress, whether biomechanical or neurological, that is placed upon it. Fortunately, a qualified Personal Trainer can assist you in determining what exercises to employ and how much is required to meet your fitness goals whether they be to improve muscular balance and coordination, increase cardiovascular function, enhance strength, or other needs. However, from a general conditioning standpoint the AmericanCollege of Sports Medicine in conjunction with the American Heart Association provide the following exercise recommendations for healthy adults under the age of 65:

moderately intense cardio 30 minutes a day, five days a week

Or

vigorously intense cardio 20 minutes a day, 3 days a week
And
eight to 10 strength-training exercises, eight to 12 repetitions of each exercise twice a week.

For those that want to just “feel good” and work toward a healthy body weight, these recommendations will work well. Visit the ACSM site for

Physical Activity and Public Health Guidelines for more info.

Okay, I don’t want to be the diet Scrooge during the Holidays as I certainly hope you enjoy these times with family and friends to the fullest. However, some of you that drink may be able to lessen the holiday blow to your diet by making wiser choices that really aren’t much of a sacrifice. Take a gander at the following link containing calorie counts for some the more popular alcoholic beverages: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/custom/2005/12/19/CU2005121900285.html As you can see, there is a wide disparity among the calorie counts. The reason for the disparity is attributed to many factors such as the number of alcohol servings in the drink (1 gram of alcohol has 7 calories compared with only 4 calories for a gram of carbohydrate), the proof of the alcohol, the size of the drink, and most importantly, the type of mixer used. Therefore as a general rule of thumb, try to stick with wine, light beer, simple cocktails made with low-calorie mixers, or have your favorite spirit on the rocks. Doing so may help some of you curb the holiday impact and start the New Year with a fresh recognition that making better diet choices isn’t much of a sacrifice after all. The following is a great article from WebMD with more detail on this subject: http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/low-calorie-cocktails. Happy Holidays!

Running is obviously a popular form of exercise where some 40 million people run in the USA each year. This statistic is easy to recognize as running is a convenient, socially oriented way of burning extra calories while improving the health of your cardiovascular system. Although running may seem like an intuitive process, improper form can, over time, cause painful injuries. Some of these common injuries include iliotibial band syndrome, plantar fasciitis, achilles tendonitis, stress fractures, and more. During the course of a mile a typical runner will land on each leg 500 – 1000 times. If improper form is used, wrong forces will be applied to your joints thousands of times over leading to injury. A runner may reduce the discomfort by altering his or her stride (compensate) which will compound the problem even further.

To evaluate your running technique, start by reading the article “The Perfect Form” located at the Runner’s World website. However, preventing injuries doesn’t stop with technique. Wearing the right shoes, stretching, strength training, and managing your intensity are some of the major factors allowing for a pain free and more enjoyable running experience.

Last Sunday a study was presented at the annual meeting of the American Heart Association showing that men over 40 have a 1 in 8 chance of having a sudden cardiac death over the remainder of their lifetime. This study is just another stark reminder of the risks associated with heart disease and underscores the importance of using exercise as an approach to combat it. Through a litany of research and press, we have all been conditioned to see the link between exercise and a healthy heart, however, to help solidify this notion the following are some key points in regard to how aerobic exercise specifically impacts our cardiovascular system in a positive way:

Benefits of Aerobic Exercise to the Cardiovascular System

• Adaptations to the heart and peripheral blood vessels allow the body to intake and use oxygen more efficiently. This adaptation can lead to a lower resting heart rate.
• Decreases in blood pressure occur.
• Increased capillary density in skeletal muscle allows for better oxygen delivery to the associated areas.
• HDL or “good cholesterol increases; levels of fats in the blood decrease.
• The ability to process sugars and carbohydrates is improved leading to reduced insulin needs and improved glucose tolerance. (Diabetes is a risk factor in developing heart disease)
• Blood clotting is reduced.

For more info on heart health visit the U.S. National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.