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Tag: Foam

Running, Lifting, Losing Weight

Written by Chris Bryan on . Posted in Workouts. No Comments on Running, Lifting, Losing Weight

Lets talk about the great debate of which is a more effective exercise for losing weight, running or weight training.
Before we start lets differentiate ‘losing weight’ and ‘burning body fat’

You see both running and weight training play an important role in how we lose weight, what kind of weight we lose, and also how we maintain that weight loss.sneakers

All weight loss occurs through caloric burn, so to lose weight or get thinner in body, we must burn more calories then we consume.
If you’re curious how many calories you’re burning without exercise, and then how many you need to burn to get to your desired weight loss goal, be sure to read my blog
CALCULATE YOUR BMR AND CALORIES

So, which is better for burning calories during your workout running or strength training?

As far as burning calories goes, during your exercise, running definitely has the upper hand.

How many calories you burn is based on your weight and how fast you’re running, but for example, a 140 pound person running a 10 minute mile will burn on average 640 calories in 60 minutes.
When it comes to weight training we do burn calories, a 140 pound person will on average burn around 250 calories during a 60 minute workout. If you were to participate in the popular style of fitness referred to as High Intensity Interval Training ‘HIIT’ which is a high intensity weight training program, that same 140 pound person would burn on average around 400 calories in a 60 minute workout.

As we can see, during the 60 minute workout, we will burn more calories running at a good pace then we will strength training and this is why we seem to get skinnier from running.

Weight training builds muscle, and in order for the body to maintain muscle tissue it must burn calories. As a result, weight training will lead to us burning more calories throughout the day. Muscle will also help you keep the weight from coming back because that muscle will always need energy ‘calories’ to sustain its current size.

All in all, do both, or incorporate a HIIT High Intensity Interval Training program, which includes weight training at a high intensity and fast pace, helping you to achieve both results in one.

Running will help you burn more calories to help you lose weight, and strength training will build the muscle you need to keep the body fat from coming back!

Everything we’ve talked about here also revolves around your nutrition plan. It’s the combination of both your fitness and your meal plan that will help you achieve the desired success you’re looking for!

If you’re looking to learn more about food and what to eat, be sure to download my free e-book The Power Of Food!

You can download it to the right of this page.

JUST SHOW UP

Written by Chris Bryan on . Posted in Uncategorized. No Comments on JUST SHOW UP

Some days will always be better than others. True test of character occurs when we must overcome unexpected challenge. Many times we can see our goal, we know what we want to achieve but fear overpowers our emotions and we cant build up enough courage to take a risk, even though we know the results lead to reward.JUST SHOW UP
Just Show Up
You have never been put in a situation you could not overcome.
No matter how challenging mentally, physically or emotionally you have always persevered. Today, tomorrow, the next day will be no different. You are capable of doing Amazing things. No matter if its a good day or not, give yourself the chance to do something great!
Just Show Up -Know The Goal

How To Use A Foam Roller

Written by Chris Bryan on . Posted in Training, Workouts. No Comments on How To Use A Foam Roller

Lets start with this….

If your muscles are not sore from working out, YOU’RE NOT WORKING HARD ENOUGH!!!

Says the trainer lol.

When muscles get worked, they expand in size and as they recover they retract.  This fluctuation in muscle size can lead to the pulling of other muscles in the body.  Most commonly when we feel weak in the lower back the pain does not stem from the lower back, but from the gluteus muscles, hamstrings and I.T Bands being tight, knotting up and pulling on the lower back.  This can also happen if you do work your upper back, rhomboid or shoulder muscles in the same way, as they tighten they pull on other muscles.

So what can we do to help alleviate the pain?

Foam Roll!

I recommend you watch the above video if you haven’t already to visually see how to hit each part of the body.  Below are steps of how to get your full body roll on!  Try to roll 10 times each way to start and get a feel for where you’re the most sore, then concentrate on the areas you feel you need it the most.

Remember that the recovery part of fitness is just as important, if not more important, than what exercises we do, we must listen to the body and help it become its healthiest by giving it what it needs!

Enjoy!

 

UPPER BACK – SHOULDERS : Place the roller at the base of the head along the Cervical Spine.  Press the hips and pelvis area up to the sky and slowly start to roll down your back to the thoracic part of the spine rolling over the rhomboids.  (Ladies be sure to watch that your hair does not get caught under the roll)

LOWER BACK :  This is an important part to be careful of, be sure to keep your chest at an incline so that you can control the weight over this part of your spine.  (See the video for example)

GLUTEUS MAXIMUS :  Your butt.  You’re guaranteed to be tight here.  Sit on the roller lean to the side slightly and roll back and forth.  Then switch the other side.

HAMSTRING :  Again, another place you’ll be tight.  Place the hands on the ground to raise yourself up allowing your full body weight to press down on the roller.

CALF:  Keep the same hand placement to allow full body weight compression.

TURN THE BODY OVER

SHINS:  If you’re a runner you absolutely want to be sure to roll out your shins to prevent shin splints.  Place your forearms on the ground as if doing a forearm plank.  Shift the shoulders forward and back to roll through the shins.

QUADS:  When working the quads use the same forearm hold shifting shoulders forward and back.

LASTLY COMES THE GRAND FINALE OF ALL FOAM ROLLING

ILOTIAL BAND (I T BAND) :         This is going to hurt, no, really, it is.

Place the side of your leg on the roller, with both hands on the ground and slowly start to roll down toward your knee.  Try to keep the feet off of the ground to allow the full body weight to press down on the roller.   Go slow rolling up and down and then switch sides.

It will be painful the first few times, but remember the more it hurts the more it means your body needed it.  In a few weeks it wont be nearly as bad!

 

Discipline Is The Key

Written by Chris Bryan on . Posted in Uncategorized. No Comments on Discipline Is The Key

DISCIPLINEGo Big

It’s the only thing that stands between you and everything you want to accomplish in life.

As you create your New Years plan, use this word to be the foundation for everything you do in 2015.

Make the word mean something, use the definition of the word and it will define your success.

Give great thought to Who you want to be,  What you want to be, then write down the steps that can make that happen.

Create the easiest steps possible, commit to them with discipline, stay the course, no matter how challenging.

When you’re celebrating New Years 2016, one year from today, you’ll be glad you did.

With DISCIPLINE the world is in the palm of your hands.

-Know The Goal