What going on guys!? Liz signing in again... Muscle Cramps getting in the way of your workouts? Yeah, mine too.
I have many people, when just starting a fitness regimen, ask me why they're experiencing cramps in their sides.
Well, here's the bad news. No one really knows why they happen. Studies in the past have attributed it to dehydration or a depletion of electrolytes (potassium, sodium, magnesium, and calcium) in the body. Other studies blame it on poor flexibility and fitness. A good way you can think about it is that both reasons have a factor in your cramps. As a trainer, I would never allow my clients to train while dehydrated or on an empty stomach. This way, we can cancel out the first possible cause of cramps. The second possible cause [poor flexibility and fitness] will diminish over time with hard work. However, when you do experience a cramp, whether it be in your side, thigh or calf, make sure to stop what you are doing and stretch that area. To stretch these areas, imagine you are trying to lengthen the muscle and hold for about 30 seconds.
Here are some foods high in potassium and the other necessary electrolytes:
Bananas
Pure Coconut water ***My favorite natural sports drink!!***
Yogurt
Avocados
Almonds, Cashews, Peanuts or Pine Nuts
Figs [fresh or dried]
Beans [Black and white] ***Yeah, try NOT to eat these before you train with me or Kyle.***
Lentils
Wheat Bread
Sweet potato
Don't forget to check out www.ktrain.biz for boot camp details and deals.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
The Real Deal On Plateaus
What's up everybody? Ok, so let's jump right into this. So I want to
touch on a subject that I was discussing with one of my clients and
it seems a lot of people seem to suffer from the same problem.
PLATEAUS! Ok, so let me explain what a plateau is. Basically it's when
you're working out over a period of time and your body stops changing
whether it's because of forming muscle tone or weight loss. DON'T PANIC! It
happens. Now let me explain why this is not necessarily a bad thing.
Your body is always going to tell you when you need to make a change.
I'm not going to make general statements,wait.... yes, I am. like most
people in the gym, people do the same exercises and same cardio
routine day in and day out. Here's how to fix it. Step outside your box
of monotony and do something different. For example, if you do cardio
first and then weights, switch it up! Try weights first then cardio.
Or let's say your in the gym for 60-90 mins a day. Try doing 30 mins
of weight lifting then the 30 mins of weights then another 30 mins of
cardio. Or vice versa. Here's another example, let's say that you
stick to doing lunges and squats during your leg routine. Try doing a
squat with a shoulder press or a lunge with a bicep curl. Or even a
sit-up to a jump squat. Multi-joint or compound movements are great
ways to make your routine more exciting and challenging. Also, you might
want to just try resting. Keep in mind that when working out, your
breaking down the body. Just like a engine that's been running, it's
going to be shut off and cooled off at some point. Taking a few days
break after weeks upon weeks of working out is vital to your fitness
goal. These are all little adjustments that can be done to switch up
your boring workout routine. Now obviously depending on what your
overall goal is, you can adjust the stated examples accordingly. For
those who aren't lucky enough to be trained by me or be involved in my
boot camp (info for that can be found at www.ktrain.biz, and get use to
the shameless plugs, it's my blog) switching up your routine can be a
fitness breakthrough in getting the body you want.
touch on a subject that I was discussing with one of my clients and
it seems a lot of people seem to suffer from the same problem.
PLATEAUS! Ok, so let me explain what a plateau is. Basically it's when
you're working out over a period of time and your body stops changing
whether it's because of forming muscle tone or weight loss. DON'T PANIC! It
happens. Now let me explain why this is not necessarily a bad thing.
Your body is always going to tell you when you need to make a change.
I'm not going to make general statements,wait.... yes, I am. like most
people in the gym, people do the same exercises and same cardio
routine day in and day out. Here's how to fix it. Step outside your box
of monotony and do something different. For example, if you do cardio
first and then weights, switch it up! Try weights first then cardio.
Or let's say your in the gym for 60-90 mins a day. Try doing 30 mins
of weight lifting then the 30 mins of weights then another 30 mins of
cardio. Or vice versa. Here's another example, let's say that you
stick to doing lunges and squats during your leg routine. Try doing a
squat with a shoulder press or a lunge with a bicep curl. Or even a
sit-up to a jump squat. Multi-joint or compound movements are great
ways to make your routine more exciting and challenging. Also, you might
want to just try resting. Keep in mind that when working out, your
breaking down the body. Just like a engine that's been running, it's
going to be shut off and cooled off at some point. Taking a few days
break after weeks upon weeks of working out is vital to your fitness
goal. These are all little adjustments that can be done to switch up
your boring workout routine. Now obviously depending on what your
overall goal is, you can adjust the stated examples accordingly. For
those who aren't lucky enough to be trained by me or be involved in my
boot camp (info for that can be found at www.ktrain.biz, and get use to
the shameless plugs, it's my blog) switching up your routine can be a
fitness breakthrough in getting the body you want.
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